Fridays are suppose to be my day off - from work, from working out, etc. But since I just started this, I thought I would still walk tonight, especially since tomorrow is a bit of an unknown as far as plans and opportunities. I spent too much time trying to thread my new sewing machine, so Mr. O got to bed later than planned, which put my time with the J man back. I think I love legos almost half as much as him, which is a lot! So we were building and having fun and time got away from me again. Well worth it, since our time gets so limited during tax season. I came downstairs just after Dateline started (which I was recording), and I decided on a whim I would watch it and skip my walk, day off and all. Sitting in front of the tv is a trigger eating time for me. I tried a healthy snack, but it was bland. I tried a sweet snack, a candy cane, and that was yummy, but it must have triggered something, cause I kept wanting more. So while I ate more than planned (after not exercising as planned), I didn't eat near what I used to. I know from the last couple of days that I am much stronger if I walk before tv, so I think that's how it will have to be. Or watch it upstairs in the bedroom where I won't be able to access the kitchen so easily.
all in all a good day.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
the last runner
it has been almost a month since I have updated this. I didn't mean for that to happen. I am so excited that Jamison met the angel tree goal. Now to find him a family....
my husband got me a HP pad for my birthday. This is the first time I am really typing more than a couple words on it. I hope it goes well, cause it would be nice to use this to blog.
one of my favorite shows is the biggest loser. I think this is season 13, which amazes me and makes me think I must have missed a couple somewhere. The new season started last night, and it always inspires me. As many people do, I have made my top new years goal losing weight and getting healthy. I know my numbers will not compare to theirs, but I am hoping to see where I am at at the end of 12 weeks.
at work last night, something was read that our district manager wrote - he meant it about taxes, but I am thinking about it on a much bigger, personal note as well. Today I read an update from Al (dwlz.com) and he had a very similar message. Back to back, to powerful for me to ignore. Now, I have heard this before, but never did such meaning come across for me as well. The message is plain and simple - the pages of our story - the future story - are blank. We can write whatever we want. We get to choose what gets written on them. I like that.
no excuses is what the motto on BL is this season, and in that spirit, I walked tonight. Which was something that I tried to talk myself out of a few times, with various excuses this evening. I am happy to say I didn't let an excuse stop me. As I was walking I thought about running, something I usually do. I never liked running as a kid up until recently. All of a sudden I thought I would love to run. Somedays from something, others to something. I thought it would take years of training and many pounds lost before I would even try. Everybody runs (ok, maybe not technically, but there are lots of them out there and you don't always see them or know). I must be the last person to learn this secret. The feeling of running must be incredible.
so I tried. Maybe not actual running. More like jogging on the treadmill. And only for small (and I do mean small) amounts of time. No excuses. Writing my own story. I may just be a runner sooner than I thought!
my husband got me a HP pad for my birthday. This is the first time I am really typing more than a couple words on it. I hope it goes well, cause it would be nice to use this to blog.
one of my favorite shows is the biggest loser. I think this is season 13, which amazes me and makes me think I must have missed a couple somewhere. The new season started last night, and it always inspires me. As many people do, I have made my top new years goal losing weight and getting healthy. I know my numbers will not compare to theirs, but I am hoping to see where I am at at the end of 12 weeks.
at work last night, something was read that our district manager wrote - he meant it about taxes, but I am thinking about it on a much bigger, personal note as well. Today I read an update from Al (dwlz.com) and he had a very similar message. Back to back, to powerful for me to ignore. Now, I have heard this before, but never did such meaning come across for me as well. The message is plain and simple - the pages of our story - the future story - are blank. We can write whatever we want. We get to choose what gets written on them. I like that.
no excuses is what the motto on BL is this season, and in that spirit, I walked tonight. Which was something that I tried to talk myself out of a few times, with various excuses this evening. I am happy to say I didn't let an excuse stop me. As I was walking I thought about running, something I usually do. I never liked running as a kid up until recently. All of a sudden I thought I would love to run. Somedays from something, others to something. I thought it would take years of training and many pounds lost before I would even try. Everybody runs (ok, maybe not technically, but there are lots of them out there and you don't always see them or know). I must be the last person to learn this secret. The feeling of running must be incredible.
so I tried. Maybe not actual running. More like jogging on the treadmill. And only for small (and I do mean small) amounts of time. No excuses. Writing my own story. I may just be a runner sooner than I thought!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Isaiah
This is Isaiah. Today his Angel Tree Warrior posted this about him.
