Raising the #realreids

#realreids

I started this hashtag a few years ago after watching an episode of Wheel of Fortune, hearing all of the wonderful things about everyone’s family. You know how it is. “I have a wonderful, perfect husband who always does what I ask,  and 14 perfect, immaculate children who never make a mistake.” Really? Who are you people? Because you don’t live in MY neighborhood! We are the #realreids. We laugh, we love, we mess up (a LOT...a WHOLE, WHOLE LOT), and we LOVE each other, and ALL of our idiosyncrasies. And, if you know us, there are more than a few of those.

So, after a few friends have told me that they enjoy my posts about our daily lives, I thought I might share about our crazy, wonderful, zany life. If you have a REAL family, that isn’t perfect...We should make you feel better about yourself!

The most recent episode in our crazy-town… Which I shall entitle “Nit Picking”

So, last Friday, on Good Friday, I had WONDERFUL plans for the day. I had to finish a crochet project for a friend, get JC a haircut, do some cleaning, pick up Easter things, and enjoy myself and the beautiful, sunny day! I woke up early, drank coffee, and worked on my project.

Part 1 - Perfection. I heard the harps in the background. Today was going to be awesome….

Part 2 - Come on son, let’s go get your shaggy hair cut. So, we ride over to his new favorite barber shop. There is no line (Do you know how rare this is at a barber shop? Seriously - and men talk about US!) He is called straight back. I am crocheting away on my project...Then, a lady (not the one cutting his hair), walks over with a nervous smile. She says, “well...I have news that no mom wants to hear.” I was confused. She sat beside me, and said those words that NO MOM in the US ever wants to hear…. “I think he has lice.” I promise...I was in shock. Shock, I tell you. He is almost 13? How in the world? Do these people think we are nasty? I know I don’t keep a perfectly clean house, but it is sanitary? Are we dirty? Are we nasty? GROSS! I was MORTIFIED! Well, if you have ever been in this place before...They are unable to complete the haircut. So, they fixed him the best they could, and sent us off into neverland! (Please note - these girls were WONDERFUL! So nice about this, as we are dying of embarrassment.) It was at this point I felt the pain start, right between my shoulder blades, and up behind my left eye….

Part 3 (which was Part 1 of Plan 2) - Off to CVS. Now, I have to give a little background - In true “Jolie” fashion, I had lost my debit card the day before, so had cancelled it and actually had cash in my wallet.) In CVS, I go to the haircare quickly...There it is...Wait, too many choices… What will work? What do I need? HELP….The pain in my head gets a little worse...I pick a kit to treat everything - it had spray for the furniture, shampoo, combs, magnifying glass. Then, I get some extra combs, because who knows? Oh, and extra shampoo, because now we have to treat all of us, don’t I? I head to the counter….Wait, I need some Excedrin Migraine too. Hey, look, there is some Biofreeze...And, I bet my shoulders will hurt from bending over his head forever, right? So let’s grab that.Then, a nice man sees me, and what is in my arms...He speaks the words. “Ma’am...I have been there. I am so sorry. Good luck.” Oh me, the embarrassment grew. I now make a bee-line to the register.  Then, I saw the candy. Yep, this day will require chocolate. Better get some 2 bags...It’s going to be a long day. I make it to the register...Y’all...It was $96. Yes, $100 to treat a few bugs. Really? The cashier looks at me as throw down the Benjamin...All I can say “Don’t judge me, please.” Then, I rush back to the car.

