The Last Lecture

Tonight on ABC, there was a story by Diane Sawyer about Randy Pausch and his book, The Last Lecture. I had heard about it here and there ... have you?

I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face, what an extraordinary story! You can watch his "Last Lecture" on YouTube, and he wrote a book about it as well. I don't know which came first ... the book or the lecture, but it is quite phenomenal.

He has died, and just recently from cancer. The story that Diane Sawyer did was remarkable, about him, his life, his wife and children. The things he did for his children as he knew he was dying.

I have been back and forth in my head about the reasons I need to be home, or maybe I should keep interpreting, for the money and so on ...

I have my answer, loud and clear tonight ... there is nothing more important than being with my children and my husband. Being home is the greatest blessing, loving and raising my children and leading them in the way that God wants ... this is what I will do everyday, and I am so thankful.

It is so weird sitting here and weeping for a man that I have never met. I wonder if he knew Jesus?

Goodness, what a story.

Randy said that you are either a Tigger or an Eeyore (did I spell that right?) I am a Tigger, for sure and I am just so thrilled that I will be with my baby girl, home when Matthew gets off the bus, bouncing and ready to play.

God, please bless the family of Randy Pausch, his wife and children as they now move on in this life without him. I pray for his soul, not knowing if he did indeed know You or not. Thank you for my husband's new job, for the amazing benefits that will enable me to be home with Matthew and Grace. Thank you for every moment, every laugh and every tear. I live to serve You, that my children will know You and love You, just as I do. Amen.

P.S. I did find Big Sticks at Safeway ... although they are called Astro Pops, they are still super yummy and fabulous!

Popsicles

I love popsicles.

I just finished eating a Firecracker Pop ... they have a rocket shape and are red, white and blue. Yummy snack ... 40 calories. Sweet.

I remember in elementary school, Melissa and I sharing a Big Stick everyday at lunch. I can't remember if we took turns buying it or what ... but we shared the whole thing, lick for lick. Ha, makes me laugh now ... but it is a great memory that makes my heart happy.

I wonder if you can still buy Big Sticks at the grocery store ... I'll look next time I go.

My kids love popsicles ... any kinds, any where ...

I have made them before ... but they are never as good as the ones I buy at the store.

Mmmmmmmmm ... popsicles are yummy, just wanted to share.

Rough Week ...

TGIS?!?! Thank God it is Saturday! I had quite a week ... the Camp Show was on Thursday, it was fabulous and exhausting. All my campers were great, the staff number was a hit and I am completely thrilled with how smooth everything went ... don't get me wrong, there are always a few stinkers that require "the-mom-stare" ... um, and a few staff members as well ...

A woman approached me after the show, as I was cleaning up and a hot sweaty mess ... she introduced herself and said she was an administrator in the school district for the last 18 years. She said, "I've yet to meet someone with the spirit and love for children that you have." Goodness, what a compliment!?! That made my day ... this is why I do what I do.

It was great and again, I am quite thankful that today is Saturday.

I didn't go weigh in this morning ... I didn't formally exercise all week. I did dance for hours everyday though, so I know that counts for something. Aunt Flo also came to visit, nice timing huh? I just figured I'd sleep in ... which means 6:45 or so ... then Grace is at my side whispering, Mammy, Mammy ... that's not a spelling error, that is how she says it. Quite cute actually.

Today we have friends over all day, I've made an awesome batch of chocolate vegan cupcakes ... and all the monkeys are attempting naps. I pulled out the couch in the front room, and all I hear is giggling at the moment ... so we'll see if they eventually fall asleep.

I'd like a nap.

I'd also like a pedicure.

We had friends visit last night, they just got back from a year long mission in Honduras ... and they brought us the most amazing coffee ... I'd like a cup o' joe right now too.

My triathlon is a week from tomorrow and I am getting really excited. I will turn up the heat this week, run, swim and bike a fair amount and be stoked to cross the finish line! This is a great race, very well organized, inspiring and fun. A good friend is doing it too, and I am super excited about spending time with her.

