Magic Weight Loss Pill

I have not blogged in quite a while and people keep asking me about it..so here goes. I think I'll just do an update (using Paige's method). WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW: Physically - I am sitting in bed. I was supposed to go weigh in with a friend this morning but stupid truck issues prevented it so I am sitting here trying to think through some things. Anybody who knows me very well knows that me being in bed at 9 a.m. doing "nothing" is so rare that I thought I'd just enjoy being lazy this morning. Emotionally - I am really stressing over my weight lately. I want to look better. I know that sounds so "fleshly" (very spiritual right?) but seriously, I want to wear skinny jeans and tuck them into some fabulous boots! I want to shop and buy something super cute for not much cash....just FYI, when you are my size you can't do that very easily. Now let me say this before I get a ton of people telling me I'm not really fat....puleeze. I am very black and white in my thinking AND I am not dumb. I know that I am not morbidly obese and I know that I could be even bigger...but I am overweight and I want to change that. Seriously I do...but man, it is so hard. I love food and hot flavored tea. I want there to be a magic pill....seriously, we can transplant an overy for creating life (isn't that cool?) but we can't figure out how to help people lose weight without crazy stuff! UGHHHH! Anyway, just pray with me that I can get the whatever it is I need to really start dropping the pounds. I don't really have that much to lose but it's enough to be making me crazy. Pray that I won't be frustrated with God because He won't miraculously make me skinny! You laugh but the real me seriously gets that whacky sometimes....Okay I got up to get me a bowl of cereal and realized there was no milk...I hate that, so plan b was to make some oatmeal. So while I am waiting on my microwave to cook my oatmeal in 2 minutes and making me some cold water (I am trying to drink more water) I realize how crazy it is that I can't lose weight. I am a very disciplined person in almost every other area of my life...I start thinking: "if only I had a personal chef" or "if only Rob would pay for Jenny Craig ready made meals" or "if only I could be on The Biggest Loser (which, by the way, is the most fabulous show ever and Tuesday is the season finale....now what will I have to watch on Tuesdays?)....and I begin to feel like the freako American that I am. I went to India this past summer and it was the most amazing experience of my life and I remember the poverty and the hunger and I remember the photos of the children in the Mumbai school that the Weehunts helped start....the photo of the little boy crying because the girl in front of him took his rice. It makes me embarrassed just to think that those children live in a slum (which was defined for me as a section of Mumbai that is approx 1 square mile - that's like Quaker to Slide and 82nd to 98th Street) and there are 1 million people in that square mile. They live in horrific conditions, they may or may not have food today, and the Weehunt's work to get them clean water..then they start a Christian school for the young children and those children receive at least one decent meal at school each day. I can't believe that I am whining about not getting to have my yummy white chocolate black tea or chocolate every day. What is wrong with me?

WHAT I AM READING: I just finished reading a fictional book that was not very good. It was a quick read (thank goodness) but I was so not impressed. So now I am finishing a book called "Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ." It's a random book that I found on the awesome clearance racks at Mardel (which, by the way, I would love to start a coffee/tea shop inside...so if you ever get to play golf with the CEO of Mardel, please ask him if I can do that....LOL). Anyway, since I have a beautiful Muslim 16 year old living with me, I thought I might just do a little research.

WHAT SHOWS I AM WATCHING: I love me some Biggest Loser! That show makes me feel like I can do it (at least for those 2 hours) and there is some great drama too....I really wanted Colleen to stay but Amy got what she deserved for voting off Colleen because Vicky threw her under the bus...Oh and I love House and CSI Miami. I want to try some of these shows that other people are watching...but I have a hard time sitting in front of the television...it seems like a waste of time...I could be shopping!

