So, I'm having a bit of a bad week. First of all, we have all been sick with an upper-respiratory infection for the past few days. It started with Sydney getting sick last week, then I caught it over the weekend, and now Todd has it. We have been a sorry bunch!! For me, upper-respiratory infections have always hit me hard. I got so sick with one when I was in graduate school that my parents had to drive to Knoxville, pick me up, and bring me home to get well. I was in my 20's and could not physically take care of myself. Even my roommate was worried sick about me! For some reason, when I get an upper-respiratory infection, it knocks me out of commission for about a week. I am on Day 3 with this one, so I probably have several more days of sickness before I will start feeling like myself again.
So, this brings me to the second reason why I am having a bad week. I was all set to start my journey to better health this week when SICKNESS had to rear its ugly head and bring me down (or, could it be the DEVIL?!?!)!! Ironic, huh?? You see, I was going to try out my first Barre Sculpt class at Seren Motus yesterday, but it's a little hard to exercise when you feel like you can't breathe (plus, I had a temp. of about 102 and didn't think it would be a good idea to be around other people!). So, I am going to reschedule for next week and try the class when I am up to par. I also had an appointment to visit Dr. Joshu tomorrow to begin her 12 Weeks to Wellness program, but I rescheduled that for next week, too. Between Sydney and me being sick, I haven't been to work since last Wednesday, and I plan on going back tomorrow (Lord willing!). I didn't think it would be a good idea on my first day back to work to take a couple of hours out of my work day to go to my appointment with Dr. Joshu. So, I called and rescheduled my appointment for next Monday. I am pretty bummed that my plans for this week had to be changed, but I WILL prevail!!
I am reading a really good book this week that reiterates for me the importance of getting my health in order. It's called Fat Chance, and it was written my Julie Hadden, one of the Season 4 contestants on The Biggest Loser. It's a very candid look at Julie's life, how she struggled with her weight for so many years, and how she finally found the strength to overcome it. I can see some of myself in Julie. I am not as heavy as she was, but I am overweight never-the-less. I don't think it matters HOW MUCH weight you need to lose, only that you NEED to lose it. So, in that way I see myself in Julie. She was the type of person who put others' needs in front of her own just like so many other women do, and in the process of doing that she lost control of her own life. I sooooo get that!! There are so many times when I know I need to take the time to exercise, but I don't do it because I feel guilty for taking time away from Sydney. I am a working mom, so my time with my daughter is limited. Often, I would rather do something with her than exercise. She is almost 3, so I know as she gets older we can do physical things together a little easier, but when your children are very small there's only so much they can do with you! I know in my head that Sydney is not going to die if I take the time to exercise, and I also know that I need to do it so I can be the best mommy possible for her, but I must admit that my guilt often gets the better of me.
One thing that Julie talks about in her book is surrounding yourself with positive influences. You need people in your life who will support you on your journey to better health, and for me right now it's a little hard to find. I am getting ready to make some MAJOR changes in the way my family eats, and I know I am going to catch a lot of flack for that. Just the other day my mom was at the house, and she was giving me a hard time about the organic milk and tomatoes she saw in the fridge, along with my almond milk (which I LOVE, by the way!!). She was like, "What's with all that organic stuff in your fridge? Honey, you can't afford to be buying organic." Todd was sitting there, and he chimed in about the coconut oil I have been using to cook with. I walked out of the room, but I could still overhear my mom and Todd talking about how this organic stuff is all a lot of "hype." I will be the first to admit that I used to believe it was all a lot of "hype," too. However, the more I study about it, the more I am convinced that organic (at LEAST for fruits and veggies) is the way to go. I would rather pay more for my FOOD now than pay $$$$$$$ for the MEDICINE I will need later to keep myself healthy!! Can I get an AMEN?!?!
