Brunch, Baseball, Birthdays, and BP

Yesterday, we celebrated Kelly Marie with a Baby Shower Brunch at Wild Fork in Utica Square! ❤

Rachel and Alex with Kelly

Group pic: Kendall, Michaela, Rachel, Alex, Danielle, Jessie, baby Gavin, Kelly, Lyndsay, me, Kinsey, and Emily!

Kendall and Jessie hosted and planned this event, and everything was lovely!  And Baby Gavin was super cute and kept us entertained!

Rachel's mom embroidered this sweater for baby Holly Marie - love it! 

My omelette with sour dough toast and fresh fruit was great... so brunchy foods are awesome even when you don't have sweets... noted. lol  The cupcakes did look fantastic, though!

I was able to catch Tate's baseball game before heading home - yay!

Sadly, I missed the game where Chet filled in for Coach Travis. lol  I love the chaos and cuteness of sports at this age! 

❤

Parker shunned them at first, but I'm glad I got one pic of her with the flowers from the brunch! =)

Kyndal Faith ready to move in with Mom and Dad... she packed four bags of clothes and shoes with the threat of tornadoes last night! lol

Random bumper sticker that made me think of Rachael

Thursday night, we did a belated celebration of Triston and Carter's birthdays at The Ranch in Norman!

J&K have missed Carter Lee and both insisted on sitting by him!

Hilary recommended this place, and I can see why.  Truly EXCEPTIONAL customer service and over-the-top kindness and care... I was impressed!  

Happy Birthday to Karli's mom, Melissa, today!!  She's been nothing but kind to me as long as I've known her, and I'm super grateful for that!  Looking forward to the Disney trip with them and to helping Mom decorate Bill and Melissa's house for Christmas later this year!

And happy Peloton anniversary to me... (four years since I got my own account).  This = a pic from me making the century club with 100 rides in 2020, a Station walk in 2023, and Kendall and Lauren Daigle collaborating for a 2024 ride! =)

After a long and glorious nap, I took a happy sunset walk tonight to celebrate the 4-year mark! =)

Totally random, but I took a deep dive into the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill last week.  Watched the movie for the first time and Googled so many things along the way... parts of it reminded me of Titanic in several ways I won't get into here, but I was fascinated!!  This massive rig held the world's deepest oil and gas well (35,050 feet).  And 126 workers were on board when a bad cement job (people in leadership cutting corners to save time and $) led to a massive explosion - the fire could be seen over 40 miles away (at the nearest shore, bc they were in the middle of the freaking ocean).  The fact that only 11 people died is truly a miracle.  The entire rig sank into the ocean 2 days later.  They could not cap or stop it, and it was the worst oil spill in US history (134,000,000 gallons of oil over 87 days), causing massive suffering and death to local wildlife and costing British Petroleum 67 billion dollars in damages.  There are a lot of things I don't understand about the logistics of how this occurred and how people survived certain elements of it, but I couldn't stop thinking about it for days... ocean stuff sticks with me.  Anyway, worth watching the movie streaming on Max if you wanna know more.

Today was my first Sunday in the new sanctuary at First Moore... really nice!  (They've been renovating it the entire time I've been in OKC and just finished it recently).

The Sunday school group is going through the book of Job.  If anyone deserved to write a tortured poets account of his circumstances, it was Job, but He said things like this instead... 

"But true wisdom and power are found in God,

Counsel and understanding are His...

He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness;

He brings light to the deepest gloom."  

~Job 12:13, 22

We find what we look for. 

Happy Sunday, friends!

❤

Thankful Thursday #162

“Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty,
and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love,
let not all the hardship seem little to You that has come upon us..."
~Nehemiah 9:32*

Today, I am thankful for...

1.  Feeling back in the groove with Peloton workouts and healthier eating!  Hooray for the HCOTF calendar - today was yoga and stretching, and it was perfect after a draining workday!!

2.  Lindsay's friendship over the past 10 years - crazy that I've known her that long - we've both come a long way since 2013!  Yesterday was her birthday and my Aunt Charlene's birthday!! ❤

3.  The Station park... a nearby place for refreshing outdoor walks.  I went right after work on Tuesday, hence the work clothes and headband. lol  Now that I know the potential pregnancy timeline is pushed back a bit, I've signed up *to walk* the Rt 66 Half this November, mostly to give me something to push and train for over the few months ahead!  I've found a beginner training plan that's walking 3 days a week (one longer walk each weekend) and cross training/rest on the others - feel super free to join me. ;-)

*Also thankful for good talks with Kristin and for cute ducks!

4.  Movie nights... I watched Last Holiday tonight - kind of an obscure chick flick that I always enjoy.  Queen Latifah living her best life and learning to seize every moment! =)

5.  Recognizable personal growth! lol

6.  The Mini Miss K - I could listen to her tell stories all day.  I adore her and her expressive hand gestures. lol

7.  Annie F. Downs... prayers for her as she's having surgery tomorrow to remove a cyst and a uterine polyp... hearing this was really timely and encouraging for me (I've edited it to fit in a YouTube short, but the whole message is on her FB and Instagram page).

