Eat your heart out Richard Simmons. I'm forcing myself to get over the fact that I'll be "that fat girl" at the classes at my gym and going to my first one tonight. I've just been going to the gym late at night when I can get on a treadmill or elliptical and there are very few people there.
So, today I'm bursting out of my comfort zone in an effort to not burst out of my clothes anymore. Now all that's left to decide is which one. Any votes? At the time I can go, I can coose:
1. Absolutely Abs (need I say more)
2. Dance! Dance!
Description: So you wanna dance...here's your chance. No experience necessary, move & have fun!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
A Much Needed Date Night
After all of the chaos of the past week, I talked Ryan into taking tomorrow off and we are going on a date tonight. We're going out to dinner and then to a movie. I LOVE date nights. Taking a while to get ready, putting on my good perfume, getting all dressed up, holding hands and feeling like we're kids again. On Friday, Ryan and I will have officially been together for 10 years and I absolutely love him more today than I have at any other time in our relationship. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am for tonight!!!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
A New Season, Same Old Crap
(this got a little longer than I intneded... though family usually does, doesn't it?!)
We have so much to be grateful for this Christmas season! Ryan and I are in our first home, we were VERY blessed with gifts this year, we still have all of our immediate family and were able to celebrate with all of them.
This, celebrating with the whole family that is, can also be a source of heartache rather than just a celebration. My family. Oh, where to begin. They mean well, they really do, but they are simply insensitive, nosey, know-it-alls with a good heart. It sounds harsh, and I could go on and on with all of the amazing things they do for me, but right now my heart is hurting and I need to let you know about the part of them that keeps me living 2.5 hours away.
Rewind to yesterday. It was my big family Christmas party (read 50+ people in a rented hall because there are finally way too many of us to fit into one home). My cousin and his wife just had their second baby at the beginning of November. Every time someone was holding the baby and walked within earshot of my mother and I, my mom shouted, "I'm really ready for one of these!" Then, toward the end of the evening, I was holding the baby and my mom came over and said to every person who walked by, "I keep telling Erin I'm ready for one of these!" She knows what I've been going through and is of the mindset that I'm doing something wrong or just not trying hard enough and doesn't understand how it can be taking so long since she is ready.
Then, my cousin walked up to me while I was holding the baby and said, "When are you going to have one of these?" I came back with the response Ryan and I had talked about before we left to go home because I knew I would fall apart if someone asked me about it and needed him to help me come up with a response I could just repeat without bursting into a ball of tears. "Well, it's not all up to me. We're happily working on God's time." I respond. She comes back, "well, you should just go home tonight and get busy, I bet you get pregnant tonight!" I simply couldn't get the knot out of my throat to respond.
I am so purposeful about the fact that in this whole infertility journey I remain positive and put my situation and life to God... but it hurts sometimes. It hurts in a place you didn't know you had in your heart. My cousin that had the baby knows that Ryan and I are trying and have been for a while (she and my cousin tried for over 6 years before they had their first) and came back when I think she knew I couldn't and said, "it's a lot harder than you think it is and can take a long time. It can be a really painful process and I don't think everyone thinks about that." I didn't hear any more about it from anyone after that.
Infertility surprises me: sometimes I can talk about it and be completely realistic and positive about it, other times it completely knocks me on my butt and pulls my heart out.
Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
We have so much to be grateful for this Christmas season! Ryan and I are in our first home, we were VERY blessed with gifts this year, we still have all of our immediate family and were able to celebrate with all of them.
This, celebrating with the whole family that is, can also be a source of heartache rather than just a celebration. My family. Oh, where to begin. They mean well, they really do, but they are simply insensitive, nosey, know-it-alls with a good heart. It sounds harsh, and I could go on and on with all of the amazing things they do for me, but right now my heart is hurting and I need to let you know about the part of them that keeps me living 2.5 hours away.
Rewind to yesterday. It was my big family Christmas party (read 50+ people in a rented hall because there are finally way too many of us to fit into one home). My cousin and his wife just had their second baby at the beginning of November. Every time someone was holding the baby and walked within earshot of my mother and I, my mom shouted, "I'm really ready for one of these!" Then, toward the end of the evening, I was holding the baby and my mom came over and said to every person who walked by, "I keep telling Erin I'm ready for one of these!" She knows what I've been going through and is of the mindset that I'm doing something wrong or just not trying hard enough and doesn't understand how it can be taking so long since she is ready.
Then, my cousin walked up to me while I was holding the baby and said, "When are you going to have one of these?" I came back with the response Ryan and I had talked about before we left to go home because I knew I would fall apart if someone asked me about it and needed him to help me come up with a response I could just repeat without bursting into a ball of tears. "Well, it's not all up to me. We're happily working on God's time." I respond. She comes back, "well, you should just go home tonight and get busy, I bet you get pregnant tonight!" I simply couldn't get the knot out of my throat to respond.
I am so purposeful about the fact that in this whole infertility journey I remain positive and put my situation and life to God... but it hurts sometimes. It hurts in a place you didn't know you had in your heart. My cousin that had the baby knows that Ryan and I are trying and have been for a while (she and my cousin tried for over 6 years before they had their first) and came back when I think she knew I couldn't and said, "it's a lot harder than you think it is and can take a long time. It can be a really painful process and I don't think everyone thinks about that." I didn't hear any more about it from anyone after that.
