From grump to grateful

When I woke up this morning, it was 10 degrees outside. Windchill brought the "feels like" temp down to -8. I was crabby at the thought of getting out of my warm bed and put it off as long as possible. 

After hitting the snooze twice, I reluctantly got out of bed -- only after I checked my email and the local news websites to see if, by some grace, school was canceled or delayed on account of the cold. I sleepily walked to the bathroom and started the shower, giving the water a few minutes to warm up. I grumbled to the boys to get up and get moving. I told them they HAD to wear long pants and sweatshirts today. 

I got in the shower and dared the water to wake me up. It wasn't just my body that was awakened as the hot water streamed over me. My attitude got a wake up call as well.

I realized that I have a warm bed to crawl out of (and yes, to stay snuggled into). I have a warm house to wander in, waking sleeping people each morning. I have three wonderful children to argue with me about weather-appropriate clothing. I have a hot shower to step into. I have a job to go to that not only calls me out of bed but that pays for my heat and water and other things.  

And I have a God to thank for my many blessings, including the blessing of a new perspective to start my day.

Amen!

Double digits

Today is kind of a big deal at our house, not just because it is both Annie's and Robbie's birthdays. Not just because it's Annie's Sweet 16. Not just because today is Robbie's 10th birthday. But because,  as of 9:51pm tonight, all of my kids will be in double digits.

For some reason, this milestone has caused me to be a little weepy today. I'm not sad that they are getting older. That's what my job as their mom is, right? To raise them to be independent, contributing members of society. Rather, I'm a bit teary-eyed because I am so proud of who they are as people. And not just my birthday kids, but Charlie too.

Annie is funny and dutiful and caring. She is the one other kids turn to when they need an ear to vent to or a shoulder to cry on.

Charlie is my roll with the punches kind of kid. He doesn't know a stranger and is comfortable in almost any situation. He's my tough guy athlete with a sensitive soul.

Robbie. Oh, Robbie. Robbie is the one who keeps me up at night, who I worry about most of all, maybe because he is my baby. But he is goofy and resilient and shows me every day that there is more than one definition of success.

Way back when my life revolved around sippy cups and diaper bags, preschool Valentine parties and mother's day out, I could not have imagined this day of double digits. I'm glad for that. I'm sure my imaginings would have been far off base.

16. 13. 10. All of them, double digits. Thank you, God.

A dog & a smile & a grateful heart

Sometimes I forget to be thankful for the simple things.

I was reminded of that the other day when I was downtown and found Max the bulldog. I'd seen him on TV before, but never in person. I watched him for several minutes, smiling the whole time.

So today, I'm thankful for people and things (and dogs) that bring a smile to my face.

Thanks for the reminder -- and the smile -- Max.

Wishing all my readers a Thanksgiving full of smiles.

Gratitude is never cliche

It started with Oprah Winfrey and her gratitude journal. Thousands of people jumped in and began keeping nightly lists of 3 things for which they were thankful that day. But I didn't. It all seemed so cliche (I really wish I knew how to make an accent mark above the "e."), everyone rushing to do it just because Oprah said so.

I think the saying "have an attitude of gratitude" followed shortly after (or at least was resurrected). That got tired pretty quickly.

Then there are the annual daily November postings on Facebook. Beginning November 1, people post one status update each day that share something they are grateful for in there lives. But you won't find any of those posts from me. That's just so...unoriginal, maybe?

But sometime in the last few days as I've been thinking about what I might write about for Thanksgiving, I've come to the realization that gratitude is never cliche. Gratitude should really be a lifestyle, not a single action. And those people who write in their daily gratitude journals or who take the time to deliberately consider their blessings each day and share those thoughts are the ones who have it right. Instead of rolling my eyes or congratulating myself on being an original thinker, I should fall in line and, yes, adopt an attitude of gratitude.

It's not that I'm not thankful. I've written before Thanksgiving posts that acknowledge my blessings, even when they seem hidden. But somehow, I've missed the opportunity to practice gratitude as a way of life. I don't think I'm a bad person. I think I'm a busy, over-extended, overtired person. I saw myself in Judy Daniell's post on Momaha.com, Turning a Day of Thanks into a Life of Thanksgiving.