Couldn't have said it better myself.  As she spoke, I thought about my recent post about wanting God's light to shine everywhere and not wanting anything to fester in the darkness.  Of course, I was speaking metaphorically, and so was Annie when she journaled those words, but God can answer our prayers in tangible and intangible ways!

 

*P.S.  I usually choose a gratitude-themed verse for these posts, but that top verse really struck me today while listening through the ESV Bible podcast... the sincere prayer that our daily-life troubles and hardships would not seem small or trivial to our awe-inspiring and powerful God.  And as I've reflected on that and on what I know about Him, I am convinced that God is not dismissive of what's on our hearts - He sees us and loves us and cares about the details.  If it matters to You, it matters to Him.  And thank God for that!

Body Image (August Sanctification Focus)

This semester, I'm learning a lot about how poor body image triggers disordered eating, and how safe relationships lead to better body image.  It always comes back to relationships.

Wood-Barcalow, et al. (2010) emphasize the relational component, noting:  

"Students stated their positive body image stemmed from unconditional acceptance from significant others... They intentionally sought others who offer unconditional acceptance and who have a positive body image, which helped them maintain their positive body image.  They did not merely avoid disordered eating, but additionally listened to their bodies by making healthy food choices, responding to hunger and satiety cues, and not overeating and/or restricting to cope with stress and negative emotions. Not only did they report social support, they avoided people who focus on weight and appearance-related issues, choosing instead to surround themselves with others who espouse a positive body image. They had family members who emphasized inner strengths and taught them that their worth... was more important than their appearance. They often felt unconditional love and support also associated with their religion and/or spirituality. Not only did they have self-esteem, they felt their inner positivity radiated to their outer appearance and were more optimistic, confident, comfortable, happy, and liberated."

Both personally and professionally, the importance of healthy relationships for building better mental and physical health really cannot be overstated.

For the record, positive body image does NOT mean embracing being overweight or being dismissive of sin issues.  I'm not advocating for that.  What it means for me is being grateful for the way God has designed my body and choosing to take care of myself from a place of valuing myself and believing I deserve to be at my healthiest and to not quit on myself and my goals.  So it means vibrant energy + hope and gratitude over shame-based thinking.  And daily healthy choices over pressure to hit a certain scale number on a specific day, a balance that's not an easy thing for me.

My "board of empowerment" is Peloton-heavy for good reason.  Peloton was the first place where I consistently and repeatedly heard positive, empowering messages focused on strength, know-your-worth confidence, self-acceptance, connection (the "we are a team in this together" vibe is strong with Peloton), and building the best version of yourself by getting stronger and healthier.  That fun, positive energy coupled with the endorphin-boost that comes with working out means a lot to me, and it stands in stark contrast to the more familiar shame-based, image-centered messages focused on weight loss and appearance... which have a wider ripple effect of damage than most people would ever imagine.  The hopeful part is, that damage is reversible - and the ripple effect of my words and my presence can be positive rather than damaging for others, so it's very worth working for that!

This month, I want to focus on internalizing and modeling a more positive body image, pressing into Jesus and into my healthiest relationships with people who offer unconditional love and support without weight commentary and/or judgey disapproval vibes, approaching food and working out from a holistic viewpoint (building a strong mind, body, soul, and spirit), and emphasizing inner strengths and inherent worth over physical appearance!  All easier said than done in today's image-obsessed American culture.  This really is an area where I've faced a lot of shame and darkness and damage, but "everything that is illuminated becomes a light."  So I am praying for the light of Christ to shine here and clarify things for me so that I can move forward with breaking down strongholds and being an empowering voice of hope in this area!! ❤

Thankful Thursday #160!!

"Above all, fear the LORD
and serve Him faithfully with all your heart;
consider what great things He has done for you."
~1 Samuel 2:24

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  Having today off work + being caught up there + sleeping in today + a last-minute plan to meet Sarah and Steve for lunch at Charleston's (they were car shopping in OKC). ❤  It was fun to catch up on life and hear about their very memorable family trip to Branson!

2.  New ceiling tiles - huzzah!!  Just a year and 3 short months after moving into this new office, I finally have a ceiling that looks pristine, thanks to a recent leak they had to fix.  Nice to have these little things that remind me of Creek County. lol ;-)  (I had to move all my stuff off that back desk while they're working on it, so this picture is just to celebrate the new non-water-stained tiles, which make me very happy.)

3.  Sarah Elizabeth's birthday yesterday... I made this happy collage to celebrate. lol  Thankful for our almost 15 years of friendship!

4.  I also had this delightful cookie-two-step shake to celebrate, or at least we'll say that's why.  Kristin and I tried out the new Crimson Melt restaurant in Moore after our very short and hot walk yesterday!  They specialize in grilled cheeses and milkshakes... and yes, I tried both - yum!  (And no, I'm not giving up on WW, but I for sure wasn't tracking yesterday. lol)  I'm thankful for this happy dessert, and thankful for the other WW of Wednesday walks with Kristin!