I imagine sweet Isaiah when they took this picture. Busy playing with toys and trucks. Looking up, not sure what was going on. No idea that THIS picture would capture his identity for so many. I know he has SO MUCH MORE to give than this one picture....more smiles, more hugs, more joy. Only 7 days left to have an ornament of Isaiah (or any other RR Angel) on your tree.
I have been thinking about this post since I read it. I have been thinking of how much Isaiah looks like Mr. O. I have been thinking about how Mr. O likes to make similar faces and such when he doesn't want his picture taken. Then I read a comment about this post, saying that these kids don't know what a camera is.
This is hitting me hard. They don't know what a camera is. No one wants to take their picture. No one wants to create a memory of them. They are not part of a family. They are not going to get older and look back at their baby pictures, and see how sweet and cute they were. Who will look at them? Who will care? As I sit here crying, I wish there was a way that would let them know that I care. They matter to me. Sweet little innocent Isaiah matters to me. And so does Jamison. And Preston. And Rebecca. And Cora Lynne.
That is why I continue to post. Even when I am sure that no one wants to read this. It is not funny. It is not cute. It is hard life. Hard for these kids. Hard for me. Please help me change this. Please share Reece's Rainbow with everyone until we can get a family for all the children.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Meeting People
The other day I took Mr. Owen with me to the store. I don't always take him places, he can get rather upset at times in the store. I am getting pretty good at understanding what is going on, but can not always avoid the triggers. He usually likes to be helping -- unloading the cart, putting things in bags, things like that. And he doesn't always get why he can't do something.
Anyway, we were picking up the pictures for the Christmas cards. And of course, there was someone ahead of us at the photo counter. Of course she had an issue. Of course it was taking a while to resolve.
The lady in front of us reminded me of a nun. She was very nice. She noticed Owen and talked to him, and to me. She told me of a member of her Church, who I think had a growth problem. She talked about how he grew up, how his parents loved him, how he is included, and how well he is doing today. Although this man and Owen have are not too similar, I do like how she took a positive story and related it to us/to our situation. She was looking for common ground. Reaching out to us. Including and Accepting us. How wonderful that is. For all the stares and looks we get (especially when Owen does have a breakdown at the store), it is so warming to have a warm, positive experience. Before we left, she gave me the card for her Church. I am not sure what faith it is (I didn't really look at the card, I had to chase Owen and then try and keep him near me and not out the door while we paid), I do know it is not the same as mine.
How incredible that this woman, sees us, talks to us, and reaches out to welcome us to her Church. I want to be like that. I want to walk in the path of God. I want to feel so strong in my beliefs that I can reach out to others. Huh, I don't like how I said that. I am strong in my beliefs. I often want to scream them out to the world. God shows me all the time powerful proof that he is helping me live my life, he blesses me in some of the tiniest ways, in some major ways, quietly, loudly, every day, and more often than I notice, more often than I deserve. I want to show everyone, tell all my stories. I want to be like this woman. In a time when genocide of people with Down syndrome is a real possibility, here is someone going out of her way to want us, to want Owen. I am thinking of visiting her Church. I love my Church, and don't want to change, not the parish, not my faith.
As I say about Owen & Jason (all kids), I can say about our two faiths - we are more alike than different. At least, from what I understand about Christianity.
Speaking of Faith, I have been volunteering with our local food pantry. There are seven Churches in our city (I think) that make up the pantry - Christians in Action. I volunteer directly to the pantry. Each week, on a rotational basis, each Church has volunteers come to help. I like that I get to go and be there and meet the people of all the Churches.
It was during our Thanksgiving week, that one of the volunteers came up to me and we started talking. She had put the pieces together (thankfully, cause I don't think I ever would have). Our sons are in the same class. I had seen her each week when it was her Church's turn to volunteer, and we had small conversations. I didn't catch on when I went to the school field trip, but it was shortly after that she figured it out. Her oldest boy (she has 3 and is pregnant with her 4th boy, God Bless her!) is in Owen's preschool class. What an amazing connection. What a small world.
Tonight, after everything was just about done, we were talking, and another girl from their Church was with us. This other girl is there and helps two of our families who are deaf. I had told her how wonderful it is that she is there on the same nights as the women, and is able to talk to them. I guess she works with deaf people, and she has offered to help us learn sign language! She mentioned a different Church, in another city, that offers sign language lessons. And she said she would love to help us. We talked for quite a while, and she is an amazing person!
