Tuesday, March 31, 2009

The Gun Show

Today I learned that it is extraordinarily difficult to apply mascara after a very intense arm workout! The trembling upper arms proved to be quite a challenge. I face one of my biggest fears every morning when I put on mascara. You know the incident that most all of us have encountered when the mascara brush leaps directly into your eyeball, coating the inside of your eye with a thick layer of gooey, black goodness followed by an intense watering session that ruins all of the other make up hard work.

Now multiply the fear of that happening by about a ZILLION!

Since my eyes are the smallest thing on my body and need all the enhancement they can get, I feel it necessary to apply the darn stuff to finish out the day. Just as a courtesy to those who I have to be around for the remainder of the day. So, the two handed application technique has been imposed. At least until I get strong enough to get through this workout without the trembles.

But, that will probably be just in time to add more weight and reps. What a vicious cycle!

However, be sure to get your tickets to the gun show. It's gonna be amazing!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Shoulda Putta Ring On It


"Every time I meet a new girl, they always live out of town and I'll never see them again."
Says my 12 year old son, after leaving a wedding this weekend and meeting a new young lady from Ponca City, Oklahoma. I ponder this statement and curiously ask, "just how many young ladies HAVE you actually loved and lost, my young friend?" In his entire 12 years of life, it's only been a couple of months that I have noticed this budding interest in the ladies. You know the kind that starts with,"I really want Naomie to win on the Bachelor because I think she's hot!" I think it's only fair to ask, don't you?


Besides, I have to be as prepared as possible for that day in the very near future when his dating life surpasses my near to non-existent one.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Rodent Resident

We have a house guest. One of the four-legged variety. I came across the evidence of this new house guest last weekend as I was cleaning out the garage. The sweet gesture was like a scavenger hunt of rodent droppings through one area of the garage. I can't tell you how glaaaad I was to see that we are extending hospitality to such a guest. Just. thrilled.

So, I mention to G about the garage tenant and explain that we must make a trip to the local Home Depot to get a little meal of the poisonous variety for our new guest. Astonished that mom could be so evil, G proudly proclaimed..."No mom. You have to promise me that we will only get rid of the mouse in a humane way."

His sensitive little heart and desire to protect the innocent thrills me to no end, except when it comes to a four-legged rodent creature on the verge of crossing the threshold of my home and bedroom door. However, it so hard to look into those brown eyes and tell him that without a doubt, I want nothing more than to remove that little rodent friend of ours from the face of the earth and any little buddies or family members that may be tagging along with him.

I caved.

We loaded up the car Monday evening and headed out to make our rodent hotel purchase. As we scoured the aisle of the rodent ridding options available, I had my crossed fingers safely tucked away in my pockets with secret hopes that no 'humane' options existed. Boy was I wrong.

Apparently, someone with a true passion for animal rights has designed several different options for the little rodent to rest in comfortably until he can be transported to a new home. This part raises a question in my mind. Once the rodent resident has been safely captured, do we just take him out back and let him go? maybe down the street? or the neighbors yard? Seriously, disposal instructions are not included. Only a warning that it could be lethal to leave the mouse in the trap for longer than 6-8 hours. Even going so far to explain the slow and painful death that would entail as the mouse would die from dehydration.

Oh my tree hugging friends, please forgive me?!

1 week. That's all G gets to try out his humane efforts at mouse trapping. After that, we are making a return trip to invest in one of each option that will surely have rodent resident meet his demise!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Walk.Run.Live.Love.

Next Saturday, myself along with a fantastic team of family and friends will be participating in the Methodist Hospital Stride4Stroke Awareness 5K Walk/Run. It's been over a year since I first set out to do a little jog around the block. A smoker then, this was no easy task. My goal was a neighborhood loop that was approximately 1 mile. As you can imagine, it took me several weeks to accomplish the task of a consistent snails pace jog around that one mile loop. Walking breaks were more like jogging breaks when I first started.

Walk for about 5 minutes and jog for about 20 seconds. No, that is not a typo.

It did not take long for me to realize that quitting the nicotine habit would vastly improve my lung capacity and hence my ability to drag myself around the neighborhood on foot. The idea of quitting had already been something I mulled over and really, I had put all the steps in place and cut back to just a handful a day. If you have ever been a hard core smoker, then you know this is no easy task.

It wasn't long before I found myself in the Dr.'s office asking about a new Rx to help curb the effects of quitting. Of course, she was completely on board with that and I jumped on the Chantix bandwagon. Along with tons of prayer and the strength of the Lord, I was able to quit on my 'quit date' and never look back.

Needless to say, I am now running on average 12-15 miles a week and feel healthier than I ever have in my life. My chances of having a stroke have been reduced significantly.

But, all that is not really the story I want to share with you.

In 2004, my aunt (grandmother of this little bit of heaven) suffered a severe stroke. She was moved to Methodist Hospital in Houston and the prognosis was grim. The details are all a little hazy to me now, but I recall the biggest detail of all. It was uncertain whether she would survive or not and even if she did, her quality of life would suffer dramatically. She was a healthy woman, guys. She did not smoke or drink alcohol. She exercised regularly, ate healthy meals, maintained a healthy work/life balance and loved the Lord with all of her heart! But, even in those ideal circumstances she lived with stress in her life. Really, how many of us don't?

Needless to say, she has made a miraculous recovery. She has returned to her life of working, exercising, eating healthy and loving and living for the Lord. She is an AMAZING lady!


Here she is with her daughter and newest granddaughter.
Stroke education isn't in the forefront of medical news like cancer or heart health. This walk/run is to help support Methodist Hospitals education efforts. For more stroke education and resources, please check out their site. You can find information on signs, symptoms, risk factors and treatments.
Sadly, not everyone survives a stroke. A dear, dear friend of mine lost her father to a stroke several years ago. He had all the classic risk factors associated with stroke victims, but chose to do nothing about it. Could his choices have been different if the educational resources were more readily available to him? Possibly so.
If you would like to support our team and Methodist Hospital, please go here and make a donation to the team s4s_walk.run.live.love. The denomination of your support does not matter, it's the attitude of giving that means the most.