A Touch of Keeping It Real

There is so much floating around inside this little head of mine. So let me give you the basics before I start on today's randomness. I'm very tired today {was at the office until late last night, so I didn't get to bed until close to midnight}. Nehemiah is fabulous and has started sleeping in his room again a few nights out of the week. This is not a battle that I have the energy to fight every night.
I'm tired ladies and gentlemen, so I have to do what I have to do to get some rest.
                                                  
Now, onto the randomness. Some of my favorite blogs are those written by individuals who are brutally honest in bearing their souls. So I've decided to try to be one of those bloggers. Get your seatbelts on and buckle up cause I can't promise that the things that are about to come out of my mouth will be tasteful…

First: I made a conscious decision about what my life needs and doesn't need right now. With that said, I decided to call it quits with the man friend. Yes, I did just post that he and I were official, but official isn't what I need. I need stability and reliability, both of which I was not receiving. I'm no longer the girl who sticks around for the sake of being in a relationship. I'm now the woman who owns her needs and wants.

Does this mean I'm heartbroken? Nope, not even close {really, I'm fine}. Will I take what I've learned from this experience and move on? Of course. Have I thrown in the towel on dating and falling in love? Not even close. Do I still want to be married anytime soon? Um, no. I realized this little lady is nowhere near ready to head down the aisle, unless of course I'm rockin' out a fabulous bride's maid dress for one of my besties.

Second: I weighed myself at the gym Wednesday night and I have lost 8 pounds! I probably gained it all back yesterday when I ate those 4 chocolate chip cookies at the office. Anyway, I feel fab and I'm not looking too bad now a days either! I promise I will put pics up soon. My tummy is shrinking and I love it.

I'm so proud of myself because by no means is this journey easy. I'm devoted to getting my workouts in and I have cut so much junk out of my diet. School starts again next Wednesday, so I'm thinking I will be hitting the gym at 5am. I mean business about reaching my goal weight and maintaining it. I don't deny myself any food and this helps me so much. I'm more cautious of calories because I see how long it takes to burn a good amount of them while I'm on the treadmill.

I have also been avoiding Mc*onalds. I will eat there on a rare occasion and I order a happy meal. It's still junk, but not as many calories as the yummy Big Mac. My bestie Sam {who hits the gym with me} teases me that I have turned into a rabbit because I eat so much lettuce. I do eat other stuff too, but I eat a ton of veggies and fruit. I'm a bit concerned that I may not be getting enough protein because I don't eat much meat.  What's your thoughts on this one?

Third: If you haven't gone out and purchased the Black Eyed Peas E.N.D CD, you have no idea what you're missing! I absolutely love this CD. I have even managed to turn my mom into a Black Eyed Peas fan!

Fourth: I'm starting to feel a little undone. My plate is full, and I'm worried that some things will start spilling over the edges soon. I need to cut back on some things, but I'm not sure what I can remove. I have no downtime {which is why the laundry basket of clean laundry has been on the landing for about 2 weeks} and I'm desperate for some. Help!

Fifth: I think I'm starting to overcompensate on some things when it comes to Nehemiah. I don't get to spend enough time with him during the week, so I've been a little lax on a few particulars. Yes, this is the real reason I haven't forced the sleep-in-your-own-room issue. I know he misses me, so is it so wrong to let him snuggle up with me at night?  Think long and hard about this one before you answer.

I've also been lax on the discipline issue. Before you scream at me, hear me out. When there is a major issue it is addressed, end of question. It's the smaller ones I let slide. You know, the ones like oh say cleaning up the toys. I realized this is a big issue in our house after I asked Nehemiah to pick up his toys and he said, and I quote: "If you want the toys picked up then you do it yourself!" Yikes! Yes, Nehemiah is spoiled in a sense {he is an only remember}, but I don't want to have a bratty kid. Where is the line between cop and push over?

Sixth: Tomorrow is my oldest sister's birthday, and Sunday is my mom's and my niece's birthday so we will be having a ton of fun this weekend. The weather is going to be very nice too and I can't wait to enjoy it.
So that's all I wanted to share. A little personal, but nothing you couldn't  handle right? You now have permission to take off your seatbelts.

Have a fabulous weekend the Thinkpink247 way!

A Brief Update

Another week has gone by, and I finally found a few minutes to post! Eeek! This crazy busy life of mine is all I know, so I don't have much choice but to make it work. The Fibromyalgia has not been giving me much trouble, and I am not complaining. I have noticed that it's taking me much longer to fall asleep at night, and I'm having an awful time getting up in the morning {nothing new here}.
I am still trying to hit the gym at least five days a week, and I'm starting to see some results. I was going through workout withdrawal when I was ill last week, and it was a bit challenging to get back into the routine. On Monday I signed up for a 15 minute abs class that meets twice a week. How much damage can you do in 15 minutes right? Apparently the answer to that is a lot. I am still super sore from Monday's class, so I have no idea how I am going to survive tonight! I'm determined to stay with this class, so we'll see how it goes.
Nehemiah is doing well of course. He loves to dance, and he informed me last night that he is the newest member of the Jabbawockeez! I am considering signing him up for a hip hop dance class. Nehemiah has a ton of rhythm, and he can watch people dance then imitate the move. He is determined to break dance, and is highly upset that I won't let him try!
The last bit of news; my final grade for Sociology was actually a 99.2%. Way to go me! Who would have thought that studying actually works J
Happy Wednesday.

