I'm in!

This afternoon I became a member of Church of the Resurrection. I've been going on and off for nearly 3 years now, and I thought I'd make things official. It was interesting going to the "Coffee w/ Pastors" because there was a considerable amount of mingle time. I personally did not enjoy that part. Let's just say the group was 80% families and couples. I really enjoyed hearing the pastor Adam Hamilton's story though. So, I'm officially a member of COR, yay!

Worry Wart

In the past year or so, I have become more of a worrier about things I put in my body and/or things I am around. In particular I worry about aspartame and plastic. Here's why: I have read countless articles on both, and there is no definitive answer about either! Some people seem to think aspartame is going to kill us all someday, while others say it's nothing to worry about. The same goes with plastic. Studies have shown mice w/ lots of exposure to BPA (in plastic) develop tumors at rapid rates on their little mice breasts. Others discount those saying that the mice are getting way higher doses than we are exposed to. But BPA is everywhere...who's to say how much we are exposed to? I just have this nagging feeling that someday 10 or 15 years down the road there is going to be some huge breakthrough and the news will report about how scientists have discovered that some inane thing like plastic or fake sugar is the cause of all the cancer, autism, and the rest of the diseases that seem to be growing at an exponential rate.

Oh and thank God I don't have kids yet. I can't imagine having to worry about pesticides and hormones in their food. I feel like as far as that goes, I've already missed the boat. What's done is done. However with the other two things, here is how I deal with it. As far as plastic, I used to reuse water bottles (to use when I work out and stuff). I no longer do that, nor do I heat anything in plastic. In fact plastic doesn't go near my microwave. As for the aspartame, I still don't know. I am conscious of my calories...I feel like many low calorie foods have aspartame in them. So in general, I just consume it anyway. Fingers crossed that it's all ok.

Accomplishment!

First of all, tiny baby boy Jace was born Friday and is doing well. He was full term but small...4 lb 2 oz and 16 inches (the size of many preemies). He is still in the hospital and will be for the next few days. He has jaundice and is in a light bed. Sad for Memaw, he cannot be held unless he is being fed. But they think he'll get to come home on Wednesday perhaps. Big Jace has been going back and forth between the hospital and the funeral home. His son's funeral is on Tuesday. How sad.

Now on to my big accomplishment. In my whole life, I have never had the ability to run. In 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade, etc. I dreaded the "mile" day. I always walked it. Here are 2 specific memories I have. One, I tried to run because my teacher yelled at me. I ran a bit of it. When I got done, I put my head between my knees and threw up. Two, in 8th grade, we were on the track. My teacher left another girl and I out there to finish up by ourselves because everyone else was done. So, not fond memories.

Today, I went to my mom's house to use her treadmill and I just felt in the zone. I decided today was going to be the day I ran a mile. I tried last summer, and never got there...got to about .75. Well, I got to .75 today and just decided to make myself keep going. So, today is monumental. I did indeed run a whole mile. I feel pretty darn good about that. I'm quite the athlete now. :)

Happy/Sad/Ironic

My step-sister Tammy is going to have a baby tomorrow. She and her husband Jace are having their 2nd child together...baby Jace. :) We've been really worried; this pregnancy hasn't been easy, Tammy is nearly 40, and the baby is measuring very small. Luckily he's been able to hang in there. So tomorrow will be exciting, I'll have my 12th nephew (well, counting nieces/nephews).

The sad part is that Jace has 3 grown children from his first marriage. Today, one of his sons passed away from a brain aneurysm. Matt was young, in his 20's, and his wife walked in on him taking a nap only to find out that he was not breathing. So, while Jace and the family are getting ready to welcome this new baby tomorrow, they'll also be burying another son in the next few days. Life can be way too short.

Your prayers for them are welcome!

Baby

Wow, I had a wonderful time with friends and baby Bailey this weekend. I am absolutely in love with this child.

Bodybuilding.com

Not that I'm a big believer in New Year's resolutions, but prior to Christmas I had been waiting to get a Wii so I could use the Wii fit to work out. So, that kind of coincides with New Year's, hence it's sort of a resolution.

