I had such a nice Saturday with my sweetie... we took a little day-trip to Columbus to eat at Carrabba's, shop, and see a movie. The order of business got a little reversed once we got up there - we went to see "The Blind Side", which I definitely recommend. The movie was absolutely wonderful. After the movie, we shopped at one store and went to Carrabba's, and dinner tasted very nice, though after the meal our server confessed it was her first day and she was extremely nervous! That provided an explanation for the not-quite-stellar service, though I find it odd that a restaurant manager would have a new server's "first day" happen on a busy Saturday night. After dinner, we shopped ... and I didn't see anything that I couldn't live without, so David was relieved. We also enjoyed pleasant conversation with one of David's coworkers and his wife; we don't know them extremely well, and it was nice to build up some friendship with them. Well, that's the good part of the story.
When we were at the movies, I was hungry because it was almost 1:30 and I had not eaten lunch (or breakfast either, really), so I wanted to have some popcorn. It had been SUCH a long time since I ate movie popcorn... with butter... I decided that even though it was RIDICULOUSLY overpriced, I would go for popcorn - and a drink. Our movie did not start until almost 2:00, so we had plenty of time to find good seats, sit and eat popcorn during "screenvision" or whatever it is, and I planned to really get our money's worth and get the FREE REFILL on the popcorn before the show started. So, four of us munched on the Large popcorn, and I ate a lot of it - I was hungry! When the previews started, I headed back to the lobby for the free refill of the popcorn and drink, feeling like I was at least getting some kind of bargain, since a lot of people don't bother to get their popcorn & drink refilled after they spend all of that money. During the movie, I continued to munch, though not as much as before. When we went to dinner, I wasn't overly hungry because I was already full of popcorn.
Fast-forward to after we got home. When we got home around 9:30pm, I was tired from a fun day, but a little nauseous. After we went to bed, the heartburn started. Heartburn, nausea, upset stomach....I know what indigestion is now, because my body was practically refusing to digest the popcorn. I was almost a Pepto commercial! Almost. I was unable to sleep b/c of the burning in my chest, and I had that awful sense that maybe I would feel better if I vomited, but that didn't happen either. I was uncomfortable all day (constant heartburn) and not hungry until the evening when I tried to appease my rebelling stomach by eating a banana, chicken broth, and plain white rice. Even when I went to bed last night, I still had the heartburn. FINALLY, though, sometime during the night, it calmed down. When I woke up this morning, I was NOT burning, and very thankful for that fact.
What makes me upset with myself is that I know movie popcorn is not the best food choice, yet I was so motivated to get my money's worth that I ate it - a whole lot of it - at the expense of my body. If the money was that important to me, I should have protected my tummy AND my wallet and not had any. But I was hungry.... so I should have chosen something different (smaller) and just paid for it, knowing that it's very rare that I even walk up to a concession stand at a movie theater, and that it's OK if I pay too much for food now and then. During the wee hours of Sunday morning, I apologized to God for having my priorities out of line - because I did! It was a stupid reason to pack away that much popcorn. I was justifying a moment of gluttony, in the name of getting bang for my buck. Well, I got some bang, that's for sure - 24 hours of heartburn. But I also got forgiveness - for being shortsighted, selfish, and stupid.
The health of my body - God's temple! - is more important than preserving a few more bucks. I know that now. God will give me grace to choose better in the future. As for movie popcorn, the large size that comes with a drink and free refill? Never again.
Nov 23, 2009
Nov 19, 2009
Progress!!
Well, we FINALLY have some progress on the adoption front. After doing our electronic fingerprints on September 18, 2 months and a day ago, we found out today that our clearance letters came in from the Georgia Dept of Human Resources. The background check is done, and now we can move forward with the home study process. Hooray!
After avoiding my envelope full of paperwork (because I felt like the papers inside it would probably NEVER be read by ANYONE because the stupid background check would never come in), I can get it out again and make sure I have everything done for Interview #1. I'll post again when I find out a date on that.