Listen, I KNOW my mom and my hubby mean well, but I have a feeling that I am going to travel this road to better health by myself a lot, and I am fine with that. My only hope is that as my family sees changes in me over time, they will support me more in what I am trying to do. It's not that they DON'T support me in my quest to lose weight and get healthy. They just might think some of my methods are a little "squirrely." But, I look at it this way: I am 38 years old, and when I look at my parents who are in their 60's I see what I DON'T want to be. Both of my parents are diabetic, my mom has high blood pressure, and my dad has cholesterol issues. Just last week my dad had some tests done on his heart, and the doctor didn't like what he saw. So, he put my dad on a stronger statin drug than he was already on. My parents are both on medication for diabetes and their other medical issues, but with each drug they take there is some sort of weird side effect for their bodies. I'm not saying that I will NEVER be on medication by the time I am their age if I change my health now, but I do think I stand a MUCH better chance of being more healthy THEN if I start taking care of myself more NOW. So, if it means I spend a little more on groceries, and I buy some things my family might not agree with, then so be it! I am fine with that!!
I guess I am just having one of those weeks when nothing seems to be working out right, and I am feeling a little discouraged. However, I think my sickness has been a good thing in one way. It has forced me to slow down a little for a few days, and I have had time to read some of Julie's book. I think the timing of reading her book has been really good for me. It has helped me keep things in perspective during this not-so-pleasant week. I will share more thoughts about the book as I continue reading it. Despite my unpleasant week, I will not let it get me down for long, so onward I press to better health! I look forward to sharing more of what I learn along the way with you!!
(Oh, and one more thing about Julie's book- she writes it from a CHRISTIAN perspective, so that's great, too!!)
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
A Journey to Better Health
OK, you KNOW it's been too long since you have blogged when you look at your blog site and the background is still CHRISTMAS!! Ugh!! I promise to do better! Life's responsibilities just seem to always get in the way of my blogging! Oh, and a lot of times my life is just plain boring, and I don't have much to blog about. :)
Today I DO have something to blog about, and it's something that excites me! This past weekend I attended a Women's Wellness Weekend event in Franklin. It was organized by Calie Shackleford, creator of Broccoli Cupcake. The event centered around teaching women how to get healthy physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, and it was AMAZING!! I plan to take the information I gathered from the event, and the resources I learned about, to focus on my health and FINALLY (Lord willing!) get my life in order. My plan is to have you participate in my journey via my blog (which means I WILL be blogging more often!).
About a month ago I went to a "traditional" physician (Internal Medicine Dr.) for a physical. Most specifically, I wanted to have my blood sugar and cholesterol/triglycerides checked. I told the doctor to give me the good, the bad, and the ugly so I would finally do what I needed to do to get my health in order. Overall my visit went well, but when I got my blood test results I was WHACKED upside my head with some of the numbers. My blood sugar was slightly high but not too bad. That can easily be remedied with changes in diet and exercise. My cholesterol/triglycerides were another matter entirely! My triglycerides have been high before, so I knew they could be this time, too. I didn't know HOW high they could be, though! Let's just say they were out of control!! I knew it was time to get my rear in gear (like I haven't said THAT a million times before!!)!!! The thing that frustrated me after my visit, though, was that the doctor just mailed the results with a letter that told me to work on diet and exercise (DUH!), take fish oil supplements, and come back in 3 to 6 months for more testing. Well, thank you very much!! I could have figured THAT out all on my own!!
After my blood test results came back, I knew I HAD to make some changes in my diet, so I decided to start with the Daniel Fast. I decided to do it for Lent and to jump full force into new eating habits. Basically, the diet consists of fruits, veggies, nuts/seeds, legumes, and whole grains (kind of like a vegan diet). You are not allowed to have meat, dairy, sweetners of any kind, refined/processed foods, etc. It's a great way to kick start healthy eating! I am almost two weeks into the diet, and while I have strayed every so often (I have had meat and dairy a few times), I have done pretty well. It's not something I would want to do forever, but it's been a good way for me to get rid of my cravings for sugar and junk food. The first few days were very hard, but by Day 5 I was feeling pretty good! I also gave up caffeine for Lent, and that has helped a lot, too. The Daniel Fast is supposed to last 21 days, but I am trying to stay on it for all of Lent. I may have meat from time to time, but my BIG things I am focusing on eliminating from my diet are sugar, caffeine, and just plain ol' JUNK for my body. I have lost about 6 lbs. so far, and I plan on losing a lot more!!