I've been doing well working out with my Biggest Loser game. I think I've worked out 7 out of the last 12 days. Today at work we were talking about calorie counting, which I had been halfheartedly doing w/ the Biggest Loser game. But thanks to Diane, I signed up for myfitnesspal.com. It's awesome! I had entered my meals for the last couple days on the Biggest Loser game so I kind of transferred that over. Here's something I see as a problem. I am eating practically no protein! As in, I am eating under half of what is my recommended daily intake. No wonder I'm so hungry! So my solution is, of course, turn to the internet. I researched about protein bars and powders. Read tons of reviews, and ended up at bodybuilding.com. Now I'm not looking to be a body builder, but they had a great search where you could input what was important...calories, fat, carbs, protein, etc. I stumbled across a protein powder called Dedicated Woman: Women's Whey. I totally bought some! It is a good amount of protein (27 grams--I'm currently only getting like 30 a day) and 125 calories a serving. Unfortunately the chocolate (which got rave reviews) is on backorder, but hopefully they'll have it again soon and ship it to me. I don't know that I'll love it or have it every day or anything, however I'm really excited to try it! I am often hungry (for instance--right now even though I just 2 hours ago). Maybe this will be a good meal/snack replacement. I'll let all my faithful followers (all 2 or 3 of you) know once I get it.

Wow, embarassing...

...I can't even believe I am going to post this. But it's incredible! I just found my old xanga (after trying MANY of the screennames I've had through the years). I can't believe that I don't remember how much I used to write in it! I wrote in it from 2005-2007 while I was (lonely) living in California. It's 1:11 am now...I'm guessing I'll probably stay up and read the whole thing. Yikes, what a late night.

If you have any interest whatsoever in my old xanga...

miche124.xanga.com

Some things I find humorous from this (these are all directly from the xanga):
-That I ever said, "I really want to go to the beach today but I don't know if I have time...maybe I should just try to go for a half hour or so? But then, is it really worth the walk? What a quandry."
-What else...oh, my fish died the other day, that was kind of sad. We had a coupon for a free beta, but then Roxy chewed that up so now I have no free beta in my future either.
-I wish there was like a summer reading club for adults like the ones when we were kids. I used to win prizes and such, but now it is just for my own satisfaction. Oh well, inner joy :)
-(from a survey)10 years ago: trying to be as cool as my friends but having no chance due to my seriously unfortunate bangs
-Last night I was sitting on the couch, at this house in Palos Verdes that I'm housesitting at, and I just thought, how on earth did I get here? I never in a million years would've pictured this life for myself 5 years ago. I just have no idea how I got here! It's weird...I wonder if this is where I'm supposed to be or if it's a detour that I will move on from in a few years.
-(some things never change) I made chili tonight. It was quite an episode. I cried a few times for the following reasons: I spilled tomatoes all over the kitchen, including on my light pink work shirt, I cut my finger on a blade from the chopper, and it was overall overwhelming. Thank God no one was home, or I might have been sent to a home.
-Oh, one more thing, my friend Jimmy worked on the movie Crash, and he just got invited to this big party at the head of Lion's Gate films house tomorrow night, a sort of "hey, we got 5 Oscar nominations" party, and I'm trying to get him to take me but he says he'll only take someone who will "reward" him for taking her. I said, nah, meeting Ryan Phillppe and Sandra Bullock isn't that important to me.
-I think the current president is: not smart enough to serve my french fries
-20) Who wrote the book on love?
apparently whoever wrote it is hiding it from me
-KC is awesome. I am so so so glad I moved. This is the happiest I have been in a very long time.

Taking the Long Way

So, I have decided to join the land of the blogging. I figure, I used to be pretty dedicated to my xanga, I can do this right? I was blogging before blogging was cool. Plus, you know, everyone's doing it. Which pretty much contradicts why I named my blog what I did. More on that...

...if you actually know me in real life you know I'm a total Dixie Chicks fan. So as I'm sitting here thinking about what to name this thing (even googling "cool names for blogs"), I went to my old stand-by favorite group. I always really identified with the song "The Long Way Around" off of their Taking the Long Way album. It came out when I lived in California and was wrestling with whether or not I wanted to stay there. Megan was just leaving, so I was feeling fairly uncertain. After all, most of my friends finished college, found a place they wanted to live, and started their careers. I on the other hand wanted to do anything but be a teacher, and didn't have a clue in the world where to live. My mom and step dad lived in Montana, and what was bringing me back to Wichita? So, on what can only be called a whim, I headed west. I had a great job, but by no means was it a career. Which brings me back to the song. Only now am I living a life I had pictured...i.e. Taking the Long Way. (Of course back then imagining my life I always had a husband and kids by now! Yikes!)

Anyway, my blog won't probably have much to do with my actual life. (i.e. went to work today, watched tv, etc.) I just often find random things that I wish I had someone to tell, but instead of bothering my friends with inane text messages, I can just write it on here and feel as though I told someone--the internet.