I started a new “art” journal this week.
This was one entry for today.

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See that spot right there in the middle.  I think that is what Heaven will be like.
Ooey-goey chocolate!

It tasted really good too!

(I am sure there were several things in the ingredients that I am not supposed to eat, but I only had a spoonful so, I will recover eventually)

Beautiful Song from my newest favorite band!  I never grow tired of their songs.

For more beautiful music, visit Amy @ Signs, Miracles and Wonders

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just had a fit!

Heather over at Whittaker Woman just posted a link to this site and wow, was it fun.

For once, I agree with the results of an online quiz!

Well Kids, this is the last one of these posts on a regular basis.  It is the end of the month and the end of the bet with myself.

Good news and Bad news.

Good new is that I am officially on a regular basis under a number that I could NOT get past for 2 years.  Spouselet thought I should have made THAT my bet with myself.  Man, I wish he had said something before I put it on the interwebs for all to see!

But, he didn’t and I didn’t make my original goal of losing 10 lbs by March 1.  I did however lose 5.6 pounds.  And I know that in the next week the other 3.4 isn’t going to melt right off.  So, soon, very soon my friends, there will be pictures.

I have also decided to post one from my wedding, where I was my heaviest so you can see how far I have come.

I am a work in progress baby!

It has been a really rough week for me and my internets!

First on Saturday I read that Carlos Whittaker is closing down Ragamuffin Soul until only God knows when.  (no really, that is what he said!)

Then, on Sunday, my loving spouselet took the video card out of the PC because the fan was going bad and now I only have ONE monitor…but Tweetdeck thinks that there are TWO of them and I can not, no matter what I do, see my tweets.  He told me there is a way to move it with out seeing it, but,  I can’t retain that information.  Maybe later he will fix it for me!

And today, Anne Jackson from FlowerDust.com is not only NOT blogging for lent, she isn’t doing Facebook OR Twitter!  Well, yay for her! But, I am very sad.  All of my good daily reading is going away! At least in Anne’s case I know she is coming back sometime…not SOON, but April 13th!  Honestly, her post really got me thinking about some things and would I be willing to give up something internet-ish for Lent?

When my mind screamed OH NO NOT MY INTERNETS! NOT FACEBOOK! NOT TWITTER!!!  I thought “Houston, we have a problem!”

So, tonight I am going to think LONG and HARD about what I could sacrifice for lent.
I will decide tomorrow before I head to the Ash Wednesday service at Church.
I will let ya’ll in on whatever I decide.

I don’t feel bad, not for a single solitary minute!

Earlier today, I was at the office (my “professional, day job”) and the phone rang.  I don’t have a desk or a phone number at the office, people that need me know my cell phone number.  The phone that rang was in the conference room so it was one of three things:

1. Wrong Number
2. Auto-called number
3. Someone in the building who knew I was sitting up there.

So, I answered it. They asked for either my dad or my grandfather, not sure because they have the same first name. I should mention that he also mis-pronounced our last name-which is a dead give-away that it is a sales call and a cold one at that!

So, I asked which A they were calling for, the father or the son?
“Oh, I am calling for the Father!”
May I ask what it is concerning?  I am giving this guy every opportunity here folks…
“It is concerning an investment that I spoke to him about recently.”
Then you didn’t speak to A because he has been dead for almost a year.  Now, apparently, it came out of my  mouth a little harsher than it sounded in my head because the poor chap gasped.
“Oh wow, lady, actually, I DID talk to him LAST YEAR.  Wow, that was uncalled for. ”
Would you like to speak with J, his son?
“Yes, I would.”

This is when I had a small panic attack, thinking that this guy did actually have a business dealing with my grandfather and wasn’t a telemarketer.  I put him on hold to transfer the call, when he promptly hung up.

So, my instinct was correct afterall.  He didn’t know which of the A’s he was calling for and assumed that the elder was the one that had the deeper pockets.  I should also add that he had a bit of an attitude or probably would have handled it differently.

Have you ever had a fit on a salesperson calling your home or business? Please say you have and tell me all about it!

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One of my most favorite new bands. Amy mentioned their Love is Here song a few weeks back and I love that one too. If you ever get the opportunity to see these boys-GO!

Head over to visit Amy @ Signs, Miracles and Wonders for more great music.

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Yesterday in the midst of hanging with the 14 yr old for all of his sickness and Doctor apptointment, I got a call about my own test results.  

I only felt sorry for the 14 yr old for about 10 mintues (he may have mono) when I got the call that ALL MY NUMBERS are good.

Kidney function-Normal.
Sugar-Normal.
Liver-Much better.
Bad Cholesterol-WAAAAY down (still high but almost HALF of what it was)-this is great!
Good Cholesterol-can come up a bit, but better.
Vitamin D-way up from where it was, but not high enough.

So, he wants me to take more and continue the diet and exercise.

I am thrilled.

Finally after about 3 years of garbage and uncaring medical professionals (ok, only 1.5 years of that) I have a doctor that is helping me see results.  I also really appreciate him saying “You look good.”  and I will probably mention that at least 3 more times on my blog before it is retired!

So, even though the kid is sick and about to drive me up the wall, it is so very sun-shiney here in Kentucky.

And now I must run because I hear a very sick 14 yr old playing basketball outside.  Holy Mother Moly…that child better NOT have mono, neither of us will survive.

Yesterday Spouselet and I were at the local mall, having lunch before we headed to the Apple store.  There were two women sitting at a table next to us and one of them had an opinion about everything under the sun.  Most of it was how “those people” were ruining her life.

“Over 30% of MY Taxes go to support THOSE people and THEIR programs.”
“I wouldn’t mind helping the old and sick people, its the rest of THEM that I can’t stand taking my tax dollars.”
“Do you realize that because of THOSE people, my health care premiums are through the roof.  and I still have to pay to see a doctor, I have to pay to get medication, I have to pay….”
(you get the picture)

She had a lot opinions and not many solutions.

It made me so sad (and angry).  I kept thinking about all the families that Compassion International helps.  Or the families in areas that never will, in their lifetime have the opportunity to see a doctor, or have electricity, or sit in Panera Bread and (and excuse the use of the term but nothing works better than..) bitch about your incredibly miserable life.  I was also sad because I was reminded of a time when I would sit with one of my friends having lunch and I probably said many of the same things.  Hearing them come out of someoneelse’s mouth was bad enough, but to remember them coming out of your own.

OUCH.

I have made alot of changes in my life over the past year.  I am realizing the role that extreme stress can play on our levels of empathy and compassion.  When you are so busy you meet yourself coming AND going you do get so self focused that no one elses pain matters.  And the pain of other people DOES matter.

We were created for community.

We were created to help.

All of those things, all of that money, is only “mine” for a brief period of time.  I can not take it with me, I can only pass it on.  Wouldn’t it be better for all of us to pass on as much as we can to those who need it?  And not just the ones we THINK really need it, we may never know (or need to) their story.

My heart broke for all of the people that woman was tearing down with her anger.
My heart broke for her.
…and a little bit of my heart broke for her friend who did not say one word during the entire lunch.

As tears rolled down my face (how embarassing in the middle of the mall!) I realized that I am not that person anymore.
I pray that woman, one day, isn’t that person any more too.

*Placed in “The Girls” Category, because the girl on the right, is the one who refers to people as “Them” and the girl on the left is the one that “loves everybody”, Can’t we all just get along.  The one in the middle, she is just searching for a solution.