Guest Blogger, Kim

Hi all!  This is the "other Kim" taking over for a day while Kim is on her mission trip.  I pray that everything is going well for her on the trip, and that when she returns we'll read some great stories.

I am forced to realize in thinking about what Kim is experiencing this week-that my idea of roughing it is basically a two star hotel.  I guess to some degree, I am a princess of sorts, because I don't like being without my modern conveniences on a daily basis.  So I am in awe of what Kim and the students from her church are doing.

I'm not a stranger to helping people, but getting completely outside of my comfort zone has never been something that I have been able to do.  Being a fellow weight loss surgery patient, I'm learning to do a few things that challenge my comfort zone, but nothing this big so far.  My challenges have mainly been isolated to going to parties and functions that I typically wouldn't attend.  Which I know seems lame, but for someone who has grown up being a wall flower, it's a big step!

I have a cousin that was an African missionary, and signed up for ten year trip...and while I know that mission work of that kind is not in my future, I hope that someday I'll be able to do something smaller.  Even in my own community, God's love needs to be shown and shared with others, and I'd love to have the courage to do just that one day.  I am thankful that when I do step out there to spread his word, he will fill my mouth with just the right words to do the most good for his kingdom.

Again, my only hope is that one day I will be able to step completely outside of my own world to show someone living in completely different surrounding what God's love is really like.  Until that time, I am thankful to Him for providing others that are able to do just that in my place.  I think it's a special gift that Kim gives the students that she works with as well: lessons in faith and love that will last a lifetime.  Kim truly is one of my heroes!

And We're Off

I'm writing Sunday's entry early, mostly so I can check to make sure this Timestamp really works before we take off today.  As of Saturday at 3:19pm, I am nearly packed, the hair has been cut, the nails have been done and made short, and my gallon thermos is nearly full of iced tea.  Sunday morning, I have ice and some lunch meat to buy (I don't think I will be participating in taco night on Tuesday and fried meat and I already had one go 'round that didn't end well on my part).  I picked up a few healthy snacks and am taking some fruit along as well.  I think I have a plan.

Be safe in my absence, dear readers.  Prayers are always welcome: that our work in this community we are journeying to will make a difference to the people living there and that they will witness a little bit of Jesus working through us.  Pray for the teens to be living examples of the love of Christ and to have serving hearts in the week to come.  Pray that our drive to and from Pennsylvania be a safe one for us and for all those around us.  Pray for the people in this community, that they know the promises that come from the risen Savior, and that though God never said that this life would be easy, he did say that we would never journey it alone.  Pray that they are able to see his blessings on their lives in gifts of family and friends and though they may not have many material things, that they have been given the greatest gift of all.

I'll "see" all of you on Friday.

All my Bags are Packed

..I'm ready to go...I'm standing here outside your door...I hate to wake you up to say goodbye.

Sorry. Had a little John Denver moment there.  I loved him.  Cried when he died and even went to a memorial service for him near Gaithersburg.  No one else that I know of does that amazing "earthy" music and I adored it.

Anyway.  I am pretty much packed and good to go.  I have even already blogged tomorrow's entry and have it scheduled to post at 8:00 am, just so I can make sure the Timestamp thing works as Kim and Kelly's entries are both set up on it.  I'm sure it works actually...what I'm not sure of is if I did it right!

Today was pretty low key, other than getting my nails and hair done and running into my old roomie and his boyfriend, whom I have not seen in close to two years.  It was nice to catch up briefly, even if it was at my hair place! 

Beth, one of the girls who works there, came back to where Kristy was just getting started on my nails and said, "Kim!  Your old buddy is here!"  As I looked confused, she continued, "Mike!  Your X-roomie!"

"Cool!  Ask him to come back!"

Beth looked completely indignant, "No, you come out here!  You need to stand up to see him!  You look fabulous!"

She is so sweet and funny.  I've known these girls for years as I've been getting my hair done there forever.  It's always a good time when I go in there as they are all so funny.

Okay, that's it for tonight!  I still have some things to do in preparation for tomorrow!

Gotta Cut Loose

So tonight we went to see "Footloose" at Smithsburg High school with Paula and John.  It was an alumni show, so Kirk was in it as well as Katie (two of my youth kids) and both of them were amazing as always.  I ran into two of my old theater friends there as well, Jeff and Suanne and I was thrilled to see them.  Suanne is trying to plan a reunion as there are several of us in the area but many of us don't get to see each other.  I'm totally looking forward to seeing everyone again!

I've started packing as there is no sense putting away clean laundry just to pull it out tomorrow evening to pack it.  There are still things I worry about forgetting such as makeup, the camera and the paperwork for YouthWorks, but hopefully, I will keep my head firmly attached to me and remember.

And I have a new favorite thing.  Can we say Shelley's tortilla pizza?? Pizza has always been one of my favorite foods and I had been sorely missing it and have been meaning to try this tortilla pizza thing.  OMG!  YUM!  Totally satisfies the pizza craving!