I'm don't know that I'll start a gratitude journal. But I will start trying to be more intentional about acknowledging my blessings. I saw this on Facebook yesterday and am pretty sure there is some truth to it. So I'll leave you with it now:

Happy Thanksgiving.

10 good things about Monday: A collaborative post

This morning on the 4th Frog Facebook page, I made this request: 

Quick: help me make a list of 10 good things about Mondays. GO!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to create the following list.

10 Good Things About Monday

1. Clean underwear in the drawers, courtesy of weekend laundry marathon
2. It starts with an M. I like M&Ms.
3. You get to see me (Contributed by my boss, who I haven't yet seen today).
4. You get a new start to a new week.
5. You didn't have to work the day before. (And, I'll add if you had to work on Sunday, be thankful you have a job.)
6. Monday Night Football (This was the top vote getter)
7. The kids leave the house for 6 hours.
8. It's trash day, so the bin will be empty. (I wish our trash day was on Mondays.)
9. You have all those fun weekend event memories to make you smile throughout the day.
10. Every day is a gift from God.

What would you add?

What came home from camp

Last Sunday I sent to camp:

* 1 pair of sheets, two blankets and a pillow
* 1 pair of Keen-knockoff shoes, never worn and purchased the night before
* 6 pairs of socks
* T-shirts and shorts
* Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap and shampoo, though didn't know if there would be anyone at camp to nag...I mean remind...my camper to put them to use.

All with a boy who, despite his tendency to be a little boastful, could be sometimes meek and longing for approval and acceptance and who always wanted to be playing video games.

Yesterday, I picked up from camp:

* 1 pair of sheets and 1 blanket -- maybe a bear ran off with the pillow and the other blanket?
* 1 pair of Keen-knockoff shoes, muddy with the evidence of creek-stomping, crawdad catching and nightly bonfiring
* 3-1/2 pair of socks
* T-shirts and shorts that corroborated the story told by the shoes
* Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap and shampoo that had amazingly been used, apparently with some regularity

And a kid who seemed to not only have grown two inches in the space of 6 days, but who also had a new confidence, not swagger but a self-assuredness, about him. What's more, he didn't even ask to see an iPhone until we'd been in the car for more than 30 minutes. And he's voluntarily taken a shower two nights in a row.

To borrow the words to a song he learned while at camp:

Amen. Amen. H-A-P-P-Y! Yay God!

Separation anxiety

We took Charlie to his first sleep-away camp yesterday.

We arrived toward the tail end of check-in, thanks in part to some shoddy navigation by someone who should have been paying attention to the Google map instead of playing 13 games of Words with Friends on the phone. By the time we checked in and walked up (and up and up) to his cabin, his group was gathered out front, ready to go to the pool. While he changed into his swimsuit, Mike and I made his bed and tucked his suitcase away.

Charlie seemed a little nervous,  but mostly ready to go make some new friends. I gave him a quick kiss and hug and off he went. There wasn't a lot of time for long goodbyes and really, I was excited for him to have the opportunity.

By bedtime last night, though, I was starting to miss him. It's not like Charlie's never slept away from home before. In fact, he spent Friday night at a slumber party. I'm not sure "missing him" is the right phrase. I just wondered whether he was warm or cool enough in the cabin, if he'd liked what they served for dinner, how he was getting along with the other boys in his group. I said a quick prayer for his safety and his experience and went to bed.

This morning, "missing him" certainly fit the bill. Did he sleep ok? Did his pillow fall off the end of the bunk bed? Did the nurse remember to give him his allergy medicine? Had he lost anything yet? (I'm pretty sure he won't come home with everything we packed.)

As I walked from the parking lot to my office building, I was thinking that this will be the longest period of time in Charlie's whole life that I've gone without talking to him. Again, I said a prayer for him and walked into the building.

When I got to my desk, the red voicemail message light was lit up. As I waited for the laptop to warm up, I punched in my voicemail access code to listen to the message. It was Charlie! He'd left the message for me after I'd left the office on Friday, so the question he was asking was no longer relevant. But the sound of his voice was just what I needed to hear.

I smiled as I listened to it and thanked God for this small reminder of his faithfulness and for that kid at sleep-away camp.

Late night fragments

Well, it's actually not that terribly late by my standards. Only 10:47pm. I'm just getting warmed up. Whether you're stopping by here late at night or early in the morning, welcome to Friday Fragments, hosted as always by Mrs. 4444s.

