By Request...The Weight Room

Adam and I walked down the stairs and entered the dreaded "weight room." There were several men there working out. Not a surprise as it was a Saturday morning. I told Adam that I didn't want to bulk up I just wanted to be strong and toned. My main concerns being arm strength and abdominal strength...especially abs strength as I currently have next to none. He proceeded to take me around the room introducing me to the machines. "This one will work your upper arms and pecks, and when you use it be sure to engage your abs, and release slowly..." well, anyway, you get the picture. We then went over to a machine that has a long bar on which there are several handles for different styles of pull ups. Adam tested it out... though I think he really just wanted to show me his muscles and man strength, he might have also been showing off his height because I required the top step of the stool nearby to reach them. So, I think many girls out there know my plight when facing a pull-up, it's nearly an impossible task (for me it is currently IMPOSSIBLE). While I hung there embarrassing myself a strong looking, well versed in the weight room, black man walked over and said "You shouldn't use that one, go over there and use the chin-up machine." Adam agreed and we went over to it. It looks kind of like this:

Essentially this machine somehow through physics (weights and pulleys I think) makes it easier to do a chin-up (pull-up) or a dip-down. Adam helped me adjust the weights so that the machine would be taking off 85 lbs from my weight while doing pull-ups. I climbed up the steps, carefully stepped onto the foot rests, and began the easiest pull-ups of my life. While the machine made up the difference for the lack of strength in my arms I had a profound thought (to me anyway) that THIS was the atonement. The atonement is the machine that makes it possible for us weak and imperfect humans to rise. While the pull-ups I did were easier with the assistance they were still challenging. But possible. Where before, with out that machine they were not, and would not have been possible for a long, long time, and only after a lot of work. That is the beauty of the atonement in a nutshell. Making something impossible (or nearly so) possible. It was beautiful, there in the weight room, the sweaty, stinky, intimidating weight room. I'm grateful for Adam my husband/weight room instructor and the black man for helping me have such a beautiful moment.

But my deepest and most sincere gratitude is for my savior, Jesus Christ, the only one that can truly make up the difference.

The Y

So, remember a while back when I said I was going to join a gym? Well I did. The YMCA to be precise. When A. and I were considering what gym I should join we were hesitant to chose the Y because it seemed like a very expensive option. We came to the conclusion that for a membership that includes childcare and as many classes as I care to participate in (with no added charge) it was the best deal.

It is now my third month with a membership. I have to say that I am in love (who knew that an hour to myself, for myself, could make such a difference). I was nervous to leave J. for an hour with people I don't know well, and have to trust that he would be okay...thankfully they screen their childcare workers and they are all trained, otherwise this trust thing would have been an impossibility. The days that I go to the Y are marked by a better mood. It's trackable. A. will come home from work now and if I'm a grump his first question is "did you go to the gym today?" Ninety percent of the time the answer will be "rude...but no, I didn't" (there are those days that even an hour at the gym can't compensate for). It is unnecessary to say that A. is very encouraging of my Y excursions, but there, I've said it anyway. The other day A. even came with me and gave me a tour of the weight room... but that is another story for another time.

Some people I love came to visit us. I'm very grateful that they took time away from their various schedules to come for a visit and to babysit! Thank you <3

My Loves

A post from this old piece-o-poo is in my opinion, long overdue. I sit here by my lonesome after a long long day of work while my sweetie is out with a friend, and think to myself how very blessed I am...

My Bride

Katie, I love you. The last four years have blown by in what seems to have been an extended honeymoon. Ironic though, because within this honeymoon of sorts, we have managed to graduate college together whilst living at five different addresses, having a baby, and buy a house, all while having fun and growing along the way. I appreciate you so much and am more amazed by you everyday. I hope I can do right by you sweetie.

So much I could say, but all I can manage in this moment is, you are the reason I wake up in the morning, and the air I breathe.

You have bewitched me body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you...

-J-

What can I say, you are my son and I love you as well. Not like I love mommy, but I love you nonetheless. You are a wonderful son and you amaze me with how much you are learning. I love when you are sweet to mommy and I, but you can sometimes be very naughty. I am amazed that your mama can not only watch over you all day long, but can also manage to do four loads of laundry, read, and draw, all within a day... you drive me crazy after 40 minutes. It seems as though every single day you grow bigger in mind and body, and though sometimes I wish it go faster, time itself will no doubt seem to have slipped through your mother and I's fingers in no time at all. I love you buddy.

April 28, 2007

Four years ago today we held hands and took the greatest leap. I trust you, Adam, and I love you.

Yes, it is a children's book. Yes, I am turning 25 next month, your point? If it's a good book it's a good book no matter what the target audience. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane" (by: Kate DeCamillo) and heartily recommend it for all ages. It harks back to the childhood favorite "The Velveteen Rabbit" but in my humble opinion it elevates the story by quite a bit. So, it was not a surprise for the story to begin with a rabbit, but not a velvet rabbit, a rabbit made of china (a far more rigid and breakable substance) whose name is Edward.

Edward's journey takes him many places but the truly miraculous part of the journey is the change that occurs in Edward's heart. I felt a kinship with Edward's attitudes towards love. I believe I have felt, most, if not all of the emotions he experiences on his journey. I think it would be safe to assume that most people will have felt at least a few of them. Truly great books will do that, they will have something that can be related to, which helps the reader connect to the characters, to the story, and ultimately to whatever gem of truth (or truths) found therein. Like Edward I finished the book with the feeling that love is something I will always hope for. Really, who couldn't use more love in their heart? Read it. I do not think it will disappoint.

Disappointed

So my next post was going to be about a watercolor workshop I signed up for.

I just got my new watercolor pad last night! Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.

To my very great disappointment I just received an email...

Watercolor Workshop CANCELLED.

At least I get my money back.

Sigh.

Ignorance may be blissful but...

I have not had access to a bathroom scale for quite some time now... Some of you already know what happened to me the last time I was without one but I feel like telling the story again so skim it if you've heard it enough for your liking.

I was sent to Italy in late spring of 2005. I turned 19 while I was there. I left alone and was there for two weeks with my zia Nella. I had very little to do. The family wouldn't let me go out on my own, I couldn't speak Italian, and the family was busy most of the day so I sat at home in the room I'd taken over from my cousin Nicola. When I wasn't in that room reading or working on an assignment from my dad I was in the kitchen with zia. She fed me a great deal of delicious food for those two weeks (a GREAT deal). Two weeks passed and I was joined by my dad and we went touring around but the damage had been done. A month and half later I returned home to our bathroom scale that wasn't in metrics but far too familiar pounds, and discovered that I had gained 12 pounds. Yes, 12 pounds in a month and a half.

It is true that while ignorant one can remain blissful but once the ignorance is gone I think most people wish that either they had remained ignorant forever or had never been allowed that ignorance in the first place.

So we welcomed to our family a lovely dinosaur of a scale that won my heart at first glance. And here she is.

Yes, I may have to reset the scale to zero after use but she appears to work very well. And was cheaper than a new one! Ignorance be gone!!