The Slight Edge

Looking back on my entire life (all 39 years of it!), I've come to one conclusion - consistancy is key. Anything worthwhile that we want to accomplish or attain - takes consistant effort. Losing weight, being fit, buying a home - all require a consistant effort - controlling eating habits, exercising the muscles, putting away money for a down payment - these are the things that will bring those goals to fruition.

It has become glaringly evident to me that the only thing I am consistant at is being inconsistant! I have a few routines in my life, which help me immensely - puts those parts of my life on auto-pilot so I can LIVE the rest of it!

Recently I read a book called "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson, and he talks about this exact thing. The slight edge is always at work in our lives - either with a positive or a negative outcome. That 30 minute walk I take today won't give me a fit body - today. But combine it with a 30 minute walk tomorrow, and the next day and the next, and just like compound interest, it starts to add up! And it goes the same for the super greasy bacon cheeseburger I eat today - it won't kill me - today. But if I eat one today, and tomorrow and the next day - perhaps even one this week, one next week and one the week after - it can easily add up to a heart attack down the road.

So my challenge is this - to pick one thing - this week - and be consistant. It takes 21 days of consistancy to make a habit.... so every 3 weeks I will pick a new "one thing." One thing is hard - I want it all and I want it now... then I get overwhelmed and don't do any of it! So, one thing....I'll have to get back to you on what that one thing is! :o)

The Desktop of Life

If you are a PC user - you will totally be able to relate to this - if you are a MAC user - I have no idea if you'll get it or not.....

Mom and I were takling tonight about getting rid of things - releasing things from our past. Mom had kept my first gray hair, my pay stubs from every job I've had when I was younger, and on and on. She finally released it - to the trash and the shredder! Friends just sold their fishing boat - they had if for quite a few years and had lots of memories on it. Mom commented that a chapter in their life was closing - how sad.

I got to thinking - it's not always a sad thing when a chapter closes. Closes one chapter gives us the ability to open another! It's like windows on your desktop - you can only have so many open windows at one time. It seems as if you can have as many as you want... but the reality is - if you have too many open it overloads the system and it crashes! It's best to only have a few open at one time.

Same with life - if you never release your past - you can't move forward. And sometimes - having too many things open in your life at once can make you crash as well!

I'm not saying to DELETE your past - but file it away. Close the chapter, file it on the hard drive, and move on to the next great adventure in life! Blessings to you!

The Art of Listening Prayer

I've started reading a new book by Seth Barnes - "The Art of Listening Prayer." What a blessing this book is! Interestingly enough, in 2003 I started reading "How to listen to God" by Charles Stanley. I was at a crossroads in my life, and I learned so much about how to hear God's voice and the many different ways he speaks to us.

"The Art of Listening Prayer has a similar tone, but gives the practical how-to's of conversing with God. Not just talking to him, but actually conversing with him. Talking then listening. Asking questions and listening for God's answer. Then responding.
I'm only on day 2- journaling, but wow! I've been practicing a form of listening prayer on and off for a long time, but I haven't ever journaled my questions, responses or prayers. I did today, and it was very powerful! Just to put God's words in a different color pen, and see them in my journal - along with my questions, impressions and prayer back to God... I really had a wonderful quiet time with him this morning! 45 minutes went by in a snap! I was amazed!

God has blessed me with time - I don't have to go to a job every day, I have no kids, and my husband is home much of the time for me to enjoy him. It's time for me to start returning some of that time to God - the form of conversation. Prayer. Adoration. Love. I'm so looking forward to spending more time with the God of my ancestors, and the God of my life!

a servant's heart

Lately I've been so unsettled, feeling like my life is stagnant - and I'm working on doing things to change that. Years ago I would have blamed Grady or been mad and frustrated. However, after lots of books and training , I now know it's up to me to make my life fun and exciting - and fulfilling. I need to take my eyes off myself and help someone else - that is where our joy comes from. It's good to know and realize that - and to know that I can change my situation. It's funny how we as humans think that when we are lacking or unfulfilled, we need more self time and time for pleasure - tv, books, movies, etc. But the reality is - God wired us to be fulfilled when we are helping others - not helping ourselves. So as we are more and more self centered, we get more and more discontent with life, and try to fill the hole with more and more of self....! It's a vicious cycle that doesn't work! Others is where we will find our joy - pouring ourselves into others. Giving of ourselves - time, money, expertise... the things that God has equipped us with, is where we will ultimately be filled with the joy we are seeking!
Having a servant's heart is what God ultimately desires for us.

Mark 10:43-45

"... Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Dependent Independance

Independence. Being dependant on no one. As July 4th approaches, I consider all of the arenas this thought can be applied to - country, job, relationships, on and on. For me, it started with one, seemingly small, thing.

My computer died the other day. My laptop is only a year old, but it really had been having problems since I brought it home. Little things, but those little things add up - and over a year - it finally collapsed the system (my term) and it wouldn't work anymore. So I took it to the computer doctor - Atascocita Computers - the BEST people in the world to work on your computers! They said they would fix it and it should be around $100! Yay! But they wouldn't be able to look at it for about a week.... it was Friday...... that means I would be without my computer for at least 2 weekends! OH NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Now that shouldn't be a big deal. I use the computer a lot, but we have a desktop in Grady's office. Most of the things I do on the computer don't deal with specific files on my computer - they are online things. A lot of my time online is spent with email. So really, this shouldn't have been an issue. But let me tell you what... it was a HUGE issue!