I bought a new pair of tennis shoes last week. I'm ashamed to say (but of course I'm going to say it) that I haven't been exercising because I lost one of my tennis shoes. And it's been gone for a LONG time. So last week, Mike and I rode up to Marshall's and bought a new pair for $30. The dog is happy about that. And I even went out walking on my lunch hour the other day. Good investment for sure.

We took Robbie to see Zookeeper, the movie, tonight. I got free passes from Gofobo. I smuggled in some fruit snacks and we were set for a cheap night at the theater. When we got there, we saw a poster advertising free popcorn. So while we waited in line, Mike and I each fired up our iPhones and went to popcorn.yahoo.com and got instant coupons for free popcorn. Woohoo! The popcorn was the small size -- about the same size as a brown paper lunch sack. Do you know how much they wanted for that stinkin' bag of popcorn if you actually had to pay for it? $6/bag! For about 25 cents worth of popcorn kernels. I'll keep walking softly and carrying a big purse, thankyouverymuch.

Charlie comes home tomorrow. He's been at my parents house since Monday, going to basketball camp at my high school. I miss that kid.

Is anyone else shaking their head, wondering how it's already July 7th already? The kids go back to school in just 5 and 6 weeks! I feel like I'm just getting warmed up to summer. Time to get out the calendar, try to squeeze in some memory-making activities and start watching for back to school sales. Where is the "pause" button?


Next week, I'm headed to Cincinnati to attend Bloggy Conference. (See the button to the right. I tried to paste it in here and it kept jacking up my entry.) I got my conference registration in exchange for volunteering to work the conference. And I'm sharing a room with another blogger, Judy, who writes at Dirt Road Musings. We've only spoken on the phone, but I'm pretty sure she's not a serial killer. She is younger and skinnier than I am, but I'll try not to hold that against her. Funny thing is that Judy is from the same town as one of my favorite bloggers, Annie, of Annie Weighs, but they don't know each other...yet. Bloggy Con will be the first not-for-business social media conferences I've gone to. I'm excited (and a little nervous). Anyone else going?

Don't forget to enter the Chex Mix Muddy Buddies giveaway. I'll draw the winner Saturday night at 9pm EST.

One last thing before I wrap up. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. No details necessary (no job offers for Mike to share, either), just thankful to be on the receiving end of His faithfulness today. 

Be sure to stop by Mrs. 4444s's place for more Friday Fragments.

Thank you

I thought of trying to come up with a more interesting title for this post, but "thank you" really sums it up.

I didn't write yesterday's post looking for pity or pats on the back or other affirmation. I wrote it because it's where I was. Well, where I am, but I'm feeling not so alone in it.

In addition to the comments left here on the blog, I received other support from people who left me messages on Facebook as well. Some of you said, "I'm there too." Others reminded me that my size is just one part of who I am. More than one person suggested the book Made to Crave, which I ordered from Amazon -- for only 95 cents, thanks to my Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks.com!

All of that love made it a little easier to watch the draft of the next IN Shape Indiana video -- can anyone say round face?!

So, thank you. I mean it.

The heart of the matter

I got so caught up in all that Biggest Loser excitement, that I forgot to tell you about the Go Red for Women luncheon I attended on Friday. Of course it wasn't all the big to-do that the luncheon was for me last year. This year, I went as a volunteer.

I worked at a table to encourage women to get an idea of whether or not they are at risk for heart disease. There were three of us working the table, so we took turns walking around to visit the information booths. I had my cholesterol tested -- mine was very good! I tried whole wheatberries and a mustardy beet salad, both of which were way yummier than they sound. I had make-up airbrushed onto my face. I had my blood pressure taken -- it was high, so I need to check up on that. Oh, and I spoke to a crowd of 1,000. Maybe that's why my blood pressure was high.

The American Heart Association in Indianapolis is holding another Better U challenge, with a bit of a twist this year. Instead of starting it in January, as the program I participated in last year, this one is kicking off on March 7 and much of the focus of the luncheon (besides raising money), was on encouraging women to participate in the free, online program. (You can too!) Before this year's challengers were introduced, the AHA had asked me to address the audience and tell them what I got out of the program last year.

