Friends to Help you Along the Way

It has been over a month since I posted my last update on my weight loss journey.  It may seem as if I have given up.  And, to be honest, I considered it.  After that horrible gain a few weeks back, I was feeling a little less motivated.  Plus, being without my kitchen for a week made eating well and measuring portions difficult.

On the Run!

I didn't post anything yesterday because I got so caught up in school planning that I just plain forgot.  Now, I have to be on the run all day today and won't have time for a "real" post.  I feel like such a slacker!

But, in all honesty, I've accomplished a lot.  I have lots of school stuff done, I worked a bit more on my rotating menus, and updated my price book.  I also did some cleaning around the house.  And today, I am headed out for a play date at a friend's house and I'll leave straight from there to drop the kids off with my parents and go to work. 

It all comes back to the idea of priorities and balance.  In order to fit everything into my busy life, sometimes things have to be put aside for a short time.  I promise I'm not giving up on blogging!  I'm holding to my commitment.  But, for this week, I have had to focus a bit less on writing and more on school, housework, and friends.

Week in Review 7-1-12

I already posted earlier today, but I wanted to come back and review my weekly goals and see how I did.  After all, why set goals if I'm not going to check and make sure I achieved them, right?  I'm not expecting perfection, just progress.  I'll copy my list over from this past Sunday and add my results in blue.

Spiritual life

• Read my Bible each day and write something in my journal. I read my Bible most days, but not all.  I still need to find a better study time and that will probably be on my list of goals for next week. 
• Pray for the requests on my Prayer List.  I did pray for several of these requests and added a few new ones.  But, I didn't pray for them all.

Family life - DH is on vacation, so this is a big priority this week.

• Take the kids to a 4th of July community party.  Huey Lewis and the News will be preforming!  This was the very first group I ever saw in concert when I was 5 years-old.  Now, it will be the first group my own kids see in concert!  I am so excited!  Sadly, we decided at the last minute that it was just too hot to go stand around with a few tens of thousands of people.  It was 105 degrees out and DH was already feeling a little yucky.  But, there were lots of fireworks in our neighborhood and we watched a movie instead.
• Take the kids to see the new Spiderman movie.  DH is excited about this one. Saw it and it was great!  I actually liked it more than the Tobey Maguire (Yes, spellcheck.  Google says that IS how you spell his name) version.  DH said it was more accurate, too, which is important to him.  Most importantly, the kids loved it.
• Lots of swimming! We did go swimming several times, but once again the heat took its toll.  We are in the middle of a really bad heat wave and it has made our pool more like a hot tub.  DH looked at the thermometer tonight and the water was 101 degrees.  It sort of makes swimming less fun.
• Call my mom lots and invite her to dinner one night.  My dad is gone on a fishing trip for two weeks and she has a hard time being away from him.  It is really pretty sweet!  My mom wasn't able to come over when I invited her last night.  But, the kids and I did go shopping with her for several hours today.  Since my dad will still be gone next week, I'm going to ask her early in the week to come to dinner on Thursday or Friday.

Home life - This is all about the house!

• Keep the kitchen clean!  I actually cleaned it this past week (I even cleaned the fridge!) and I want it to stay that way.  This went pretty well.  I even got a few more things done!  But, the bathroom (our one and only) isn't looking too pretty.  In my defense, we did re-caulk the tub and toilet tonight and things can't go back where they belong until tomorrow.
• Go through one room of the house each day and find things to sell at the yard sale I am planning next Saturday.  Even the yard sale got delayed because of the heat.  But, I did go through several rooms and everything has price tags, is in boxes, and ready to be taken to my parents' house.
• Grocery shopping (I don't always go every week) Check!

Church life -  This is actually going to be blank this week.  Services were cancelled this evening because we had a big fellowship this afternoon.  And services are cancelled on Wednesday so people can spend 4th of July with their family.

Physical life

• I need to really start watching what I eat!  I am going to make a point to eat smaller portions.  I didn't always make good choices this week, but I was more conscious.  I think I need to make more concrete goals.

Exercise at least two days this week.  I am going to start out small.  This is more than I do now.  I did do a lot of physical work around the house and I did do a little exercise in the pool.  But, for the most part this was a fail this week.  I'm not going to let it get me down, though
 
Social life - With DH home, I won't be doing much socializing with friends.  But, I still need to make a point to do a couple of things.

• Call my best friend to chat a little. Check!
• Message another good friend.  Check!  Plus, I got to find out that she is expecting twin boys!  I knew she was having twins (her second set!), but she just found out they are both boys this week.  How exciting!

Financial life - DH and I are doing Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.

• Yard sale on Saturday.  Put extra money earned toward rebuilding our $1000 emergency fund (we had to spend some when DH had a car accident a couple months ago) Like I said, this was canceled because of the heat.  Good thing, too.  It was a boiling 110 today!  I'll have it in a few weeks when it cools down.  Maybe the first week of August.
• Pay bills  Check!  We even made a little more money than we planned this last pay period and were able to finish up our baby emergency fund and have an extra $200 to put toward our debt snowball!
• Work on worksheets for Teacher's Pay Teacher's store I have with my best friend. With DH home, this got pushed to the back burner this week.  But, I'm back on it next week.

