You know...

What kind of pants are in your closet?  Probably the same ones that are in mine.

The pants you wear when you're having a "feeling fat day".  The pants that you are waiting to get into.  Pants you hold on to, just in case, but you're never going back to those.  Pants you feel good in.  Pants that are just a tad too tight, but a long shirt helps immensely.  Jeans that are fresh out of the dryer or from the line.  You know those pants.  The ones you put on and try all sorts of cardio moves to stretch them before you have to button them.

Well, it was those jeans that I grabbed this morning.  Freshly washed and dried jeans. Here we go.  One leg in.  The other leg in.  Pull them up over the hips.  Suck in the breath, zip, and what?  Is that possible?  Did I just zip and button them without having to perform squats and suck in my stomach?  Could my interval class be working?

What's the motivation?  So glad you asked...

Meet my bridesmaid dress.  Which is ordered.  Which is a size smaller than I thought they would order.  Which needs my hips to try and get rid of three inches so I feel safe wearing it.

Which is why I am headed to intervals again tomorrow.

Jeans on today...dress to come soon!

Air Raids

I had stayed after the meeting of the club that I sponsor at school.  There's something comforting about being there later than most and just reveling in the quiet.  As I was reading my students' notebooks (studying synthesis and what that looks like in reading), I was frustrated with the lack of thought that seemed to go to into their writing.

I headed over to our literacy coach's room and poked my head in the door.  As we got to talking (she's a fellow slicer, so that was one of our topics), I helped her with various technology questions.  She helped me by finding different books I could use.

Suddenly, a siren went off.  I assumed it was her phone.  No such luck.  According to her computer, it was going to shut off in five minutes unless she did something.

Um, that means my computer is also making that sound.  I leaped up, raced to my room and flung open the door.  Sure enough, since I had been listening to Pandora (quite loudly) before I went into her room, the alert signal was blaring!!!

I'm not trying to make light of countries that have had and currently have air raids, but if we were to have one, I am assuming this is what it would sound like.  It was quite loud.  I quickly pressed all the buttons that needed to happen and then went back over to my friend's room.

She was still somewhat panicking because she wasn't sure exactly what to do.  As we pressed the okay button, we clicked on another program.  Abort, abort, abort!  Clicking the next button allowed the program to stop and off we went on our merry ways.

Got a good laugh and a great slice!

Small voice

You know that small voice you hear in your heart and head?  You know that feeling that at the end of the day that remains?  Even after you've tutored a student who is struggling in math, had a student stay after school so he can do his homework because it never seems to come back, when you've had a kid mislead you about a scuffle at recess, when you see the mound of papers and notebooks to read and grade?

The voice that tells you - this is a good job.  This is where you belong.

I heard that voice today.  I needed that voice today.

Oh my gosh!

Oh my gosh!  Oh my gosh!

It began with a frantic, and I mean, frantic phone call from my sister.

Well, it actually began in September when I went wedding dress shopping with my sister. For her.  Not me.  She found a dress (for cheap) and bought it.  Then had buyer's remorse.  You know that feeling.  She returned it.  Unfortunately, they only offered her credit back.  Fast forward...the company is now out of business and my sister has to deal with a consulting company.  She needs the original receipt which she gave to me so her fiance wouldn't see it.

Problem.  Big problem.  I can't find it.

I have checked five purses, three wallets, two bins of papers, and went through my files in my filing cabinet.

I feel like a failure.   I have let my sister down.

I had an honest prayer with God and shared how it'd be nice to find it, but I also knew in my heart that I should just give her the money that she was out (it wasn't too much).  I went out to my car to check one more purse that was in my trunk (don't ask), I decided to clean out some of the papers that were on the floor in the back seat (I don't even have kids and my car is a mess!).  Lo and behold, as I unfolded a white piece of paper...IT WAS THE PAPER!!!!!!!

Skipping inside, and muttering, "Oh my gosh," over and over again, I called my sister and told her!

I am now a good (make that great) sister again...and hopefully she'll tell everyone on Facebook too!

Run for Fun

An unexpected text changed a planned run on the upstairs track to an outside run on some local trails.

Running up and down the hilly trails.  Through the woods, skipping over branches and slowing down for the descent.  Pushing on my toes to run up the massive hill at the end.  Hands bone cold.

Listening to one earbud.  Yelling behind to my friend.  Sharing what is happening in our lives.  Huffing and puffing through most of it.

Until the end, when I realized again how much I love running!

Rest

No alarm this morning.  I pulled a very-unlike-Cathy move and skipped church.  After the long, stressful drive home last night, I just wanted to breathe in the morning air and rest.  Move at a snail's pace.  Have quiet time alone while my roommate was at church.

I listened to a podcast about comparison (it was amazing) and did one of the days of my Beth Moore study.  I washed laundry, swept the living room and kitchen, and began preparations for some great lunches for the week.

I just wanted a slow morning.  Before the rush of the week begins, just a slow, quiet Sunday morning.  It was heavenly!

Nightmare

I was going to write about the sweat ring I earned today in my 120 minutes of work out classes.

I was going to write about being able to order a size smaller bridesmaid dress than I thought they were going to order.

I was going to write about holding my nine day old niece (who was born on my birthday).

Instead, I am writing about my nightmare.   Background - was in a car accident on snowy, country roads.  Enter the tale of nightmare driving!

It had been windy all day.  That was nothing new.  I set the cruise and sped on I-69 at 70 mph.  Making great time and GPS put me at home around 9:30.  I noticed drops on my windshield.  I had about 20 miles to my exit when WHAM!  Suddenly, giant white flakes began blowing.  The road in front of me was instantly covered.  Being the chicken I am, I instantly slowed down and a few miles later, the snow stopped.

Ten miles to my exit.  I can do this.  I can do this.  I can do this.

The connecting road to my next major highway was pretty clear.  Good driving roads.

And then it began.  Once I had cleared my last city until my county, I noticed that there was NO ONE behind me.  For 20 miles, I had the road to myself.  Thank goodness.  With all of the blowing wind and the giant snow, I had to keep telling myself to breathe.  There were oncoming cars, but thankfully, I could drive as slow as I wanted.

Then, comes the nightmare.  The major highway that leads to a mile from my house has a slight detour.  It takes you into the country because a bridge is being replaced.  Country roads.  Snowy and slick and at this point, I am driving 20 mph.  Yes, readers, you read correctly.  20 MILES PER HOUR!

I used my GPS as my beacon.  It let me know how many more miles I had left on my treacherous journey home.  Honestly, I am more sore in my shoulders from being so tense on the drive than from my workout earlier.

Thankfully, I am home.  Safe and sound.  I prayed for many drivers that I passed that were headed into the slick roads...that they would see the danger before anything serious occurred.

I don't mind driving in the snow most of the time.  Just not at night.  And not when it's really slick.  And when it's really blowing.  Hmmmm, maybe I should move south.