Plan 2, Part 2 - Home. I yell for Sadie to quickly strip JC’s bed, and put it all in the washer on HOT. I instruct him to sit down and let me look...And y’all...ECKKKKK!!!! I gagged. There they were. Nits. Ugh! So, I quickly cover his head in the pesticide, and start a timer. Then, I send him to start stripping beds and bagging it all in garbage bags, because there is NO WAY we are sleeping until all bed linens in this house are cleaned thoroughly. The timer rings...Now, we get down to business. I must now act like a baboon, and pick bugs (well, not many bugs, but nits) out of my son’s hair. All the while fussing that we had let his hair get this long without getting it cut. (HOW do people deal with this in LONG HAIR?) Pause - Pesticide up Sadie up, start her timer… Send her to spray the couch. Wait? Did I text the friend who had the sleepover last week? And the cousin we were with last night? Who else needs to know?  UGHHH...More embarrassment… Finally - several hours later, I have picked all I can. I have called our wonderful Janet B to check my head for me (thank goodness, I was clean) He has a clean (pink from me combing) scalp. Laundry is running, and all bed linens and pillows are bagged. Crap...I haven’t treated MYSELF yet! So, I yell to the kids to load the car, while I put the pesticide on myself and start the timer. My head is treated…

Plan 2 - Part 3 -Now the decision...Where to get the haircut finished? Do I go back to where we started? Or go somewhere new and pretend this debacle never happened? I decide to go back, and ask them to finish, as I didn’t pay them the first time, and we know these girls needed some money for the trauma. So, we go back, they are too sweet, and get him right in. Is a $15 tip too much? Probably not today… The haircut is $16, but good grief. We are talking LICE here. The suburban mom’s worst nightmare!

Plan 2 - Part 4 - The back of my van is filled with “contaminated” linens and pillows from our room and Sadie’s room. So, off to the bank for 2 rolls of quarters, then on to the laundromat. (I am a freak - I love a laundromat typically. You can get it ALL done at one time! How great is that?) So, I get in, and realize I may be in trouble...Washer are $4 a load. FOUR DOLLARS. For one load of clothes? Ugh! So, I get it started...I think I washed 6 or 7 loads. I was at that quarter machine every few minutes. But I was killing bugs, so it was all good. Oh goodness, I can’t AFFORD to wash all of these pillows. Some of them will have to be washed at home. And, finally - I am joining Plan 1 and 2 and frantically crocheting! I may make this day work after all…

Plan 2 - Part 5 - Home with dried linens. 3 of the 4 of us have been treated. And mama is tired. So, I sit down and start frantically crocheting again. Make kids unload the van and bring in clean things. They make their beds… I finally finish my project. YES! Only a few hours late. I am ok...Then I realize...It is 6:30pm. I have no dinner plans. I am so tired. So, there is only one decision for the #realreids. D’Casa. :)

Now, I hope you have enjoyed laughing at me and my wildly crazy day. I survived. And there were some wonderfully good parts to this day…

If we live in a country/economic system where head lice is the worst of our troubles, we are blessed. This is TRULY a “First World Problem.” How blessed are we that THIS is what sets us onto a cleaning frenzy. There are people in this world who just have to live with this. It is a daily fact of their life.

My sweet cousin/best friend felt bad for me, and brought me a beautiful bouquet of daisies to the laundromat.

I met a nice young man at the laundromat. He didn’t know how to wash his clothes, so I helped him a little. I shared my Tide Pods and Bounce dryer sheets with him, so he didn’t have to pay the outrageous prices to buy some there. He asked to smell my flowers, and told me they smelled “like life,” and that he was going to get some for his mother and grandmother for Easter. I told him that was a great idea, and that he should go to church with them for Easter. And when I left, he thanked me for helping him,  and asked if I had a Facebook. So, I found myself for him, and when I got home, he had sent me a friend request.

Most importantly - Even though I had a bad day, all of my people were safely at home in the bed on Friday night. We were together. I have known people who have had such tragedies lately, that I realize that this is the important part. That we are together.

I love my #realreids, and the adventures we have in our very simple life!

Mistakes Sometimes Happen for a Reason

I haven’t posted about my journey in a long time, and when I think about it, I think it is because I don’t want this to be just about weight loss anymore. My surgery was a huge part of my life, and it consumed me for a while. It will always be a big dot on the map of my life, but there are so many more dots, big and little on my map, and I want to share some of those as well. 

Today, July 15, is always an odd day for me. You see, twenty-one years ago on this date, I made a mistake. It was a mistake that involved flowers, cakes, bridesmaids, and a preacher. You see, 21 year ago, at 20 years old, I married the wrong man. I knew when he proposed to me, I knew it as I planned my wedding, and I knew it as I stood at the alter. I knew it on my honeymoon, and I knew it most days for the next 3 and a half years. 