I always here of the negative, the bad, and the ugly, in meeting people. Those stories are sometimes so shocking -- retelling them is important. (Like last week a friend of mine's daughter got up at lunch to get something, and a teacher sat in her seat and was playing with her food and picking on her when she returned. Yes, I said teacher. Not student, teacher.) Heartwarming and positive stories are also important to hear. There is so much good in this world. The good often gets drowned out by all the bad. While we need to have our eyes open, and knowledge is power, so we need the news, it would be great if there was a larger portion of it devoted to uplifting, positive, information.
Wow, it is late now. I was just going to start this as a draft. Mostly to remind myself of what I wanted to write about, not to write it all. I am sure it is a rambling, soap box kinda blog. Maybe I will come back and read it later. Like after I get some sleep.
Anyway, we were picking up the pictures for the Christmas cards. And of course, there was someone ahead of us at the photo counter. Of course she had an issue. Of course it was taking a while to resolve.
The lady in front of us reminded me of a nun. She was very nice. She noticed Owen and talked to him, and to me. She told me of a member of her Church, who I think had a growth problem. She talked about how he grew up, how his parents loved him, how he is included, and how well he is doing today. Although this man and Owen have are not too similar, I do like how she took a positive story and related it to us/to our situation. She was looking for common ground. Reaching out to us. Including and Accepting us. How wonderful that is. For all the stares and looks we get (especially when Owen does have a breakdown at the store), it is so warming to have a warm, positive experience. Before we left, she gave me the card for her Church. I am not sure what faith it is (I didn't really look at the card, I had to chase Owen and then try and keep him near me and not out the door while we paid), I do know it is not the same as mine.
How incredible that this woman, sees us, talks to us, and reaches out to welcome us to her Church. I want to be like that. I want to walk in the path of God. I want to feel so strong in my beliefs that I can reach out to others. Huh, I don't like how I said that. I am strong in my beliefs. I often want to scream them out to the world. God shows me all the time powerful proof that he is helping me live my life, he blesses me in some of the tiniest ways, in some major ways, quietly, loudly, every day, and more often than I notice, more often than I deserve. I want to show everyone, tell all my stories. I want to be like this woman. In a time when genocide of people with Down syndrome is a real possibility, here is someone going out of her way to want us, to want Owen. I am thinking of visiting her Church. I love my Church, and don't want to change, not the parish, not my faith.
As I say about Owen & Jason (all kids), I can say about our two faiths - we are more alike than different. At least, from what I understand about Christianity.
Speaking of Faith, I have been volunteering with our local food pantry. There are seven Churches in our city (I think) that make up the pantry - Christians in Action. I volunteer directly to the pantry. Each week, on a rotational basis, each Church has volunteers come to help. I like that I get to go and be there and meet the people of all the Churches.
It was during our Thanksgiving week, that one of the volunteers came up to me and we started talking. She had put the pieces together (thankfully, cause I don't think I ever would have). Our sons are in the same class. I had seen her each week when it was her Church's turn to volunteer, and we had small conversations. I didn't catch on when I went to the school field trip, but it was shortly after that she figured it out. Her oldest boy (she has 3 and is pregnant with her 4th boy, God Bless her!) is in Owen's preschool class. What an amazing connection. What a small world.
Tonight, after everything was just about done, we were talking, and another girl from their Church was with us. This other girl is there and helps two of our families who are deaf. I had told her how wonderful it is that she is there on the same nights as the women, and is able to talk to them. I guess she works with deaf people, and she has offered to help us learn sign language! She mentioned a different Church, in another city, that offers sign language lessons. And she said she would love to help us. We talked for quite a while, and she is an amazing person!
I always here of the negative, the bad, and the ugly, in meeting people. Those stories are sometimes so shocking -- retelling them is important. (Like last week a friend of mine's daughter got up at lunch to get something, and a teacher sat in her seat and was playing with her food and picking on her when she returned. Yes, I said teacher. Not student, teacher.) Heartwarming and positive stories are also important to hear. There is so much good in this world. The good often gets drowned out by all the bad. While we need to have our eyes open, and knowledge is power, so we need the news, it would be great if there was a larger portion of it devoted to uplifting, positive, information.
Wow, it is late now. I was just going to start this as a draft. Mostly to remind myself of what I wanted to write about, not to write it all. I am sure it is a rambling, soap box kinda blog. Maybe I will come back and read it later. Like after I get some sleep.
The Biggest Loser
I just love this show. I love Ramon and his infectious smile. It looks like he will win the marathon. That makes me so happy! I am still hoping that Antone wins for the season. And he does it!
