Progress and Books

Hi All! Though I don't know if "all" is just one person or several. Since, AHEM, nobody makes any comments. I am a little curious if anyone besides Jim ever reads, and if so, whether they are strangers or good friends or acquaintances. I guess it doesn't really matter, but I've always been a curious person. Inquiring minds want to know. ;-) So please if you do visit, leave me a comment. If you don't have anything to say about the post itself, just say hi.

So here's the scoop on my progress with some of my joy enhancers. My daily bliss today might not sound like much to most people, but we all have different things that bring a smile to our face. One thing I enjoy is finding ways to bless others. I know that might sound kind of sappy, but honest and truly, I LIKE doing that. It's fun for me. So today I decided to start the morning with a big smile and an enthusiastic hug and cheerful good morning greeting to Jim. Not a huge deal, but I'm not really a first thing in the morning person. It takes me a while to merge into wakefulness. So Jim doesn't usually get much of a morning greeting from me. In fact, it's not uncommon for the first words out of my mouth to be, "Where's the truck?" as in the truck that ran me over. Not exactly the most pleasant way to start the day. So I decided I could set a happier tone for both of us just by exuding a more enthusiastic, glad to see you morning greeting. While, it's a small thing, I believe that the small things add up, both positive and negative, and sometimes when a marriage seems to have lost its luster, it's at least partly because we stopped doing the little kindnesses and pleasantries. It doesn't always take a huge overhaul to improve your marriage. A small tweak or two can often go a long way. And there are so many different things you can say or do to bless your spouse, kids, family, friends, associates, or even strangers. It doesn't always require money or much time, effort, or sacrifice. And it can be fun!

Ive made a little more progress on getting my house cleaned up. Right now, my kitchen, bedroom, main bathroom, living room, and basement stairs are at least reasonably picked up. Dishes get done each day; sinks and counters are wiped; tables get cleared and wiped, trash gets emptied before it overflows (usually), toilet gets swished with brush and wiped, and floors get swept. We are also working on leveling our laundry mountains.

Still waiting for Jim to finish the chandelier.

I've lost 5 lbs so far. Woo hoo! Just 95 more to go. ;-0. Well, it's a start. I just have greatly reduced the amount of junk/processed/sugar foods and added in some healthier ones. Not following any specific diet or food plan at this point. Nor am I saying treats are 100% off limits, but I'm attempting only to have them if I plan for it ahead of time rather than just spontaneously partaking at every opportunity. I haven't exercised in a few months, but yesterday I walked with my daughter for 30 minutes. Not exactly a super mega fat burning shred workout, but I'm not in good enough shape to try something like that. Maybe down the road. Or NOT. I'm not exactly a sports nut fitness fanatic by nature. For now, just 30 mins of moderate walking is enough for me. It's a slight challenge but not overwhelming.

I did talk to Jim about wanting to at least start on the road toward weight loss surgery, and he's willing to support me on some of the first steps. It's actually not something you can jump right into. There are several steps you have to complete before going under the knife, and it takes a minimum of a few months from your your first appointment until you are cleared for surgery. I did take the first step of filling out the 17 page intake form. The next thing to do is to make an appointment with the bariatric nurse. In the meantime, I'm already starting to incorporate some healthier habits because I would like to lose some weight even before the surgery since it will be at LEAST 3 to 4 months, and I'd rather be going in the right direction in the meantime.

Right now I'm reading a novel called The Book of Hours by Davis Bunn. It's an intriguing story about an young American widower who inherits a deteriorating castle in England.  I'd love some other reading suggestions. This is a list of the types of books/subjects that interest me:

1.  Classics
2.  Clean fiction
3.  Christian living
4.  Clean humor
5.  Christian marriage
6.  Christian parenting
7.  Christian homemaking
8.  Christian writing
9.  Organization and time management
10. Health
11. Beauty and Fashion
12. Travel
13. Christian Womens Interests
14. Christian counseling
15. Relationships
16. Homeschooling
17. Decorating

Would love to hear any recommendations you might have! Reading is such a joy!