There is a quote in the movie Something to Talk About that has always stood out to me, no, not that one! It is a quote that Julia, as Grace says to Jamie, as they are eating pecan pie in the kitchen. 

Him: “I’ll say one thing, you Southern women sure are easy to please.”

Her: “It comes from centuries of being bred to keep our expectations low.”

This is something that I think was true for me. I didn’t have high expectations. I wanted to be married. Now, these were expectations that I had for myself, not that my family had for me. Mama was my driving force, and she encouraged me to wait, but I was insistent. After all, I was 20 years old. I knew better. 

So, all of that being said, July 15 tends to be a date of reflection for me. At first, I had anger. A lot of anger over the happenings. I was angry, and portrayed myself as a victim. I had been hurt by those I loved. I was a “good girl” and those things should not have happened to me. What did I do to deserve infidelity? And, the crux of the situation: Why wasn’t I good enough?

Then, my feelings moved on to embarrassment and shame. How would I ever live this down? Who knew? Who didn’t? Did I have to tell people? What about my kids? And still, shame that I wasn’t enough. 

 Now, I have feelings of joy. Joy that on this day, I am celebrating 17 years of LOVE with a man who dotes on me every day. 17 summers of being “Dan’s girl.” 17 summers of tomatoes, flowers, kids, bluegrass music, floors to be swept, meals to cook. Poor Dan suffered a lot in the early years, because I had trust issues. But now, today, I have no doubts that he loves me. I trust him implicitly with everything in my life. And I am sure, 100% sure, that Dan Reid was sent to me be God, to be my spouse. My best friend. My lover. My other half. 

Today, I want to say that although this is an ugly blip on the map of my life, in the end, it was for the best. I was not in God’s will, and I knew it. I did what I wanted to do. And there were consequences. Consequences that caused hurt to a lot of people. But God did allow it to happen, just as He has allowed me to use what I learned to make changes to myself. Changes to help me be a better wife for Dan, and a better mother to Sadie and Jon Carter. Remember, in Jeremiah 29:11, God promises that He has plans for a future for each of us. Plans to prosper us, not to harm us. Plans for a future. Even when we are stubborn, and ignore Him, we are allowed to return to Him. He can take those negative things and show us how to use them for the positive. 

I don’t often talk about being divorced, but I don’t hide it. I have learned at times that I can use my experience to show that good can come from bad, that survival ( and thriving) is possible, and even that sometimes Mama’s know best, so you should listen to them! 

So, if you see me celebrating tonight, know I not

Do I Have Enough?

