Victim, Survivor, Conqueror

I was given a digital copy of Dee Henderson's newest book "Taken" and I already can't wait for the next book. I was so captivated by the characters of this book, and I came to truly care for each one she developed. I want to know, no, I NEED to know how this ends, I'm crossing my fingers and hoping it ends the way I envision it in my head. A young lady, kidnapped at the age of 16, escapes her captors 11 years later. She embodies the strength that a survivor must have to conquer the beast. She escapes, but she doesn't just get away, she has already planned her future steps and chooses a man who has been there for other victims. There is one part of this book that I still can't get out of my head. Mrs. Henderson has the Main character explain the free will of man, that God gives to each of us, and it so richly describes the love of God, that I am in awe of the theology in that one statement. I highly recommend this book to everyone...my only suggestion, wait for the next book to come out so you're not left hanging like me. :). Love it!!!

Another Book Review...By Your Side

I love what I do. I love receiving books to read, whether it's for proofreading, or whether it's for a review, reading is one of my most favorite past times. I'll read just about anything, I love a good mystery novel, a suspenseful, get you on the edge of your seat kind of book, but my favorites are those that have a little bit of everything...especially if it includes a look into the lives of medical staff. I'm a sucker for romance...especially non-raunchy, Christ-honoring romance. I saw the ending Of this book almost before the book even started, but it was fun to read through the pages and watch the relationship develop one catastrophe at a time. I received this book from tyndale publishers to review, and I'm so glad. I've never read anything from Candace Calvert before, but found out that she has done other series before. I will definitely become an avid Calvert reader. The romantic in me loves a great Christian romance, but the former medic in me enjoys medical suspense. To say I thoroughly enjoyed this book could never fully express how good it was. I can't wait to see what's next. Great book.

One sentence storybooks - a book review

Today I'm reviewing a series of children's one sentence storybooks published by Tyndale kids. This is also published by Focus on the Family. I was given a small little box of 10 different Bible stories for my girls (ages 6, 5, 3, and 1) to look at/play with in order for me to review them. I looked over these Books when they came in, and they were a bit repetitive and seemd silly to me. The only one of my girls that can actually read, already reads on a 4th grade level, so I really didn't know how these little books would go over. My girls can't read them, but they enjoy looking at the pictures and making up their own story. if I'm completely honest, I can't stand to read these books to my girls, because it is the same words over and over again. When you think of what these little books are though, they truly are one sentence, spilt into 4 pages of words and pictures. One time through each book and I'm good to go, no need to read these over and over again. I would give these little books a 2 out 5 stars because my girls do enjoy them. I tried to post a picture, but can't seem to figure out that part of it.

Unplanned...Book Review

Man, just hearing that word, Unplanned, brings many thoughts and anxieties to ones mind. An unplanned, or unexpected pregnancy, an unplanned hiccup in the road to success, an unplanned financial expense, the list could go on, but Abby Johnson tells us her story about an unplanned turn of events in her life and career and how she got there to begin with. Her story starts not too far from my stomping grounds and it brought to light just how ignorant about this situation I had been. In Bryan, Texas...lives were changed forever. Abby's jaw dropping experience of going from the director of a Planned Parenthood facility, to becoming one of the biggest advocates for Coalition For Life is one (in my opinion) not for the light of heart. The story of her turning point was heart wrenching, I found myself bawling like a baby several times during the 3 days it took me to read. I grew up Very Pro-Life...no question about that, but never realized the "ulterior motives" behind the PP. I am almost sick to admit that I had actually referred friends to their clinic for "lady issues" not unplanned pregnancies, but for birth control...what they pride themselves in saying their motto is...to help women who can't afford birth control on their own. This book brought to light exactly what the PP's true motives have always been. Not necessarily helping women with their "options", but rather an underlying motive to "end" the problem of unplanned pregnancies. Abby's story is one of true bravery, and a true to life miracle of God. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone and the 2 people I know who have already picked this book up per my recommendation, agreed with me...you can't put it down. A very easy read book with a great truth. It gets 5 stars in my opinion.