Mental life

• Visit library and check out a couple books Oops!  Our library books are now a couple of days overdue.  I really need to do this next week.  I admit that I just has a bit of a stress out moment.  I want to do this ASAP, but I work Monday evening and I really need to go to the grocery store.  I could go to the store tomorrow, but it is supposed to storm.  I probably just need to suck it up and go to the store.  That means I'll have to plan my menu and make my list tonight.  *Sigh*  There goes watching an episode of Bones.

Homeschool life

• Go through stuff on our school shelves and get rid of stuff we no longer use.  Sell what I can at the yard sale.  Check! 
• Make a list of needed supplies. Check!  Plus, we also had some extra money (I'll have to explain that some other time.  It is something interesting I am learning this month) that went toward school supplies.  This allowed me to purchase another small bookcase for our schoolroom.  Yay!

 
Overall, I'm pretty happy with my progress this week.  There is still a lot to work on, but I felt like I had a pretty good week.  I got a lot accomplished and got to spend some great time with my DH and the kids!

Church Life & Social Life

I'm combining the two categories into one post today.  I figure neither requires too much background and my goals are pretty straightforward.  So, neither would be a long enough post by itself.

Church Life

I guess I'll start by pointed out the obvious.  "Church Life" is a separate category from "Spiritual Life."  Although the two are obviously woven together and overlap in many ways, they aren't one in the same.  No matter how much time I spend at church or doing ministries, it isn't going to get me into Heaven or save me.  For that, you can see this post on my Spiritual Life.  But, I do believe that church is important.  It is a place to learn, to grow, to be encouraged, to be challenged, to serve the Lord, and to fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ.

Where I Was and Where I am Now

I have attended the same church since I was 5 years-old.  Our church has been through many ups and downs over the years.  But, one thing has always stayed the same - we look to the Bible as our only authority.  God gave us His Word so that we may know Him.  So, I can always be sure to find good, solid, Bible preaching at my church.  For that I am SO thankful!

I've been involved in different ministries over the years.  Right now, I don't really have any ministries I am involved in constantly.  Instead, I get involved in special occasion ministries.  Things like VBS and the Harvest Festival.  This is what is best for my family right now.  But,it has taken some getting used to.  I actually clung to a few things much longer than I should have.  I was overwhelmed and not doing my best in the things I was involved in.  At this stage of my life when I am homeschooling and working, I need to focus on those tasks that God has given me and do my best at them.  When I am stretched too thin, something always has to give.

Where I Want to Be

Eventually, I want to become involved in more ministries at my church.  I honestly don't know when, or what, that will be, though.  I'm waiting on God to show me each step of the way.    In the meantime, I will continue with my seasonal ministries and enjoy the fellowship and preaching!

Social Life

Where I Was and Where I am Now

I am shy.  Most people who know me probably aren't aware of this fact, because I'm also a good actress.  They probably have no idea of my panicked internal dialogue while I am smiling and making small talk.  

Small talk is often a problem for me.  Unless I really know someone, I often have no clue what to say.  Good, in-depth conversation I can handle.  But, how often do you have that with an acquaintance?  With acquaintances you have small talk.  My mind races the entire time trying to think of what to say.  More often than not, I come up completely blank.

I can be sitting in a room full of people I know and be sitting by myself with no one to talk to.  I'm terrified to walk up to someone and just start a conversation!  Mostly because I have no clue what to say.  I am always thankful for a specific topic that can start a conversation.  Shared tasks are great for this!  But, to just go up and start talking to someone with no definite purpose?  Terrifying!

I'm always afraid people will think I am unfriendly.  I realize that I probably look that way.  Especially since most people would never guess that I am actually shy.  After all, I don't fit the stereotype.  I look people in the eye, I'm not quite, I smile a lot, I'm not afraid to speak in front of a crowd, and I am comfortable in leadership positions.  It is just small talk that I have a problem with!

My best friend and me

I do have friends, though.  Good friends.   I've always tended to have a few, very close friends I can share intimate details of my life with rather than a bunch of friends who I just hang out with.  I've already mentioned my best friend.  She and I see each other pretty often.  One of the ways we spend time together is on Saturday shopping trips.  I rarely by anything, but the two of us pack up my kids and spend the day shopping and talking.

My other closest friend is someone I met just about a year ago.  When we met, we had so much in common that our friendship just came naturally.  She is a homeschooler, too, with kids around the same age as mine.  So, we have a lot to talk about!

Where I Want to Be

When I imagine the person that I really want to be - the "perfect" version of me - she is really outgoing and friendly.  She encourages others and always has a kind word.  But, when I really think about it, I realize that this is not me.  But, I can take parts of this person and integrate them into my life.

I can work to be more encouraging to others.  I can purposely look for things to complement and praise.  I can work to listen more and panic less when talking to people.  Most of all, I can pray that God would help me in this area.  I can ask Him to help me to love others as He loves them. 

Overall, I need to have realistic expectation of myself.  But, that doesn't mean I have no expectations!  I need to set very solid, real goals and work, little-by-little, to grow in this area.