such a good day

Yesterday was such a good day, that I wanted to post about it. It's random things, much like the majority of my blog...

• Ryan called from work to say that since he had been working so hard, and doing much better than even his boss had expected, that he would be getting a significant pay raise. Now we will be able to handle the new medical bills showing up in the mail. I am so proud of him for how hard he works, and I am happy that he has found a job he finds fulfilling.
• I found a job, quite by accident and without intending to get a job. I will be watering a ladies lawn this summer, as they are living in Colorado and trying to sell their home here. They have a nice sized yard with a small creek running through it, a tree house, a waterwheel, park benches, lots of large trees, and they are completely okay with me bringing the kids with me. This is a huge tender mercy. I honestly probably would have done it for free because of how much benefit I will get out of it, but it is nice to get paid. We had been sad about how the kids can't play outside at our apartment, and I just felt horrible about that. I grew up climbing trees, building forts, and constantly being outside and I feel it is necessary for children to have that experience. So, for at least four hours a week all summer long (or until their house sells) I can take them over, they can play to their hearts content, while I set the sprinklers and then draw in my sketchbook or even set up my easel and paint. I am seriously very happy about it.
• I am getting paid $50 a week to water this ladies yard!!! So, that will help pay for our yard in Idaho to be taken care of. This is a huge weight lifted off my mind. Part of the money will also go toward medical bills.
• Last night I was contemplating ideas for a painting I am wanting to do, and with the help of a comment from a friend, and inspiration that I feel came from the spirit, I suddenly found myself with an idea so brilliant, that it will actually provide me with artwork for an entire art show. This is the kind of subject matter and concepts and style that I want to do for a career, and I am seriously in shock at how brilliant of an idea it is. Well, I feel that it is brilliant. And so does Ryan. And my sister Heather, lol. She promised not to steal it for a photo shoot idea, because it would make a seriously awesome photo series. I have made the decision not to give out details on the painting, because then I obsess and overly question myself, and have others critique it etc., to the point of never completing it. So, I will spend the next several years (it will honestly take that long) developing this series of paintings, and when it is all completed I plan on finding an agent and getting my work in a show. If I can pull off the work like I see it in my mind, this will honestly be career changing. One of the paintings will be entered into the international church contest this fall, so if it makes it in everyone will get a sneak peak at my series. I'm so stinkin excited. Now I just need to find myself models...
• I FOUND MY MEDICINE!!! well, technically Ryan found it. It had rolled out of my purse and under the seat in his car. I remember thinking I needed to check under the seats... but of course promptly forgot to do so. I also found the prescription for when this medicine runs out.

So, seriously this all happened in ONE day. Out of the blue. I felt overwhelmed with gratitude at the tender mercies, because I had been struggling lately with sadness and anxiety, and home sickness for our home and friends in Idaho. I had a hard week, when I had started to move to a different apartment only to find out that the landlord and the owner of the building were not communicating with each other, and the owner had someone else sign papers to move into that apartment. I went from excitement at getting out of a dark, moldy basement into an apartment with tons of light--to never mind, back to the basement we go. And that was after I had scrubbed that new apartment down with bleach, vacuumed, and moved a lot of our stuff up.  I have hope today though, and I am optimistic about the future. And I am seriously so incredibly excited about these paintings hahahaha.

I made it

I am so proud of myself, I got through the entire P90x program. And it was/is hard. I have to modify, but I have been really pushing myself to do the entire workout whenever possible, or something as close to it when I can't do what they want. For example, I can't do one-handed push-ups, so I do planking (with pauses every so often cause I can't plank for that long) during that part of the workout. And I've lost 12 lbs! I will start the thing all over again starting Monday, and we will see if it is possible to get rid of my post-baby tummy. I still have about 3-4 lbs to lose, but even more than weight loss I want to be stronger and more in shape than I ever have been... which isn't hard since I've always been scrawny and pretty weak... I was the kid that broke my arm from losing my balance (with the help of someone else) and falling in my bedroom, which was carpeted, two years in a row. Exercise won't really make a difference with my brittle bones, but it is helping in other areas. I took before and after pictures, but I don't really want to post them, though I might if I can actually get rid of my post-baby tummy just to show it's possible.

