One Week Down!

It's been a week since both my Dudes started school. Littlest Dude joined Little Dude this year. So I official have no one at home with me anymore...It's a bittersweet feeling. I love having my babies with me, but the break is nice. On Wednesday, I woke up and almost told my husband I need to get up and take Lil Dude to school then me and Li'lest Dude will run errands today...my heart sunk...and after Big Dude left I cried for about 20 minutes. I can TOTALLY see why mom's get pregnant again when the kids go off to school. You really feel something missing. I have had someone attached me for 8.5 years. We had children so quick in our marriage, I have never know my marriage without me pregnant or without a little one following me.

I guess the verdict is still out about having both my kids in school. I have been making myself crazy busy so I don't have much time to think about it...*sigh*

A Stone of Rememberance...

About 16 months ago I found out the school I was working for would not return after the 08-09 school year. My first thought was to look for another job. There was no way I was going to take on a task I was being asked to do. There are a few things I dislike...Sadness, Sorrow, and Grief...In my heart I knew I would experience all these emotions as the season of my school was coming to an end. I almost quit twice. I was offered a job last summer, but decided not to take it because it would take me away from my family too much. I turned that one down. Then again at Christmas I had another job opportunity and this one again was too time consuming and would rob me of my first calling...my family.

As the school was approaching the end I hadn't found a job. I believed God was calling me to be with my family for a season of rest. At first I wasn't happy with that scenario. I have always been a full time mom, but I have always done something on the side to keep me balanced. Sometimes we Mommies forget about the Me in Mommy. Once my attitude changed I was excited and happy about being home with no other responsibilities. But I still had that desire for something...

I am a teacher at heart...I LOVE children...and I LOVE TO TEACH!! Everything about education is my passion.

When it appeared I wouldn't be teaching in the fall, I decided to go back to school to master my second language...Spanish. My second passion is my heritage...I love being Puerto Rican. We Latinos are full of passion and that is absolutely me!! I had found a school to go to and was in the process of filling out the application to the college. Then one night I couldn't sleep....

I was surfing the web and came across a job posting for a Private School Part Time Kindergarten Teacher in the town where I live. I was little surprised. I was a director of a preschool and I couldn't think of which school this was. Was I in for a shock when I contacted the Director for information about the position.

Within one week I applied for the job, went for the interview and got the job. What makes this job such a God thing is...

1. I will teach English Kindergarten on Tuesdays and Thursdays...This has been the work schedule I have had for the last 4 years.

2. The hours are the same I have had the last 4 years.

3. I will teach at a Spanish Immersion Private School. I will be surrounded by Spanish Speaking Teachers who have committed to help me in my endeavors to master Spanish.

4. God told me to pray big in regards to my salary...He gave me more than I asked for.

5. God knew the desires of my heart...and gave me it all wrapped up in one beautiful bundle!!


When I finished this past school year I challenged my Staff with the scripture below...I will never forget where I came from...and am so excited to what lies ahead!!!

Joshua 4:4-7
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."

It's all in your mind....

Often people say "It's All in Your Mind when one is paranoid or suspicious. One thing I have learned lately is my desire to get back in shape has been such a mind set.

For example...When I am on the Step Master and am doing Intervals, the last few seconds of the intervals is toughest part and always the most difficult. Yet, the other day when a friend and I were exercising we went a full 40 minutes and it was hard, but it was so much easier when you have someone who walks/sweats beside you.

I have added a few aerobic classes. 60 minutes of a cardio class... doing something you find fun will make the 60 minutes fly..It's still tough, but at least I am having fun while doing it.

What have I learned this week: I have noticed a decrease in my appetite.
Yeah for me!! I put on my bikini...verdict...not bad!!! I might actually wear it in public again...this summer!!!

Tonight...Hip Hop...better get my grove on for this class...

so I cheated...just a little...

Yes, I cheated...I weighed myself before September. Yeah, that is some stupid to fret over. But after 3 weeks I haven't lost a pound not a single one...this is why I hate to weigh myself. At least in the early stages of my workout days. I just don't seem to lose weight in the the beginning. The last time I was training I didn't lose any weight but gained 10 pounds in muscle. So I transferred fat for muscle. Not my first choice in getting fit again, so I am hoping this doesn't happen this time.

I worked out 6 days in a row last week. I wanted to go in for day 7 but didn't want to jinks myself and re injure my knee. I did a dance class that I thought for sure would cause some knee pain, but it didn't. I have been surprised that I have been sore at all this last week.

