Well, somehow I managed to miss my actual Thursday posting again. I've kind of been in a fog this week, and I'm hoping it's just from lack of sleep and that I'm not actually getting sick. Without any further ado, here we go!
This week, some of the things I have been thankful for include:
God's grace.
Mitch.
My friends.
Coffee. And any form of caffeine.
Being back in Springfield.
A working car.
And today, I am thankful that I don't have class until 8:30 on Fridays. (I got to sleep in!)
What are some of the things that you've been thankful for this week?
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Thankful Thursdays: Week 2
In all honesty, I did not want to write this post today. I wanted to just pretend that I hadn't committed myself to sharing the things I am thankful for each week. If you're actually reading this and haven't already tuned out, you might be wondering, "Why, Emily?" Well, however flawed, here are my reasons:
I'm angry, hurting, and feeling isolated. I am fed up with doctors and anything medically-related. I'm finding out that God's plan for me just may be something different than what I thought, and I feel robbed. Cheated. And angry. I know that God's plan is perfect, and that He has something better for me, but that is a really hard concept to grasp right now.
Now that I have that out in the open, I'm going to take a short break from my pity-party and share some of the things I'm thankful for this week.
I am thankful for my beautiful friend, Kaitlyn. Even though we live very far apart, I know she is there for me. I miss her all the time, and I am so thankful that our friendship has endured both teh years and the distance.
I'm thankful for my Grandma. Even though she drives me crazy sometimes, I still enjoy the chances that I get to sit down with her and just chat about anything and everything.
I'm thankful for my sweet friend Ashley (the one in the middle). Just last night, she texted me at the perfect time. I wish we got to spend more time together, but I know we're going to make the most of our time before she leaves to go to school in China.
And I am definitely thankful for Mitch. Right now, he's on his way to pick me up so I can go to yet another medical appointment. He has been nothing but supportive of me, and it has helped so much.
Well, that just about wraps it up for this week. Tune in next Thursday, and I'll *try* to keep this blog a pity-party-free zone in the future.
Until next time, I'm curious: What are you thankful for?
I'm angry, hurting, and feeling isolated. I am fed up with doctors and anything medically-related. I'm finding out that God's plan for me just may be something different than what I thought, and I feel robbed. Cheated. And angry. I know that God's plan is perfect, and that He has something better for me, but that is a really hard concept to grasp right now.
Now that I have that out in the open, I'm going to take a short break from my pity-party and share some of the things I'm thankful for this week.
Well, that just about wraps it up for this week. Tune in next Thursday, and I'll *try* to keep this blog a pity-party-free zone in the future.
Until next time, I'm curious: What are you thankful for?
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thankful Thursdays: A Day Late
Remember last weekend when I said that I was going to start posting every week and sharing some of the things I was thankful for? Well, it seems that I'm already slacking. I had every intention of posting yesterday, but life got in the way. (Maybe someday when I'm way past it and it's somehow become a funny story, I'll share it with you. Until then, just know that it was not a good day.)
So, without further ado, here are some of the things that I have been thankful for this week:
-God. His mercies, His Faithfulness, His Power, the list could just go on forever.
-Mitch. That boy is so good to me.
-family. When we're not all yelling, we can actually have a pretty good time.
-coffee. Man oh man, I don't know what I would have done without coffee this week. Between coffee dates and just needing caffeine, it helped pull everything together.
-A car that heats up quickly. Remember that time when Missouri actually had winter for a few days? Yeah, it was nice to stay warm.
We know what I'm thankful for this week, so now it's your turn. What are you thankful for?
Half of mine aren't the most serious things in the world, but if you're constantly focusing on the huge elements of life, then you miss the little joys of the everyday. Here's to finding joy, having a grateful heart, and [hopefully] a more on-time Thankful Thursday post next week!
Until then,
Emily
So, without further ado, here are some of the things that I have been thankful for this week:
-God. His mercies, His Faithfulness, His Power, the list could just go on forever.
