Now What?

After my 30+ day stint with Jillian's fitness plan, followed by the 4-out-of-7-day-diet-in-which-I-hit-the-wall, I was left feeling a little lost and wanting someone to tell me what I should do to keep it up, or at least a new goal or plan. A quick search on the Internet for fitness plans helped me find my change-it-up solution: FitClick! This is a free website that allows you to enter your stats, and get a new daily fitness plan at the same time. I am thrilled to try it out.

V-Day

As I drove home last night I felt overwhelmed and inadequate about the opportunity at work to be a manager. I was feeling pretty bad, as a matter of fact. While I really love working hard and making things better at work, I don't love some of the considerations involved with management. I was ready to leave work at 2:45, following a meeting with my wonderful manager who is training me for management, but realized I needed to send off a photo and bio for a speaker I am sponsoring for an upcoming conference for advertising, so I didn't leave until 3:30.

I got off the freeway at about 4:00, and called C to let him know that I would be stopping by the store and then heading home, a common courtesy we often utilize. I bought some whole wheat hamburger buns for our healthy bacon cheeseburger dinner, and then headed home. C called while I was at the store and asked if it was okay if he stopped by the gym. I told him I fully expected he would, and asked if he was excited about the bacon cheeseburgers I'd have ready when he got home. "You have NO idea!" he said.

I walked in the door and up the stairs to our home, expecting to find my white stovetop still black with eggwhites I had spilled, only to find it scrubbed clean, along with the counters, and the dishwasher running. I turned to see the dining room table and chairs we had looked at in the furniture store, covered in red crepe paper and topped with a large ruby red vase filled with velvety red roses, peruvian lilies, and palm and variegated greenery, with a pink card with my name on it leaning up against the vase. I started to tear up with joy. My worries of the day faded away, and I was so grateful for the kindness of my sweet husband. He, no doubt, had spent his day cleaning and setting this up for me.

What a good friend and partner I have in my sweetheart! I am so grateful for him! As it turned out, he had barely enough time to finish his preparations in order to surprise me before he left! My stop to the store won him just enough time to complete his plans, and take off so I wouldn't suspect anything.

New Adventures Arising

C has officially accepted the offer to work at the new position he was offered recently. Given the economy, it is a bit of a gamble to leave the safe haven of his current job of the past ten years, however, we both feel good about it and some wise advisors have counseled that this would be an excellent career move for him. How often does one get the opportunity to run the largest facility in the state at his age? It will be a lot of work, but a great platform for growth and learning. He won't start for at least another month because he needs some time to wrap up loose ends and hopefully fit in a little break in between positions for a motorcycle ride, which brings me to my next "adventure."

After spending most of the day yesterday, and some time earlier this week to finish our taxes, I submitted them around midnight last night. I merrily told C that I had a specific plan for part of our refund. C has needed some new boots for riding and leathers for safety, so I told him we would first purchase those items for him. Second, I would get my long-awaited dining table! On Tuesday, C came home early, so we drove to look at the new facility he would run, and also visited the furniture store. We both fell in love with a specific set, and every morning I can visualize it in our breakfast nook.

Finally, my own little adventure - I finally broke through to the 130s on the scale. My self-denial is paying off, because this last week has certainly not been stupendous for workouts. I only fit in two workouts rather than four. But the exciting part is not really the scale, it is the fact that my hips finally fit comfortably into the pant size I am shooting for. Yippee! I am super motivated to keep going.

I also have the great opportunity to teach our little six- and seven-year olds at Church. We have a class of 10, and I am eager to make the most of this opportunity to both teach and learn from them. My last such adventure involved twelve 7- to 8-year olds and when I had to leave, we all were sad to part. We had many adventures together, learning and growing. Upward and onward!