Speaking of dates, Mom Latona is scheduled for cataract surgery on Dec 3. Please pray for patience (long-suffering) for David & me as we help with all of the pre-op eye drops and preparations. We are supposed to administer drops twice a day starting Thanksgiving Day and increase to 4 times a day on Nov 30. Ugh. Surely I can handle it for just one week, right??
After avoiding my envelope full of paperwork (because I felt like the papers inside it would probably NEVER be read by ANYONE because the stupid background check would never come in), I can get it out again and make sure I have everything done for Interview #1. I'll post again when I find out a date on that.
Speaking of dates, Mom Latona is scheduled for cataract surgery on Dec 3. Please pray for patience (long-suffering) for David & me as we help with all of the pre-op eye drops and preparations. We are supposed to administer drops twice a day starting Thanksgiving Day and increase to 4 times a day on Nov 30. Ugh. Surely I can handle it for just one week, right??
Oct 31, 2009
Bloggy Update
So.... I've been reading some friends' blogs and feeling guilty that it's been SOOOO long since I posted anything. I decided that since it's been exactly THREE MONTHS since my last post, today shall be the day!!!
David's parents have settled in quite well in their cute little apartment. I've ferried them to multiple doctors appointments these past few weeks with their internist and cariologist, and before November is through they will have seen their new optometrist & opthamologist as well. There are still a few more doctors they need to be scheduled with, but neither Mom nor Dad has any imminent health crises, and we are so very thankful. There have been no hospitalizations this year since Mom was released after her carotid endarterectomy the first week of Jan '09!
Mom & Dad are excited about sharing David's birthday with him this year. She insisted on going shopping to buy him a gift - more than one trip!! We will be celebrating with a family dinner at Red Lobster on Sunday and an evening together on Monday Nov. 2, where we will watch DWTS together. I am planning to make a birthday cake too! I'm hoping David's gift from ME arrives in the mailbox on Monday. EEEK!
Speaking of birthdays, we are rejoicing in the birth of my sister's new son. He arrived on 10/29, and is already home from the hospital! We are so thankful that he arrived safely, and that Melanie is doing well. (Pictures are at her blog.) My mom is enjoying the early-birthday gift of a new grandson, and I know she is in her element helping at my sister's house and loving on her grandchildren.
We are in a bit of a holding pattern with the adoption process; we have to wait for our criminal background checks to be completed, and then we can begin our home study interviews with Covenant Care. We attended an information/training session in mid-August and another in mid-October, and they both went very well. We have been filling out paperwork, collecting documents, and scheduling medical exams. We've also been planning for organizational changes in our house, including having some additional shelving built into the guest room. Most importantly, though, we've been praying for the little one that God has in mind for us - for our little boy or girl and for the birth parents that will bring him into the world. It is a strange feeling, but we are more and more confident that adoption is God's will for our family. Infertility was the tool that God had to use in order to get us to open our minds to adoption, and thus, we are thankful for it.
On a lighter note, it is Oct. 31, a day I refrain from "celebrating", but I'm not planning to hide out this year... you know - lights off, no candy in the place, watching TV in the back bedroom hoping the trick-or-treaters think there's no one here. I have a crock-pot of apple cider near the front door for my neighbors, and baskets of candy to give to their children. As of 4:50pm, I've not had any little visitors yet, but I want to be a kind, safe, loving, Jesus-reflecting neighbor, even though I personally detest the "holiday" so many folks observe today. As usual, I'm not celebrating "Halloween", but I AM celebrating "End of Daylight Savings Time" !! Fall back....
David's parents have settled in quite well in their cute little apartment. I've ferried them to multiple doctors appointments these past few weeks with their internist and cariologist, and before November is through they will have seen their new optometrist & opthamologist as well. There are still a few more doctors they need to be scheduled with, but neither Mom nor Dad has any imminent health crises, and we are so very thankful. There have been no hospitalizations this year since Mom was released after her carotid endarterectomy the first week of Jan '09!