-Mitch. That boy is so good to me.
-family. When we're not all yelling, we can actually have a pretty good time.
-coffee. Man oh man, I don't know what I would have done without coffee this week. Between coffee dates and just needing caffeine, it helped pull everything together.
-A car that heats up quickly. Remember that time when Missouri actually had winter for a few days? Yeah, it was nice to stay warm.
We know what I'm thankful for this week, so now it's your turn. What are you thankful for?
Half of mine aren't the most serious things in the world, but if you're constantly focusing on the huge elements of life, then you miss the little joys of the everyday. Here's to finding joy, having a grateful heart, and [hopefully] a more on-time Thankful Thursday post next week!
Until then,
Emily
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Good-bye, 2011
Well, this has been an interesting break so far. And this whole year has just been something else. Let's do a quick recap.
In 2011:
-I changed my major.
-I saw way more doctors than I really cared to.
-I think I actually bonded with people.
-I lost just over 25% of my body weight.
-I learned how to say "no".
-I started to attempt the art of baking.
-I realized what a great community I've been blessed with.
-I gave up on some draining "friendships", and
-I built some better ones.
-I missed my best friend like crazy.
-I learned that even though we're used to being a long-distance couple, it gets harder all the time.
-I learned that I don't have as many limits as I thought, but also that
-I'm not SuperWoman.
I smiled, I cried. I laughed and sang. This has probably been the best year yet, and that makes me excited to see what comes in 2012.
Being the planner that I am, I've already been thinking about 2012 and what I'm expecting and looking forward to.
-Getting a roommate.
-Growing in everything.
-Loving more.
-Learning more.
-Trusting more.
-Finally getting answers about my back.
-Actually taking time to slow down.
And hopefully, those answers will be coming in the next few weeks. That's all I'm going to say right now, because I still feel like I don't know anything. As I am typing this, I am literally waiting on a phone call that will tell me what my next step is and what my near future will hold. Fun, right?
For 2012, I decided that I'm going to keep a gratitude journal. To keep ourselves accountable, my friend and I will both blog about some of our entries at least once a week. I am definitely looking forward to doing this! I'm getting myself a nice journal tonight so I'll be more motivated to keep up with it. Another fun project I'm wanting to do is keep a "memory jar" to go through next year on New Year's Eve. (There are so many good ideas on Pinterest!)
So, here we go. Just 7 hours left of 2011, and I am looking forward to the adventures that are ahead of me. Happy New Year!
In 2011:
-I changed my major.
-I saw way more doctors than I really cared to.
-I think I actually bonded with people.
-I lost just over 25% of my body weight.
-I learned how to say "no".
-I started to attempt the art of baking.
-I realized what a great community I've been blessed with.
-I gave up on some draining "friendships", and
-I built some better ones.
-I missed my best friend like crazy.
-I learned that even though we're used to being a long-distance couple, it gets harder all the time.
-I learned that I don't have as many limits as I thought, but also that
-I'm not SuperWoman.
I smiled, I cried. I laughed and sang. This has probably been the best year yet, and that makes me excited to see what comes in 2012.
Being the planner that I am, I've already been thinking about 2012 and what I'm expecting and looking forward to.
-Getting a roommate.
-Growing in everything.
-Loving more.
-Learning more.
-Trusting more.
-Finally getting answers about my back.
-Actually taking time to slow down.
And hopefully, those answers will be coming in the next few weeks. That's all I'm going to say right now, because I still feel like I don't know anything. As I am typing this, I am literally waiting on a phone call that will tell me what my next step is and what my near future will hold. Fun, right?
For 2012, I decided that I'm going to keep a gratitude journal. To keep ourselves accountable, my friend and I will both blog about some of our entries at least once a week. I am definitely looking forward to doing this! I'm getting myself a nice journal tonight so I'll be more motivated to keep up with it. Another fun project I'm wanting to do is keep a "memory jar" to go through next year on New Year's Eve. (There are so many good ideas on Pinterest!)