Now, here comes the next step in my plan to get HEALTHY! Around the time of my physcical, I saw a brochure at church about the Women's Wellness Weekend. It intrigued me, so I decided to attend. I knew I needed to lose weight and get more healthy, but I needed some resources and people in my life to help me accomplish my goals (not just some doctor sending me a letter in the mail telling me to eat better, exercise more, and take fish oil supplements!). Boy, am I glad I attended the Wellness Weekend!
At the Wellness Weekend event, there was a doctor named Jana Joshu. Dr. Joshu is a Chiropractor who specializes in Alternative Medicine. Now, before you go off on some tangent thinking she is some tree-hugging, granola eating, "voo doo" doctor, hear me out! Dr. Joshu specializes in bringing balance to her patients' health and well-being. She works with her patients on nutrition, lifestyle, and overall health. She has a program called "12 Weeks to Wellness" where she works with her patients in bringing about changes in nutrition, lifestyle, etc., and she gives them the tools they need in order to be successful. She is upfront about her 12 week program being hard, but she is confident in her ability to assist her patients in living better, more healthy, lives. I LIKE THAT! At the Wellness Weekend I signed up for an initial consultation with Dr. Joshu, and I look forward to learning more about her program!
Another step I am taking on my journey to better health is opening myself up to different forms of exercise. For me, exercise has NEVER been something I enjoy. For the most part, I LOATHE it. However, I know I have to make it an integral part of my life if I am going to succeed in getting and staying healthy. During one of the sessions at the Wellness Weekend, we learned about a form of exercise called Ruah. It's sort of like a cross between yoga and pilates (I am no expert in either area!), and I LOVED the session! I felt like my body really got a workout, but I wasn't hopping all around trying to keep up with some aerobics or zumba instructor. Ruah was hard and relaxing all at the same time, and I was fascinated by it! I decided to give it a try on a regular basis! I purchased the DVDs and can't wait for them to arrive!
One of the Ruah instructors, Suzanne Bowen, also owns a fitness studio in Franklin called Seren Motus. The classes at Seren Motus focus on Barre Sculpt, which from what I understand is a lot like Ruah, but it also uses a ballet barre. One of my friends who attended the Wellness Weekend with me has attended Suzanne's classes a few times, and she swears by them. Since I liked the Ruah session at the Wellness Weekend so much, I decided to try out the Barre Sculpt classes at Seren Motus. I'm sure I will be the chubbiest girl in the class, but I am determined to find something I LOVE for my exercise! I can always go for a walk outside or jump on my treadmill, but I want to try something NEW for a change. The classes aren't cheap, but I figure if I like them and stick to them, the changes in my health will be worth the price I pay for them!
I know I should have mentioned this FIRST, but the BEST thing about the Women's Wellness Weekend was that everything was taught from a Christian point-of-reference. We started the weekend learning about how important it is for our spiritual lives to be healthy, and how if our relationship with God isn't in order, our relationships with others will suffer. My spiritual life is another area I want to improve upon, so along my journey to wellness I will share about that, too. My plan on my journey is to blog along the way about what I learn and how I feel about everything, whether it be mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. So, join me on my journey! It's going to be HEALTHY!!
Today I DO have something to blog about, and it's something that excites me! This past weekend I attended a Women's Wellness Weekend event in Franklin. It was organized by Calie Shackleford, creator of Broccoli Cupcake. The event centered around teaching women how to get healthy physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, and it was AMAZING!! I plan to take the information I gathered from the event, and the resources I learned about, to focus on my health and FINALLY (Lord willing!) get my life in order. My plan is to have you participate in my journey via my blog (which means I WILL be blogging more often!).
