Not Enough Hours in the Day!

Isn't that true?

I have tried to get here to blog but obviously I haven't done very well!  Life has been really good, but also really busy.  We're enjoying our new grandson (who is 3 wks this week) and over 11 lbs. :) and our little Foster Baby.  We have two baby showers for our grandson coming up - one this week and one next week (that one is at our place so I'll be busy making sure the house is ready) and between the regular house "stuff", there's a little one needing my attention here.  Life is good - I feel fulfilled with what I'm doing and like I'm in the "right place".  It hasn't all been sunshine and happiness - poopy diapers, some sleepless nights, spit up and all those sorts of things that go with mothering, but the smiles and loving arms out to me make up for it all.  It feels wonderful to provide a safe and comforting home to a little one who really needs it.

Besides that - I've been to the Weight Management Centre for another Calorimeter testing - my highest reading yet!  That was encouraging!  It basically looks at how my metabolism is doing - and the results showed that my metabolism is rising, which means that I'm burning more calories!

My weight has stayed the same, however - and I'm really working on journaling my food intake and seeing where I can tweak things to get it moving again. 

I hope to get reading your blogs again and likely will only be posting here monthly - if I can post more often, I will try, however, with the warmer weather here and a little one, I'd much rather be walking behind a stroller than sitting behind a computer! ;)  No offense!  I hope to enjoy our grandson more over the summer too!

Let me know how you're doing?!

✿ To Health, Fitness and Faith! ~ Dawn

It's a BOY!

"Opa" and "Grandma" with Peter

Well this news is so exciting - it deserves it's own post, right?!

We are extremely thankful to the Giver of Life for giving our son and his wife a little baby boy - and us, our first grandchild!  Born yesterday - tipping the scales at 9 lbs. 13 oz., 22" long !!! - Peter was born in God's perfect time, but 9 days late, according to our calendars!

He's just perfect - with the softest skin, and the biggest feet and hands that I've ever seen on a baby!   Oh and he's got these gorgeous lips - little sweetheart lips that our youngest daughter has.  So sweet!  I can't wait till I can hold him again!

Mom & Dad are doing well too!

✿ To Health, Fitness and Faith! ~ Dawn

PS I'll tell you about my WMC appt. another time...

The great, the ugh and the very ugly

It's been a little while and life has gone well here - overall.  I'll start with the ugly though.  You may have heard in the news about the 32-yo man who was selling a truck online and was killed.  WELL, that man was in our extended church community.  It's been a roller-coaster week which ended in murder charges and a dead husband and father of a 2-yo.  We were all so hopeful - this couldn't be just about "a truck", and we still don't know but they have caught one suspect and are searching for two others - sifting through forensic evidence and a woman is now a widow and a little girl is fatherless.  Read more here: http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2013/05/15/hamilton-tim-bosma-dellen-millard-court.html

~~~
It's hard to segue to something else after "murder" but last week I passed a KIDNEY STONE!  Oh dear.  I'd been wondering if I had kidney stones since last fall already when I noticed that I had lower abdominal pain only on Sundays - the day that I find it difficult to drink the water that I usually drink.  After looking into it, I read that if you keep kidney stones "floating" (drink a lot and don't get dehydrated), they won't bother you...So that's what I did.  Until last week.  With our foster "Pumpkin", I haven't been drinking my water as much, especially if we go somewhere.  Just because finding a washroom isn't as convenient with a little one.  Then on Friday afternoon pain STRUCK!  I'd been on antibiotics until the previous Monday (for a perforated ear drum) and so I thought I'd developed a secondary infection - a UTI.  Hurried to the doc and he said that my urine was "odd".  Lots of blood.  (At that point I couldn't see the blood in my urine.)  He treated me for a UTI and sent the urine away to be cultured - said he might have to change my script once the culture came back.  WELL, a few hours after that (conveniently when the doctor's office was closed!) - it got worse.  Pain.  Urgency.  Burning.  And then BLOOD.  Lots of it. Fever spiked.  I was beginning to think I'd have to get to the hospital when plop - I passed "something".  Then everything improved.  I felt it come out, I heard it 'plop'. 

So now I'm part of the Gravel Pit that is our family! LOL (we joke about this - my hubby's brothers and dad get kidney stones - hubby had gall bladder stones a few years ago that resulted in him having to have his gall bladder removed.)

Doc says I may never get another stone but I might too.  He gave me info on what to do next time because, apparently, kidney stones can get stuck and he suspects that this is what happened to me.  That would explain the "odd" concoction of bacteria in my urine sample.

The great?  "Pumpkin".  Our second foster child.  SO NICE.  I can't give info but fostering sure adds to our home.  We are all in love!  It feels so good to do something worthwhile for a child!  And giving them a safe and happy home is so simple!  Busier, but simple. 

Oh and WEIGHT'S DOWN!  Official TOPS WI tomorrow...

✿ To Health, Fitness and Faith! ~ Dawn

How Life Changes!

my clothesline yesterday!
things have changed a bit here!

 Sorry I've been AWOL - been busy...life sure has changed!  We have become foster parents and are fostering our second placement.  I was thinking today that I am blessed to be doing my "dream job".  Not that I imagined this as a dream job years ago - I've always loved children - but I never thought that this would be in my future and yet God led us to it.  I know it won't always be wonderful and "dreamy", but it feels so good to be doing something that has implications for a little life!

Our first grandchild is due in less than a week too and that is so exciting!  THAT is something that I always dreamt about - being a grandma!  I always wanted to be young when I become a grandma so I'll be a 46yo grandma! :)  I hope to be an involved and helpful grandma too.



our livingroom "furniture" has
changed a bit too! lol

So don't fret if I'm not here as regularly as usual.  I hope to eventually get into a more regular routine -- but I am on track with my eating and my early morning walks with DD to the bus stop have ended, but they've been replaced with stroller walks!  Often to meet DD at the bus stop at the end of the day.  Weight is still hanging on at the same place.

Let me know how you're doing!  I hope to get around to do some blog-reading again soon!  If I don't "see" you all before Mother's Day - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to those who do mothering in some way - whether to your own children, or neighbour's children, family's children - or foster children!  I know that over the years I have really appreciated the women who were not related to my children, and some who didn't have any children of their own - yet they reached out and help me with my children.  (I like the way that the UK calls "Mother's Day" Mothering Sunday.)

✿ To Health, Fitness and Faith! ~ Dawn

(Ear) Drums and Disguises

Sorry for the lame title - got this mask at the doctor's yesterday, we were supposed to wear them in the office but we felt pretty odd...put them on for this photo (which I found out later, my phone still had the plastic over the camera lens, thus the lousy pic, LOL). 

LOTS has happened here since my last post.  It's official: we ARE foster parents, had our first experience and are waiting for another one.  I can't give details, as you know, but it was such a good experience - I know it's my niche to look after children in crisis. 

That being said, I developed a bad cold and on Monday evening, my ear was so painful.  It felt like if the eardrum just burst, life would be good again...and that's what it did.  I had it checked yesterday, since there was a discharge, and they said that it was perforated and now I'm on antibiotics to ensure no infection while it heals.  I can't hear from that ear :( except for a buzzing, and I have a hearing test scheduled for after I've completed the antibiotics.  This is my "bad" ear, the one that already doesn't have the greatest hearing - not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing (that it's affected that ear). 

My weight is up a bit today - I missed my official TOPS WI due to being sick, but TOM also arrived (day 59) so I should have a better WI next week.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?  HOW IS THE WEATHER WHERE YOU ARE?  We have a gorgeous, sunny day here today- and the forecast looks pretty springy (even though we had HAIL last night!). 

Have a GREAT weekend!  Any plans?

✿ To Health, Fitness and Faith! ~ Dawn

Switching Gears

First - I would like to offer my condolences to the victims and family/friends of those affected by the bombings at the Boston Marathon yesterday.  I cannot fathom someone being filled with such hatred to do such a thing.  I don't know what else to say.