So who will join Ramon in the final 3? Oh, come on Antone. This is the moment. We need to see a 29 pound loss now! Yes! 30 pounds gone, and a spot in the final 3 :)
I am very excited and happy with the final three. It would have been great to have seen Becky here to (or Jessica!). I would love to go to the ranch for 12 weeks and have all that time devoted to just learning to eat well and exercise. I hate to even be away from my kids for even one night, I can't imagine actually going for that time. But, to get that life changing experience, it would so be worth it! I would not do it while on camera! I would have to go while they are not filming. I wouldn't want to do it for the money. Although I say that, I kept thinking how cool it would be to win the money while watching the show. I need to find a way to get my hands on $5,000. Or maybe $10,000, then I can pay off some of my debts. If we could make it $40,000 I could pay off those debts, and probably arrange a way to go get Mr. Jamison. If I went for him, I think I would have to get Cora Lynne too.
10 kids are on the My Family Found Me, during Angel Tree 2011. This includes the lovely Alice S. Alice has over $12,000 raised during Angel Tree this year. Her grant is over $19,000. God is good! Just think if all the children had $20,000 in their grants, next Christmas they would all be home with their families!!!
I am off to dream big dreams. Please help these kids -- Share the information about Reece's Rainbow. Thanks!
So who will join Ramon in the final 3? Oh, come on Antone. This is the moment. We need to see a 29 pound loss now! Yes! 30 pounds gone, and a spot in the final 3 :)
I am very excited and happy with the final three. It would have been great to have seen Becky here to (or Jessica!). I would love to go to the ranch for 12 weeks and have all that time devoted to just learning to eat well and exercise. I hate to even be away from my kids for even one night, I can't imagine actually going for that time. But, to get that life changing experience, it would so be worth it! I would not do it while on camera! I would have to go while they are not filming. I wouldn't want to do it for the money. Although I say that, I kept thinking how cool it would be to win the money while watching the show. I need to find a way to get my hands on $5,000. Or maybe $10,000, then I can pay off some of my debts. If we could make it $40,000 I could pay off those debts, and probably arrange a way to go get Mr. Jamison. If I went for him, I think I would have to get Cora Lynne too.
10 kids are on the My Family Found Me, during Angel Tree 2011. This includes the lovely Alice S. Alice has over $12,000 raised during Angel Tree this year. Her grant is over $19,000. God is good! Just think if all the children had $20,000 in their grants, next Christmas they would all be home with their families!!!
I am off to dream big dreams. Please help these kids -- Share the information about Reece's Rainbow. Thanks!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Down Syndrome and Abortion
This is direct from a blog I saw today. I wish I could write words this beautiful. Many of what she has written could have been by me. I did not ever wish that Owen would die. Not while I was pregnant, and not after he was born. I did not even wonder why me. I didn't question God's decision, though I can't say I buy that line of God only gives special children to special people (I don't think we are any more special than anyone else, but Owen, he sure is special, and I don't know how we got so lucky as to get him).
But, I was scared. So scared. What did this mean for me, for Jason, for our family and for Owen? Life still gets hard. Really hard at times. But just as often it is hard in reference to Jason as it is in reference to Owen. Children can be hard to raise. There are often difficult decisions to be made. As a parent you want what is best for your child. And just because a child does not have a "disability" doesn't mean that there won't be anything "wrong".
Check out the Stumbo Family Story here with her very well written piece. This is so important now, we all need to be aware! Thanks!
But, I was scared. So scared. What did this mean for me, for Jason, for our family and for Owen? Life still gets hard. Really hard at times. But just as often it is hard in reference to Jason as it is in reference to Owen. Children can be hard to raise. There are often difficult decisions to be made. As a parent you want what is best for your child. And just because a child does not have a "disability" doesn't mean that there won't be anything "wrong".
Check out the Stumbo Family Story here with her very well written piece. This is so important now, we all need to be aware! Thanks!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Yippee!
I thought I would stop by and see how Mr. Jamison is doing, with his grant fund, and I am so Over the Moon Happy! I am glad I did :) Jamison is up another $50! I don't know if that is one friend, two friends or 50 friends! What wonderful news! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to everybody who has helped us get here! His total grant is just $15 shy of $4,000. What a nice size donation for his Mommy & Daddy to start with. I so hope that we can find them, and soon! Next year Jamison can be at HOME and celebrating Christmas -- with the best presents ever, a family, love, security, food. We sure all deserve these basic needs. Thank you for helping Jamison get his!!
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