What I quickly discovered is how my feeling of independence is directly linked to my ability to use my laptop. I found out how many times a day I go to it as a reference, or a quick email communication. Grady uses his work computer at his desk, so the desktop computer wasn't readily available for me whenever I wanted it. I had to plan my time and use to coincide with him. I had to write down what I wanted to look up, so when I had a chance to get on the computer, I could get the things done I needed to as soon as possible. This didn't always work out very well (notice I haven't blogged for a while?). I get these thoughts in my head, and usually go do it right then. I don't write it down because I think I'll remember, but then when I would sit at the computer - it was gone. I limped along hopping online whenever I could.

Not having a computer/Internet available at the any time I want really messed with my head. All of the sudden I felt like I was constantly imposing on my husband - using HIS computer. I felt vulnerable, irritable and highly dependant on Grady. Now mind you - I AM highly dependant on Grady - but I don't usually FEEL that way. How does a laptop and an Internet connect give me a feeling of independence? It allows me to set my own schedule, to do (or not do) what I want, when I want. It lets me keep in touch with social networking sites, emails, and instant messages. When I want to find a recipe using coconut milk, I can. When I want to see how much those cute shoes I've been thinking about are, I can. When I'm planning for a bookcase, I can go online and find the sizes available. Anything. Anytime. When it's mine.

Even thought I feel independent when I have availability to the Internet/computer, I discovered there is no independence without dependence on something. EVERYTHING is INTER-dependant. And that's NOT a bad thing!

HOME SWEET HOME

Whew! After more than 2 weeks on the road, I am finally HOME! Grady comes home this evening, and we are so looking forward to being home together with the kitties!

It's interesting - Grady and I both LOVE to travel. We thoroughly enjoy living in hotels and out of suitcases! We thrive on trying new beds and towels and exploring behind the closed doors of hotel meeting and ballrooms. Comparing the Executive Lounge offerings and the free hot breakfasts from each, and the room views, of course! Checking out the swimming pool and hopefully, the hot tub, and maybe hitting the gym, are things we look forward to!

But after about a week on the road, we begin to get weary. The excitement of bringing up all the bags, even on the bellhops dolly, soon becomes cumbersome, and expensive if the bellhop is helping. Repacking the bags and the car each morning - even every other morning, turns into a chore. And while we are still enjoying each new place to explore, and the familiarity of the hotels we have been to before, we long for the routine of our home, for the familiar smell of our favorite coffee brewing in the morning, the comfort of our cushy couch with the kitties snuggled up next to us.

I'm continuously amazed at how we can both love the change and adventure, and long for the familiar after such a short time. I am so thankful that we have such a comfortable place to return to! We are unbelievably blessed, and thank God every day for what he is doing is our lives!

Summer-night Light Show

It's almost midnight in Atlanta, and the summer night air is a balmy 75*. I was visiting a friend in Marietta tonight, and as I was leaving - I kept seeing flashes in the sky. Over and over and over. It seemed to have a consistent beat to it, so I assumed it was simply a beacon. Then I saw it from the opposite direction.... and she saw it too! Turns out - it's a summer-night lightning storm!

The show has been spectacular - I could see the flashes of light from behind the clouds on my way back to the hotel. Occasionally a bolt of lightening will pop through the clouds as it splits the sky! And not a drop of rain the entire way back to the hotel - which is a new phenomenon for me!

Now I am sitting at the window wall in our room on the 30th floor, thoroughly enjoying the evening light show! Most of the drama is behind the SunTrust Plaza building - which is another 30 or so stories higher than I am, so I can only see the sky light up around it. Every once in a while I get a bonus of seeing the bolt off in the distance hitting some rod somewhere. The last one I saw was red even! Don't think I've ever seen red lightning!

I am holding out hope that the Bank of America building - just a short mile almost directly in front of my window wall - will get hit on it's spire! Which I believe is what it is created for! That would be incredible! More flashes - still behind the SunTrust Plaza. I'll keep watching and trying to be patient. Lightning is one of the those fabulously unpredictable forces that hold me in reverent awe. Fire and ocean waves do as well. I can just imagine God creating art - setting into motion a fireworks display to rival any that man tries to create. Our God is so good - sharing with us His awesome creativity and beauty. How great Thou art!

Living high in the city

I would love to live in a high-rise. Depending on the city and the view – 30-45 stories up would be perfect; high enough to see both offices and homes – and still have a great view of the surrounding city. Yes, there is the hustle and bustle of the city (which suits me just fine). But there also is a tranquility and peacefulness in the fluidity of highway traffic – almost like a river. And at night – there is nothing that can compare (in my mind, anyway) to a luminous cityscape. Each building is lit differently, some with lights along the top, some with lights down the sides. Some have many different levels, and some are spires. Each is dazzling in its own uniqueness.

I’m writing this while sitting 30 stories above the sidewalk at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta. I moved the bedside armchair to look out the floor to ceiling north-facing widows, which allows for a fantastic view of “downtown” and Buckhead. I’ve angled my chair so that I am viewing the SunTrust Plaza – my all time favorite building in Atlanta (see the picture)! It has so many levels to it – makes me think of a child’s toy where you can take a bunch of square and rectangular columns in varying lengths and snap them together – build-a-skyscraper blocks! What a fun game that would be! Interstate Highway 75/85 zooms by on our right, and then snakes across and to the left of us just a few blocks ahead. The cars appear to be on tracks as they glide along the highway. Ambulances blare as they zoom to the hospital just ½ mile north of us, and even from 300 feet above ground, their siren sounds as if it was right next to us. Helicopters zip in and out of the skyscrapers as they scan for traffic snarls to report. I can see into the office building below when the sky gets dark, and I only wish I had remembered my binoculars!