About a month ago I went to a "traditional" physician (Internal Medicine Dr.) for a physical. Most specifically, I wanted to have my blood sugar and cholesterol/triglycerides checked. I told the doctor to give me the good, the bad, and the ugly so I would finally do what I needed to do to get my health in order. Overall my visit went well, but when I got my blood test results I was WHACKED upside my head with some of the numbers. My blood sugar was slightly high but not too bad. That can easily be remedied with changes in diet and exercise. My cholesterol/triglycerides were another matter entirely! My triglycerides have been high before, so I knew they could be this time, too. I didn't know HOW high they could be, though! Let's just say they were out of control!! I knew it was time to get my rear in gear (like I haven't said THAT a million times before!!)!!! The thing that frustrated me after my visit, though, was that the doctor just mailed the results with a letter that told me to work on diet and exercise (DUH!), take fish oil supplements, and come back in 3 to 6 months for more testing. Well, thank you very much!! I could have figured THAT out all on my own!!
After my blood test results came back, I knew I HAD to make some changes in my diet, so I decided to start with the Daniel Fast. I decided to do it for Lent and to jump full force into new eating habits. Basically, the diet consists of fruits, veggies, nuts/seeds, legumes, and whole grains (kind of like a vegan diet). You are not allowed to have meat, dairy, sweetners of any kind, refined/processed foods, etc. It's a great way to kick start healthy eating! I am almost two weeks into the diet, and while I have strayed every so often (I have had meat and dairy a few times), I have done pretty well. It's not something I would want to do forever, but it's been a good way for me to get rid of my cravings for sugar and junk food. The first few days were very hard, but by Day 5 I was feeling pretty good! I also gave up caffeine for Lent, and that has helped a lot, too. The Daniel Fast is supposed to last 21 days, but I am trying to stay on it for all of Lent. I may have meat from time to time, but my BIG things I am focusing on eliminating from my diet are sugar, caffeine, and just plain ol' JUNK for my body. I have lost about 6 lbs. so far, and I plan on losing a lot more!!
Now, here comes the next step in my plan to get HEALTHY! Around the time of my physcical, I saw a brochure at church about the Women's Wellness Weekend. It intrigued me, so I decided to attend. I knew I needed to lose weight and get more healthy, but I needed some resources and people in my life to help me accomplish my goals (not just some doctor sending me a letter in the mail telling me to eat better, exercise more, and take fish oil supplements!). Boy, am I glad I attended the Wellness Weekend!
At the Wellness Weekend event, there was a doctor named Jana Joshu. Dr. Joshu is a Chiropractor who specializes in Alternative Medicine. Now, before you go off on some tangent thinking she is some tree-hugging, granola eating, "voo doo" doctor, hear me out! Dr. Joshu specializes in bringing balance to her patients' health and well-being. She works with her patients on nutrition, lifestyle, and overall health. She has a program called "12 Weeks to Wellness" where she works with her patients in bringing about changes in nutrition, lifestyle, etc., and she gives them the tools they need in order to be successful. She is upfront about her 12 week program being hard, but she is confident in her ability to assist her patients in living better, more healthy, lives. I LIKE THAT! At the Wellness Weekend I signed up for an initial consultation with Dr. Joshu, and I look forward to learning more about her program!
Another step I am taking on my journey to better health is opening myself up to different forms of exercise. For me, exercise has NEVER been something I enjoy. For the most part, I LOATHE it. However, I know I have to make it an integral part of my life if I am going to succeed in getting and staying healthy. During one of the sessions at the Wellness Weekend, we learned about a form of exercise called Ruah. It's sort of like a cross between yoga and pilates (I am no expert in either area!), and I LOVED the session! I felt like my body really got a workout, but I wasn't hopping all around trying to keep up with some aerobics or zumba instructor. Ruah was hard and relaxing all at the same time, and I was fascinated by it! I decided to give it a try on a regular basis! I purchased the DVDs and can't wait for them to arrive!