So, the journey is continuing, even though I don’t post often anymore. There is just so much going on, and so little time...Work, plays, soccer, homework, dinner, projects, dodecahedrons...You all know the drill, you live it too.
I recently read an interesting book. Daring Greatly, by Dr. Brene’ Brown. One of the things that stuck out the most to me in that book, was that we are a culture of scarcity. We never feel like we have enough. There is not enough time, money, clothes, toys, sleep. We wake up, and the first things we think are that we didn’t get enough sleep, and that we don’t have enough time to accomplish what we want to do. The last thoughts we have before going to sleep - we won’t get enough sleep tonight, and we didn’t accomplish all we wanted to. And I recognized myself in this, and I don’t want to live that way anymore. Dr. Brown also stated that, despite what we might think, the opposite of “scarcity” is not “abundance.” We all think that if we just have more, all of our problems will be solved. Well, I see Dr. Brown’s point. What qualifies as abundance? To some people, just living in the US would be abundance. To some, it is being a millionaire, to some having dinner tonight. Who qualifies that for us? And who of us, when met with abundance actually says, “Well, that’s good. I have abundance, and I am satisfied.” No one I know, for sure. That being said, Dr. Brown states that “enough” is the actually the opposite of “scarcity.” Why, you ask? Well, because we all have to realize that when we have ENOUGH, we should be satisfied. That is not to say that we should never dream. But only that we do have enough, and that should be enough. I don’t have all of the material things I desire. But, Dan and I do have a home with 4 walls. We are warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. We have food in our freezer and refrigerator, and still occasionally go out to eat. We live in a wonderful neighborhood. We have friends and family who love us. Our children get wonderful educations, from a wonderful school district - for FREE. They have clothes, toys, books...We have enough.
However, even though I know I have enough, I have been struggling for the past several weeks. I have had another “blip” on the health radar. I went just before Thanksgiving for my first-ever mammogram. Fun times. (Yep - I know, I am blessed to live in a country where this is the MINIMAL STANDARD of care.) Well, I didn’t think twice about it, until I got a call the next week that I needed some follow-up. Well, if you have ever been there - as you know, the freak-out commenced. But I handled it ok. Minimal freak-out, asked some questions, and tried to gather some information.  Lots of people assured me that this was common on a first mammogram, and I shouldn’t panic. So, I headed out for an ultrasound (which also included a second mammogram.) Wow. What an experience...4 hours in a waiting room full of shirtless, braless women in robes. Fun times. Well, during that time, the ultrasound tech and radiologist did not a 4 cm mass in my left breast, however, they were very reassuring that it did not look cancerous. However, the next step recommended was a needle biopsy and removal, due to the size. Well, at that point, I was in shock. I mean, I am healthier than I have been in years. I was feeling a little blah due to some suspected anemia, but really? This??? Now???
So, after an evening in shock, I did not recover like I wanted to. I just couldn’t get past this. I have been sad, depressed, sleepy, in a funk for two weeks now. Two weeks gone. I have tried to be very particular about who I discussed this with. And it has weighed on me. I have been too weary to put one foot in front of the other during the day, and unable to sleep at night. I have not celebrated this season… I have not shopped. I got no joy out of decorating my tree. I don’t want to cook. I didn’t make it to my work Christmas party. I have been a sad sack. But no more. That changes now. This is my favorite time of year. I love Christmas. I love the Nativity. I love celebrating the birth of Jesus. And this will not stop me. Jesus knows what will happen, and that is ENOUGH. I’m tough. Yes, the biopsy will hurt, but probably no more than I can handle. If the results are not what I want, well, I have Dan. And he has proven his nursing ability over and over. If I don’t get the lump removed prior to December 31, I will just have a headstart on next year’s deductible. If I have to miss work, it will be ok.
So, my first step in celebrating this season is to share this with you and ask for prayers for comfort…
And my next step, to get out of my comfy recliner, take a shower, put on real clothes...And take care of some Christmas business!
Merry Christmas...

Make New Friends, but Keep the Old

Oh me! Where to begin? I have been typing for an hour, and I have just started over! I feel I need to issue a warning!

Disclaimer: This blog initially started off as a way to chronicle my weight loss and the changes I have made in my life. However, I have come to realize that my journey includes so much more than weight loss. God is working, and has been working in ways I cannot understand, and He is leading me on a spectacular journey in all areas of my life!

So, now, for tonight's topic: Friends. And tonight's scripture: Genesis 1.
I know, I know...You are asking yourself what does the Creation Story have to do with friendships? Well, you see, I have spent the last hour sorting that out, and this is what I have decided.

In Genesis 1, we see God create the world. This happened pretty systematically.
Day 1: Day/Night
Day 2: Waters/Heaven
Day 3: Earth/Plants
Day 4: Sun/Moon
Day 5: Fish/Birds
Day 6: Animals/ Man (Male and Female)

There was a plan. This did not JUST HAPPEN. It wasn't a coincidence. God didn't shake out a million piece puzzle and add things willy-nilly. He was the Creator. When we build a house, there has to be a creator, and there has to be a plan. When we build a car, yep, both things are there. The creator, and the plan. That dollhouse/Lego building/desk that we want to build require a plan. So, it stands to reason, that if God had a plan when creating the world, He still has one.