Ok, I admit it. I’m a voyeur. I love to peek into peoples lives and see what is happening. Don’t you? If you think you don’t – you might want to think again. Do you watch TV? Isn’t that a form of voyeurism? You are watching someone else’s life… perhaps fictional, or perhaps reality, but it is definitely watching someone else’s life. The only difference is that on TV, the subject knows they are being observed. My thought is – if you live in a close-quarter situation and your curtains are open… someone is going to watch at some point… looks like an invite to me!

The SunTrust Plaza is so close I may need to get some binoculars while I’m here just so I can explore with my eyes the many lighted windows tonight – admiring plants and desks, nice chairs, and maybe, if I’m lucky, someone might be around – making late night copies, or finishing that report for the morning. Perhaps tomorrow morning I will see a 20-something sitting at her desk drinking her coffee and reading her emails from the weekend. And maybe at 5 o’clock, she will be primping before hitting the bar around the corner for the after work drink with friends. But I like to spice it up… I like to let my imagination go… perhaps that gal in the office touching up her lipstick is about to go the pub for a beer with her friend. Little does she know, that Mr. Taking-off-his-tie is about to exit the office building next door for his traditional long-day drink and catch the score of the game…. And tonight…. They might just finally meet. Will they like each other? With they just nod heads and move on? How many of us live in such close proximity but have no idea the other exists? It’s amazing really – these two in my mind could be frequenting the same places for years and never know. I like to imagine stories with the images I see – like people watching from 30 stories up!

It would seem that one day while I’m up close and personal through the binocs, I will see the equal staring back at me…. How fun will that be!? I wait for that day like a kid on Christmas Eve, but so far it hasn’t happened. And when it does – I know exactly what I will do! WAVE! :o) I might even jump up and down from excitement… like finding a kindred spirit – 1 in a million windows, and we see each other at the same time- it will be great!

If/when I get to live in a high-rise – I will not have binoculars only. I would like to have a telescope set up right by the window – for people-watching and sky-gazing – and hours of delight. We could even have window-watching dinner parties –a treasure hunt where you have to find certain items in the windows and whoever finds them all first wins! Hey – that is a fantastic idea!

I’m so excited to be here for another three nights – and LOTS more sitting by the window!

1st year anniversary

Yesterday Grady and I celebrated 1 year of being officially married! While it's hard to believe that was just a short 365 days ago... it also seems like we have been "coupled" for so much longer than that! We truly have lived some much life in such a short time.... We committed to each other almost a year before we were able to get married, and "dated" just 6 short months before that. So while it has been longer than just a year - it sure seems like 5 or 10 years! :o) In a very good way that is!

Last year after we got married at the Justice of the Peace (an unbelievably sterile and emotionless 2 minute process during he Judge's lunch break), we didn't have any kind of reception planned. We honestly didn't have any friends here in Houston yet - other than Grady's close friends Jim and Susan. They invited us over Saturday (we got married Friday) to BBQ with them, and when we got there, they had a mini "reception" for us - complete with cake, champagne and toasts. It was absolutely perfect - Susan was one of the instigators to get Grady on e-harmony, and Jim has been a close friend of Grady's for quite a long time - and very influential in many parts of Grady's previous marriage and subsequent divorce. It was incredibly special to be able to spend time with them (which we only get to do about twice a year!), AND to celebrate our marriage with them!.

So this year, as we contemplated how to commemorate our first anniversary, we had planned to go out to a nice dinner - one of our favorite forms of entertainment. A new Brazilian restaurant has opened next door in the multi-use complex on Lake Houston, and we thought we might try that. Nothing big - just a nice way to celebrate the past year.

Thursday, Jim and Grady played together in a golf tournament, during which, getting together over weekend was brought up. Jim invited us over for a BBQ again! How perfect is that? We would get to spend our anniversary with the same people who loved on us a year ago right after we got married! It was a terrific idea!

Grady has recently had eastern Mexico added to his terrirtory, and Grady had a short international business meeting Sunday morning at 11am. While he was working, I went shopping at Marshall's next door(scored big there too!), and by 1pm we were on our way to Jim and Susan's. Jim's brother and wife, Tom and Karen, were there as well, and we had a fantastic time eating and playing in Jim and Susan's beautiful pool! The weather was gorgeous - mid-80's and sunny - with a good breeze to cool things down! I got a little red, but not too bad, and Grady did a great job of keeping out of the sun and covering up with sunscreen! :o) We had tasty burgers on the grill, refreshing Sea Breezes throughout the day, and lots and lots of laughter. We really enjoyed getting to know Tom and Karen, and Tom brought some great family stories to the table - I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!

We also brought the piece of wedding cake from the previous year with us.... It had been in the freezer the entire year, and was not in any way appetizing, but we didn't see any better time or place to eat our cake! :o) After the one obligatory bite, the rest of it went in the trash! :o) I really don't even know what that tradition is all about, but we did it anyway!

This week we have been reflecting on the past 3 years - where Grady and I both were in life, and how drastically life changed for both of us when we met just a few months later. We are abundantly blessed, physically with health and energy; emotionally, with great friends and family; financially, with a job that provides well for us and a thriving business; and spiritually, with a loving and caring God who wants to spend each and every moment with us, being a part of our lives.