Infertility surprises me: sometimes I can talk about it and be completely realistic and positive about it, other times it completely knocks me on my butt and pulls my heart out.
Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Friday, December 25, 2009
The most joyous birthday celebration!
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11
Luke 2:11
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Betty Crocker
I'm playing Betty Crocker today; apron and all. Since Ryan and I are in our first home, and we have neighbors :), I'm baking cookies and delivering them to all of our neighbors. Sounds so stupid, but I'm SOOOO excited about it. It's probably the thing I'm most excited about so far this season. Hopefully I don't poison anyone. :) I'll update with pictures when I'm done.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Reason For The Season
I've definitely blogged my fair share of posts about how overwhelming my job can be, but I also want you to know that I love my job (at least most days). I get to work with kids who always keep me on my toes, I get to be at least a little bit creative :), and I get to be a part of something that has God written all over it... yes, from a bunch of public school teachers.
You see, my school had a family start with us a little over a month ago. It's a family of 6 (5 kids and single mom). Short story: they have NOTHING, and when I say nothing, I mean NOTHING!!! They had one mattress for the kids to sleep on and mom was sleeping on a couch she had scrounged up. The kids had maybe two sets of cloths and one pair of shoes each. I know what you're thinking... it's what we as a society have been conditioned to think, and I can promise you that it's the exact opposite of what this family is. Mom works at a job that pays little, but it's what she has the skills/training to do and she works hard at it. The kids are the most polite, loving, and hard working kids in our school. They have nothing, yet they are the happiest and most darling little ones I've met. This family has simply been a victim of circumstances beyond their control and some really ungodly people.
Well, a couple weeks ago, as a staff we decided to adopt this family for Christmas. On Friday, after school, we loaded up 5 CARS worth of food, clothing, Christmas presents, toys, and bedding (for the new beds we got donated for all of them). 3/4 of the staff were present to help unload the surprised, overwhelmed, and overjoyed family. They new that we had arranged to get them beds, but had no idea about the other items. A few of us stayed for about an hour to help her sort through the things and load up her cupboards and fridge with all the food (so much we had to rearrange because the fridge and cupboards wouldn't close). Mom was crying, most of the staff was crying, and the kids' faces were lit up like we had just given them the world. THIS IS THE REASON I TEACH INNER CITY! This is the reason God put me where he did. Ryan and I spent as much on this family as we will probably spend on our own this Christmas and we couldn't be happier about it. We have been so blessed this year and we could not think of a better way than spending it on a very needy/deserving family who was probably panicking about how to feed everyone when they weren't at school for two free meals a day for over two weeks. It truly was a perfect example of the reason for the season.
You see, my school had a family start with us a little over a month ago. It's a family of 6 (5 kids and single mom). Short story: they have NOTHING, and when I say nothing, I mean NOTHING!!! They had one mattress for the kids to sleep on and mom was sleeping on a couch she had scrounged up. The kids had maybe two sets of cloths and one pair of shoes each. I know what you're thinking... it's what we as a society have been conditioned to think, and I can promise you that it's the exact opposite of what this family is. Mom works at a job that pays little, but it's what she has the skills/training to do and she works hard at it. The kids are the most polite, loving, and hard working kids in our school. They have nothing, yet they are the happiest and most darling little ones I've met. This family has simply been a victim of circumstances beyond their control and some really ungodly people.
Well, a couple weeks ago, as a staff we decided to adopt this family for Christmas. On Friday, after school, we loaded up 5 CARS worth of food, clothing, Christmas presents, toys, and bedding (for the new beds we got donated for all of them). 3/4 of the staff were present to help unload the surprised, overwhelmed, and overjoyed family. They new that we had arranged to get them beds, but had no idea about the other items. A few of us stayed for about an hour to help her sort through the things and load up her cupboards and fridge with all the food (so much we had to rearrange because the fridge and cupboards wouldn't close). Mom was crying, most of the staff was crying, and the kids' faces were lit up like we had just given them the world. THIS IS THE REASON I TEACH INNER CITY! This is the reason God put me where he did. Ryan and I spent as much on this family as we will probably spend on our own this Christmas and we couldn't be happier about it. We have been so blessed this year and we could not think of a better way than spending it on a very needy/deserving family who was probably panicking about how to feed everyone when they weren't at school for two free meals a day for over two weeks. It truly was a perfect example of the reason for the season.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...
in the Baby Fat household. It's the first Christmas for Ryan and I in our new home and it's so exciting!!! We bought our tree Thanksgiving weekend (which by the way went great and the turkey was delish!!!) and it's up and all decorated in a place of honor in our living room. Ryan laughs at me because I turn it on during all hours of the day, even when it's light out, because I love the atmosphere it creates.
I've always loved Christmas, but it's all the more exciting/special since Ryan and I have become Christians. The celebration, joy, and peace that are a part of this holiday are all the more powerful when you know with every fiber of your being and soul that Christ's birth took place solely to forgive our sins and bear the burdens of all time.
Luke 1:14
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth
I've always loved Christmas, but it's all the more exciting/special since Ryan and I have become Christians. The celebration, joy, and peace that are a part of this holiday are all the more powerful when you know with every fiber of your being and soul that Christ's birth took place solely to forgive our sins and bear the burdens of all time.
Luke 1:14
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth
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