We Begin Tomorrow!

This is a headline to an email I received today from Ivana. I'm so excited and yet I've no idea what is in store for me and the other ladies who have decided to participate in this Yourishment group. Here are some things I look forward to:

Over the next 3 months, I will...

• set and accomplish goals in a way that is empowering and exciting
• work to achieve my ideal weight
• understand and reduce my cravings
• increase my energy levels
• feel great in my body
• learn about new foods and re-acquaint myself with some great old ones
• share my successes and questions

That's part of what the email entails. The coach goes into a bit more detail, but I have to save some things for later. I'll be sharing a whole lot of this stuff with you as I go.... so I hope you're ready. I think I am. I am! I'm nervous and ready.

I started these changes on Valentine's Day as a gift to myself and my family. It's kind of fitting that this next section of lifestyle change comes in time for my birthday. Happy Birthday to me! I am liking the gifts I am giving myself this year. They're so much healthier than the ones I used to want.

This birthday I decided I wanted a phone and I'd like to skip the get-together at a restaurant and so forth. I took a few days off work which gives me a four day weekend. I'm looking forward to whatever it is I do with that time (hopefully make it count, right?

School (I'm attending seminary for my 2nd year) begins this month which I'm excited to get into again. I've gotten close to my fellow classmates since our intensive over the summer and it's going to be cool to spend the rest of this year learning and building in ministry with them.

The last few weeks have held such sadness. Before the earthquake came, I couldn't put a finger on what was bothering me. I just felt sad and angry and frustrated. Hormones didn't help. But, there was that deep, deep knowing something wasn't right and things just felt "off" and heart-breakingly sad and tense for no real reason.  THEN came a flood of reasons, from my own lack of want to do anything to my family's upset to the earthquake, the threat of the massive storm, a tragic rollover accident that took the life of a well-loved high school graduate....just awful, awful things. I don't know if it is possible to have felt it before it all happened, but man I was feeling low.

We start tomorrow... and I have such hope that the pain is over and that when we move on and move through the next phases of our lives we can do so with assurance that everything's going to be alright. I need that. Don't you?