We look forward to year two with as much anticipation as we did 52 weeks ago. We know it won't always be easy. We will shed tears, get frustrated with each other, probably misunderstand what the other is thinking. But we will also laugh, smile, nuzzle, cuddle, wink, have long meaningful talks, experience new things, and even just sit together. As long as we end the day in each others arms, all of the negatives seem to just melt away. We know a successful marriage takes work - and we are blessed to have mentors to guide us through. God continues to bless us, as He has from the moment we met online, and we know He is always there with us. When God is for us... who can be against us?!

southern women glow

Apparently southern women "glow" when they get warm... as opposed to flat out sweating like the us Alaskans. As I'm sitting on the screened in porch, I am willing myself to "glow" instead of sweat! At 7:15pm, the aging sun is streaming onto the porch, and a breeze is gently blowing through the screens. It's just enough of a breeze to evaporate the dampness on my arms and forehead... It's a perpetual cycle though - the humidity is so thick tonight I can breathe it in. I'm reminded of a movie from the 80's - I can't remember which one.... but the actor had to "breathe" in this viscus liquid... and they told him once he totally breathed it all in it would be similar to being in his mom's womb... he would be able to breathe in it.... hmmm -which movie was that - Leviathon? Anyway, the air tonight reminds me of that - very thick. My sinus cavities love the moisture, and my skin feels great! It's almost 9pm now, 81* with 86% humidity, and the light air movement almost makes it chilly. I'm still not sure how it can be chilly when it's 81* but it is!

I bought a small Shop Vac yesterday, and this afternoon I brought it out on our deck (6'x12'?) and sucked up all the bugs and cobwebs! :o) I washed the windows in and above the French doors, and washed the cushions to the chairs. Wiped down the chairs with a wet cloth, and the little table too.

There is a fun story behind our "porch" furniture. When we first moved to Hot Springs, AR, neither of us had any living room furniture. In my "apartment" in Atlanta, I used a borrowed futon as my "couch." We knew we didn't want to spend a bunch of money on furniture in the apartment, and one day while I was at Kroger getting groceries, I saw these great plastic dark green "Adirondack" chairs! And bonus - they were only $10.99! We had kinda talked about a beach theme - what better than these? Talked to Grady about it that night, and we went back and got two of them. Then we found some tropical flower cushions for them, and a small similar side table! So we had our little "beach" right in our living room! It was really fun - but the novelty wore off quickly! We longed for the luxury of a couch, but we used them the whole time we were there, and even when we first moved here to Texas! After a few weeks we found a couch and matching footstool - and when it came, we were like little kids! :o) It was soooooo relaxing to be able to curl up on the couch, snuggle with each other, take a nap on it - whatever! And now the Adirondacks are on the porch where they belong! :o)

back to the story....
I was in a huge cleaning mode... wiped off the ceiling fan blades even! Then I hung some more of those great little porch lights - we have some that are "XS" can replicas, and some that are little paper lanterns... very novel! I was working like crazy - right in the middle of the oppresively steamy day! I was so very hot! I was sweating like crazy, but boy it felt good to be doing this! The sweat droplets were rolling down my calves, arms, torso and forehead. It's kind of odd - in Alaska, when it gets hot and I sweat, but not a whole lot. I feel almost like I'm overheating up there. Down here, the sweat just comes out, and it's almost as if it helps keep me cool. So even though I'm sweating and feel like I should be wiped out and overheating, I can just keep going. I do drink lots of water to rehydrate. Especially PERFECT WATER! It has been micro structured, which some people believe gives the water better hydration capabilities. I am one of those people! It takes much less PERFECT WATER for me to feel quenched than regular water! Good stuff!

I don't think I'm prepared for the weather this summer. Last year, I bragged about how nice it was in Houston, how much I loved the humidity, and how it wasn't nearly as bad as everyone told me it would be. Turns out, last summer was quite rainy, and that helped to keep things cooler. The trees, lawns, and flowers stayed green, and it really didn't get hot hot until August. We were only in the triple digits for a few weeks in August and then it would pop up there every once in a while, but not often. Summer 2007 was a beautiful summer! Too much rain according to the locals, but I loved it!

Summer 2008 is looking like it will be a scorcher! We have had LOTS of 85*-90* days this month, and very little rain. The grass is starting to get brown in spots, and the trees are doing the same. I keep thinking - it's only May! What in the world is going to happen when summer acutally hits!? I may be spending more time in the air conditioning than I expect, but we just got our electricity bill and it was over $250 - and it's not even summer yet..... looks like I'll have plenty of opportunities to practice my southern woman "glow......"

When the lights go out....

One of my favorite memories growing up were power outages! In my memory, they never lasted very long - a few hours maybe? When I was a kid, we pulled out the candles and the flashlights, turned on the radio for updates, and just spent time together! Sometimes we'd play cards or a board game, and sometimes I'd take a flashlight and go read in my room. As an adult, a daytime power outage usually meant either a chance to get caught up with paperwork (office phones are electric...) or just a nice break in the work day to visit with co-workers! Sometimes we even went home early! If the power went out overnight, it provided a GREAT excuse for sleeping in the next morning!

Power outages provided a welcome escape; a chance to slow down and take a break without that nagging "I should be doing something" feeling. I savored the intense silence, free from the incessant electrical buzz that is a permanent part of everyday life. I would eagerly await the next outage, and actually began to miss the retreat as technology improved and their frequency decreased.

