Thursday, July 19, 2012

Learn to Dance in the Rain


 Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain. Live life to the fullest. Seize the day. Just do it. All of these catchy quotes mean basically the same thing, and they all are increasingly meaningful to me as I continue on my journey through this crazy thing called life.

Nothing makes you think about life more than death. My Great-Grandmother Helen passed away a few weeks ago. She was 104 years old. I am so lucky, I can't remember life without her. This picture to the right is Great Grandma at age 80 when I was only a few months old. She taught me so many things. My brother and I learned how to play poker at Great Grandma's house, and to my parent's embarrassment we proudly made that announcement at children's word during the next Sunday morning's church service. Once, Great Grandma came to visit and taught us how to make homemade pierogi's. She had an amazing sense of humor. One time we visited her in the nursing home; we woke her up after she had fallen asleep to tell her we had arrived in TX. She opened her eyes, looked around at all of us and said "Well...I guess I'm not dead yet!" my immediate response was "Well, I sure hope not!". She and the rest of the family burst out laughing. Great-Grandma knew exactly what I was doing with my life, she is probably the only person who knows that I'm an Occupational Therapist(not a physical therapist, nurse, or a teacher), and she knew exactly what that meant. I brought my fiance (boyfriend at the time) to meet her one summer, and the next time I went to visit before even saying hello she demanded to know where that "nice young man" was. My father kept her up on all our lives in his weekly letters to her, but she also truly cared about her family and friends. My Great Grandma has always been a source of inspiration and motivation in my life, and as I continue on this fitness and weight loss journey she is my ever present source of strength. She was the strongest person I know, and if she could make it through 104 years of life then I can do this. 

So what have I been doing? My little baby brother graduated from college in May. He is now attending graduate school in Boulder, CO for his Ph.D in Physical Chemistry. Go to youtube, watch a clip of "The Big Bang Theory". I think my brother Sheldon, I mean Andrew's life is quite similar =)

In June, I ran a 5k race with my awesome gym friends. I made a new friend and surprised myself by being able to jog intervals with her and finish the race without feeling awful. So now I bought myself a fancy Nike Sportwatch which  helps me keep track of 3 minute run, 1 minute walk intervals. So far this week I have ran 3 times. The nice thing about being a beginner runner is that every time you run, you make some kind of improvement.




I haven't weighed myself lately. The scale can be a source of motivation - but can also be a huge source of anxiety. The number on the scale is not as important as how your clothes fit, or how you feel. When I eat right and exercise consistently I feel amazing. Now that I am running more frequently, I hope to increase my cardio endurance and stamina. I keep surprising myself at the gym by being able to use heavier and heavier kettlebells. As I get stronger, I get leaner. My arms are getting smaller, and my body shape is morphing. I love what is happening to my body. It's not always about your looks, but the thought of wedding dress shopping in the not so distant future sure can get you through some tough workouts =) The picture to the left is me trying on my very first LBD (little black dress). I am not a dress person, probably because they never looked good on me....but I love this picture, I think I look as good as I feel for the first time ever. And yes, I bought the dress and received many compliments while wearing it =)

In other news, Jay and I are moving soon! We found a house to rent in Monroe, CT in a very residential area. We will be across the street from a golf course, less than a mile from a winery, and have a big yard for Bear. I am excited, but stressed at the thought of moving again - this will be my 4th move in 2 years. I should be good at moving by now! Hope everyone is enjoying life, and thanks for reading! <3