My health

After finding out my mom had cancer (see blog below), my health issues slipped from my mind, but some have been asking for an update, so here you go. After getting all my tests results back, we have confirmed that I have acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome, most likely brought on by my eating habits, stress and my weight. All my test results came back clean (no diabetes, no high cholesterol, no cancer), so my doctor and I agreed that I just need to loose weight (no big revelation there, but having your doctor lecture you on it makes it a little more real.) So, here is the plan. Stay on meds for a very long time for my stomach, until I can get all my weight off, exercise 6 days a week, eventually leading up to sweating heavily for an hour each of those days, and following the South Beach Diet. Oh, and cutting out all caffeine. So, I have already cut down on my caffeine to one cup a day. I plan to phase it out completely at the first of the year. I am also walking 6 times a week for about 45 minutes. While I am not sweating yet, I am working on the habit of doing something all the time. Unfortunately, my only exercise plan has been walking, so rain has been putting a big damper on that plan, so I need to find something else I can do in the house on the days it rains, that is low impact to start. At the first of the year, I am going to gradually add in high impact cardio and two days of weight lifting. I think it will take me until about the end of April before I am officially doing one hour a day of full blown sweating, 6 days a week. As of January 2nd, I will be starting the South Beach Diet. I feel fully committed, and for some reason think my will power is back. I am currently reading the South Beach Diet book and plan to purge the entire kitchen the week after Christmas, and stock up on all the needed food for success. I am also going to be buying a food journal, walking shoes and a weight training video. So, wish me luck in the year to come. My doctor is helping me stay realistic, and is hoping for 40 pounds off over the next year. Obviously, I hope for more, but I am going to be satisfied with whatever comes. My focus now is on overall health, and not just my weight. I want to have energy again. And I want to be able to really PLAY with Munchi this summer, you know?
For those of you interested in my inspiration (besides my doctor), I am reading the South Beach Diet, and Younger Next Year. While Younger Next Year is geared towards those over 50, it talks about the benefits of regular exercise on your health overall, and how to feel young, fit and energized your entire life. It is quite inspiring.
Here is to a healthy New Year!

Cancer Scare

We found out on Thursday that my mom has uterus cancer. All we know as of now is that they believe it is stage 1, and that she will need a hysterectomy. She is meeting with the surgeon tomorrow to discuss the procedure, to determine what she thinks the outcome might be, and to decide on a surgery date. For my mom's mental health, we are hoping for the surgery to be very soon.

Seriously, this has taken me by surprise. Not necessarily the cancer, but how scared I am. I have had many issues with my mom over the years, and always assumed once I had kids we would only grow further apart, as I did not want my kids around the toxins I grew up with. But she is an amazing grandmother, and has been working hard to learn how to respect me as a parent, and understand my boundaries. Munchi thinks the world of her, and so the last two years have really brought us together. And I have come to realize with all her emotional baggage, she is still the glue that holds our family together. She makes the holiday feasts, happily hosts MANY playdates throughout the year where the cousins can come together, and the parents can get a little bit of a break and not have to cook for one night! She is generous to a fault with her time and with her money. She is the only reason my dad knows anything going on with us or the grandkids. I really do not know how I would function as a parent without her now. She gives me help and support I never expected and I would miss her so much if she was not here. I know that the outlook is extremely optimistic, and that after the surgery this whole thing should be behind us. But it has made me only appreciate my mom even more, and to realize how much I need to tell her that more often. And it has finally allowed to to forgive everything in the past and to love her just as she is. Because the alternative of just not having her is just too devastating.
For those of you out there who pray, please keep her and our family in your prayers.
I LOVE YOU MOM!

Health Issues

So, I finally went to the doctor yesterday for a physical, due to CHRONIC health issues I have been having over the last two years, many that have gotten worse in the last month. No surprise to find out my heart palpitations and disgusting stomach issues are caused by stress and caffeine intake. Because I can do nothing to ward off the stress (no job in sight for husband, no relief in site for marriage), I have cut my caffeine down to once a day already. Today was okay, but we will see what I am like by the end of the week. WARNING ALL FAMILY MEMBERS READING: Saturday will be 5 days on no or low caffeine intake. Do not take my attitude problem too personally. I had an EKG, breath test, and hand x-ray yesterday and will be doing the 2 hour fasting diabetes test and other blood work next Tuesday, then returning to the doctor in about two weeks for results.