I wasn't really nervous to talk to all those people. I was more nervous about being up there and not looking like a supermodel. Most of what I had to say was about the things I learned from the experience. But I did 'fess up to the struggles I've had over the past several months with weight and exercise. I just tried to be real and encouraging. I ended my 5 minutes of limelight with this:

The program is called Better YOU for a reason. YOU can change your life. Start with just one thing. Switch from regular soda to diet. Go for a walk after dinner instead of heading for the couch. Make an appointment with your doctor if it’s been a while since you’ve had a check-up. Stop smoking. The BetterU Challenge made a difference in my life and in my family’s life. And it can make a difference in your life, too.

I thought that speaking to a ballroom full of people was going to be the highlight of my day. Far from it. About 30 minutes before the crowd was seated for lunch, those of us speaking were supposed to gather in the ballroom for a run-through. I arrived a little early, so I scouted out my table to put my swag bag and purse down. One of the catering staff, Lisa,  was setting the table with glasses of water. I asked if I would be in her way if I stayed there. She assured me I would not.

Then she looked at me and she said, "You know, it's weird that I'm working this event today. My mom is having heart-pacer [pacemaker] put in next week in Texas."

Lisa got a bit teary-eyed, so I stepped over to her, introduced myself, and gave her a sideways hug. I told her I imagined how hard it must be to be so far away at a time like that. I asked what her mom's name is -- Maria -- and told her that I would keep Maria in my prayers. And now I'm asking you to do the same. Maria's surgery is scheduled (or at least it was on Friday) for tomorrow.

After the luncheon was over and I was packing up my things, Lisa came over to me and said, "Thank you, Amy. You've inspired me to try to make some better choices and do something about my weight. And thank you for being a shoulder for me."

As I gave her another hug -- full on this time -- I thought, it didn't really matter that I had just spoken to 1,000 women. I was just grateful that I'd had the opportunity to talk to this one.

Smile-worthy

The big achievements in life are great, but they really come once in a great while. The past few days, I've been trying to notice the little things that I can always count on to make me smile.

Smile-worthy things in my life

1. The first sip of Diet Coke in the morning
2. A Netflix movie arriving in the mail
3. An e-mail that lets me know someone commented on my blog
4. A bingo in Scrabble on Facebook
5. Putting on my pajamas
6. Finding money in the pocket of a pair of pants I just put on
7. Graham crackers with peanut butter dunked in milk
8. Finding matching socks in the sock basket
9.  Putting my head on my favorite pillow
10. An unsolicited hug or kiss from one of my kids

What's smile-worthy in your life?

To:

Dad
Grandpa Michel
Tom
Uncle Paul
Uncle Chris
BaaBaa
Janelle
Lydia
Uncle Jerry
The Husbands of the Military Mag Moms
Mr. Webb
Pam and Gordon
Stretch
All those who have served our country with duty, honor and courage

THANK YOU

If you haven't seen the film "Taking Chance," be sure to read this post.

Who raised me?!

I owe you all an apology. When I posted my "happy blogiversary to me post," I asked you to leave me a comment telling me what you like about the 4th Frog Blog.

Who raised me anyway? Looking back, that was a pretty arrogant thing to do. "You know you love me. Let you count the ways!"

(And in defense of my parents, they didn't raise me like that. I must have gotten warped somewhere along the way.)

So thanks to those of you who indulged my ego and left me a comment. From here on out, I'll try to keep the size of my head in proportion to my body (which, unfortunately, leaves plenty of room for a big head anyway!).

An open letter to kindergarten teachers

Dear Kindergarten Teachers everywhere:

Thank you for being brave enough to take small masses of humanity out of the comfort of the school setting and into public spaces where they can wiggle and learn and grow, all under the guise of a "study trip."

Thank you for patiently reminding your charges more than once that the Legos must go back in the bin before they can line up to leave for the study trip.

Thank you for not losing your cool when wee ones lose theirs because they are not the leader of the line getting ready to leave for the study trip.

Thank you for remaining calm when some of those children find an old, drippy Go-gurt wrapper in the car and fling old, drippy Go-gurt throughout the inside of the car.

Thank you for knowing when to ignore and when to respond to the tearful cries of kindergarteners who a.) didn't win the relay race, b.) didn't get the chair they wanted and c.) forgot their sack lunch.

For what you do everyday for our kids -- for my kid -- THANK YOU!

Sincerely,
A Grateful Kindergarten Mom