One of the Ruah instructors, Suzanne Bowen, also owns a fitness studio in Franklin called Seren Motus. The classes at Seren Motus focus on Barre Sculpt, which from what I understand is a lot like Ruah, but it also uses a ballet barre. One of my friends who attended the Wellness Weekend with me has attended Suzanne's classes a few times, and she swears by them. Since I liked the Ruah session at the Wellness Weekend so much, I decided to try out the Barre Sculpt classes at Seren Motus. I'm sure I will be the chubbiest girl in the class, but I am determined to find something I LOVE for my exercise! I can always go for a walk outside or jump on my treadmill, but I want to try something NEW for a change. The classes aren't cheap, but I figure if I like them and stick to them, the changes in my health will be worth the price I pay for them!
I know I should have mentioned this FIRST, but the BEST thing about the Women's Wellness Weekend was that everything was taught from a Christian point-of-reference. We started the weekend learning about how important it is for our spiritual lives to be healthy, and how if our relationship with God isn't in order, our relationships with others will suffer. My spiritual life is another area I want to improve upon, so along my journey to wellness I will share about that, too. My plan on my journey is to blog along the way about what I learn and how I feel about everything, whether it be mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. So, join me on my journey! It's going to be HEALTHY!!
Friday, December 11, 2009
My Precious Kitty Bobby!!
ATTENTION SPRING HILL RESIDENTS!!
PLEASE HELP ME FIND MY KITTY!!!!
As some of you know, my precious kitty Bobby went missing a couple of weeks after we moved a few months ago. Since that time, we have looked for him but have feared that he met his Maker somewhere out in the woods around our new house. However, recently my friend Jennifer has spotted a kitty matching Bobby's description near our old neighborhood, and I am on a desperate search to find this kitty she has seen and determine if it IS indeed my precious Bobby. I have always heard that sometimes animals try to return to their old home after being moved, and I am wondering if this may be the case with my precious Bobby.
The thing that makes me think this kitty may be my Bobby is that the kitty Jennifer has seen has a bobbed tail, and my precious Bobby does too! He is a small, black, short-haired kitty with a bobbed tail (about 2 in. long), and I don't suppose there are many other cats in Spring Hill that can match that description, especially in the vicinity of our old neighborhood.
In an effort to find this kitty that Jennifer has seen, I have been sending emails to folks asking them to be on the lookout for the kitty, too. I need LOTS of eyes looking for him! He has been seen near Burtonwood and most recently at Wyngate (which is the subdivision right next to our old subdivision, Ridgeport). I figured I would post this on my blog too because it will post on Facebook as well. If you see a kitty matching the description of my Bobby, PLEASE CALL ME!! My number is 615-974-1324, and you can call ANYTIME!! If you spot the kitty I am looking for, I need to be able to get to him quickly to see if he will come to me! Bobby is a skittish little cat, so he most likely would not come to anyone other than me.
THANK YOU for helping me look for this kitty!! If you know me at all, you know how much I ADORE my pets. I have been heartbroken since Bobby went missing, and I desperately want to find this other kitty to see if it might be him! PLEASE pass this on to anyone you know who lives in Spring Hill! I need LOTS of eyes looking for this cat! THANKS AGAIN!!!
Michelle
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Our New House
Well, after being in our new house for a few months, it finally feels like a "home." We have been working hard hanging curtains and pictures, and while we still have a few things to do we are feeling much more settled. Here are a few pics of the new place and feel free to stop by anytime! :)
View of den from upstairs balcony.
Master bedroom.
Sydney's room (aka the Pink Palace).
Sydney's playroom (aka the 4th bedroom).
Guest bedroom.
Kitchen.
Dining room (it's more of a terracotta color than UT orange!).
Bonus room.
The den.
View of den from upstairs balcony.
Master bedroom.
Sydney's room (aka the Pink Palace).
Sydney's playroom (aka the 4th bedroom).
Guest bedroom.
Kitchen.
