Friday, July 22, 2011

GREAT-Grandmother!

I'm not used to the new title, but I will proudly claim it.

Briley Grace was born July 21, 2011. She was 7 pounds, 9 ounces and 19 inches long at birth.

I am truly grateful that God has blessed our family with beautiful and healthy babies.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Hills to Climb

Today was a perfect day for a bike ride.

I'm bored with my regular neighborhood routes so I set out for parts less traveled - which meant crossing highways and that scares me a little.

Two miles from home I felt really strong and very brave when I decided to take a country highway.  It was liberating to be so far from home on a road I rarely traveled.

The wind was blowing through my hand-me -down helmet and I felt vigorous and athletic on my 5-speed Huffy. I wasn't paying attention to the fact that most of my journey had been gentle slopes down hill — until I hit the 5-mile mark and turned around to go home.

The ride back home was less exhilarating when my legs started to feel like jello.  I felt very foolish when at one hill I had to get off and walk the bike for several yards. For sure I wasn't looking very athletic to the cars whizzing by.

My bike ride today is a lot like my weigh loss effort.  I had lost 20 pounds and felt strong and confident that I would continue until I got to my goal weight.

Instead, over the last couple of weeks I've started 'coasting' with my food choices and quantities. One small piece of cake, a hand-full of chips with my sandwich, a piece of garlic toast with my spaghetti... small choices that weren't disastrous by themselves.

Until I hit the 5-pound mark.

I need to turn around and face those slippery slopes I so willingly and freely went down and start the uphill climb — again, and again and again, until I get it in my mind and my heart that I need to pay attention to the choices I make every single time I eat something.

Do I feel foolish? Yes!
Am I defeated? No!

Just like the hills I faced today. They were tough, and it was slow going, but I did it, and the NEXT time I go out, I'll pay more attention to where I'm going and how I'll get back!