So, here we go. Just 7 hours left of 2011, and I am looking forward to the adventures that are ahead of me. Happy New Year!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Back after a long absence
Well, hi there! It's been a while since I've last posted. Since the end of August, I've just been going nonstop with school and everything. So, here's to playing catch-up!
On my Weight Loss:
I have now lost over 50 lbs, and I am smaller than I ever thought was possible. This week, I bought a pair of jeans...in a size 4. My very first pair of size 4 pants. I am still shocked, even though I'm wearing them right now. I cannot thank God enough for the courage to start this journey, for the self-control to continue it, and the determination to carry it through even when it got hard. I'm not exactly done yet - I still have 4 or 5 lbs to go - but I'm getting closer every day.
There are days and times when I look into the mirror and shock myself. I don't know if I just forget how I look, or if my mirror is playing tricks on me. But sometimes, I look into the mirror, and it looks like I'm tall and skinny. And I like it.
It's been a struggle recently to not be "afraid" of food. I don't mean that I've been terrified of food, like I think it'll attack me or something. But when I would be faced with a situation where I didn't prepare my own meal, or I didn't have a chance to look up the restaurant's nutrition info before going, it would make me very nervous. I'm working on growing out of that, but I know that it will be a lesson to be re-learning for months to come. I am making progress, though.
On school:
Classes are going well! I passed the piano proficiency exam last week, so I was very happy about that. I'm singing next Friday for regional NATS, so I've been working hard to prepare for that. I got some really positive comments from the judges at local NATS a few weeks ago.
On everything else:
I've been experimenting in the kitchen these past few weeks. Mostly just trying out recipes that I find online. So far, I've had a lot of success, and my current thing to make is cinnamon applesauce. I could easily eat my weight in that stuff and be perfectly content. I love spending time in my kitchen and preparing meals. I can't wait until I "grow up" and actually have someone to cook for besides just myself.
And now, it's back to the practice room!
On my Weight Loss:
I have now lost over 50 lbs, and I am smaller than I ever thought was possible. This week, I bought a pair of jeans...in a size 4. My very first pair of size 4 pants. I am still shocked, even though I'm wearing them right now. I cannot thank God enough for the courage to start this journey, for the self-control to continue it, and the determination to carry it through even when it got hard. I'm not exactly done yet - I still have 4 or 5 lbs to go - but I'm getting closer every day.
There are days and times when I look into the mirror and shock myself. I don't know if I just forget how I look, or if my mirror is playing tricks on me. But sometimes, I look into the mirror, and it looks like I'm tall and skinny. And I like it.
It's been a struggle recently to not be "afraid" of food. I don't mean that I've been terrified of food, like I think it'll attack me or something. But when I would be faced with a situation where I didn't prepare my own meal, or I didn't have a chance to look up the restaurant's nutrition info before going, it would make me very nervous. I'm working on growing out of that, but I know that it will be a lesson to be re-learning for months to come. I am making progress, though.
On school:
Classes are going well! I passed the piano proficiency exam last week, so I was very happy about that. I'm singing next Friday for regional NATS, so I've been working hard to prepare for that. I got some really positive comments from the judges at local NATS a few weeks ago.
On everything else:
I've been experimenting in the kitchen these past few weeks. Mostly just trying out recipes that I find online. So far, I've had a lot of success, and my current thing to make is cinnamon applesauce. I could easily eat my weight in that stuff and be perfectly content. I love spending time in my kitchen and preparing meals. I can't wait until I "grow up" and actually have someone to cook for besides just myself.
And now, it's back to the practice room!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
I love Sunday afternoons.
This morning, the worship pastor at my church (my school church) gave an awesome message. Therefore, my morning was awesome. After a good lunch with friends, I'm now back in my apartment relaxing and doing homework until I go to bed. Sunday afternoons always seem like a good time to just reflect, and think, and notice things. One thing I do is make mental lists, like these:
Things I Like
-scented candles (vanilla is my current fave)
-the morning sun shining into my apartment
-pumpkin (actually, I love it.)