The reason for this health update (besides the need for a lot of prayer): about two months ago, my friend Carebear and I were laughing about this random blog we read where the lady (who happens to be much older than us) was describing a time when she was in Target and felt a sudden BM of the worrisome type come on. The feeling was so strong that she was afraid to move, as something might release itself, so she was screaming for her husband to come help her to the restroom. Carebear and I thought this story was hilarious and hoped we never had to grow old. Flash forward to today..... I am at Henry's shopping with Munchi. We are about half way done when the sharp pains in my stomach start, a familiar feeling lately that never leads to anywhere good. All I can think is I have to finish shopping, and that Henry's is about 15 minutes away from my house. Can I survive another 30 minutes without literally sh***ing myself? I decide to go for it. Now, I get through Henry's okay, without it being too noticable I am in digestive distress, I think. But the ride hope starts getting really iffy. I keep telling myself I have leather seats, so if anything does happen, it is an easy clean up. And wouldn't you know that we started home right when school got out? And there are 5 (count them 5) schools on our way home. Which means stopping for cross walks and going 25 mph the ENTIRE way home. It took my a half an hour to get to the house. I don't think I have ever gotten Munchi out of his car seat so fast in my life. I literally threw him in the living room amongst his cars and hit the bathroom. While NONE of this was funny at the time, it makes me laugh thinking of the conversation with Carebear, and realizing old age has already hit me, at 33.....

Boredom = Family Time

We were very bored today. A luxury really during the holidays. We knew we had to get Munchi out because he had been hanging at the house too long this week, but we had no grand ideas what to do. Finally, I called a friend, who was not free to hang out but suggested something festive - going to a local outdoor mall and admiring the Christmas tree. So, off we went. And we had a BLAST! Munchi loved the fountains, and the Christmas tree. Most of all, he loved meeting Santa for the first time. He was not willing to sit on his lap, but thought it was wonderful to sit on Daddy's lap next to him. And Santa gave him a present after, which is a now CHERISHED coloring book. God bless the holiday season. I have always disliked Christmas, but having a child reminds you the reason for the season! What a blessed day :)

Munchi putting on a "good" smile for Santa


The beloved coloring bookThe Fam in front of the Christmas tree

Me and Munchi enjoying the fountains


Dirk and Munchi admiring the fish pond

Munchi relaxing in front of the fountains

Thanks to my sister-in-law, Ami, and this awesome website - http://www.simplyfabulousbloggertemplates.com/, I have change the template for my website. I have had to add some things back in and have some other things I am going to do with it, but just the template change makes me happy :)

Pictures finally

So our camera situation sucks, which means it takes me forever to download pictures onto my computer. We took Riley to my Mom's house this weekend, where she is loving every minute. She has a big brother there, names Sasha, who seems to actually find her fun. Before she left though, we took pictures of her at our house, playing with our dogs. I will never forget watching a one pound kitten chase our 60 pound dog through the living room!

Possible new addition

So, last night my mom was babysitting Munchi. We got home around 8:30, chatted for a while, and went to walk my mom out about 9:30. As we are standing on the porch saying our goodbyes, I hear little voice. We start searching around. Dirk comes outside to look with us, and as he closes the door, what does he see behind it? A little, itty, bitty, tiny kitten. Of course, we brought it right in the house, set up a bed and litter box for it and made it comfortable. It was shaking it was so cold and it was soooooo skinny. We fed it a little food, and I slept with it on the couch for the night. In the morning, I started to feed it and give it some water, and realized something. It was not fully weened, so it could not drink water from a bowl. So Munchi and I trampled on down to Petco, bought a bottle and some formula, and she has been chowing ever since. We have made no commitment to keep her, but my parents plan to take her if we don't, so she now has a safe home. For now, her name is Riley.

Pictures to follow this week.