Your guest bloggers for next week are as follows:
Monday: Kim H
Tuesday: Laura
Wednesday: Kelly
Thursday: The Brit

I hope y'all give them some bloggy loving in my absence for doing me this huge favor and honor!

Paying it Forward

Still loving the new car.

What I also love is being able to return the favors that were done for me as a pre-op byseveral post-ops.  Celia and Christine I know personally and they answered so many of my questions early on as I began to explore the possibility of WLS.  Then there were my girly peeps, Kim, Lacy and Meg, the brave ladies who went before me...right before me really as they only had their surgeries a few months before mine.  I was able to read all about how they were doing in play-by-plays on their blogs, which helped to prepare me and answer so many of my questions.  There was also Alison, who though she doesn't blog as regularly, took the time to email me answers to my questions and to check in on me often.

So, from what I understand, several weeks ago, when I went into my mom's TOPS group to share my WLS story, apparently they put something in the paper weekly about their meeting and what the topic is.  This is how I have come to know Ellen.  Ellen contacted one of the TOPS members, (my mother's cousin) because she had been unable to make the meeting but wanted to talk to me as she was interested in having the surgery.  After a few weeks of phone tag, we finally got hooked up over the phone last Sunday and we talked for an hour.  Like so many others had done for me, I was able to answer some of Ellen's questions and at her request, told her my entire RNY story from beginning to end.  She is now completely convinced that she wants the surgery, and like me a year ago, is starting the six month structured diet process.  I like Ellen very much and am very happy to be able to return the favor that so many did for me.

Though I have said before that I would not recommend this surgery to anyone, I am also more than happy to support anyone who wants to have it.  The reason I would not recommend it simply because it is a personal decision and not for everyone.  It would never be in my place to pressure anyone to have it, whether I think someone would benefit from it or not. 

So the mission trip is now really close and I am rather excited!  I love this kind of stuff; road trips and youth and helping people and letting them see Jesus working in my life.  It was an amazing experience last year and the final factor in my deciding to have surgery.  I have no doubt that this year will be even more amazing.

The End of the Car Saga

Tonight we went to see the guy we have bought about our last six cars from.  He is not working at the same place as last time and though we stopped by to see him last night before we went to Kia, he wasn't working.  Tonight he was and we drove one of these.  Actually, we more than drove it.  It is currently sitting in front of my house.  Teehee.  I liked it very much and there is something to be said about working with Tim.  It's always fun and he always gets us the best deal he can.  We did really well tonight and I am both happy and relieved that the car shopping is over.

Not much else went down today and it is late and we just got home (buying a car takes about three hours apparently) and I still have a buttload of pills to take.  Ya'll give guest blogger Kelly some love because she has been really under the weather!  Hopefully she will be feeling better by tomorrow!

Oh and this makes me smile:

more cat pictures

Fireflies, pouches and cars, oh my!

I decided tonight that Fireflies are proof that God exists.  I mean, bugs are all well and good (actually,I hate bugs) but I think in many ways, they are sort of the same.  Most of them are pesky to humans (or at least to me) and I don't really find any of them pretty.  Yeah, they have their uses or at least a lot of them do and I know that God had a plan for them when He created them.  But then I picture God smiling as he decides to put a tiny light inside of one of them.  No one else would have thought of that!  God has an incredible imagination, I think.

My pouch has been a little bit grumpy since last night and this is the first real disagreement we've had.  The Brit and I got sushi last night....sweet pleasure!  I had not had sushi since the weekend before my surgery and it was GOOD.  Now, I could only eat two pieces at first and it went down okay but as much as I wanted that third piece, I knew it was not a good idea.  So I waited an hour or two and had another piece and that apparently pissed off my pouch. I didn't dump, but my stomach kind of hurt for about fifteen minutes after eating it.  Then right before bed, I had one last piece and again, the stomach ache!  Today, I had soup and a half a sandwich for lunch with friends at Uno's.  Of course, by the time I finished most of my soup and my half sandwich arrived, I was full, so I had like one bite of it and took the rest home, where I nibbled at it for the rest of the day.  Again with the cranky pouch!  Now, I'm wondering if maybe it is the carbs.  The sushi had rice and where I usually take a sandwich apart and eat the meat and cheese from the middle, I was so craving a bit of bread.  Carbs may be the culprit.

And lastly, in preparation for the mission trip, I took my car in today for an oil change and when I went back to pick it up, the mechanic went over a whole laundry list of things my car needed: the brakes are starting to go, the belts, some other big thing is going to need about $1600 worth of work eventually, new tires, blah, blah, blah.  My small SUV is a 2001 and I bought it used.  It has been a fabulous little car, but we start to look at the miles on it, etc and have to wonder if it is just time to trade it in as opposed to having to spend all this out of pocket money.  I think the car manufacturers work this out as my car is nearly paid off, so it is time for stuff to go wrong with it.

When we were in Florida, we rented one of these for the week and I loved it.  Now, I am not someone who wants to buy a new car as I think they are overrated.  A good used car suits me perfectly, so we went to the Kia dealership tonight and they had just gotten a used one in, so we are pondering it.  I may be taking a whole 'nother car on the mission trip