I had a whole bunch of things I wanted to write about for this post but can't remember what I was going to say.

A big plus for me. On Saturday, I did 60 minutes of Cardio. Yeah for me!!! It's been probably 2 years since I did a 60 minute cardio class. I always looked for classes that were no longer than 40 minutes. I was such a dork for doing that...no wonder I gain 25 pounds and got out of shape!!

I do realize how do-able my goals are to attain. I look around at other people who have so much more to struggle with when it comes to their weight, I am thankful it didn't get there.

Confession- Ugh...I hate this part...but one of the changes my have noticed is...my tummy isn't noisy any more. I use to hear and feel all that rumbling going on...not so...

I am looking forward to going to the gym this afternoon. Another positive...my attitude is changing!!!

Random thoughts about Exercising

For almost four weeks I have been an a journey to rediscover the athlete in me. Over the last two years I have acquired some extra baggage in the amount of 25lbs. Before that I was no size 4, but I was healthy, fit and worked out faithfully. My physical health was a top priority in my life. Life happens, I got busy and I forgot about me.I found myself with health problems I never experienced before. One was a sprained knee that took 3 months and 3 doctor's to determine what my problem was. Diagnose: Traumatized Sciatic Nerve causing Knee Pain...Physical Therapy 3x's a week for 4 weeks. After meeting my wonderful Physical Therapist and he explained what was going on I was in shock. First that my Sciatica could cause these problems and second...the exercise he had me doing were the stretching exercises I faithful would do all the years of my teaching aerobics and personal training...When I went home I was anger with myself for being so careless with my body and just that plain fact I was lazy...

The next visit to the Physical Therapist included 10 minutes on the bike to warm up...I broke out into a sweat with in 3 minutes...so again I was anger, frustrated and ashame...This lead me to committee to myself to be healthy and fit again. I faithfully followed my Physical Therapist instructions and within 4 visits I could tell a difference and within two weeks I felt like my knee was back to normal. Also the prayers of my family and friends contributed to the healing. Last week I discharged from the Physical Therapy and I go back to the Orthopedist for a follow up today.

The reason I am blogging about this experience is for me to 1. Be accountable 2. Be honest 3. Hopefully encourage someone out there to love themselves enough to be healthy...

I am not quite ready to post my weight yet...that is where my shame comes in...but I will...maybe... probably... when I start to see a difference in my body. I will be honest about the changes I have seen my body go through from the bad to the good.

After gaining the weight I struggled with IBS. It was so painful that couldn't go to the bathroom with out crying. With IBS(www.mayoclinic.com/.../irritable-bowel-syndrome/DS00106) comes a host of other problems.

First positive I have noticed is my bloated evening tummy pretty much gone. In the evening I would always make sure my stomach was covered so I would not have to look at it...I don't think I have lost any weight yet(I am not going to weigh myself at least till September.) but I just feel better.

I have a long journey ahead of me, but I am glad I am going in the right direction...Yeah Me!!

Date Tracker

Dates are significant to me. I think that is part of the reason I am such a History buff. The reason I am a Date Tracker is because I see dates as a milestone. I look back at an "Anniversary" to see where I was, to where I am now. This week I will celebrate 9 years of marriage. I look back to where I was 9 years ago, and I couldn't be more different 9 years later, and I couldn't be more happy with who I am.

9 years ago...
I was 25 and really didn't know much about life...now NOTHING surprises me about life.

I lived and breathed church life...now I just live life.

I thought I knew all about serving God...now I have a relationship with Him with no strings attached.

I was in the best shape of my life and the perfect size 4...now I am no longer a size 4 but much more comfortable in my own skin.

I was afraid of what I didn't know or understand and it lead me to be very judgemental...now I could careless...most of the time!! I have enough to do taking care of me and my family!

I had a list of things I thought I needed to do before I got married and I did them all...now that "List" doesn't matter anymore.


"What is life but a vapor...here one moment then gone the next.."

Out of the Mouth of Babes

My youngest son is a constant source of humor in our family. He his ability to think, reason, and understand is beyond his physical age. The following is an example of a typical conversation with this little guy. Who to the cyperworld is know as "Littlest Dude".

The Dinner Table Tuesday Evening

Mommy: "You are not going outside to swim until you eat your dinner."

Littlest Dude: "But I don't like Chicken Stir Fry."

Mommy: "Chicken is your favorite thing to eat."

Littlest Dude: "Not any more!"

Mommy: "Why??!!!"

Littlest Dude: "Because I am a vegetarian!"

Did I mention he is 5...