Fast forward to today - in south Texas. Hurricanes abound during certain months. Tornadoes are possible and flooding is an ever present danger. These are not things I grew up with, so I don't have the ingrained knowledge of how to deal with them. Ask me what to do in an earthquake, and I'll tell you 3 possibilities in 2 seconds. Ask me what to do when a tornado warning is pending and I freeze. Power outages aren't so fun anymore.

Last night while Grady was out of town, we had an unexpected outage at 12:30am. I was just about to go to bed, when that familiar "power down" sound hit. Everything went dark, except for the emergency night light in our hallway. After I found a flashlight, and lit a few candles, I checked the weather on the porch, and it was fine - no rain, wind - just a nice balmy night in the 70's. Tornado watches were northwest of us, but not in our area, so that shouldn't have been an issue. It appeared that all of the buildings in our area were out of power - and I discovered that we have no emergency lighting in the stairwells (not a good thing!). With the power out - I couldn't check the weather channel on TV, but I thought I'd just check online. Eye opener for me - our internet doesn't work either when the power is out. I'm not totally sure why, but perhaps it's just the wireless that doesn't work because the router is electric. I'll have to check that out - maybe I can hook up directly to the internet and get info that way. In any case, at the point and time I needed information, I couldn't get it. And it scared me. I didn't want to call Grady and wake him up if it was nothing. But if it was serious, I wanted to be aware! We live on the 3rd and top floor of our building, so it's important to know if the roof is going to blow off! :o) I didn't know what to do.

Grady and I spent the whole year we've been here in Houston TALKING about getting a NOAA weather radio, and getting our emergency preparedness kit ready. But it's not done. We didn't have the radio. I felt ill-equipped to deal with what might be heading our way. I had no way to find out what was going on without calling someone. Fortunately, my cell phone was charged up, and I called mom. She's 3 hours behind us, so she was still up. However, calling mom to ask if there are any tornado warnings in our area is always a LAST resort! :o) That usually causes a bit of stress on mom's part - which it did! But just as she was going to the weather channel in Alaska to tell me what was happening in Texas... the power returned.

It still took me about 20 minutes before the internet connected, and the satellite didn't come back until the next afternoon (satellite TV is useless-that's another story for another time). I found no explanation for the outage, other than some speculation that there may be grilled squirrel across the street in the new apartment complex being built.... perhaps an open wire box?

I don't know what caused it - but I am thankful for the wake up call. We just got a NOAA Red Cross weather radio, have batteries in it and extras aside. We are gathering our important papers in one place, and getting our emergency kit together to put in the garage. My hope is that as we become more prepared, the apprehension I feel about blackouts will diminish, and I can once again enjoy the quiet and solitude.... when the lights go out......

water dancing

I tried something new today - water aerobics! Our gym offers it in their saltwater pool - very nice! I've been thinking about going many times, but haven't had the courage until this morning! There are so many unknowns to trying something new.... usually once I do it - it's great! Most of my concerns are never realized, and all is good! As usual, this was the case!

I was up early taking Grady to the airport, and when I got back to the house, I had pretty well talked myself into going to water aerobics! Like I said, I have been thinking about doing it for about 6 months now, and I definately need to add some form of exercise into my life. I came home and put my swimsuit on, with clothes over it. Packed my gym bag. Sat down at the computer to check email, and almost talked myself out of going... tons to do today! I could just sit here at the computer and get stuff done, yadda, yadda, yadda.... all those great little excuses I come up with. My legs aren't shaved. What if....??? what? I didn't even have any what if's, but I used them anyway. Finally, I said - that's enough! I'm going! About 20 min before class I headed out the door!

Got to the gym, found a locker and put my bag and clothes in it. Used the bathroom. Looked for anything else I could do to procrastinate... but there was nothing. So I headed out - with my towel and my Perfect Water, and walked toward the pool On the way out of the locker room, I saw a lady in a swim suit, and sure enough she was heading there too! Turns out she comes 6 days a week! Wow! She gave me a quick run down of what happens, introduced me to the teacher, showed me where to stand and helped me get my bearings!

Then we got started. You know what? It wasn't scary at all. There were actually quite a few people - about 20 or so - and the pool was pretty full! It's a good size pool, but you stand chest high in the water, most of the people were toward the middle. The ladies ranged in ages, shapes and sizes. Short, tall, slender, very obese, and everything in between! Oh yeah - there was a guy too! Late 30's, beginning to bald, nice smile. Interestingly enough - my first reaction when I saw him in the pool was "pervert." As soon as I thought it, I wondered where in the world that came from? Just because he was in a water aerobics class full of ladies with big breasts all jumping up and down in the water didn't mean that that was what he was there for. But I do have to say - I was a bit self conscious as I was jumping up and down and my boobs were doing the same. I wasn't quite deep enough in the water (now I know) and when you jump in the water - everything moves!

Let's talk about that for a minute. When you are in the water, fat floats. Not a big deal, all is normal. Until I started jumping up and down. Everything changed at that moment. My body was jumping up and down, and my fat was jumping up and down - but at different times! My breasts, belly and upper buttocks had a life of their own! Now if you've never felt the fat on the top of your butt flop around.... you have obviously never been overweight and doing water aerobics! Mind you, I've danced at my current weight - and my boobs and belly jiggle around, but never the top of my butt! And I've jumped up and down in the pool and the ocean, but again, the top of my butt has never moved like that before. It was the oddest sensation to feel my upper butt disembodied but still attached! Crazy!

