Fully Alive…Ready to Smile

…recognize the true importance of a single moment in time, the instant when you are fully and completely alive!

November 12, 2007

A plan, an update and another meme

The Plan…

Tara and I were having one of our lovely neighborly chats the other day and she mentioned that she had done the Special K Challenge and it had worked well for her. I decided I had nothing to lose…except maybe a few pounds : ) I asked her to join me on the challenge and I think she will be…right, Tara? So today is day one of my challenge which involves eating Special K cereal (and fruit if I want) for breakfast and lunch. For snacks I can have Special K snack bars and/or fruit and veggies and then for supper I can eat whatever. I’m doing it for 2 weeks and I’m hoping to use my treadmill as much as I can this winter. I want to battle the “sit-at-home-and-stuff-my-face-and-gain-all-kinds-of-winter-weight” syndrome. It usually hits around the end of September (suspiciously around the same time as all the season premiers on tv…hmmm). This year I’ve managed to hold off until now. So I’m getting better. This is actually a great eating plan for me right now because I’ve been skipping breakfasts, which I usually don’t do, but for some reason I just haven’t been getting around to eating in the morning. And lunch has been a terrible failure for me the last couple of weeks. I think in the busyness I’ve been forgoing healthy options for quick options and that is NOT helping. Not to mention all the Halloween candy. Ick. I’ll let you know how it goes.

The Update…

Yesterday my mom and Ella and I went to visit my dad. He’s now been in the hospital for 2 weeks. He’s feeling really good, the swelling on his face is almost gone and now they are waiting for the swelling on his tongue to diminish so that he can swallow and breathe on his own without the help of the tracheotomy and then he can come home. Possibly another week or so. He’s getting really bored and restless. Thank you again to everyone who has prayed for him and my family and left me encouraging comments and emails. Very much appreciated!

And now for another meme. Avery tagged me days and days ago with this one, but I’ve been so busy that I hadn’t done it until now. So here’s another 8 things, which is actually more like 56 things divided into 7 categories and then 8 more people I have to tag. Whew…

8 Things

8 things I’m passionate about:

  1. God
  2. my family
  3. my friends
  4. design
  5. reading
  6. blogging
  7. ketchup chips
  8. blogging…did I say that already?

8 things I want to do before I die:

  1. see my girls grow into women who are passionate, caring, and love God with everything in them
  2. travel the world
  3. build my dream house
  4. figure out what my dream house is : )
  5. live to see my great-grandchildren
  6. have a vacation home in some foreign country, preferably Italy
  7. meet more blogging friends
  8. wear a fabulously, fancy gown somewhere (I’m a princess at heart)

8 things I say often:

  1. frickin’ awesome
  2. So… (I begin sentences with it A LOT)
  3. I’m bringin’ sexy back
  4. Dork!
  5. Awww!
  6. talk quieter, please!!!
  7. seriously
  8. stop it!

8 books I’ve read recently:

  1. “The Assignment” by Mark Andrew Olsen
  2. “Angels and Demons” by Dan Brown
  3. “Home” by Kelly Hoppen
  4. “Secrets” by Kristen Heitzman
  5. “Forgotten” by Kristen Heitzman
  6. “Relentless” by Robin Parrish
  7. “A Garden in Paris” by Stephanie Grace Whitson
  8. “The Hilltops of Tuscany” by Stephanie Grace Whitson

8 songs that I could listen to over and over:

  1. “So She Dances” by Josh Groban
  2. “Lost” by Michael Buble
  3. “Comatose” by Skillet
  4. “Memories” by Inhabited
  5. “You Decide” by Fireflight
  6. “All Around me” by Flyleaf
  7. “Feeling Good” by Michael Buble
  8. “Never Alone” by Barlow Girl

8 things that attract me to my best friend

  1. He’s compassionate
  2. He’s a good father
  3. He’s a good listener
  4. We share a lot of the same dreams
  5. He thinks I’m funny : )
  6. He’s very agreeable
  7. His faith in God
  8. He’s a man of integrity!

8 things I’ve learned this past year:

  1. that my dad is an alcoholic
  2. that I’m stronger than I thought
  3. that I have friends far and wide and true friendship can be made online
  4. that friendships seemingly dead can be rebirthed
  5. that stepping out of my comfort zone can bring some of the best times and memories
  6. that Val is real and Illinois is lovely : )
  7. that selling a house doesn’t have to be painful
  8. that I had the BEST neighbors in the whole wide world!!

8 people who should do this meme and not complain:

  1. Ruth
  2. Bonnie
  3. Mel
  4. Esther
  5. Nicole
  6. Randi
  7. Dedee
  8. Gloria

12 Comments »

  1. pleased to read that your dad is doing well :)

    Comment by jen — November 12, 2007 @ 11:20 pm

  2. You did a great job with the meme. I’m really glad to hear your dad is doing better. I pray for his complete healing.

    Comment by Nadine — November 13, 2007 @ 12:03 am

  3. Awesome news on your dad!!! Ive known people to do the special k diet and it works. Plus they were very regular :)

    Cute meme. I love knowing you wore.

    Comment by Alexis — November 13, 2007 @ 5:24 am

  4. I will do the challenge, I just have’nt started yet. We have been so busy I still need to get to the grocery store as Jaxx ate the last of the Special K, his favorite of course. I did the meme that you tagged me for!

    Comment by Tara — November 13, 2007 @ 4:44 pm

  5. Glad to hear your dad is doing better:)

    I enjoyed your meme, and getting to know you better! And THANKS for tagging me;) I’m going to do it sometime this week;)

    Comment by Randi — November 13, 2007 @ 5:17 pm

  6. Good luck on your challenge!

    Glad to hear your dad is improving. Long hospital stays are the worst!

    Thanks for playing along on the meme. (You have great taste in music, BTW!)

    Comment by Avery — November 13, 2007 @ 5:32 pm

  7. mine is up

    :)

    Comment by Gloria — November 13, 2007 @ 7:15 pm

  8. i’ll do it!
    just got back from KC so i have to catch my breath first.

    i hope this comment posts as i’m having problems getting my comments to stick.

    Comment by Ruth — November 14, 2007 @ 11:42 am

  9. I really like the last two categories. They speak volumes to me. You are such a sweet treat Erin.
    I am thinking of your dad and also praying for a full and complete recovery.
    xo

    Comment by cheeky — November 14, 2007 @ 2:35 pm

  10. My prayers for your dad… and the rest of your family too.

    Let me know how the plan works out…

    And yes I will have to do the “8 things”… you know I can’t resist those!!

    Comment by Mel — November 15, 2007 @ 2:25 am

  11. I want to do this meme! So fun :) I really liked your lists. I knew you were going to say some of the things that you did. :) And what you said about me and Illinois . . thank ya! :)

    Comment by Val — November 19, 2007 @ 1:25 pm

  12. Really good and really interesting post. I expect (and other readers maybe :)) new useful posts from you!
    Good luck and successes in blogging!

    Comment by HeavyGod — November 27, 2007 @ 3:33 am

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