~~~
I've been pondering what to do with this blog - not that I'd thought about taking it down, however, I haven't been inspiring weight-wise and soon (I hope) I won't have as much time to blog...I have come a conclusion:

(1) I will continue to blog
(2) However my blog focus will be as my title says: "My Journey of Health, Fitness and Faith"
(3) I will not be posting specific weigh-ins but rather my total lost.  This is important - if I can't get the weight off for a season, I will not let it become an excuse to gain it back.  I know my tendencies (to re-gain) and I will strive for health rather than a number on the scale.  However, I have lost 20+ lbs. and stayed there - I will NOT gain that 20 lbs. back. I full realize the dangers!

(4) Since my time will be somewhat limited - I will post at least once per week.  If able, I will post twice, as I have done here over the years. 

(5) I will continue with my weekly accountability WIs at my TOPS Club.

My pedometer stats for this month - I'm getting back into the groove again:

✿ A Healthier Me! ~ Dawn

Yoga Pants and Ice

I'm here, I'm here! Wow, it's been a busy week and I've been trying to get her to catch up ... anyway, no baby yet, although everything is all official - wallet I.D. cards and all.  Waiting, waiting... Life will change very soon, I'm sure!



WHAT DO YOU WEAR WHILE EXERCISING? (hope you enjoy Tim Hawkins "Yoga Pants" song!) I wear yoga pants - but nothing fancy like Lulu or whatever.  Mine are Costco. haha I do not wear them all day though ... hmmm, wonder if they DO have some secret power? ... :)


maple buds encased in ice

I missed most of my walks this week.  Various reasons - mostly lousy sleep.  Thursday night's sleep was just AWFUL.  We had an ice storm come through - ice storm and WIND.  Ohlala.  All we heard all night was cracking tree limbs, wind and then BAM! as tree limbs came down over and over.  We live in a very treed area with a forest beside us.  Our yard is still a mess, thankfully just small-ish limbs are down, but when they were frozen, they were so heavy.  Here are some pics:

My weight?  I don't know.  I've been hovering over the same numbers still.  TOM is around day 46 now again (last time it arrived on day 56 I think).  Peri-menopause for sure.  So my goal has been to not gain.  For me right now, THAT is progress.  I know it isn't inspiring, but that's my body and life right now. 

Due to the ice storm, I totally missed my official TOPS WI.  I didn't even WI at home - didn't think of it. We had a power failure from 2:30 in the morning on Friday until after 9 am - then off and on for a while, then everything worked again.  Ended up having a neighbour over for some coffee (gas stove) - she's recovering from surgery and was sitting in a cold house with no power.  DD was home so the three of us visited over a hot cup of coffee - with candles for light.

✿ A Healthier Me! ~ Dawn