Exercise Log 8

So, it's been a while since I did an update, but I've been quite active!  I still haven't seen any scale movement, which is very frustrating.  I've been at this 3.5 months and I don't see a difference.  Other people do, but I don't, which is very discouraging.  I was hoping I would need some new pants for the coming winter!  Here it is in dates and numbers, just the basics since it's been so long.  I'm pretty excited that I've been going so consistently - now I'm ready to start seeing some results!

M Aug 29 - 50 laps in 31 minutes
T Aug 30 - weight room
W Aug 31 - 40 laps in 24 minutes
R Sept 1 - weight room
F Sept 2 - mile in 45 minutes
M Sept 5 (Labor Day) - Jillian
T Sept 6 - weight room, added weight
W Sept 7 - 12 minutes on elliptical, then 40 laps in 26 minutes
R Sept 8 - elliptical, ab work and machines, then 30 laps in 24 minutes
F Sept 9 - 40 laps in 25 minutes
Sat Sept 10 - ran/walked a 5K in 40:52
T Sept 13 - machines, ab work, swam 30 laps in 20 minutes
W Sept 14 - 50 laps in 30 minutes
R Sept 15 - weight room
F Sept 16 - 40 laps in 24 minutes, 44 in 26
T Sept 20 - weight room
W Sept 21 - mile in 45 minutes
R Sept 22 - weight room, upped level of elliptical
F Sept 23 - 50 laps in 34 minutes
Sat Sept 24 - walked over 5 miles
Sun Sept 25 - Jillian
M Sept 26 - 50 laps in 35 minutes
T Sept 27 - weight room
W Sept 28 - mile in 44 minutes
R Sept 29 - weight room
F Sept 30 - 40 laps in 27 minutes
M Oct 3 - mile in 44 minutes
T Oct 4 - weight room
W Oct 5 - swam 40 laps in 28 minutes
F Oct 7 - 40 laps in 25 minutes

If you're just joining in - I swim Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  When I go to the weight room, we do an ab workout (crunches, side crunches, bicycle crunches, etc).  Then I spent 30 minutes on the elliptical.  Machines consist of assisted chin-ups and dips, an ab machine, press machine, curl machine, and two leg machines.  I usually end up walking a few laps on the track as well.

Perspective

Sometimes, God sends you perspective when you least expect it.

As a teacher who is also a coach and director, I become very close to some families in our school.  One of these families was expecting baby #6, and their other children were ecstatic.  The kindergartener was hoping for a girl, because they would have 3 girls AND 3 boys and it would be even again.

He got his wish - a baby girl born with an uncertain diagnosis.  At first it was positive for Trisomy 18, then that was negative.  This week they got a positive for Trisomy 13, but she seemed to be making progress.  they had moved her out of NICU to a step down unit, and there were a lot of positives happening.  The other children were so excited, even though her difficulties meant their parents were spending most of their time at the hospital.  Throughout this whole ordeal, the father has found time to send email updates to a teacher who redistributed them, and then to update a "blog" provided through the hospital with daily updates and pictures.

This afternoon, I found out that this little girl was called to Heaven last night.  After just 17 days here with her earthly family, she's home with the angels. 

Yet her father's last post is extremely full of hope and thanksgiving.  He knows his little girl is with God, and God's will had been the prayer from the beginning.  It gives me such a wake up call.  I take my faith for granted - I know God is there, and I know it is always HIS will that is done.  Sometimes it is hard to understand why, but especially with the events of the last two years, I've accepted that we're not always supposed to know why.  But do I pray continually for God to do things His way?  Or do I selfishly pray for the results I want for myself and loved ones?  I know it is the latter most of the time, even if that just means to wrap them in His love.  The father mentioned things he is thankful - they never had to discipline or argue with their youngest daughter.  Most importantly, her life was about love.  Everyone who heard about her showed love - to her, her siblings, her parents, her faith community.  He is thankful for all the people who have been praying for this daughter, and he is thankful for the people who were brought to prayer because of her life.

Over the past few weeks, all of this has made me stop and think. 

• A lot of times I will compose a blog post in my head while driving, but then I'm too busy to type it out.  How can I be too busy, when he was taking time away from his daughter or other children to type an update?
• Someday, I hope to be having children of my own.  Could I place their lives into God's will so easily?  Or would I fight to keep them with me, no matter His will?
• I offer my prayers to God, but I don't think I stop and talk to him.  Maybe I need more of this in my life.

This little one was with us for 17 days, but made such an impact with her short life.  If all I gained was a little perspective, I can only imagine what others gained.