Victory

Well, I did it!!! I made it to my first small goal. Not the healthiest way of losing weight (not eating for days at a time), but it's done, 249.8. GOODBYE 250!!! You're NOT welcome in this body EVER AGAIN!!! I know, I probably shouldn't rejoice until I'm a little further from that number, but I'm going to rejoice tonight and do my best not to eat like a fat girl when I'm finally feeling better. Right now, where I currently sit, I face a scary possibility. I thought that my final Cesarean birth would be my last surgery on my "stomach", but if the results come back from all the tests they're currently running on me and it points to gallstones, the Dr. said it'd be back to surgery for me. I know, the gallstones surgery is easy peasy compared to a cesarean section, but anytime they put you under, it's a scary thing. So, I'm kinda praying it's an ulcer...of course, if it's an ulcer, than that means I'll most likely be in pain for a while before I get better. There's only so much they can do for an ulcer, and it's a slow process, so at least with the gallstones it's a "quick" surgery and then it's done. I don't know which would be easier or better...then again, it could be something completely different. I'm not a big fan of the waiting game, but unfortunately, that's where I'm stuck. I'm sitting here in pain tonight praying that it's one of the last nights for this...and with that, This post is done!!! VICTORY!!!! Relishing in it tonight!

Sabotage!!!!

Why?!?! Why does it seem that when I finally hit my stride and get into a good rhythm for working out, eating right and losing weight, something always seems to sabotage me? It seemed that in times past, I would start doing well and then I would get pregnant...well, that's not possible now. I've had my tubes tied...no more babies for us unless it's an act of God. So, I figured, I'm in the clear, I can lose weight, throw caution to the wind and just do what needs to be done, there's nothing stopping me now...WAM!!!! Health issues (insert a rolling of the eyes, a big sigh, and a HUGE frowny face). Last week, about a week and half now if we're being technical, I got sick (or at least I thought I was sick). Thought I had caught a bug, was having trouble keeping things down, my stomach was achy and crampy. Fast forward a week and half and 2 pregnancy tests later (I was desperate to figure out what was wrong...and yes, they were both negative), here I am, still sick...only it's gotten worse. I can't eat anything...ANYTHING!!! That's like a death sentence to a fat girl!!! (Note all the exclamation points, LOL) When I eat (no matter how little or how much) my stomach begins to hurt like it's about to explode from my belly button. Anything I eat feels like it's stuck behind my chest wall making sure to stay very close to my trachea so that it can come back up whenever it feels like it. Somedays I throw up, other days I barely keep it down. So today, I've eaten a granola bar for breakfast, a small bag of chips for lunch, a small bag of chips for a snack (Hey...don't judge...it's what I know will stay down and won't hurt my stomach too much) and I was actually doing pretty good. I had minimal pain with each of those food, but it was pain I could handle, manage, and still function and get stuff done...then I decided to actually eat dinner. BAD IDEA!!! I made my favorite for dinner, baked ziti...such yumminess in a 9x13 casserole dish. I ate a small portion, because I didn't want to push it, (ok...I didn't even have a plate, I ate the small amounts left on each of the girls' plates...so not much). Well, that small amount left me doubled over for the next hour and a half, almost in tears. So, I was going to go to the doctor tomorrow (and I really do think that I still am), but here is an excerpt from a conversation between me and my husband this afternoon. Me: "I called the doctor and there are no available appointments tomorrow, so I have to call back tomorrow to see if they can get me in with another doctor." Chris: "Do you think you could wait until we get back from Marriage Retreat?" Me: "I guess I can try...just kinda wanted to enjoy marriage retreat and not be in pain the whole time." Chris: "Well, I'm just kinda worried, knowing your luck, you'll end up in the hospital with something serious, and we won't get to go to the marriage retreat." Thank you Honey...I feel so lucky to have you worry about me so much! LOL. Well, after tonight's episode, I might just break down and go tomorrow anyway. I can only take so much pain...then again, maybe the "Pink Stuff" and I will become Best Buddies for the next few days! :) To Be Continued....