Dining room (it's more of a terracotta color than UT orange!).
Bonus room.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Out of the Mouths of Babes
WOW! Has it really been 4 months since I have blogged?!?! Crazy!! Things have been a little nuts for us the past few months. We bought a new house (I will post pics at some point!), we had to get our old house ready to sell, and we have been crazy busy with life in general. I promise to do better with my blogging in the future! For now, I just want to share one little story about something that happened with Sydney tonight....
At bedtime, like most parents do with their children, I say prayers with Sydney. I pray a simple prayer thanking God for various things, and I always thank Him for Jesus. Sydney doesn't usually close her eyes, and she rarely even acts like she is paying attention to what I am doing (gotta love a toddler!). Well, I guess she pays closer attention to my simple prayers than I think she does because tonight when I got finished Sydney closed her eyes, put her hands together, and started to pray ON HER OWN! It was the sweetest thing I have ever heard! She said in a very, very quiet voice, "Dear God, thank you for the world, thank you for Nana and Paw Paw and Grammy and Ga Ga, thank you for Jesus." Tears welled in my eyes as I listened to this special little conversation my daughter was having with God. I could not have been more proud of my precious angel!
Thank you, God, for the beautiful gift of my daughter, and may I never forget that EVERYTHING I do impacts her life. May I be the Godly parent that You want me to be. Amen.
At bedtime, like most parents do with their children, I say prayers with Sydney. I pray a simple prayer thanking God for various things, and I always thank Him for Jesus. Sydney doesn't usually close her eyes, and she rarely even acts like she is paying attention to what I am doing (gotta love a toddler!). Well, I guess she pays closer attention to my simple prayers than I think she does because tonight when I got finished Sydney closed her eyes, put her hands together, and started to pray ON HER OWN! It was the sweetest thing I have ever heard! She said in a very, very quiet voice, "Dear God, thank you for the world, thank you for Nana and Paw Paw and Grammy and Ga Ga, thank you for Jesus." Tears welled in my eyes as I listened to this special little conversation my daughter was having with God. I could not have been more proud of my precious angel!
Thank you, God, for the beautiful gift of my daughter, and may I never forget that EVERYTHING I do impacts her life. May I be the Godly parent that You want me to be. Amen.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Somebody Call 911!!
A few weeks ago we had some family pictures made. It was a perfect day for pictures (one of the VERY FEW sunny days in May!), and the photo session went great......... until the end!
When we finished the photo shoot, I was paying Jadie, the photographer. Todd set Sydney on the front seat of the car for "just a second" and shut the door while he walked around to the other side to open another door, get her in the back of the car, and buckle her into her car seat. In the short time that it took Todd to walk around to the other side of the car, Sydney managed to push the button to lock the car doors.......... with the keys inside!! Our first thought was, "Oh, crap!!" which was quickly followed by a hurried request to Jadie to please call 911 (our cell phones were in the car, too)!!
Now, you would think that Sydney would get scared being locked in the car. NOT!!! She just started laughing, pulling things out of my purse ("Look, Mom! Gum!!"), ejecting CDs out of the CD player, and whatever else she could get in to. We were banging on the door screaming,"Push the button to unlock the doors!! Push the button to unlock the doors!!" to which she just grinned and shook her head, "NO!!" In the meantime, it was getting hot (remember, this was on one of the few sunny days we had in May!), so we knew we needed to get Sydney out of the car soon!! Jadie was so nice and remained pretty calm while on the phone with 911. I don't know what we would have done without her!
After a few minutes of fun in the car, Sydney picked up the car keys off the front seat, and we started screaming, "Push the button on the alarm!! Push the button on the alarm!!" while praying she would not push the panic button on it! The last thing we needed was for her to push the panic button on the alarm and make the car start honking loudly!!
