Almost a month later...

Almost a month later since my last post, wow. I still haven't found my camera so I don't have any new pictures although there were opportunities that I wish I would have captured.

The kids saw a garter snake and we watched it for a while. I joined a gym and the kids have karate lessons through the gym now and yesterday was their first day. It was fun watching them trying to mimic the other kids, because it is a drop-in program they have to be there consistently before being considered there for the karate lessons. They both enjoyed it and I got my 1 hour workout in while they were punching and kicking in another room.



I'm working out. The gym wants you to hire one of their trainers so they give you two free sessions and I did two consecutive days of working out with my torture-trainer. He pushed me and I was sore, barely able to walk due to the pain shooting through my legs the day after but two days later I went back after the soreness had subsided. I've been working out on my own and I finally found a book to help understand and navigate through a workout. It's called Strength Training by Lee E. Brown, published by the National Strength & Conditioning Association. While it doesn't cover aerobics or cardio, it covers the area I feel I need the most help (the area where I feel I need a personal trainer but cannot afford one)- strength training.

I'm doing 5-10 minutes on the treadmill to warm-up, next, floor exercises with a 15 lb. weight bar (deadlifts, squats, lunges) and the stability ball with 5 lb. dumbells (crunches, lifts) then working on the various weight machines for 12-15 reps each before finishing my workout with 10-20 minutes of cardio. I switch up my ending cardio with the elliptical machine, cycling, and treadmill. I hilariously tried the stair-stepper yesterday but gave up after 4 minutes and went to the cycle. I can't say I'm 100% comfortable doing my floor exercises in front of everyone in the co-ed area, but I push myself to do it because I will not allow my lack of self-confidence to undermine my workout.

Today I'm going to try a butt/ab class in the women's area of the gym. I would never have thought that I would LOVE going to the gym or pushing myself physically in this way. It's so much different than exercising at home, you have people all around doing the same things you're doing. You have a purpose for being there and motivation is all around you as well as people who are where you are and those who are where you want to be. I'm feeling great, I'm finally doing something just for me- taking care of myself. Best of all, I'm feeling stronger- in all areas.

In the last few months I have lost 30 lbs. and went from wearing plus sizes to misses all without exercise, just watching what I'm eating and being in a highly stressful stage of my life. I guess you could count moving as exercise, especially with all our books! I've gone from a 18 Women's size (which is plus size) from December to a 14 Misses now. I can now pass by Lane Bryant or breeze right by the Women's section of any department store KNOWING that those clothes are too big for me. I never thought I would put this on our blog, I've never really posted pictures of myself or mentioned anything about my own body before. Life is better for me.

Camille is preparing for her standardized testing at the end of May, Danny is improving as well. I'm working about 37 hours a week right now and everyday life is hectic. It's very hard to work a varied schedule each week - if it weren't for my parents, I'd be a mess right now. They've been so helpful, especially my mom. I work 8-4 one day and then 3-10 the next and the schedule hasn't regulated yet. So on top of everything else, I'm looking for a new job. One that is more stable, 9-5 with benefits and decent pay. I've put out 12 resumes in the last week and I have an interview tomorrow for one. It has been a bit taxing on my mom having the kids while I'm at work. She's not used to it and the kids are still young. While she's adjusted to them, we will not live here forever and I don't want to put my parents in the position of having the kids all the time. It is a delicate balance for everyone and more times than not- it tilts. I don't have a social life right now other than going to the gym, I have met another homeschooling mom but we haven't gotten together very often.

All that can wait. I have high goals for myself (and the kids) for the time being and we're just getting used to our new life. I will be debt-free by the end of this year, or at least by the beginning of 2010. I don't want Murphy to come to visit although I know he will at some point. (Murphy's Law) Once I am debt-free and able to afford a place of our own I will move out of my parents' house- whether it be renting or buying a house is still to be determined. The future is so wide open right now, it's scary and exciting all at once. If we rent, I want to be able to save money for a down-payment on a house but someplace safe and kid-friendly.

The kids will be attending a classical academy (private school) in the fall, I will have a stable 9-5 job and hopefully things will just tick, tick, tick along into place. God has blessed us so much lately, I cannot express how grateful I am for His grace. We haven't been able to go to church because of my current varied work schedule but I think I've found one that we'll try when we get a chance.

Life is good, still stressful but good.

Hanging in There

A complete life change takes some getting used to, we're still working on developing routines and I'm in my first week of work at a new job. A lot of changes happening. I lost my digital camera in the move so I'll be without pictures for a little bit until either I find it or get a new one.

Settled?

Whirlwind.

We're 95% settled in, most of our belongings is in storage which I can access easily but it's strange living without the bulk of items we're used to having around us. I think the hardest thing so far is being a daughter and a mother all at the same time. As a daughter, I know what my parents' expectations are as far as behavior and what their habits are but as a mother, I know what the kids want and expect as well. We're all in transition.

Danny was attending a Montessori preschool in Georgia but there's only 5 weeks left of the school year. I could enroll him but it would be just temporary. I have found a school for both the kids, a private one, for next Fall. This is great news because I was worried about sending the kids to public school, Camille would change the most due to the influence of other kids but this private school is small and the days are short, 8:00 to 1:00. It is probably the closest academic structured school to what we were already doing at home that I'll find, especially for the cost. I'm going to look to see what other options are out there before I decide but I think we have a winner already.

Camille is working on preparing for the standardized test that she'll have in May, she's happy to be doing schoolwork again.

I will start my new job Sunday. Being at home with my mom all day is nice but I welcome another purpose to my day. I've been super busy unpacking, organizing, doing errands but once we're completely settled I know I'd go stir-crazy. I've had to remind myself numerous times that we're all in transition and everything going smoothly is not the norm. Things have been going pretty well considering all the changes we've gone through.

The kids have friends to play with across the street, my parents live in a cul-de-sac so the kids can freely ride their bikes in a safe environment without the constant danger of traffic, only the few residents drive down our street and they are aware of the kids playing. There is a huge, gigantic playground just 15 minutes away. I don't know the kid in this picture but the playground is shown somewhat.


So far everything is going well, as we get into new routines things will settle more. The kids are happy but adjusting and I've been too busy to really think about it all other than to thank our daily blessings that God has provided. I'm full of hope again for the future which has been sorely missed.