Back in the Saddle...Again

Wow...it has been far too long since my last blog post. I have determined that I need to start blogging again. No, I will never become a household name, and I will never be able to make blogging a career, but I need to do this for accountability. My good friend Adrienne, over at Chronicles of a Curvy Housewife, started a group on facebook for those of us trying to lose weight. We encourage each other, talk about our triumphs, our defeats, our struggles and just pretty much anything that suits our fancy. After several of my own personal posts (which seemed to go on forever and ever), I have decided that I needed to just start blogging again. With 4 girls that are 5 and under, and a husband that tends to be gone more than he's home, I find that there are days that I am "starved" for conversation. No one to truly talk to (adult conversation) and no one to encourage me in my ways. In fact, it's down right tempting not having someone here to keep me accountable. It's hard not to take on the attitude of "noone is here, they'll never know that I just ate an entire container of Lay's Stax potato chips" (ok, I might be confessing to this. I was sick yesterday and the only thing I could keep down were potato chips (I ran out of gluten free crackers), so it wasn't the entire container...but at least half of the tube). So needless to say, I'm not going to want to get on the scale today. So, I have made this decision to start blogging again and log into my blog and see that the last time I blogged was in October of 2010...wow...3 years since I last posted. I have had 2 children since my last blog post. In fact, my baby is about to turn a year old, my sister-in-law is about to get married and I'm trying to look my best for the wedding, but more importantly, I'm trying to get healthy for my children. Somedays, I feel that I'm the only mom who struggles with keeping the house clean, trying to find a balance between quiet time with God and quiet time for myself along with the chaos of raising 4 girls all so close together in age. My oldest started kindergarten this year, so that's been a change, although, I babysit to help pay for Bailey's school bill, so the chaos is still here in different ways. I usually don't have problems with doing the dishes and getting laundry done...it's the rest of the chores that tend to bury me. The bathrooms are always in disarray, the bedrooms are lucky to see a made bed, the livingroom...no, the couch is a revolving door of clothes. If they're not Chris' clothes from the night before, they're Bailey's clothes from the morning of getting ready for school, then there's the folded laundry that didn't quite get put away and now is mixed in with the dirty clothes (which makes them dirty in my mind), so back in the laundry they go. Then the toys, I barely ever see my floor for the mess of toys. "This will pass" they say, "You'll miss it when it's gone" they say, "Enjoy them while they're little" I'm told over and over again. I try to embrace these heartfelt adages, but my head tells me this is wrong. I'm a stay at home wife and mother, the house should be spotless, I shouldn't struggle with these things, there shouldn't be layers of dust on everything we own, the windows shouldn't look like they've never been washed...I could go on, but I digress. So, not sure how I got off on that tangent...but this is supposed to be about losing weight. I said all of that to say this, I have been eating right, and exercising for 2 weeks tomorrow (minus yesterday) and this is what I have noticed. When I eat right and exercise for at least 30 minutes everyday, I feel better. I'm not just talking in a physical sense. I feel better about myself, I feel better healthwise, I feel better in general. I have more energy to get some of these things done that I struggle with on a daily basis. I tend to clean more, my kitchen looks better because I have the energy to clean up the dishes as soon as they're made dirty, the laundry gets done because I don't want to see the house I just cleaned made dirty by a basket of folded laundry sitting there. I like to see the scale go down, in fact, I think that's what motivates me to workout on a regular basis because I know that when I put the effort in to eat right and exercise, I will eventually see the scale go down. What is it about that number on the scale? It's such a daunting thing...it's almost as if it holds my everything in it's tiny little display. If it's more than it should be, I can react by getting depressed, or react by trying harder to make it go down. If it's a smaller number, I find that it motivates me to do even better the next day...but it's a slow pace. I think of the days after my 4th baby was born. I hit my goal, I was under a 40 BMI...I was NEVER going back...and here I am, well over that...again. Why do I do this to myself? I just don't understand. I was so happy when the scale said I had met several personal goals, and now I'm starting all over again. On Saturday morning, I started the weekend just .8 pounds away from my first small goal of being under 250 again (and saying goodbye to 250 for the last time in my life), today, I'm afraid of what that tiny little display is going to tell me. Did I fail to make my first small goal because I was sick and decided to make bad choices? Or will I succeed because what were some awful choices in my mind, weren't quite as bad as I thought they were? Only time will tell, but I will know in a few short hours when I go for my 30 minute workout and weigh in. If you made it through this entire post today, you deserve a gold star...really. Hopefully all the blog posts won't be as long as this one...and hopefully most of them won't go off on other tangents like this one...but I just feel so out of sorts today. Maybe because it's Monday, maybe because I feel it's been a long weekend. I don't know, but here we go. Starting from ground zero. It's time to make this happen.