Fortunately we didn't jump around too long, and all of my body parts got back in sync with each other! Then we got out the "dumbbells!" I'm not sure what they are made of - but they float, and offer incredible resistance! I actually had to rest about 1/2 way through the weight part! My shoulders were soooo tired!

There is something else odd about doing aerobics in water.... it's very difficult to move to the beat of the music. The music was meant for exercising OUT of the water, so to keep up with it IN the water was quite a challenge. Every once in a while I could get it to jive, but most of the time I was multiple beats off! But then again, so was everyone else... as far as I could tell. It's pretty hard to tell what others are doing in the water - you can't really see what's going on under there with the water moving around so much! I just concentrated on making it a good workout for me, instead of wondering how my neighbor was doing. Much better strategy in my book!

All in all, this was a fantastic workout! I was amazed at how much intensity I was getting - without really breaking a sweat, and having FUN! The ladies encouraged me to come back again, which of course I will! :o) I'm looking forward to going again Thursday! I can't believe it took me so long to try it!

By the way - as I was driving out of the parking lot, I saw the man who was in class with us... putting his toddler son into his car! So he's probably not a pervert, but perhaps needs to exercise in a non-impact way! :o) I'm sure I'll find out more as time goes on!

smell of the south

As I'm walking around Hot Springs, Arkansas today, I am struck by the scents that linger in the air - magnolias, jasmine, rain. Growing up in the dry air of Alaska, I was wonderfully surprised by the abundance of smells in the air in the south! It must be the humidity that lets the scents linger in the air... something that we really don't experience in Alaska.

Down here in the south - especially in the warmer months - the air is filled with armoas! Jasmine, narcosis, magnolias, honeysuckle... the list goes on and on! There is something magical for me about stepping out of the dry air conditioning into the warm damp air - having my nostrils filled with warm moist scented air! Even just the aroma of damp earth makes my heart jump... just one more wonderful part of the south!

PERFECT WATER!

PERFECT WATER IS HERE!




Perfect Water is NOW AVAILABLE! haven't heard of it yet? It's Premium Performance Water - customizable to YOUR needs!

• Purified - proprietary 15-step purification process
• Remineralized to incorporate trace minerals and electrolytes
• Ionized for enhanced alkalinity (pH)
• Microstructured for optimal hydration
• Oxygen Rich and empowered with MBO* Proprietary technology

Where can you get it?

www.JACGroup.biz

with 2 cases you get free shipping!

Be sure to check out the "twist tubes" to customize your water! Liquid vitamins, ready to mix, all organic and sugar free!

• Raspberry - 1500mg of glucosomine!
• Strawberry/Kiwi - immunity blend - 1000mg of Vit C, plus niacin and more!
• Blueberry - Antioxidant blend of Vitamins C and A plus more
• Tropical - Sport blend - replaces electolytes from working out!

If you would like more info, please email or click the "call" button on the website
Wholesale and franchises are available

an ode to MOTHERHOOD

In March, I went to Alaska for 5 weeks. Mom had both of her knees replaced, and I went up to help her out. Turns out my sis-in-law was gone for 4 of those 5 weeks, so I got to spend lots of time with my niece as well! It was awesome! But I did learn a thing or two about responsibility, and putting others first. It was quite eye opening for me....

I was an only child until I was 10, so I learned to be selfish early. I also learned to manipulate to get my way.... I have a tendency to be lazy, not put things away after I get them out, etc, etc. This carried over into my adult life, which was easy to continue since I lived alone most of my life. I lived in CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) since my house was cluttered with so many things I had gotten out but not put away. When I moved into a house full of gals in 2004, I had to learn to clean up after myself - except for in my room. But I still only had myself to care for. Now I am married, and essentially I pick up after myself, but the house still takes some time to get ready for company. Grady is such a help - it's really not any additional responsibility to "take care" of him.... I have to make my bed anyway, make meals, etc.

When mom had her surgery, she was in the hospital for 10 days. During those first days, I spent most of my time at the hospital with her, especially in the beginning. Dad could fend for himself just fine. But after Shinette left, I now had my niece to take care of... making lunch, getting her up and ready for school, taking her to school, picking her up, getting her dinner, bath time, brushing her teeth, then doing it all over the next morning when we went to school. This was a little more "demanding" that what I was used to, but not too bad. She and I spent 17 days together in Hot Springs with Uncle Grady the year before, and this wasn't too different, other than the structure.

When mom came home from the hospital, everything got kicked up a bit. Now not only did I have Lisa and her schedule to think about, but also mom's. Meds, meals, exercise, helping her get around the house... all on top of the rest. I set up a "schedule" for dinners so all of us could eat together, and made meals about 4 nights a week. I discovered the amazing amount of work mothers do with their families. Many nights, after getting up at 7, getting ready, getting Lisa and mom breakfast, taking Lisa to school, meeting a friend for coffee, coming home to work with mom and get her set up with meds and lunch and PT, then back to school to pick up Lisa, then making dinner, cleaning up dinner, spending time with Lisa, putting her to bed, getting mom set up for evening and in the study to watch news..... I was POOPED! By 10:30 I was so tired - worn out - emotionally and physically! You can't just leave the dishes in the sink... or not make the kid's lunch.... or let someone go without their meds (although I did forget a few times....oops!). There is so much responsibility - so much weighing on your shoulders.... it was a totally new perspective for me.

