Qualifiying the Called

This week ends the last week before our homeschooling adventure begins. Next week, is my last week of preparation. Korbin will be spending two days at his Mamaw and Papaws, so that I can get everything accomplished that I need too. Although I bought a curriculum geared towards four year olds, there is so much prep work to do that I will actually be happy when the school work begins. To be honest, I am not sure exactly how to do this. I have a plan, and a schedule, a desire and a prayer. I am completely scared to death!!! What if I can not do this? What if Korbin can not learn from me, I have no formal teaching education? What if being a wife, a mother, a teacher, a displinarian, a secertary, a cook, a sister, aunt, friend, daughter( or in-law),christain, and weight loss surgery patient is too much ofr me to handle? Have I bitten off more than I can chew?? The question I keep asking myself; Is the risk worth the reward? The same question I had to ask myself over and over again before my surgery, where the answer was/is a resounding yes!!!!! I am not sure if I realized how much work was involved when I began this adventure nor did I realize how similar the path between homeschooling mirrors my weightloss journey. All I know is that, thank you Bruce, that God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called. That is exactly what has been happening over and over again through a great many experiences I have had through out the last 8 months of 2008. As I type, I look back and remember where I have come from and now, where I am going. I never, ever thought then I would be where I am today. I give God all the Glory for the path He has directed me towards. And the people He has put in my pathway that have encouraged me to be the person who is willing to follow God's direction. Jane, you are my partner in calories, and I appreciate your ramblings more than you know. You inspire me and my weight loss experience would not be the same without you!! Bridget, you are my preschool homeschool mom inspiration. Through your encouragement, I have had the courage to take this step. Your a fantastic mother and a wonderful friend, and I am thankful that God has allowed us to be friends. Sherri and Bruce, Rod and I are so thankful to the Good Lord for wonderful friends like you!! You both ( yes, even Bruce!) always seem to know what to say. Thank you for listening to the Lord, your marriage and home reflects your desire to be closer to Him. You both will never know how much it has meant to have you at the hospital for my surgery. I knew my family was in good hands with you both. Melissa, you have inspired me to be mother that I desired to be in my heart. You have been a wonderful, Godly example to be and I am amazed how our relationship has grown into something wonderful through frantic phone calls asking "what do I do now". You always have great advice for me, and I am so thankful for your wisdom and guidence. To my beautiful sister, I love you so!!! You are apart of my soul and I am thankful for you everyday and I pray that God will do a work in and through your life. There are so many people that God has placed in my life, that I can truly see that God indeed qualifies the called not calls the qualified.

Mid month weigh in & Fall Schedule

It's the middle of August and I have done my mid month weigh in and...drum roll pluh-eaze....I have lost 7 more pounds for a grand total of 124 pounds in six 1/2 months. I will do my weigh in again on my anniversary date on 8/29. It has been a hard month so far because I am just coming off a two 1/2 week platuea where I did not loose an ounce since the end of July. It was very, very frustrating to get on the scale for that long and see no results whatsoever!!! So, I dropped my calories from 900 per day to 750 and upped my exerise from 2 days a week to 4 days a week. That seemed to have made an impact because the scale is moving again. It is my monthly goal to loose 15 pounds this month, so I am 8 pounds away right now. It is achievable and I am going to work to get that accomplished. I just found out this past week that they are closing the pool at our gym for a week for maintence, then the whole facility the first week in September. I like having a clean place to work out so I am trying not to be cheesed, although that is not easy.
I have been having a real issue getting any sort of exerise in on Mondays, the day is just so rough. It is as if I am recovering from the week end and the only real thing I get accomplished is getting my house back in working order again. Tuesdays are the Mondays of my exerise week, then everything falls into place. Today, it is my goal to write out a realistic schedule for the fall. I attempted to put one together for the summer, and that lasted for about a week. However, we need to get back to a routine! I think we are all looking forward to the regularity of a schedule. The summers are great, but now I am ready to move into our preschool world. I know Korbin is because he askes often when is school starting? Strangely enough, I am looking forward to teaching him. Not every parent is blessed enough to be the one to teach thier children to write thier name and to read. The only concern I have in making this schedule is making enough time for everything. I have discovered I really like a schedule and need one in order to make the things happen here that need to happen everyday.However, I need to plan in my days, some unplanned time that I can do whatever I choose and be spontanious if I want. I am a little unsure how to do this but I know that I can, it just might take being a little creative. I just don't want to get creative with my exerise routine or Korbin's school time. Those are where I draw the line. Well, those are my ramblings for the day!!! I'll post an example schedule when I am done, wish me luck?!

New Respect for Teachers!!