FINALLY, Sydney pressed the button to unlock the car doors! I have never moved so fast in my life to get those doors OPEN!!!!! Jadie was still on the phone with 911, so she was able to cancel the call (we assured them that Sydney was fine, and there was no need for them to come). The entire ordeal lasted about 5 minutes, but it felt like an ETERNITY! Needless to say, we will NEVER put Sydney in the car for "just a second" while the keys and cell phones are in there with her!
Before the chaos of the locked car, we did have a really great photo shoot. Here are some pictures to enjoy:
The photographer's name is Jadie Thomas, and her website is http://www.jadiethomasphotography.com/. She is AWESOME!!
When we finished the photo shoot, I was paying Jadie, the photographer. Todd set Sydney on the front seat of the car for "just a second" and shut the door while he walked around to the other side to open another door, get her in the back of the car, and buckle her into her car seat. In the short time that it took Todd to walk around to the other side of the car, Sydney managed to push the button to lock the car doors.......... with the keys inside!! Our first thought was, "Oh, crap!!" which was quickly followed by a hurried request to Jadie to please call 911 (our cell phones were in the car, too)!!
Now, you would think that Sydney would get scared being locked in the car. NOT!!! She just started laughing, pulling things out of my purse ("Look, Mom! Gum!!"), ejecting CDs out of the CD player, and whatever else she could get in to. We were banging on the door screaming,"Push the button to unlock the doors!! Push the button to unlock the doors!!" to which she just grinned and shook her head, "NO!!" In the meantime, it was getting hot (remember, this was on one of the few sunny days we had in May!), so we knew we needed to get Sydney out of the car soon!! Jadie was so nice and remained pretty calm while on the phone with 911. I don't know what we would have done without her!
After a few minutes of fun in the car, Sydney picked up the car keys off the front seat, and we started screaming, "Push the button on the alarm!! Push the button on the alarm!!" while praying she would not push the panic button on it! The last thing we needed was for her to push the panic button on the alarm and make the car start honking loudly!!
FINALLY, Sydney pressed the button to unlock the car doors! I have never moved so fast in my life to get those doors OPEN!!!!! Jadie was still on the phone with 911, so she was able to cancel the call (we assured them that Sydney was fine, and there was no need for them to come). The entire ordeal lasted about 5 minutes, but it felt like an ETERNITY! Needless to say, we will NEVER put Sydney in the car for "just a second" while the keys and cell phones are in there with her!
Before the chaos of the locked car, we did have a really great photo shoot. Here are some pictures to enjoy:
The photographer's name is Jadie Thomas, and her website is http://www.jadiethomasphotography.com/. She is AWESOME!!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
TheHopeLine Excitement Continues!!
I cannot even begin to tell you how exciting (and scary!!) things are at TheHopeLine right now!! God is blessing our ministry in ways that we never dreamed possible, and He is bringing the Dawson McAllister Live radio show to HUGE markets nationwide! The latest news around the TheHopeLine is that the DM Live show will begin airing in 6 MAJOR MARKETS on June 28th- NEW YORK CITY, BOSTON, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, SEATTLE, AND PORTLAND (OR)!!!! Words cannot express how absolutely INCREDIBLE this opportunity is for helping the youth of today!!
Along with the amazing news of the expansion of the DM Live show comes an ENORMOUS NEED FOR HOPECOACHES FOR THEHOPELINE!! While we currently have thousands of teens and young adults listening to the DM Live show, once the show begins airing in these new major markets (not to mention the OTHER 40-50 stations nationwide that could be adding the DM Live show in the next few months!), we will have MILLIONS of young people tuning in to the show!! Yes, I said MILLIONS!! Just think about the populations of these big cities and the impact that the DM Live show could have on the young people in these areas!!
Despite how exciting the addition of these new radio stations is, it is also daunting to think about how many more young people will be calling TheHopeLine each week. We have a wonderful, dedicated staff of HopeCoach volunteers, and they do an AMAZING job with the young people who contact TheHopeLine, but WE NEED MORE!! Potentially, we could need HUNDREDS more!!
