Hernia=OUCH

What was I thinking? I have 8 puncture wounds in my belly. No wonder I put this off for so long. On the flip side. I read and made some notes for my classroom notebook project! Since I can't move much, at least I can be productive. I got 15 punctures in my leg for the veins...they hurt less. In a couple of weeks I should be good to go!

The Summer of Repair

My goal this summer is to get the things on my body fixed that are fixable. I'm working on my varicose veins. UGH...Below is a "before" picture taken several years ago. It's obvious which leg is affected. Now that I've lost the weight, I've been working on getting them removed. The weight loss has make them protrude even more.

The process in expensive and very painful. This picture is the after effects of the larger vein on the top of the back of my thigh. It looks way better now! But took a long time for the bruisig to go away. I recently had the veins removed from my calf and I'm not happy at all with the rusults. I go in today for another treatment and in a couple weeks will post the "after " results. 

Tomorrow I go in to have my herniated belly button fixed. I've had this for 17 years- since the birth of my big baby- Parker! I'm so dreading it. But it's the summer of repair and time to get it fixed and move on! 

Patience

Bring on Summer!!! 

Yeah...that's Parker jumping off the trampoline and into the pool. I know...not too safe...but it's summer after all!!

Which brings me to the topic of this post. I like walking in the morning. I like starting the day on a productive note and having the walk give me the energy to do something productive. In the past summer was getting up slowly..drinking coffee...getting on the computer...getting back in bed..etc. 


I so want to be more alive and active! So far I am. It's amazing being part of a lifestyle change. I think I'm slowly morphing into something new, different, and better. As I walked this morning I tried to think about having patience. Walking Jack is what got me active, but he never used to smell everything like he does now. He's more comfortable with the walk and wants to check things out and I'm ready to go fast fast fast. I've got to have patience. 


Just like with a lifestyle change. It must come slowly. It must be a constant change though. It must not happen occasionally, but constantly. For instance, I've learned that I can't just eat well 5 days a week and expect any weight loss. It's got to be 7 days of being on target. I can't walk a couple days a week. It's got to be constant. It takes patience to see results, but when you do...it's worth it. As they say...patience is a virtue..and virtue won't hurt you! 

Hoppy Easter and Goals

Happy Easter 

Sundays I like to reflect on the week and think what I might do better the following week.  This past week was wrecked with my headaches. Lately they have been coming on at about noon and they are intense. I get a prescription for 9 pills and it's usually plenty. This month I'm down to five and I still have two weeks to go. I don't like getting so low. Eating was terrible. Well, actually it was terrible three of the four days.I've got to be more consistent. If I'm only consistent part of the time, it won't make a difference. I need to be consistent each day for WW to work. I walked ONLY 12 miles, a record low. I did mountain bike on Saturday which translate to 2 hours of biking, but I have no idea how many miles. 

It's that simple. I think. Ha. Well new week better results! 

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

 I LOVE SPRING....yeah it's pretty much my favorite season beside summer. I think spring means I've made it through another year. I measure my years on school years not calendar years. LOL 

Here are some favorite views I am privileged to see every day!!! Happy Spring~ 

Texas Red Bud

 Yeah, even Parker!! 

My Molly

Cedar Oak 

 Twisted and Tangled 

Balance

I need balance. How do people do it all and make it look so easy? I feel like when I'm teaching I use so much mental energy in my job. Physical too. There is no down time except for lunch and even then it's a rush to eat and relax. Then I get home and its time to exercise, then eat, feed everyone....maybe an hour of free time. That's why I don't blog. That's ok...hopefully with the time change I can slow down a bit and have day light.  Which brings me to this topic= health. I want to be as healthy as I can. I want to continue to improve myself and my life. I want it to reflect it in my writing. I want to find balance in this life I call my own! 

How do people drink these things- Green Monsters. Blech. I don't have the knack for making delicious healthy stuff -that is for sure. 

Spring Break!

I've really dropped the bucket with my picture a day and blog. Work got the best of me. It's draining to say the least- mentally that is. But it's spring break and I have a week off! I can find myself again which is always nice.

Parker is in Colorado with his cousin and her husband. He's having a good time. It's his first time away from us - where he's the one gone. He's doing ok and not homesick. I miss him, but it's been a nice break and a taste of how it will be when he is gone for good. I love hearing his stories of what happened that day. 

I hope he hasn't been a huge hassle for them. I guess we'll find out if any manners he's been taught have emerged! 