Since Korbins preschool stuff arrived more than 10 days ago, I have been consumed with reading through the teachers manual, buying school supplies, reading books, printing worksheets, making notes, etc, etc, etc!! I have one child to school and I am completely overwhelmed with the preparation and chores that begin even before the "school year" begins. We have planned to begin the Tuesday right after Labor Day, which is September 2 this year. I have a little more than 2 weeks to get it all done! I have never had any grand intention to be a teacher, of any kind. However, I was completely aware that as a mother, I was put into this role by God himself, and I would gladly accept the challenge to have the blessing of a child in my life. Knowing that I never, ever, ever wanted to teach as a profession imagine my surprise when I began feeling the desire to home school Korbin for preschool instead of sending him to school. I first had this feeling when he was 18 months old and a great deal of people began asking when I was gonna send my baby to school. I was bewildered by the emotional and immediately sought after God to talk Him out of it. I have been talking for almost three years now, and with each plead that I am completely unqualified, the desire grows stronger. Let me stop here and note, that until Korbin was born, I never had the desire to stay home with my children either. I was on the fast track ( or so I thought) to become a private banker at the bank I was working for, then maybe a manager of some sort, the the Vice President or President. See, I had "plans" for my life, and God completely changed those plans right around!! I sometimes wonder if He laughs at me? "Silly Kristy, when are you gonna learn that your life is not your own?" Now, I have anxiety about leaving Korbin for a couple of hours in the childcare room at the YMCA much less in daycare five days a week so I could chase my dream of corporate success. I digress, a friend of ours and the deacon of our church tells me often " God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called". Needless to say, here I sit getting ready to home school my preschooler and secretly enjoying the challenge of the road that lie ahead and the bonding that I will have over the next 9 months with my son. But, man-o-man! These teachers, especially in the private/Christan schools are grossly under paid!!! I just could not imagine doing this for 30+ students. I would be blue bloody bonkers!!!! Maybe it is a calling too? I am just thankful that it is not mine!! However, I have a new respect for those who put in the hours way before the school year even begins and who love their students before even ever meeting them enough to do so. So, as we get closer and closer to beginning another school year, let's remember those teachers in prayer. That they may have the strength, wisdom and dedication to begin and end their school year with integrity, character, and discipline to be a good example to our children while they have them in their care 5 days a week. And if your children are still at home with you, it is never too early to begin bathing your children's teachers in prayer.It is my prayer that Korbins teachers, coaches and advisers will be wonderful example of positive motivation, a love of learning and an impact that can not be made anywhere else, just as some of my teachers did.

Sample Menu

Alot of people I know, don't know anyone else who has had gastric bypass. I get alot, "So what do you eat?" I thought I would answer that, and post a sample menu:

My Daily Nutrion Goals:

900- 950 calories per day
20 grams of sugar per day or less
50 grams of Carbs or less( and carbs need to come from
complex carbohydrate sources)
32 grams of fat or less
75-100 grams of protien per day or more
=75% Protien
10% Veggies
10% Fruits
10% starch

9am-Breakfast 1 egg, 1 slice whole wheat toast with butter and sugar free jelly

30 minutes after b-fast 16.9 oz bottle of water

8 oz's of crystal light

12 noon-Protien shake

30 minutes after 1 liter of water

3pm Lunch- 2oz's tuna or chicken, 1 tbsp light mayo, 1/2 apple

30 minutes after Lunch finish liter of water

8 oz's Sugar Free Kool-Aid

6pm Dinner- 3oz's lean meat ( chicken,pork, fish or beef), 1/2 cup of veggies, 1/2 cup of fruit

30 minutes after Dinner 1 liter of water

8:30pm - protien shake

30 minutes after that finish my water

Total of this example is 745 calories/20 grams fat/ 74.5 grams protien/ 96.9 oz's of water

In addition to this I take a multivitamen, 2 Sugar free tums for calcuim, 1 iron pill, 1 vitamen C pill, a sublingual B-12, 1 L-Carnitine pill and 2 chewable sugar free benefiber's.

This is what I should be eatting each and everyday. I do, occasionally, make a casserole or mexican dish. Which is where I am thankful that my calories go to 950 because those are the days I really use them all. I do occasionally have a slice of pizza or sugar free frozen custard (Yummm! Bob Jo's); which is rare and a big treat. I do eat potato's, once every two or three weeks. However, I do not eat pasta or rice or white bread. I hope this gives you a glimpse into my "new" eatting pattern. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask!!