Thank you Lord for this Saturday, for the chance to "sleep in" and spend time with my family and friends. Thank you for vegan cupcakes and a yummy recipe that only makes 12, so I know I won't eat more than I should ... Thank you for a great Camp Show and a compliment that will remain on my heart for a long time. Help me to prepare and train for my race this coming weekend ... to keep safe, strong and inspired. Amen.

Swim Clinic

Last night, I went to the University of Denver for a Swim Clinic that was being held for women doing the tri-for-the-cure triathlon ... which is just 2 weeks away.

It was super awesome.

The pool at DU is beautiful! It is a 50 meter pool, double the length that I swim at the Y. The woman that was coaching the clinic is a professional triathlete, very "Colorado", down to earth and inspiring. It was really cool to have someone take apart my stroke, really analyze how I can improve and teach me drills to do so ... I learned a lot.

This morning I weighed in and was down 0.4. I knew it'd be a small weigh in, and yes, a loss is a loss ... but that's how I roll ... after last week and losing 2.6, losing 0.4 today was not a surprise. I am proud of myself ... 0.4 or not ... these are lifetime changes that are making such a difference in my life. I am a better Jessica, wife, mommy and friend because of my physical and emotional healing. I mean, c'mon, I've always been awesome ... I'm just more awesome now.

Ha.
Hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

We are going to go camping today ... not too far from home, by a river ... this is our 1st trial run with Grace not sleeping in her crib, so we'll see how this goes. We'd love to get into some great backpacking, and living here we are surrounded by amazing places to do so ... but Grace needs to get in the swing before we attempt some big trip!

Thank you Lord for the swim clinic, for Melissa that taught the clinic, for her wisdom and experience. Thank you for a loss on the scale today ... and the work You are continuing to do in my body and soul. Thank you for my Book Club girls last night, for the honest conversation, laughter and depth that we can share together. Bless this family tonight Lord, as we camp for the 1st time with Gracie, that she won't be scared and she will sleep as soundly as she does at home. (wishful thinking?) All things are possible with You. Amen.

Camp Show Mode

This means that everyday, I am spending the majority of my day, dancing, teaching dancing, teaching a song in sign and dancing more. Teaching kids, teaching staff ... moving and sweating my face off!

Our 4th Annual Camp Show is a week from today ... yep, one week left to make sure 100+ kids know their dances, and my staff ... which I am teaching again today ...

This year the theme is Around the World. So every group, (1st graders, 2nd ... etc) have a dance ... Life is a Highway, Walk Like an Egyptian ... get it?!? The staff medley is about 8 minutes long, complete with the YMCA song, We are the World, Rock the Casbah, Born in the U.S.A and more ridiculousness ... it is really so much fun, and again it just makes me realize again how much I love to sing and dance and be a total spaz ... which I know is not surprising to anyone reading this. I do love it, I love to teach it ... oh, and the grand finale is the entire camp signing "God Bless the U.S.A" ... tear-jerker.

I realized something this morning ... I was looking at myself in the mirror and really was so thankful for the weight I have lost thus far ... thinking, it's so nice to see myself like this physically ... as it has been quite a while and I just felt such an overwhelming sense of confidence in what is to come as well. Then I thought too, it is amazing to see myself like this emotionally as well ... this is new ground for me ... this is a place of emotional healing I have desired for years, and as I work through life, forgiveness of myself and others, I feel freedom beyond anything I can explain ... Divine freedom. God is so good.

So, a week left to go ... more dancing, singing and signing today ... Life just feels amazing at this moment, to watch 100 campers sign "God Bless the U.S.A" ... to feel so thankful for the place I am at right now, to be silly and get paid (not much) for it ... to watch my own son on stage dancing and playing the air guitar ... to hear my 2 year old say "oh my gosh" ... blessings abound and my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude.