In the children's class I help teach at church, the scripture for this week was Genesis 1. The lesson pointed out that just as God had a plan for Creation, He has a plan for each of us. I, Jolie Reid, am fearfully and wonderfully made in HIS image. Just like you are. And God has been revealing to me that not only does He have a BIG plan for the world, He has a little plan for me. This has been evidenced in so many ways, and God is opening my eyes to that this week.

So, how does that relate to friendship, you might ask. Well, God is showing me this week that He has placed so many, many special people in my path years before the moment I needed them. He knew long before I met people, that we would be friends. And tonight, I want to just point out a few of these wonderful relationships, and the ways these people have blessed me.

1. The other 3 members of the "Fabulous Four." Sally, Teresa, and Victoria. These women are so fun to hang out with. I just love our dinner dates! But that's not all. These women are also my family. They listen to me complain about my gifted kids, and put it in perspective for me. They calm me down. They bring me food and check on me when I am sick. And, last but not least, dropped everything and prayed for me when I was in a potentially dangerous situation. Then, they took action for my children, notifying counselors and letting everyone know a plan. And guess what, their plan was just exactly what I would have told them to do, if I could have. I hope you 3 know how much I love you!

2. My sweet, sweet friend Krista. Krista was my first friend at Lawndale, and we met 6 years and 3 days ago. She took care of me, and showed me the ropes. We grew very close in our 2 years together. Krista is the person who invited me to FBC Tupelo. And now, I am helping her teach a 3rd grade class. Why is this important and what does it have to do with a plan, you ask? Well, my sweet JC was saved at FBC. It is where my family has learned to love to worship together. And now, I am teaching while she goes to get her new babies. God knew 6 years ago, that He would need me to help her out while she goes from a family of 3 to a family of 5! (Whoo-hoo!!!) He knew that. It was in His plan.

3. My precious friend Rachel, who is on her own journey. A precious friend who, when she found out that I was in a not-so-good situation, stood up in a room full of people and led a prayer for my safety. For those who don't see us on a daily basis, Rachel and I are the emotional ones at the end of the 5th grade hall. The 2 who will either be laughing over some bizarre action of a 5th grader, or crying over nothing at all. That is just who we are now. We are sharing our hormonal imbalances (which have occurred for very different reasons). Just ignore us, but know I love her!

4. My neighborhood crew. My late-night texting buddies. The providers of a cup of sugar, (at midnight) sunburn cream (at midnight), a friendly text/chat when the power goes out (at midnight). My neighborhood watch buddies. The one who watched my children no questions asked when Dan had his heart attack. The one who came and bought me a milkshake late on a rainy Sunday night when she needed to be writing lesson plans. The ones who are like additional moms to my children when they are running up and down the street. Amy, Alison, Anna, & Lindsey - I want you to know I think God for sending you to Church Street. I truly believe He has a plan. A plan for our boys to grow up with buddies, a plan for us to have a support system, a plan for us to make changes in this neighborhood, that will make changes in our town. I love having you girls as buddies, and I thank God for sending you all (and your baby girls) to me!

There are so many, many more people God has placed in my life. It is so awesome to look back and see how God has planned for my peace and protection by providing the perfect friend for me.

Thank you, God, for Your plan! I think you are making a beautiful picture with my life!

The Road Less Traveled...Well, Maybe Not....s

Wow. Time flies, and I stink at blogging. Every week I mean to post something, but life takes over.
So, here we are. 3 weeks into the 2015-2016 school year. The kids both have grades in the gradebook, and progress reports will come home soon. EEK!!! Time is flying. So, now I am going to tell a little about our journey the last few months...

Summer: Wow. Where did it go? I worked the month of June, and the kids went to camps and traveled. And I worked. Oh, I already said that, didn't I. Did you know I worked in June? Can you tell I want LOTS of credit for it? LOL. Well, it was all good, because I worked because I NEEDED NEW CLOTHES!!!

Then July came around. I didn't work. But I worked out. My friend Suzanne trained me, and pushed me to levels I didn't know I could reach. It was great. And, I reached out and made a new friend, Dana. Dana and I walked several early morning miles around downtown Tupelo! Neither of us could believe that we could walk for 45 minutes, and call that an easy day. Wowzers! How did that happen?