Please don't get me wrong - in no way, shape or form, am I complaining about what I did for those 5 weeks! And please don't think I'm asking for kudos or sympathy - because the reality is - I only did it for a few days a week and for only about 2 weeks. Mom was up and around by herself very quickly, and Michael helped out with Lisa more than I would have liked him to! I absolutely CHERISHED the time I spent up there - with mom, dad, Lisa, my brother, and all of the friends I got to see. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I missed Grady immensely, and have no desire to be apart from him for that long ever again! But I don't regret a moment of my time.

I had an opportunity to give back in a way I never have before. I got to care for mom in ways I never thought possible - looking out for her interests at the doctors offices and hospital, giving her tenderness, but also tough love when I felt it was needed, and just trying to attend to her needs while she was recovering. Mom is a huge giver, and not one to let others do for her, so this was an absolute joy for me. I will remember our time together for the rest of my life. (I would say the same for mom - but she was on pain killers most of the time.... who knows what she'll remember! LOL!)

I had an opportunity to be a "mom" with a family - plan and execute meals, transportation, etc, etc. I discovered how much work it is, and at the same time, how rewarding it is to see a job well done. I have a whole new respect for motherhood - and I now know that I do have what it takes to do the job. Not sure I WANT the job, but I could do it if need be!

I now appreciate the unbelievably simple life I have. Grady, myself and two cats. An automatic litter box, auto-feeder and auto-waterer make the cats essentially maintenance free, except for snuggle and play time. Same thing with Grady (heehee!). I don't even have a full time job, and so many mothers not only do their MOM-job, but also work outside the home! I don't know where they find time to do anything - how do the bills get paid, follow ups on medical insurance, doing the grocery shopping, getting new clothes for the kids, having sex with the hubby - anything! I have so much luxury in my life - I almost feel guilty (almost). I am so grateful I had the opportunity to find out first hand just how blessed I am!

Mom Update:
Mom is doing great and has been working VERY hard at her physical therapy - both at home and at the PT office. I am so very proud of her! This was a huge step - but we are all hoping it is one she will be thankful she did! Two months later she is riding her bike every day (inside) and getting around now without any walkers or canes, and has been for a while now.

2007 Holiday update

December 31, 2007

Ahhhh - the holidays in Southeast Texas….. the smell of fresh cut grass in the afternoon: the trees turning colors and losing their leaves (fall in December? Nice!); 75* days, 50* nights; at this point I‘m really thinking snow is overrated! This is great! :o) There is something special about seeing a rainbow in December…. Who knew? :o)

We hope you are enjoying the season of joy and peace. As we reflect on 2007, we are again reminded of God’s hand and power in our lives, and His overwhelming blessings. This has been a year of resolution for Grady and I, as many things that have been “pending“ are now finalized or have come to fruition. The seeds that were planted are starting to sprout! What an exciting year!

We started 2007 with Grady beginning a new job. When he was hired, we were told we would be in Dallas, Texas, but at the last minute (literally, we were signing a lease in Dallas) Grady got a call telling him we were going to Houston! Here’s the God part - when Grady and I met in person, we began praying about where God wanted us to live. Since Grady was in the job hunt, we had lots of options. We both believed God wanted us in Houston - even though I had never been there, and we had no idea why. We were surprised when Grady got the job in Hot Springs, AR, and we thought we had heard wrong. But then, over a year after God gave us a vision for Houston - He brought us here, and paid for the entire thing - with movers! He knew what he was doing all along - His timing is perfect!

Christmas day ‘06 we flew to Houston to find a place to live! Grady spent time training in Boston and getting to know his territory. I stayed with the cats and supervised the move. Mid-January the cats and I made the move to Houston with Grady. We moved into the apartment mid-February and it is really grand! We are so blessed to have this place - 3rd floor with 10’ ceilings, crown molding, granite look countertops, archways, a screened in porch (great for the cats, and no bugs for me!) and a built in desk and cabinetry in the sunroom! Oh - and how could I forget a HUGE L-shaped walk-in closet! :o) It’s not our own home, but for the time being it’s fantastic!

We spent the next few months traveling together and enjoying Texas! Grady is from Texas, so he showed me around the Hill Country where he grew up, and we have been to San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Paris (TX), and everywhere in between! I haven’t been further south than Galveston…but we will get there! I do have to admit - Texas is BIG! Alaska is bigger, but we can’t drive around it - so Texas seems MUCH bigger with lots more places to go, do and see! I never thought I would say it - but I’m really loving it here! :o)

Grady travels about 50% of the time in his territory of AR, OK, TX, LA and KS. I have been so blessed to be able to travel with him quite often - sometimes driving to meet him, or just driving with him. He flies most of the time and loves it! He knows airplanes and airports like the back of his hand! He works from home when he’s here - and is always home on the weekends! It’s been great! Grady is fantastic at leading and mentoring his “sales” guys and has been leading the sales at KMS most of the year! Score one for the new guy! :o) Go Grady! :o) That’s my sweety! :o)

However, we do know that the “job” world is very volatile, and that his job could end at any time. Having experienced that - we are “digging our well before we are thirsty“, by diversifying our income through our online store (www.jacgroup.biz). We really appreciate our friends and family that have supported us by shopping at our store, and we welcome everyone to stop by! We have had a chance to mentor some people as well through WWG, and we are developing some great friendships. We are looking forward to the future with great anticipation! Again we see God‘s timing - He has been bringing people into our lives like never before, and we see the tree growing and beginning to bear some fantastic fruit. Thank you God!