Down another 2.6.!

I weighed in this morning, with thanks to my Ma. Caloy left at 3 this morning to go with 2 Deaf friends that he went to school with in the Philippines, to camp at Mt. Rushmore tonight. I knew I'd done great this week, great workouts, eating good ... and I wanted to weigh-in but had both the monkeys with me ... so we picked up my Ma, and she sat in the car with them while I ran inside. Thanks Ma!

Another 2.6 loss and I am a little over 1lb. from my 10% loss. When you lose 10%, you get a magnet I think and you get to sign a poster too. Whew, the perks are endless right?!? Ha. I am thrilled with my progress this week ... physically and emotionally.

I saw Nancy on Friday, and I just can not say enough about how Divine she is. She said that when God called her to this career, she would know the story of every person that walked through her door, and sure enough, she does. She is amazing and just exactly what God wants for me at this moment in my life. I can hardly wait to see her again ...

My Gracie Lou turned TWO on Thursday. Having her has been so incredibly different than my experience with Matthew. She is talking, repeating anything you say ... singing songs, telling me she is two and this morning she told my Ma to "say sowwy" when she was clipping her into her car seat. She is sassy and just so much fun.

Today I am having my staff over for a little BBQ action ... should be fun, relaxing, lots of laughing along with a beer or two ...

Have you seen "Johnny and the Sprites" on Disney? I love this show ... the guy is super cute with a great voice ... it is so fun. I might be more into it than my kids ... whatever floats your boat right???

Whew, random thoughts today.

Thank you Lord for the sun shining this morning. Thank you for my Grace and her 2nd birthday and for all You have planned for her life. Thank you for the motivation to work out every morning this week and to stand on the scale and see another 2.6lbs gone. I know Lord that my weight loss is directly connected to the emotional healing I am going through and I am just so overwhelmingly thankful. Thank you for the staff and friends I have this summer at the Y, for the laughter they bring to my life everyday. Thank you for my Ma, the support she always gives me and the unconditional love I feel from her in the depth of my soul. Protect my husband this weekend as he camps and enjoys time with old classmates, thank you for bringing them back together after years and years. You are so, so, so good to me Lord. Amen.

Monday at home ...

So, I am home today ... Grace had a 102.8 fever last night and although I think her fever broke last night, she was a super sweaty girl when she woke up ... she still was kinda warm this morning, and I figured I'd take her to school and they'd end up calling me to get her ... so I am home ... shoot, that was a super long explanation huh?

Matthew stayed home too ... so we are enjoying a nice day together, playing, resting and playing some more. They are playing pirates in the kitchen right now, so I thought I'd grab the 'puter and blog a bit.

I was at the Y swimming this morning at 6:00am. I did the a little over a 1/2 mile in about 35 minutes ...

Oops, my blogging was just interrupted by a fussy girl with a poopy diaper.

Ok, I'm back. Grace is so ready to be potty-trained ... we attempted again a few Sundays ago ... and she sat on the potty for about45 minutes, wouldn't get off until I offered a diaper. I thought girls were supposed to be easier?!? Maybe after she is actually 2 ... on Thursday? Ha.

This morning I did something I've been wanting to do for a while now ... I collected all my magazines, from the basement, the side of my bed ... and every other place I stash them ... Vegetarian Times, VegNews, Weight Watchers, random copies of Fitness and other dumb magazines that all say the same thing ... I stacked them all up and sat down with a sharp pair of scissors and I cut out every article and recipe I wanted.

I have a small binder with plastic holder-sheet-things ... so any article with great info, cooking, exercise or otherwise, I put into my binder. The recipes are all awesome, vegan, yumminess and I will try a few this week. I'd like to try cooking Quinoa (pronounced Keen-whaa) ... and some great Thai recipes, or Indian ... I'm feeling adventurous.