Now, it is August. Almost the end. And I am a stressed girl. If you know what being a speech language pathologist is, it means I don't have a "classroom," but I pull kids from separate classes during the day to work on deficit areas. Which, in the good old days, meant if Johnny has Mrs. Smith, he is in her room ALL DAY LONG. Yeah, well, not so much these days. Now, chances are little Johnny has at least 3 other teachers, besides me. So, we are all grappling for his time, and trying to keep him in class as much as possible. "Schedule making is my favorite time of year," said NO SLP EVER! But, the schedule is made. The cheat sheets for the kids is (almost) made. The bulletin boards are up, and the new classroom is decorated.

This year, I am in shock, as I have a 7th grader at Tupelo Middle School, and a fifth grader who is SO THRILLED that his mommy got a new room on his hall! They are getting so big, and Sadie has now moved up to the YOUTH group at church (much to her chagrin, but she actually likes it now that she is there!) and JC is a "Tween." They have chore lists that occasionally get completed. (Who am I kidding, they sometimes get looked at, maybe one or two items get checked off...)

Now, for what you have all wanted to hear. Weight loss news. Well, I wish it was better news. I am losing, but it is much slower. I have had a plateau. And I am trying to be OK with that. I am exercising more. Changing it up a bit. And trying to watch what I am eating, because I am NOT tracking my food like I used to. But, despite the slowed weight loss, there are NSVs (non-scale victories). So, here is my list of NSV's (in no particular order)

1. I bought the cutest skinny jeans from my friends' store, Southern Cloth. (FYI - I also got 2 precious tops, and a dress!)
2. One of the tops I bought was a 1X!!!
3. I bought pants at Old Navy when I was back to school shopping. I bought a 20. I should have bought an 18, I think, as they are baggy after I wear them for an hour. (FYI- I started in a size 30 pants, and a 32/4x top). 
4. I can walk a 20 minute mile.
5. I can do crunches. And I now know that I actually have both upper and lower abs. My friend  Suzanne helped me to learn that, as she made them hurt A LOT this summer. 
6. I can walk up and down the hall from my new room without a minute's hesitation. 
7. I have wedges. And I have worn them more than once!

So, even though some of these things are probably little things, for me, I am counting them. And as far as numbers go, I am trying to keep my eye on the big picture. Big picture is this: I have lost 120 pounds. That is not just a little bit. 120# is the amount of trash the average family disposes of in a month. 120# is a 2 month old horse plus a car tire. I have lost the equivalent of 3 5-gallon water bottles. 120# is a PERSON. I have lost a PERSON. So, I will give myself some slack, continue to exercise and eat right, and keep on keeping on. The road less traveled as far as diet and exercise seems to be my steady path, and this has made all of the difference!

Family is Love

Love. That is the theme of the week. Well, actually, it has been hatred and love, but I am choosing to only focus on the love. I heard Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and it reminded me today more than ever of one of my moms. And a post developed...

My history:

Some of you know this, some may not. Almost 41 years ago, 2 teenagers found out they were expecting a baby. I cannot imagine the feelings. The initial feelings were probably NOT the joy I felt when Dan and I found out about Sadie and JC. They were 15 and 18. Just babies themselves. But they did the "right" thing, got married, and I was born. Now, if you have ever met my parents, you know that they are crazy different. Polar opposites. So, needless to say they did not experience "wedded bliss." But I was always first and foremost in their minds. They divorced early on (and remarried, and divorced again!). In fact, I have very few memories of my mom and dad being married. So, divorce occurred...Life went on. Not a whole lot different for me at all, though. Because even at their young ages, I was the priority. Then, came the "steps." Daddy remarried first. He married my Moe, who was pretty young in retrospect! I was around 8 when that happened. Then, Mama and Jimmy were married when I was in the 5th grade. So, I had 2 families. Who spoiled me. It was GREAT! Now, was life perfect. HECK NO! But it was pretty dang good. Did my parents badmouth each other in front of me? Nope. Not ever. They still don't to this day. In fact, I do not even know now what the "visitation schedule" was. I saw my Daddy whenever I wanted. In fact, we laugh because I would start around Wednesday calling around to see who had the best weekend plans, to decide where I was going on Friday night.