I am still on board with my weight loss! To date I've lost 45 lbs. I may have gained some back this week- Hubby and I over did the eating out this weekend. What was I thinking? I also have been doing boredom eating...that is the worst. I think I've got control over it now...and it's already Thursday! Ha I've really walked  and worked out and that is awesome. 

I've been walking 3-4 miles daily. With the time change I'm adding in bike riding. I plan to start doing push ups and sit-ups. Good old fashioned stuff that works. I also want to concentrate on eating at home more on the weekends. Eating out has gotten so routine. Time to find something else to entertain us!! 

If I want to loose these last 40 lbs I've really got to focus on healthy eating and beef up the exercise.

Today

Today is Sunday. I'm on the computer reading blogs, drinking coffee and thinking about what I'm going to do with the last day off. All I seem to think about is my free time. What will I do with "MY" free time. I 
hate that.!!  I have never liked working regular hours, however when I was in my 20's working odd jobs I dreamed of regular hours. I'm never going to be satisfied I guess. So I need a mind change. I need to get back to my One Day at a Time mind set and just worry about the day and not the week ahead. With that said I think I should plan out today. Church? No..that's another story. 
I am going to walk this morning.  A Melva Walk. I'll go when Hubby takes Jack. Then I'll come home and clean up and get laundry sorted and started. I need to go to Target. After that....I am dying to go on the bike trails. I'll go if its warm. If not, the day is open. yee haw

What a Cold Week

This week was so unusual. On Monday it was warm and in the 70's.  On Wednesday the high was 22 degrees and by Friday we had ice on the roads and a beautiful sprinkling of snow! The bonus is that it was a SNOW DAY for us South Texans. 

February 4th, 2011

I also have been so unmotivated to walk and eat right. In fact, I've been eating terrible. Why? I keep asking myself why. I think I'm anxious and bored.  For three days I didn't walk because it was below 25 degrees, but you didn't see me on the treadmill. Well this next week it's back to business. I can hardly wait for spring!! 

Beautiful Gems

I like teaching. It's rewarding, frustrating, fulfilling, and challenging. My latest struggles involve my pre-AP students and getting them to be more focused and serious. It's a typical challenge to have. I'm working on things to make me adapt to the changing clientele at our school- that is more students are coming in less prepared and less serious. Still smart, just not a good work ethic. They need guidance and more help at home.


The other class I teach is regular English in the Academy. It's for 9th graders who are failing two or more classes badly. We bring them out to a remote part of campus, take away the social aspect of their day and get them back on track. It's like bootcamp with loving, but strict teachers.  As with any school initiative I've been involved in, the first year  is fabulous because the focus is on the students and program. After that first year it kind of gets pushed aside. And you are left doing the work with less help ( all the help promised goes away)  I'm feeling that now. But I still am working hard with these kids. Take David for example. He is a strange child. He looks Hispanic, yet has a Polish last name. He whispers and walks funny. I can't read his writing. He is easily looked over.


 I started getting to know him when I couldn't read his writing and asked him to read it to me. For being in special ed and having a learning ability the kid is smart. He listens, is a good reader and is right on. Once I saw he was motivated I worked with him with getting his thoughts in order and saying what  he really meant and of course getting him to slow down so someone could read his writing. 


Every day I try to connect with my students. I make a special effort of ask how they are and continue our conversation for the day before. David and I talked daily. He went from being a doodler on paper to a serious writer. He even asked me to read a poem he wrote.  One day I asked him why he had two stuffed backpacks and he replied simply smiling, "I got kicked out of the house." I said really and he nodded. I asked jokingly where he slept and again smiling, he replies, "In a ditch." So we get him to a counselor and contact his parents which of course isn't always really helpful. But sure enough he was kicked out, but they were working on resolving the problem. 


Yesterday he was gone and when I mentioned it to my coworker, he laughs and said oh we didn't tell you...he got caught with a knife, a couple in fact....He showed me a picture of the knife. Scary.  David is in jail and I'm stunned. He'll be in alternative school for a long time. 


This is the second kid to be arrested in two weeks. The other was for drugs. A third kid was high and was caught - all these kids I had invested time and energy in. I had hope for them. 
This scene plays out over and over in my life. So many kids are right there...on the verge of becoming connected to school...... So many times I work so hard and have a break through just to have it thrown away. 


I want to blame parents. If they spent the time I spend with their kids they would know what beautiful Gems they have and how they are letting them go to waste.