Grace is now pointing at the lap top and asking for music. Right now we are listening to Abba, wait now it is The Blues Brothers ... and now we have Whip It by Devo ... we get through about 5 seconds and she wants me to change it to something else. She is liking Whip It at the moment though ... maybe we can listen to the entire song.

Guess I ought to ... oops, had to change music again ... now it is Rock With You by Michael Jackson ... yea, she is grooving to this one, she is so my daughter. :)

Have a blessed day ... I will enjoy every poopy diaper changing moment while I am home today ... hopefully naps for all 3 of us will happen this afternoon!
Peace.

How does your garden grow?

My garden grows AWESOME! (Does that make sense or should I say awesomely?)I am so super excited about my new found love for gardening. We had a salad 2 nights ago that was made up from my garden ... spinach, romaine lettuce, snap peas, green onions ... I even put fresh parsley in the home made salad dressing! We have a compost pile going as well ... I am so earthy and green, I might just stop shaving! Ok, just kidding ...

I made it back to my WW meeting on Saturday. I missed 2 weeks, and I knew without the meeting support and accountability of my weigh-in, that my weigh-in yesterday wouldn't be that grand. I was up a pound. I got some great recipes, the meeting was all about barbecuing and sharing yummy ideas. I plan on getting in a good run today, swimming 3 times this week, and riding my bike the other 2 days. I really need to get into training mode since my triathlon is only about a month away!

So, here is to a week of yummy garden fresh veggies, lots and lots of water (I have been lagging in my water consumption) and great workouts everyday. Oh, and on top of it all, I get to see Nancy on Friday too! Hip hip horray for bettering myself physically and emotionally! Time to go water my garden before it gets too hot ... then it's off to the lake for a run.

Thank you Lord for a lake to run around, for a garden that grows and for a family that is supportive of the life changes I am making. This is the day You have made Lord, I will rejoice and be glad in it! Amen.

Just keep swimmin ...

You know that tune that Dory sang from "Finding Nemo" ... Just keep swimmin' ...

I was up at 5 this morning and I went to the Y and swam a bit over a 1/2 mile ... or so I think, as I was counting laps in my head.

It felt great. Getting into the pool with no one else, just the lifeguard ... I love swimming. I love when I am swimming that I can think of nothing else but breathing. It is a great workout. I especially love the breast stroke and the pulling motion my arms make ... I can just feel myself getting stronger with every stroke.

I did a class yesterday morning ... at 5:45 ... it was a cardio-weights kind of class, but the instructor used the Bosu too. Bosu was the class I wanted to take at the Y, the one that was rescheduled and I didn't know ... blah blah blah ...

It sure was fun ... jumping on the Bosu, and I can feel it in my tummy like never before. Feels great.

I think (knocking on wood) that my family is healthy again. Caloy still has a wicked cough, but for the most part I think we are all on the mend. Grace still has a yucky nose ... but don't all kids at this age?

I'll be back at my Weight Watchers meeting this Saturday morning. I have missed the last 2 weeks due to sickness and having my period ... I didn't feel like going ... the wind was blowing to hard ... and any other random excuse I came up with for not going. Slacker.

Y Camp has been going great ... this week is Entertainer Camp, which I am running and it's been super fun. At some point in my life I need to be on a stage again ... singing and tap dancing ... not sure when ... I might be 80, but it needs to happen, I have that desire deep in my soul.

My garden is really growing lots ... I have pictures that I need to post and blog about ... I've been munching on my pea pods all week. Sun-kissed veggies from my own sweet garden ... is there anything better?

Maybe swimming.

Here is to a blessed day ... an almost 2 year old that is getting sassier by the day ... an almost 7 year old that was put on this earth to love his mommy ... my dear husband with another job interview today ... Lord you know the desires of our hearts, how we want Caloy to have a full time job with benefits to provide for our family, so I can be home more with our children ... We are praying for Your will to be done in our family. Thank you for this day and a crystal clear pool to swim in this morning. Amen.