Time goes on, life happens...I grow up. Are there things I would change if I could? Probably. But maybe not, because those things shaped me into the person I am today. And I am a believer in the Butterfly Effect. If one thing had changed, I might not be here today, waiting to wake up my Dan Reid, JC, and Sadie, writing this blog. Life is what it is, and I am a survivor. You muddle through, and make the best of what you are given. Even though I was literally heartbroken when all of my parents divorced (Yep, all. Both sets), I survived. Then, Jimmy died. And that was another HUGE blow to me. But I survived. And life went on, with 3/4 of my parents.

Then, my Daddy reconnected with a friend from years ago, and we got our Janet and our Hannah. Wow. Now, I had a sister and a brother. A little girl to dote on! It was great. But Mama and Moe weren't settled. There was a part of me that was always worried about them, especially as I was living with my other half. Something that in retrospect, I was able to see that they had never experienced being married to my Daddy. It just wasn't the "perfect fit" that Dan and I have. And that Daddy and Janet have.

So, several years later, Mama meets someone. He is great! He is HER other half! Buster has completed my mom and made her happier and more content than I have ever seen her. He is good to me, good to Josef, and good to my kids. We LOVE our Buster!

But, there was STILL one unsettled parent. One who I just did not believe had found her perfect compliment. Then, she found Peggy, and I began to believe the perfect compliment had been found. Peggy has the best Nerf Gun wars with JC, and dotes on Sadie's intelligence. She has been an awesome grandparent, like the others. She takes her turns picking up sick kids, delivering medicine when needed, and babysitting.

All of that leads up to this. As I sat on my porch this morning, it hit me that ALL of my parents are now MARRIED to their other halves. All of them. Did it take a while? Yep. But, I can now rest easy that they are all doted on, honored, and loved by the person who completes them. And guess what else? I was there to witness all 3 weddings. I am a lucky girl!

So, today, I sit here, grateful that my family has love. Love and tolerance of all.

Congratulations! And thank you Janet, Buster, and Peggy for loving my parents, and taking care of them. I KNOW they aren't the easiest people to love!

Wow! Time is flying! There are only 9 more days of school with students, then 5 without...Then, here comes summer! Oh, wait. Actually - not. I am going to work Extended School Year (ESY) this summer. Why, you may ask? Well, not only will I have to buy the kids new clothes for school next year, I'll be completely outfitting myself as well. Wow. It is unreal. I will say this, I am so blessed that several people have loaned or given me clothes in my new size, but I still look a mess some days!

There has been a lot going on, and I have been lax in blogging. And cooking. And cleaning. Pretty much, I have been lax about everything except baseball games and work this week! But, May is always like this. Wildness!!! This is my motto!!!

Last week, I was on fire. I got up 3 days at 4:30 and went walking before school. This week, I have walked once, and that was tonight. As for getting up, I have considered it a success if I made it up by 6:30 (to be at work at 7:15). But, I did go tonight. And not only that, I attempted to do Day 1, Week 1 of C25K. Notice I say attempted! I probably only ran about 2-3 minutes total, but I tried something new. I was just experimenting tonight, to see how the app worked. I may try it again on Saturday. If I'm not chicken!

In other news - I have another "first." I have purchased (and worn) the first pair of shorts I have had since Sadie was born! They are athletic shorts, and I wore them on my walk tonight, to see how they felt. And it was nice! That being said - If you drove by Robin's Field tonight, and saw my super white legs as I attempted to run, I apologize! LOL!

I wish I could say how awesome my weight loss has been since my last post, but it has been a slow-go. It is testing time, and sitting on my bottom and eating Hershey's Kisses is NOT being my friend. But, I'll get there. It is what it is sometimes, and this time of year, I am just in survival mode!