5.  The joy of reaching Peloton milestones when I wasn't expecting it... yesterday was my 250th walk, and a couple weeks back was my 400th yoga workout!

6.  This = 3 screenshots of an encouraging post by Christine Caine that God let me see at just the right time as I was praying about whether to press forward with adoption stuff and facing doubts on whether I can do this "on my own."  It literally popped up seconds after I prayed for God to show me what to do. ❤❤  Plus a cheesy pic of me to make it a four-square collage. lol  We are never alone.  I'm so very thankful that God goes before us and never leaves us!!

7.  Quality friendships + watching God work in the lives of my friends + watching their faith shine in difficult seasons + feeling bolstered by all of the above!

Hope you're having a lovely Thursday so far!

To end this one, here's a meme that made me laugh... not once have I gone in to see the cashier when it won't take my card outside. lol

Sweet Saturday! =)

This post is full of randomness, once again.

Just in case you were filled with curiosity, my selected sweet for this week = a cup of Braum's twist frozen yogurt... yum!!  I thought about movie candies that might be fun, but the thought of ice cream at night was more appealing to me! =)

*P.S. Every time I write "curiosity," I try to put a "u" after the "o" because I'm writing the word curious.  It's one of few consistent grammar/spelling mistakes I make.

I felt sad and a little overwhelmed with life and lonely in trying to make big decisions last night... but I prayed over it and I slept in, and the world feels brighter again today!  The fro-yo was lovely, but today has been a pretty sweet Saturday in other ways, as well...

I took a walk at the Station this morning, with several jogging intervals to up the cardio!  I'm only six days into it, but the increased cardio and core intensity has been great!  My repeated mantra for the challenging run segments today was, "Fierce - Focused - Resilient - Committed!"  I realized later that I was repping Peloton during my walk and my afternoon movie... I went to see Guardians of the Galaxy 3 at Moore Warren... I legit cried thrice because baby raccoons are adorable and I'm at a point where I feel real love for this team of characters.  This was my favorite of the Guardians trilogy.

I forgot the movie was in 3D when I took this photo. lol

Random pic I saved of my friend, Linda, who lives in Colorado now... she's a distance runner and a great mom, and her love for life is inspiring to me!

In other surprising and happy news, I wore shorts in public for the first time in years today... and no one was repulsed, and I felt a confidence boost rather than an insecurity spiral - huzzah!  This is thanks to a speech from Sophie on the Big Boo podcast, as well as me contemplating the messages I want to pass on to my child, which do not include a hint of unworthiness or body insecurity.  I'm not at all sure why shorts have been a bigger issue in my mind than swimsuits ever have, but I'm pressing through that imaginary wall I put up now!  Sorry for 4 selfies in one post, but I enjoyed my own company today and still wanted to document life. =) 
P.S.  I tucked the gray sheet in between these photos. lol  Still going strong on making the bed every day!

Here's an old-school collage from when the niece and nephews visited the Del City Fire Station... cuteness!

I'm seriously considering a possible move into a freelance court reporting career later this year.  Wouldn't be an entirely different life, but it really would change some things for me with finances and work schedule.  Prayers would be appreciated as I seek God on this decision!

This text from Kristin Renee made me happy.  To be honest, I have no idea when I even wrote that.  I'm guessing I included it in a card I mailed them at some point.  But this is a good reminder that little acts of kindness can mean a lot and their effects may last longer than we expect!

A few of the latest memes from Chet Lee:

I ❤ koala bears, and yes, I'm still calling them that! lol

This one = me repeatedly trying to make myself like coffee with no success!

Sam Yo did a Star Wars ride... it was cheesy and fun, and this intro made me happy!  At the end, he said the classic, "I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me," which I always change to, "I am one with the Lord, and the Lord is with me!" #truth

I love so many of the posts by the Holistic Psychologist on Instagram.  With my attachment style and background with very abrupt and intense rejections, this is one I still have to work on... my emotions can misinterpret things and flare up fast there, but my ability to pray, breathe, calm down, and stay regulated is getting so much better. ❤  (And it does help tremendously to have secure friends who don't consistently pull away when I'm feeling anxious or emotionally needy.)

I just love James Corden... he's adorable and genuinely delightful and funny!  When he first signed on for this show, he was quite unknown in America, and most major celebrities were turning down invites to be on the first week, when they really needed someone well known to help start things off on the right foot.  Tom Hanks was the first one to say yes, and this segment was part of James' very first show, which received rave reviews and set off eight fantastic years!!  (That makes me like Tom even more!)

 

And to bookend it, this is the final Carpool Karaoke segment from his last show, which I finally watched tonight.  I really had no idea he and Adele were such close friends, but this was a wonderful way to start off his final "Late Late Show." ❤  (I also highly recommend the ones with Paul McCartney and Celine Dion).

Happy Saturday, friends!  I hope this was a sweet day for you, as well!!