And It Goes A Little Something Like This…

I apologize for being such a poor blogger lately. Time management is extremely difficult, and I don't have any down time at work anymore. Nehemiah and I are doing well {minus the strep throat I have}. The Fibromyalgia has been flaring up, which is due to the ample amount of stress I'm dealing with. The major source of the problem is work, so there's not much I can do in that department. Good things come to those who wait, so I'm trying to be patient with all the changes we're going through at the office.
Nehemiah is doing well. I can't get over how fast he is growing! He just keeps growing taller and taller, and he's so smart. Sometimes I'm taking back by his ability to reason. You can't pull anything over on him because he doesn't miss a thing. He has been a little mouthy, so it seems that I'm constantly correcting him. Tantrums are less frequent {thank you Jesus}, but are still intense when they happen.
For those of you who follow me on Face*ook this is not new news; the man friend and I are officially together. Yep, I'm in a relationship. So far, everything is good. I'm so not used to be complimented and supported. He's so wonderful, and my family and friends all seem to think that this is it: meaning that he's The One. I don't think we're far enough into the relationship to make that determination just yet, so I'm just taking each day as they come.
The most exciting news that I have to share is my besties and I will be getting together once a month for a Fabulous Friday. Mary, Sam, Jen, and I have been best friends since first grade! Growing up we all lived by each other. As children we fought and made up, and in high school we sort of went our own ways. However, through all the bumps in the road, we managed to stay best friends. We each have careers and families, but when it comes down to it, we're always there for one another. Mary lives in Georgia {she is the bestie I went to visit in Hawaii}, so we will phone her in. We're supposed to meet for dinner Friday night, and I'm praying I'm better by then.
My workouts have been successful, and I've been hitting the gym at least 5 days a week. I'm starting to lose inches, but the scale isn't decreasing. I got weighed at the doctor's yesterday, and I'm not gaining any weight. This is good, actually very good. Maintaining my weight has always been a challenge, so I need to pat myself on the back. Due to the strep throat I can't go to the gym, so I'm totally freaking out. I praying that I will be able to go again on Friday.
So dear friends, I just caught you up on what you've been missing. I pray all is well with each of you, and it looks like I will have the chance to catch up with your blogs too.
Have a great week!

I’m Back

Hi dear friends. I apologize for leaving you hanging on the details of the lives of Nehemiah and myself. I had a serious family issue involving some of my nephews, so I had to take a sabbatical from blogging for awhile. I love sharing my world with all of you, but some things are not meant to be in print. Things are getting sorted out with my nephews, but prayers would be terrific.

The Fibromyalgia has been under control for the most part. I started having a flare up on Easter and it continued up until yesterday. It left me of the couch for a few days, but thank God, I'm much better today. I had a doctor's appointment a few weeks ago, and my physician was amazed at the progress I'm making. However, she and I were still not happy with my sleep patterns, so we decided to up the medication I take at bedtime. I am ecstatic about the fact that I am not at the full dosage for any of the Fibro meds! Trust that this is not by my own doing; God is truly shining mercies over me.

Nehemiah is doing so well. He had a fantastic Easter, and of course he got way too much candy {I managed to hide most of it}. We had Easter dinner at our house, and we had a good time. Nehemiah loved playing with all the kids. Since my bedtime meds increased, I have let Nehemiah sleep back in my bed. I know, I know what am I thinking! The meds literally knock me out, so I'm not sure that I would hear him if he called me in the middle of the night. Making sure that my kid is safe takes precedent over him sleeping in his own room. Once I am adjusted to the meds, Nehemiah and I will continue to work on getting him back in his bed. Until then, we're back to co-sleeping. On Saturday, my bff Lisa gave her son's old bike to Nehemiah. Nehemiah has a tricycle and loves riding it, but he has been asking for a "big boy" bike. When Nehemiah first got on the bike, he was trying so hard to get the hang of riding it. By the time my family left our home on Easter, Nehemiah could ride the bike by standing up to peddle. I have a feeling that the training wheels will be off by the end of summer!

When I went to the doctor's a few weeks ago, I got some really good news; I have not gained any weight for the past 2 months! Yay me! This is a great accomplishment, but I mentioned to the doctor that I am not losing any weight. Basically, the problem is this: the Fibro pain meds make it difficult for my body to break down carbs because my body doesn't know what to do with them, so they get stored. To fix this problem, I have to cut out most carbs that come in the form of bread and pasta. However, I am free to eat everything else my little heart desires; steak included.

Now, I've saved the best for last, so hang onto your seats. I have been working out consistently for a few weeks now, and I went jogging last week! I only jogged for a little while, and then I walked the rest of the way. I was so focused on my legs being strong enough to start running that I forgot one other major health issue; I'm asthmatic. The jogging made it hard to breath {I took my inhaler before I started the jog}, so I think I'm a little scared that jogging will bring on an asthma attack.

Now, the other terrific news is that my mom and I have joined a gym. My mom decided that working out would be good for her too. The gym requires a fee for new members, so my amazing mother paid the fee for me! The monthly fee is only $20, and special classes like spinning and yoga are $2.50 a session. A few years ago, I paid $80 for a 6 week Pilates class at another gym! We joined the gym yesterday, so I was able to get in a quick workout. Then, I woke up this morning at 5 and worked out again! My friend {who is also freaking out about our 10 year reunion} is also joining the gym, so I will be working out again this evening! I'm going at a slow pace, so that I don't injure myself {or anyone else for that matter}.

So dear friends, that's a glimpse into what you've been missing!

Happy Wednesday!