FAVORITE PARTS OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS (since I last blogged): My most fav was Thanksgiving in Atlanta...duh. I got to see Robby which was awesome. (He'll be in Lubbock on the 19th)...I am super proud of all my kids but can I just say that Robby is fantastic. He has goals and dreams and plans and while I was not always able to see with his vision, he has shown himself to be a really cool guy...he is not a boy....he is a man. He has a specific job that he really wants to see happen and he is working to learn and get experience so that he can apply for the position should it become available...I love to see him working for Jesus! He loves what he does and I can't wait to see how he uses his Master's Commission experience right here in Lubbock (in June he graduates and comes home for good). In addition to seeing Robby, we got to just hang out as the Robert J. Hall family. We have always done the big Thanksgiving here in Lubbock with the whole clan...but it was a sweet time just getting to be together for a few days without noise. Thanksgiving on the downlow can be just as wonderful and the chaotic big family event. But on to Christmas....Ally, Sumaiya, and I got to do quite a bit of shopping...and that was fun. The girls got their eyebrows "threaded" in the mall. They said it hurt a bit but the result was amazing...they looked awesome. Sumaiya gets to add Georgia to her list of American places she has been. She got to go through some other states but she was asleep for much of it...it takes forever to drive to Atlanta! (FYI...I think foriegn exchange programs should include the funds to take the students all over America...they are so eager to see and learn and it would be such fun!)

Another favorite time was getting to spend the afternoon with some fabulous girls that I work with. Now, I still don't really feel like I work...but I guess I sorta do...anyway, my awesome boss Paige wrote the sweetest e-mail to me, Kyla, and Hannah telling us how much she appreciated us and wanted to take us to lunch. So, we all took off last Wednesday for lunch at a really cool place in Cactus Alley called Manna. It was yummy...and a great environment. After lunch, she surprised us and we all went and got pedicures. What a great boss I have...are you jealous? Wait...there were two really funny moments in this adventure that you need to know....Hannah is like the cutest thing and while we were eating, a random guy apparently under the cover of his boss wanted her phone number and so, with an elaborate "joke" story, his boss worked to get Hannah's number....it was so funny. (In all my days, I never had a guy work that hard to get my number) Then, while getting our pedicures, we learned that one young cutie has a pretty serious sensitivity to feet tickling. It was very funny - silly.....there were lots of laughs and while it was strange to be the oldest in this small group...it was a fun treat for me. (I miss Rhoda so bad because this kind of day was not so rare for me when she was here!) Let me just say this: Thank you so much Paige for being a fabulous boss. I like that you are my boss but I like to call you my friend as well. Kyla, you are such a precious little gem in my life. You remind me of the sweet moments with my very missed friend Rhoda and, if for nothing else, thank you for that. I love getting to laugh with you...I love to see you smile as I come up the stairs. Hannah, you are such a cool young woman. It has been a treat getting to know better my dear.

Chocolate Therapy at COTR was awesome! I seriously think this was on the best events I have been too....it was the women, they seemed to really connect and they seemed to really enjoy the non-stress environment of the evening. What a success! Thanks to everyone who worked hard to make the evening such a blessing.

And, last but not least, my bedroom is going to look fabulous. I have been working on the perfect bedroom for awhile now and Linda White took me to a great fabric store in Amarillo and I found the perfect inspiration fabric. I am building a custom headboard and will use the fabric. I am installing beautiful light sconces onto the headboard...yum! It was a little out of my comfort zone but just the right amount to make it exciting and the colors are fabulous. This week I found a luxurious comforter that was originally very expensive and got it for a mere $50.00...I'll have to add some custom made pillows along with the new headboard but that has been a super treat. I can't wait until it's all put together...I'll have a new romantic and beautiful master suite!

REVELATIONS: I love having the blog but I was hoping Ally and I would be more disciplined about it. Maybe that will be something to work on this week. Also...my son Ronny is really very funny. I know I am his mom and so I could be a little biased but seriously, he is really funny...and genuine. I love that about him!

Just one more side note....Ally is probably the best daughter in the whole world....I know you are jealous now for sure.


Okay...what do you think about this: (I wish I were a teenager because I could totally get away with this)....I could get people to "sponser" me with my weight loss. I think it cost about $4800 to build a water well in India....If I commit to $1028 of that right off the bat, and I got 91 people to pledge $1.00 per pound then after my 41 pound goal....I could totally pay for a well in India! That would rock.....LOL. Seriously, I think I will begin to reward myself for weight loss by working towards paying for a water well. Maybe I could find some other people who are working on weight loss goals to do this with me and maybe together we can buy a water well. Maybe I'll do this: everytime I lose 5 lbs...I'll go and pick out a fabulous shirt that I love and whatever the price of the shirt, I'll put that much money towards the well. HMMMM......this requires some thought. Let me know what you think.....too jicky...just thought it might be a way to trick myself and make something wonderful happen at the same time. hmmmm

I think I'll go and find a jar to get started today!









Here are some India images....maybe you can see why these might be just the motivation I need!