-baking
-reading in the sunlight
-Brad Paisley
-doing laundry and dishes
-hugs
-making lists
Apartment To-Do's
-find some sort of throw pillows for the futon/couch
-decorate my bedroom wall (ideas, anyone?)
-finish decorating my living room
-fill the empty picture frame on my bookshelf
-coasters
General Goals and To-Do's
-take more pictures!
-slow down and relax more
-day trip to Branson or Silver Dollar City
-try something that scares me
-smile.
-be more crafty
-get to goal weight
-learn how to dress cute/fashionably
Things I'm Excited About
-Lunch Buddies this year!
-Fall weather, fall clothes, and fall in general
-pumpkin puree being back on store shelves
-having long nails for the first time since 3rd/4th grade
-going home this coming weekend
-my new voice teacher! so excited.
Somehow, I only make these mental lists on Sunday afternoons. Weird, huh? If you're looking for a weight-loss update, I have now lost 43 lbs. Only 13.6 more until I reach goal!
Things I Like
-scented candles (vanilla is my current fave)
-the morning sun shining into my apartment
-pumpkin (actually, I love it.)
-baking
-reading in the sunlight
-Brad Paisley
-doing laundry and dishes
-hugs
-making lists
Apartment To-Do's
-find some sort of throw pillows for the futon/couch
-decorate my bedroom wall (ideas, anyone?)
-finish decorating my living room
-fill the empty picture frame on my bookshelf
-coasters
General Goals and To-Do's
-take more pictures!
-slow down and relax more
-day trip to Branson or Silver Dollar City
-try something that scares me
-smile.
-be more crafty
-get to goal weight
-learn how to dress cute/fashionably
Things I'm Excited About
-Lunch Buddies this year!
-Fall weather, fall clothes, and fall in general
-pumpkin puree being back on store shelves
-having long nails for the first time since 3rd/4th grade
-going home this coming weekend
-my new voice teacher! so excited.
Somehow, I only make these mental lists on Sunday afternoons. Weird, huh? If you're looking for a weight-loss update, I have now lost 43 lbs. Only 13.6 more until I reach goal!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
No More Summer...
School starts tomorrow! Excited and dreading it at the same time. But, I'm completely moved into my apartment! I've been here for a few days now, and I'm loving it. I'm adventuring in the kitchen (nothing too crazy), I have my stuff where I want it, and I just have to figure out how I want to decorate, because I currently have no clue. Any ideas?
My weight loss is definitely starting to slow down. I've lost 41.6 so far, and I still have 15 to go. Since I've obviously been there for the entire thing, I forget how much my appearance has changed. I had 3 different people tell me that they didn't recognize me today! How crazy is that??
Oh, and you know how I said that school starts tomorrow? Well...I'm starting off my sophomore year with a changed major. My back was just getting too bad, so I am now a vocal music ed major instead of an instrumental music ed major. It was a really hard decision. And I do mean that. But I've decided to view this as a new opportunity rather than as a limit on my life.
Hopefully I'll have some positive things to post next weekend. If you remember, or if you have time, please pray for me this week that I might be comfortable in my own skin and confident in the abilities that God has seen fit to bestow upon me.
My weight loss is definitely starting to slow down. I've lost 41.6 so far, and I still have 15 to go. Since I've obviously been there for the entire thing, I forget how much my appearance has changed. I had 3 different people tell me that they didn't recognize me today! How crazy is that??
Oh, and you know how I said that school starts tomorrow? Well...I'm starting off my sophomore year with a changed major. My back was just getting too bad, so I am now a vocal music ed major instead of an instrumental music ed major. It was a really hard decision. And I do mean that. But I've decided to view this as a new opportunity rather than as a limit on my life.
Hopefully I'll have some positive things to post next weekend. If you remember, or if you have time, please pray for me this week that I might be comfortable in my own skin and confident in the abilities that God has seen fit to bestow upon me.
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