Quiet House, Cool Mornings, Loving Me again

Lots to think on lately.  I've been sort of trying to take some time each evening after I put the kids to bed, to think about the NOW of my life.  I have been through so much ups and downs in my life...yes...DRAMA. I admit it.  I do tend to create it, breath it, or wallow in it.  Life without Drama would just be boring.  So there ya go.  Welcome to my roller coaster ride.

I've been trying to not get too frustrated with the whole House thing.  I want ours to sell, but then guess what?  We (meaning here where we live) in Northern Michigan have just become the MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN AMERICA.  yup...us.  wow.  Now, that might mean better housing market and better $$$ for our house.  But, that could also mean higher prices for that house we WANT too! eek!  On the bonus side of things though, we live only about 15 minutes from Sleeping Bear Dunes.  Yippee!  That could be a positive thing for us.  This house we have now would make such a cute cottage for someone that just wanted a summer house!  (praying to buried St. Joseph everyday should help too!)

Today was the kids first day back at school.  AND the FIRST day for Little E in Kindergarten! My little baby boy is a kindergartner!  He was so excited!  I got some cute pictures! (which I won't bore you with).  Ms. Princess was also very excited about her first day in 2nd grade.  My  my how fast they grow.   It was so cold this morning when I went to wake them up, I had to turn the HEAT ON!  40 degrees this morning here in upper Michigan! brrrr...But I love it!  Bring on Fall!

Well, I'm down another 11 lbs.  Saw my Surgeon today, and the nutritionist. (who by the way is useless!)  Dr. wants to schedule me for another Endoscope in October so he can see if my scar tissue is closing up the bottom of my stomach again.  He said that most people who develop a stricture usually wind up having to have another stretch done later on.  He just wants to stay ahead of it.  I'm good with it...the drugs are super good anyway. ha ha ha  OK, so that puts me at 188 lbs.  (according to their scale...185 on mine!).  Which is about 30 lbs lost since surgery!!! YEAH!!!!

On a bonus, I got some awesome!!! jewelry on sale from another Weight Loss Surgery girl I friended on facebook.  She makes all her own stuff...so there is NO OTHER jewelry like it!  Here is a pic of a set I got in the mail today.

I do love BLUE...this is gorgeous stuff...matching earrings.  Plus you get a face shot here...although I am not doing a body shot here, you can ck out my youtube and I do a body shot there on my update today.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3vr0Ymv_V0

AND, If you're interested in Patricia's jewelry, here is her link. 
http://www.patriciamillerdesign.com/?ref=nf#!products

I am feeling so much better about myself!  I admit there are body parts that are sagging pretty bad though. UGH.  Oh well...I'm am going to be 43 this month. Where did the time go on that! eek!  I am glad Mr. Eye Candy thinks I'm beautiful!  We will celebrate our 8 yr anniversary next month...and this month marks 9 yrs together. Wow. For my birthday, he is taking the DAY OFF! He is also taking me shoe shopping! :) Super excited about that! ha ha ha  I also want a digital scale. Doesn't have to be fancy.  Although the shoes do! ha ha  I want me some FUN shoes!!  (yes, Natalie, I am coming to your store soon! xo)

Also, I'm still riding twice a week!  My horse is remembering who I am which is pretty great.  He is still a bit off, so I'm just doing a lot of walking and bending with him for now.  I think he'll be fine for the clinic end of the month.  What do you expect from an old woman, and an old horse? We are quite the team. I'm so grateful for Diane and Denny! They sure do take care of him.  12 years I've been friends with them!  12 years Doodle has lived at their place.  I'm so lucky to have found them.  Life is definitely better with them in it!

OK, so one day at a time.  I'm trying to breath and just BE ok with the slower pace of life.  I think I should enjoy this time of my life...I'm happier than I've been in a very very very long time.  I'm getting ME back out of this 'bigness', and riding my horse again. PLUS, taking the Princess to the barn with me has been so fantastic!

Happy September everyone!

A better Me

All my life I've been a horse freak. Yes, I say freak.  Freak because that is what you become when horses are the only thing that you ever really think about...dream about...and want to be around.  I knew at a very young age (3 yrs old) that horses and I were destined to be together.  I did not own a real horse until I was 12 years old however.  That was of course the best day of my young life!

As I grew older, and years of 4H traumatized me, I realized that I needed MORE.  I needed the real stuff. The real trainers!  The ones that taught you how to be realllllly good!  I found that in FL for a few years.  Richard Cyr (God bless you!), was an amazing trainer and friend.  He helped me overcome some fears after I'd fallen and dislocated my elbow.  To this day though, I still drop that left shoulder when I ride.

4H is usually those golden years of youth!  Not for me.  Sure, I had a lot of fun!  Lots of trail rides with my buds, and a few clinics where I learned some good stuff.  BUT...that did not save me from the snotty girls.  The ones that were reallllly good and knew it.   I was chubby back in those days too.  Or so I thought.  Plus, I wasn't very good as a rider yet, and that put me on the 'stupid green horn' list.  Or, as we lovingly call stupid people who cannot ride...Back Yard Rider.  Yup, I was one of those.