Mom & Dad are excited about sharing David's birthday with him this year. She insisted on going shopping to buy him a gift - more than one trip!! We will be celebrating with a family dinner at Red Lobster on Sunday and an evening together on Monday Nov. 2, where we will watch DWTS together. I am planning to make a birthday cake too! I'm hoping David's gift from ME arrives in the mailbox on Monday. EEEK!
Speaking of birthdays, we are rejoicing in the birth of my sister's new son. He arrived on 10/29, and is already home from the hospital! We are so thankful that he arrived safely, and that Melanie is doing well. (Pictures are at her blog.) My mom is enjoying the early-birthday gift of a new grandson, and I know she is in her element helping at my sister's house and loving on her grandchildren.
We are in a bit of a holding pattern with the adoption process; we have to wait for our criminal background checks to be completed, and then we can begin our home study interviews with Covenant Care. We attended an information/training session in mid-August and another in mid-October, and they both went very well. We have been filling out paperwork, collecting documents, and scheduling medical exams. We've also been planning for organizational changes in our house, including having some additional shelving built into the guest room. Most importantly, though, we've been praying for the little one that God has in mind for us - for our little boy or girl and for the birth parents that will bring him into the world. It is a strange feeling, but we are more and more confident that adoption is God's will for our family. Infertility was the tool that God had to use in order to get us to open our minds to adoption, and thus, we are thankful for it.
On a lighter note, it is Oct. 31, a day I refrain from "celebrating", but I'm not planning to hide out this year... you know - lights off, no candy in the place, watching TV in the back bedroom hoping the trick-or-treaters think there's no one here. I have a crock-pot of apple cider near the front door for my neighbors, and baskets of candy to give to their children. As of 4:50pm, I've not had any little visitors yet, but I want to be a kind, safe, loving, Jesus-reflecting neighbor, even though I personally detest the "holiday" so many folks observe today. As usual, I'm not celebrating "Halloween", but I AM celebrating "End of Daylight Savings Time" !! Fall back....
Jul 31, 2009
New phase - variation
Well, my parents-in-law have officially moved to Albany. They are now a mere mile and a half from our home in their own apartment. They have plenty of space to rattle around in, a little porch where Dad can inhale his tobacco & nicotine, they are served 3 meals each day in the dining room (just 1 meal on Sunday), and they are participating in activities and making friends!!!
I am thankful that we are close to them and help them, but I know it'll require a lot of self-discipline on our part to prioritize our marriage and relationship. There is already plenty to do with stocking the medicine boxes (David's job), transportation to Dr's appointments, light grocery shopping, errands here and there, and of course we must have visits just for fun. Quitting my PT job was a well-timed event for me (even if that's not the case for my co-workers...). My piano studio has absolutely exploded... there are more than 25 students on my weekly schedule for August! I feel very blessed.
I am so thankful that I have a positive releationship with my MIL. She had some difficult doctors's appointments already, and I am SOOO glad I was able to be with her and help her so she didn't have to be alone. With the recent death of her only "real daughter", I hope I can pour some extra love into her life, and I am so blessed that she considers me more than a "daughter-in-law", but a DAUGHTER.
Even with this "new phase" with David's parents, we are still wanting to move forward in the direction of adoption. Please pray for us that we'll be able to get our pre-application packet in soon, and that we'll be invited to the information meeting at this agency in October.... and that I will make time to finish our 2008 income tax return. :-)
I am thankful that we are close to them and help them, but I know it'll require a lot of self-discipline on our part to prioritize our marriage and relationship. There is already plenty to do with stocking the medicine boxes (David's job), transportation to Dr's appointments, light grocery shopping, errands here and there, and of course we must have visits just for fun. Quitting my PT job was a well-timed event for me (even if that's not the case for my co-workers...). My piano studio has absolutely exploded... there are more than 25 students on my weekly schedule for August! I feel very blessed.