The emotion of Fear

I was hanging up some clothes I got this week end from my sister-n-law. She was nice enough to give me some of the things in her closet that she was no longer wearing. When I recieved the hefty bag full of clothes, I was very excited. I washed them all today and began placing them on hangers, mentally deciding what I had that would go with this piece or that piece. Since Rod and I's clothing budget is next to nothing, I am always more than greatful when someone thinks enough of me to give me something. During this process, I went from being genuinely happy to being down right fearful! All of these clothes, were the size I am in now or a size below. I know, you are asking your self what the problem is? As was I when I began to grapple with these emotions that could not make sense in my brain. What if this is the size were I stopped? What is I can not loose any more weight and I stop here, a long way away from my goal weight? What if I never reached my goal weight? The fear set in that I may too be a failure at this. Last week was the six month anniversary of my weight loss surgery, and to that date( and this one) I've lost 117 pounds. In addition to the 14 pounds that I lost in December which is a grand total of 131 pounds in seven entire months. I know, intellictually, that is nothing to sneeze at. However, the what if monster has decended upon my brain and am questioning my ability to make it to my goal weight of 179 pounds,which I am just 69 pounds away from achieving. I know, so many people would be like look at where you have come from? But I can only look at where I need to go! I NEED to for once finish what I have started and loose this weight that is killing me slowly from the inside out. I am no where near where I need to be, and as far as I have come, I have by no means arrived and still have this fat girl mentallity that I struggle with daily. Unfortunately, unless you have struggled to get out of bed in the morning, or been unable to tie your shoes or prayed to God for more days than not for the fat that you are packing on by the second not to kill you while you sleep; you may not fully understand what I am talking about. I know more poeple than not in this country struggle with thier weight. I know that thier more poeple than not struggle with obesity or morbid obesity. Even with loosing 117 pounds, I am still considered obese at 248 and a BMI of 41.3. Even once I reach my goal weight of 179, my BMI will still consider me to be overweight. In order to have a normal BMI, I would have to weigh 151 pounds. Which is loosing 28 more pounds beyond the 69 I want to loose now(which is a total of 97 more pounds)!! Ahhh...stress!!! And as I type right now, the fear in mounting in my chest and I am close to hyperventilating!! I want to succeed at this... more than you may now!! I want to finally succeed at loosing weight and being healthy. I want to set a good example of living a healthy lifestyle out before my family, so that they themselves may be healthy. But before I can do that, I must not fail at this too. Who knew a bag of clothes would bring out so much emotion? I know that I should be happy with how far I have come, yet I can still only see the fat roll around my midsection and the flab on my arms. I not see how many double chins that I had, instead I just see the fat that hangs around my neck. I can not see what I was, but can only see what I am. And I am afraid of still being where I am right now, in 6 more months. Fear is a strong motivator for me and oftern drives me to do what needs to be done. It is my sincere prayer that God will take this fear and turn it into motivation to continue on this journey and get to where I need to be!

Drink your green tea!!

This was from Dr. Oz and was sent to me from my friend Nancy. I thought it was great and bares reposting:

6 Reasons to Drink Green Tea

The steady stream of good news about green tea is getting so hard to ignore, that even java junkies are beginning to sip mugs of the deceptively delicate brew. You'd think the daily dose of disease-fighting, inflammation-squelching antioxidants -- long linked with heart protection -- would be enough incentive. But wait . . . there's more! Lots more.

1. Cut Your Cancer RiskSeveral polyphenols -- the potent antioxidants that green tea is famous for -- seem to help keep cancer cells from gaining a foothold in the body by discouraging growth and then suppressing the creation of new blood vessels that tumors need to thrive. Study after study has found that regularly drinking green tea reduces the risk of breast, stomach, esophagus, colon, and prostate cancer.

2. Soothe Your SkinGot a cut, scrape, or bite, and a little leftover green tea? Soak a cotton ball in it. The tea is a natural antiseptic that relieves itching and swelling. Try it on inflamed blemishes, sunburns, or puffy eyelids. But that's not all. Green tea has been shown to help block sun-triggered skin cancer, whether you drink it or apply it directly to the skin -- which is why you're seeing green tea in more and more sunscreens and moisturizers.

3. Steady Your Blood PressureHaving healthy blood pressure -- meaning below 120/80 -- is one thing. Keeping it that way is quite another. But people who sip just half a cup of green tea a day are almost 50% less likely to wind up with hypertension than nondrinkers. Credit goes to the polyphenols again (especially one known as ECGC); they help keep blood vessels from contracting and raising blood pressure.

4. Protect Your -- or Your Mom’s -- MemoryGreen tea may also keep the brain from turning fuzzy. Getting-up-there adults who drink at least two cups a day are half as likely to develop cognitive problems as those who drink less. Why? It appears that the tea's big dose of antioxidants fights the free-radical damage to brain nerves seen in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

5. Stay YoungThe younger and healthier your arteries are, the younger and healthier you are. So fight plaque buildup in your blood vessels; the sticky stuff increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, adds years to your RealAge, and saps your energy. How much green tea does this vital job take? About 10 ounces a day, which also deters your body from absorbing artery-clogging fat and cholesterol.

6. Lose WeightOh yeah, one more thing. Turns out that green tea speeds up your body's calorie-burning process. In the every-little-bit-counts department, that’s good news!