The things I've learned through the years though have lasted and given me so much more than what I'd ever expected.  I just have to remind myself some days of how much I DO know, and how much I have inside me that I can reach in and use again and again when life seems to get me down.  All I need to do these days anymore is to just BE with my horse for a few minutes.  It somehow brings me back to earth, and settles the clouds of worry, stress, and irritation.   Horses are more than just animals to me.  They have been a life saver in several storms in my life.  Without them, I think I would have drowned over and over in this sea of life that tosses me around.

The days of riding are finally here again for me.  I've lost enough weight now that I do not feel I am causing my poor old horse distress.

So, today I am grateful for the memories...yes even the painful ones from 4H.  I'm thankful for the people like Richard Cyr that gave me back some confidence and never stopped believing me, or making me feel like a great person.  I cherish the fact that I am a horse back rider, and today would be considered a good one (not great mind you!).  I've worked hard, and that has paid off.  In life you can work hard and it seems like you never see any real results.  However, when you spend your life around horses...you tend to learn a few things that you can put to work in real life as well.  I just forget to use them.  Now that I'm back to seeing my horse on a regular basis, it is all coming back to me.  Lessons learned that I can put to use in my life today.

1.  Patience.  Oh how we forget how to be patient with one another!
2.  Kindness.  We have to be kind or there will be no true results with people.
3.  Peace.  The thing we all seek.  Peace within and peace without.

If you do not practice all three of these around horses...you will never know how it feels to be 'grounded'.  Meaning, that place...that perfect place of serenity.  That moment when God just holds you, and you honestly know it's all going to be OK.

That is what horses do for me.  They give me back my connection with God.

What is your 'place'?  Your hobby? That one thing in life that makes you feel alive again?

The Scope...and the day after FUN stuff

Ok, so yesterday, we had to rearrange the entire day so that I could get in and get that scope done and whats also called a dialation. ?  Where they stretch the lower part of my new tummy (also called a pouch). 

I think I'm gonna call my 'pouch' FANCY...as she has sure made it known that nothing was good enough to start with. ha ha  This way, if I'm mad at my pouch I can say..."Suck it, Fancy" and feel better. :)  Or maybe I should call her SASSY?

Ok...so the scope went well.  No complications other than they found an ulcer! WHAT??? So now I'm on this liquid medication 4 times  a day.  Mr. Eye Candy had taken me to the hospital, dropped me off, then he took the kids to lunch and to the park.  When I was done they called him, and they brought them ALL back to my little recovery room.  I wish they had NOT done that.  I could tell the kids were upset to see me in a hospital gown w/ an IV in my arm and an oxygen tube in my nose.  NOT COOL nurses!!!  I wish I could take that back.  My poor princess was a bit traumatized.   She had to snuggle with me last night, and man did she hold on tight to me.  The little guy was OK...but he seemed like he didn't think too much of all the tubes either.  When asked later, he said he was sort of scared.  Damn Hospital!  I mean geez!!! My kids are only 7 and 6 yrs old!  (wait...why did Mr. Eye Candy ...never mind).

Today was a much better day for the most part.  The kids and I loaded up our cooler, and off to the barn we went!! DOODLEMAN day!!!  Even the little guy got up for a 'pony ride'.  Those of you that are horse people...Doodle is 16.1 hands high...which means to those of you that are not horsey people...HE'S TALL. lol  Especially to a 6 yr old!  The princess got another riding lesson, and then it was my turn to ride.  Poor old Doodle...he was lame.  He's had issues with his right shoulder off and on through the years, and if he's 'off' it's always the right front leg.  So, there went my ride. I had to get down.  Maybe he'll be better on tuesday when I can get back out there.  Sure was good to see him though, and brush him and ... yes... smell horses!  I swear if they could bottle it and sell it, I'd be first in line.  Call me horse crazy. Oh wait! I am! ha ha  Now look at this...that is love.  Doodle could stand all day next to her.  He has always loved her.

Well, there ya have it.  A good day in the sun.  Lots of fun.  I couldn't ride my horse, so I cleaned all the stalls instead. ha ha  It felt good to do some physical labor again! I actually LOVE working in the barn.

Hope all of you are having a  fantastic weekend as well!  I think tomorrow will be another fun day!  COUPON DAY! ha ha ha

OH...and funny thing happened yesterday!  Mr. Eye Candy FOUND THE HERMIT CRAB!!! Yup.  Darn thing (belongs to the princess' friend) was lost for 3 weeks!!! yes..count them THREE weeks!  I could not believe he was STILL ALIVE! ha ha ha  I'm still amazed.  He goes  home tomorrow! eek!  No more Mr. Crabby Pants in my house!  Sure makes for a good story though!

Later Gator's!