I am so thankful that I have a positive releationship with my MIL. She had some difficult doctors's appointments already, and I am SOOO glad I was able to be with her and help her so she didn't have to be alone. With the recent death of her only "real daughter", I hope I can pour some extra love into her life, and I am so blessed that she considers me more than a "daughter-in-law", but a DAUGHTER.
Even with this "new phase" with David's parents, we are still wanting to move forward in the direction of adoption. Please pray for us that we'll be able to get our pre-application packet in soon, and that we'll be invited to the information meeting at this agency in October.... and that I will make time to finish our 2008 income tax return. :-)
Apr 21, 2009
Looking forward to a new phase
I'm sorry my blog has been so dormant; I had such high hopes at the start, but oh well!
Sometimes it seems that my home-life is pretty simple - no kids or pets to care for, no family in town to spend time with. In spite of that seeming simplicity, I've managed to keep a rather busy life going, complete with a part-time job out of the home, piano lessons 4 afternoons a week that usually stretch into the evening, accompanying local musicians when the opportunity arises (which has been frequently as of late), a choir at church, a choir in the community, and dabbling in local theater productions. As I try to balance all of the "stuff", my head can start to spin a bit, although it is often great fun to be so active.
In the midst of all this, my simple home life has become a rather messy home life; I feel I can never catch up with laundry and cleaning, meal-planning and grocery shopping, much less gardening and around-the-house projects I've been intending to do for months. I enjoy spending the late evening hours relaxing with my hubby, but during the day it is HARD to find (er, make) time to keep my home as nice as I would like it to be.
Furthermore, we are hoping to start down the road of adoption this year, as we would like to increase our family and be parents. I know that when that happens, I'll need to cut back on a lot of the activities that keep me so busy, but that's OK; it'll be SO WORTH IT!!!! The process of adoption will take a lot of research and devotion and attention to detail; in short, it will take TIME.
Where am I going to get this time? I am quitting my part-time job. I don't actually get to finish working there until June (possibly even July...), but I am excited about the new things ahead. I so enjoy sharing my music with others through teaching and performance, and I know that more opportunities will present themselves as time moves on. The job has been a bit of a "safety net" financially, and it is time for us to be brave and move forward without it. It is a step of faith, especially for my hubby, and we are taking it together.
I am SO excited!!!!!!!
Sometimes it seems that my home-life is pretty simple - no kids or pets to care for, no family in town to spend time with. In spite of that seeming simplicity, I've managed to keep a rather busy life going, complete with a part-time job out of the home, piano lessons 4 afternoons a week that usually stretch into the evening, accompanying local musicians when the opportunity arises (which has been frequently as of late), a choir at church, a choir in the community, and dabbling in local theater productions. As I try to balance all of the "stuff", my head can start to spin a bit, although it is often great fun to be so active.
In the midst of all this, my simple home life has become a rather messy home life; I feel I can never catch up with laundry and cleaning, meal-planning and grocery shopping, much less gardening and around-the-house projects I've been intending to do for months. I enjoy spending the late evening hours relaxing with my hubby, but during the day it is HARD to find (er, make) time to keep my home as nice as I would like it to be.
Furthermore, we are hoping to start down the road of adoption this year, as we would like to increase our family and be parents. I know that when that happens, I'll need to cut back on a lot of the activities that keep me so busy, but that's OK; it'll be SO WORTH IT!!!! The process of adoption will take a lot of research and devotion and attention to detail; in short, it will take TIME.
Where am I going to get this time? I am quitting my part-time job. I don't actually get to finish working there until June (possibly even July...), but I am excited about the new things ahead. I so enjoy sharing my music with others through teaching and performance, and I know that more opportunities will present themselves as time moves on. The job has been a bit of a "safety net" financially, and it is time for us to be brave and move forward without it. It is a step of faith, especially for my hubby, and we are taking it together.
I am SO excited!!!!!!!
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