putting the milk in the cupboard type moment

You know one of the things that sucks the most about having ADD? Losing the expensive medicine that is supposed to help you not lose/forget things. Obviously the medicine wasn't working, at least not on that front. It was sort of helping with focus--iv'e been getting more accomplished. I made it 2 or 3 weeks of putting it immediately in my purse after taking it. Then one day last week I got distracted somewhere between the kitchen and my purse,  and I do not even remember getting distracted, or what I did with the medicine. *sigh* I have looked everywhere.  We are moving upstairs to a different apartment the next couple of weeks so I am hoping that it will be found. And that I didn't absent-mindedly throw it away.  Because I could see myself doing something like that. I told the doctor today, when we were there for Ethan's appointment,  and he seemed to find it pretty funny. You gotta admit that it is pretty funny asking a person with ADD to not lose or forget to take meds that help them not lose or forget things.

little updates

The Urologist has concluded that Ethan does not have kidney damage, though a small amount of hydronephrosis still remains in his right kidney, and his kidneys will always be enlarged. He said that was because he had the hydronephrosis as a baby and it stretched out his kidneys, and like a balloon they will never go back to the normal size. He also said that the hydronephrosis he does have is so slight, and there is no damage, and he believes he will outgrow it. He said he is past the age where it would be a concern.

I am now in the process of getting Ethan in to see an ADD specialist in Casper. Apparently there aren't any specialists who see adults in Wyoming, so I am going to a regular doctor next week. Ethan has started soccer, and you can really see him struggling to focus and follow directions, and he is so easily distracted while all of the other kids are pretty well focused. Sure, occasionally they get distracted, but with Ethan it seems like a constant battle most of the time. I'm looking forward to getting both of us help in this area.

success!

I've been working for several months at getting into shape with little outward signs of success. We have been doing pretty well at waking up most mornings, however we never seem to get a full work out completed.

The last two weeks I decided to work even harder, so I started skipping working out in the morning and instead went to working out by myself once Ryan and Ethan had left for the day. Ryan has been extra tired lately so he appreciated the reprieve from waking up early, though I think it would be good to try to do it again in the mornings so he can work out as well.

I started drinking as much water as I could remember to drink--every time I thought I was hungry I first took a drink of water. I also started trying to eat more veggie type meals. For example, I started having just a plain sweet potato for a meal, Brussels sprouts and a little bacon for another meal, salads with a small amount of chopped meat in them, or fish and seafood.. I tried to cut down on sugars, and fats (though, I don't really have a problem with fats). 

Last week I started weeks 5-7 of the lean program on P90X. I had been sticking mainly to the weeks 1-4 up until now trying to just get better at those routines, but I realized I wasn't losing anything and felt like I had plateaued. When it came to the third day of the week, and it was a weight lifting day, I really wanted to ditch the prescribed work out and do cardio, because I kept thinking that weight lifting wasn't going to result in weight loss... but I decided to stick with the routine since these guys know more about getting in shape than I do.

I quickly learned I was very wrong, and I'm so happy I was wrong. I have lost 7 lbs in the last two weeks!!! 7 doesn't sound like much, but they were very hard to drop! Granted, I have felt stronger from the work outs up until now (though I also feel very worn out and sore), but it is nice to see the lbs finally start to come off. I have a total of about 15 lbs to lose, mostly I'm just sad when I can't fit any of my clothes in my closet, and of course there is the lovely baby tummy that makes me look like I might be a couple months pregnant... I am happy today to finally reach the first goal in my weight loss--I wanted to get below a certain number and this morning I did. Happy day.

I may need an intervention...

 

I went to the store tonight to get a couple of things (milk and eggs), and happened to walk past the flower section... purely coincidental. Okay, not really, but I really didn't intend to buy anything... until I saw this HUGE plant of Hydrangeas. It's like 2 feet tall! With thick, healthy canes and gorgeous purple and lime green flowers.

I was taken by surprise at how healthy and big the plant was compared to the normal puny, dying plants you see in the supermarket, and I just couldn't walk away. I rarely buy extra things, like this is the first time I had been to the store by myself since we lived in Idaho since I hate shopping. I had some birthday money Joan sent me, and decided this was worth it. I knew Ryan would roll his eyes when he saw it, but it is seriously so pretty! I had to promise myself that I couldn't buy any more plants, though, because I honestly have no where to put any more in this small apartment.

sweet pre-spring days

I will never get tired of this sweet face, or of her randomly saying "I love you".

 

I bought a dish made by my friend Sophia, and it arrived in the mail today. It is the dish with the little bird on it, and it looks lovely with my potted plants. She is from Taiwan, and attending school at BYUI, and does beautiful ceramics. I'm hoping that she decides to do them as a career, because she has serious skills. She was attending for an art education degree, though she wouldn't be able to teach or create ceramics if she decides to go back to Taiwan. I hope she stays in the U.S., but I know that would be a very hard choice to make.