Grady officially proposed to me with a beautiful solitaire in the balcony seats at Minute Maid Park! This was so special, because our first date was a baseball game in Atlanta - Braves vs. Astros (Houston‘s team), and we sat on the very top row! Of course I’ve been a Braves fan (we won by the way) because it was my very first real baseball team I could claim. Now that Grady proposed at Minute Maid Park, I have a new reason to switch teams and root for the Astros! And I now know Minute Maid Park is the best place on earth (just as Grady planned…..he’s trying hard to make me a Texan)!

On May 25, everything came together and we were able to get married! We went to the Justice of the Peace here in Harris County, and in about 2 minutes it was official! Even though we had committed to each other almost a year before - it was great to have it official and legal! Then in July, we had a small but wonderful reception at mom and dad’s house in Alaska! It was so great to see people I hadn’t seen in a really long time, and celebrate our marriage with friends and family! My friend Kathy and her good friend Brett from Montana came up to celebrate with us and we had an awesome time together! It was a very memorable time!!

In true Debbi and Grady form - we did things a little differently in relation to our marriage…. We got married at the JP, then had the reception in Alaska with my friends and family, and finally had a wedding in Florida six months later at Thanksgiving! We brought mom, dad and my niece Lisa down to Houston to visit, then we all drove over to Navarre, Florida for Thanksgiving with Grady’s family! It was fabulous! Our families got along famously - just as we expected! The day after Thanksgiving, we had our wedding! :o)

The wedding was beautiful - and Grady’s family planned it all which was such a blessing to me! I never dreamed of a big foofy wedding, so this was perfect! We had the ceremony at the condo we rented which was on the 12th floor (penthouse) and overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. We were on the balcony with our moms and dads, and Grady’s brother-in-law’s mom Janice performed the ceremony. Her husband Robert did a reading, and we had a really neat moment where we honored our mothers by giving them a rose. Grady’s sister, Carolyn, brought their mom’s Bible with her (she went to be with Jesus about 15 years ago), and I held that with the flowers. Matt’s sister, Mary Beth, made my bouquet, Carolyn decorated the cakes, and Nancy (Grady’s second mom) and Carolyn brought tons of food for everyone to enjoy! The weather was great - cold but we were protected on the balcony. It was beautiful and I couldn’t have asked for anything better! I will cherish my “wedding day” and we are going to celebrate the day after Thanksgiving as one of our anniversaries (we have lots of special days to celebrate)!

We had a great time showing mom, dad and Lisa around Houston and just visiting with them. Since they left November 30th, we have been getting ready for the holidays, working and enjoying the warm southern Texas weather! It’s been in the 60’s and 70’s with a few colder snaps, but - no snow! Actually - let me tell you about the weather here… it’s really been remarkable! We had a beautiful spring, and got plenty of rain all summer long (but we didn’t have the flooding here in Kingwood like you saw on the news everywhere around us!). Because of the rain we had nice green lawns and trees all summer, and it really didn’t stay above 100* very long at all! Mind you - it was HOT this summer - but it wasn’t awful! :o) There was ONE very important lesson I learned about living in the south…. Grady and I got caught in a downpour that was flooding the road we were on (a four lane divided parkway). When I saw the cars coming towards me pushing water with their front bumper - I knew it was time to pull over! We waited about 30 minutes, and the storm passed…..and the water level went down…. And we drove home! If that had been snow….when the storm passed we would have had to wait until the roads were cleared to get home - AND dig ourselves out of the snow that dumped on us while we were waiting for the storm to pass! In south Texas…. We just waited, and drove home! YAY for the south! I don’t miss the snow! :o) Who knew I was such a warm-weather gal?

In August I went in for a routine check up, and was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. This was a bit of a shock as no one in my family has it, but my lifestyle and food choices have caused this. This was also a huge blow to Grady - his mother died of Diabetes complications. After much research, education and doctors input/advice, we are confident I can beat this. I understand I will always have Diabetes, but at this point there is no reason I will need to deal with the complications. Already my A1C level has dropped from 8.2% to 7.2%. We joined a gym and I have just discovered through the help of our trainer that weight training is very effective at lowering blood sugar! The weight is slowly coming off, I’m eating smaller portions, and keeping my carbohydrate intake as even as possible. Grady has been a huge support to me during this time, especially in the beginning when I was on an emotional roller coaster. Now he supports me by eating better and exercising with me, and celebrating the low blood glucose readings with me! Grady also is working to lower his blood sugar as he is pre-diabetic, and he DOES have a family history. Here’s the God part - up until June of this year, I have been living without insurance. I have been to the doctor for check ups every year and this has not come up. Now that I’m covered, it was diagnosed, and it was diagnosed early, so not much damage has been done. Not only has this been a great opportunity for us to change for the better, but we are blessed financially with insurance to help pay for the costs! Praise God!

We just returned from San Antonio, where we spent Christmas with Grady’s family! I finally met the rest of his family, and it was such a special time for him to be with everyone for the holiday. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting, baking (I learned to make pies and mac cheese!) and visiting some more! We are looking forward to spending more time with his family in Florida and Texas in 2008.

2007 has been an incredible year for us. Grady and I met just 2 short years ago, but we feel we have lived a lifetime of fun and adventures since then. God’s hand is with us, His blessings are continually poured out on us, and we are so very grateful for the opportunities He is putting in our path! We pray the same for you - that you will allow God to shake up your world, plant some seed with you, and then, in His perfect time, that you may be able to see the seeds sprout, grow and produce fruit! We hope you had a very Merry Christmas, and you have a blessed New Year! Blessings to you in 2008!