I say all of this to ask you to please pray for two things for TheHopeLine. First, please pray for the radio show, that it will continue to be a bridge between young people and Christ. Dawson is limited in how much he can talk about God on the radio because the show airs on secular stations, BUT there is no limit to how much volunteers at TheHopeLine can talk to kids about God when they call in or chat online with us! Please pray that young people will hear the show and be drawn to contacting TheHopeLine. Second, please pray that volunteers will come forth to serve on TheHopeLine. Young people can contact TheHopeLine from 7 PM to 5 AM CST Sunday-Thursday nights and 7 PM to midnight CST on Friday and Saturday nights. As I stated before, WE NEED HOPECOACHES to talk on the phone or chat online with the young people who contact TheHopeLine!!
If you feel God calling you to volunteer with TheHopeLine, PLEASE CONTACT ME!! You can call me at (931) 489-6057 or email me at mryan@dmlive.com. You can also visit http://dmlive.com/ to find out about the Dawson McAllister Association, the Dawson McAllister Live radio show, and TheHopeLine. You can visit http://www.volunteer.thehopeline.com/ if you wish to apply to be a HopeCoach. Even if you can only volunteer for one hour a week, we need you!!
Please know that the MOST IMPORTANT THING we need at TheHopeLine is prayer! We need people praying for us daily! As our ministry continues to grow and expand, Satan will try to attack us wherever he can. We need to be covered in prayer in order to defeat him! Young people need to hear about God, about Jesus Christ, and about salvation today more than ever before. Please pray for TheHopeLine as we strive to reach teens and young adults for Christ! Thank you for your prayers!!
Along with the amazing news of the expansion of the DM Live show comes an ENORMOUS NEED FOR HOPECOACHES FOR THEHOPELINE!! While we currently have thousands of teens and young adults listening to the DM Live show, once the show begins airing in these new major markets (not to mention the OTHER 40-50 stations nationwide that could be adding the DM Live show in the next few months!), we will have MILLIONS of young people tuning in to the show!! Yes, I said MILLIONS!! Just think about the populations of these big cities and the impact that the DM Live show could have on the young people in these areas!!
Despite how exciting the addition of these new radio stations is, it is also daunting to think about how many more young people will be calling TheHopeLine each week. We have a wonderful, dedicated staff of HopeCoach volunteers, and they do an AMAZING job with the young people who contact TheHopeLine, but WE NEED MORE!! Potentially, we could need HUNDREDS more!!
I say all of this to ask you to please pray for two things for TheHopeLine. First, please pray for the radio show, that it will continue to be a bridge between young people and Christ. Dawson is limited in how much he can talk about God on the radio because the show airs on secular stations, BUT there is no limit to how much volunteers at TheHopeLine can talk to kids about God when they call in or chat online with us! Please pray that young people will hear the show and be drawn to contacting TheHopeLine. Second, please pray that volunteers will come forth to serve on TheHopeLine. Young people can contact TheHopeLine from 7 PM to 5 AM CST Sunday-Thursday nights and 7 PM to midnight CST on Friday and Saturday nights. As I stated before, WE NEED HOPECOACHES to talk on the phone or chat online with the young people who contact TheHopeLine!!
If you feel God calling you to volunteer with TheHopeLine, PLEASE CONTACT ME!! You can call me at (931) 489-6057 or email me at mryan@dmlive.com. You can also visit http://dmlive.com/ to find out about the Dawson McAllister Association, the Dawson McAllister Live radio show, and TheHopeLine. You can visit http://www.volunteer.thehopeline.com/ if you wish to apply to be a HopeCoach. Even if you can only volunteer for one hour a week, we need you!!
Please know that the MOST IMPORTANT THING we need at TheHopeLine is prayer! We need people praying for us daily! As our ministry continues to grow and expand, Satan will try to attack us wherever he can. We need to be covered in prayer in order to defeat him! Young people need to hear about God, about Jesus Christ, and about salvation today more than ever before. Please pray for TheHopeLine as we strive to reach teens and young adults for Christ! Thank you for your prayers!!
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