Exciting stuff!

I've been having a great week so I thought I'd share some tidbits!

I've been continuing on with my weight loss efforts and it's been a week since I've been working out to Leslie Sansone's walking workouts.  I kinda just stumbled on them on the "On Demand" part of our Comcast service when I wasn't able to get out for my walks last week.  I've been taking it to the next level and doing the three mile walk every day-- (which really is a lot more than just your average "walk") sometimes twice a day and I am starting to feel some real results.  My mid section is getting a good workout and although I still have my bellies...they are shrinking! Haha!  I was so excited when I weighed myself and found I'd lost another pound in just a day.  I'm now down 18 lbs!  

And yes, the quality of this pic is horrible.  My phone takes lousy pics these days!

Last night I had the fun chance to get out with a friend (and made some new ones in the process) and meet up for coffee.  Since I'm trying not to "do"coffee right now, I cheated just a little and got yummy pumpkin flavored something or other. I asked them for something with no sugar/no caffeine and they suggested whole pumpkin something and I said sure, that sounds good to me and ordered it!  We drove down to the beach and had some fun girl time, talking and praying together.  It was seriously just what I needed and I really can't explain just how awesome the timing was.  Having friends is one thing, but praying friends and ones who encourage you with TRUTH means so much.  I'm so thankful for new connections and for the way the Lord's been working on my heart lately.

And speaking of working on hearts, tonight I attended my first very first Bible study.  We're studying this book by Beth Moore and I can already tell I'm going to get a lot out of it.  Alyssa and Audrey also went to church with me and attended their first ever Awana club meeting.  I was even able to take Alivia with me and left her in childcare during my class and it all worked out really well. I was so nervous at first about if Alivia would be okay with it being so close to bedtime and  about Audrey...just because she's Audrey and is sometimes very particular about certain things and freaks when I'm away from her.  The Lord again, totally took care of my fears because all three girls stayed in their classes and I was able to enjoy mine.  I have a feeling that I'm going to walk away changed when this class is over!

Today was also picture day for Alyssa at school.  I was a last minute mom and took her for a trim yesterday at the haircut place in the mall and well, we ended up walking out with a not so good haircut.  I felt so bad as we walked out and I started to really see just how much I didn't like it.  The layers are weird and the shortest one is way too close to her ears.  I decided there was no way for her to wear it in her normal curly, gelled up style, so we got up a little earlier and I flat ironed her hair today.  I worked on it for a while until I got it to sort of behave and here's what we got. I think it turned out alright...

When I went to pick her up from the bus at the end of the day, that was a different story! It was wavy and messy and oh so short in the front. :(  I honestly can't wait until it starts to grow and was even wondering just how in the heck my Hubby's going to tame Alyssa's crazy hair when I'm gone in a couple of weeks.

And speaking of being gone....I am SO excited because I get to do something I've been dreaming about doing for a long time! I get to meet Kristin!

 If you've read my blog for any length of time, you'd know just how close Kristin and I are.  Well, she's at the end of her pregnancy and her baby shower is coming up in a couple of weeks.  I wanted to be able to be there to support her and just celebrate this amazing time with her and one day the idea just came to me that it would be so neat if I could fly out to TX.  I prayed about it, shared it with Kristin,  then watched how the Lord made everything fall into place so I could make the trip happen. The trip was made official today when I bought my plane tickets and saw the confirmation email arrive in my email box!

I am so beyond words thrilled that I get to meet her after almost three years. I can't wait to go on this fun little  adventure and Kristin and I were already talking about the fun things we can do while I'm there for the weekend. I just know it's going to be so much fun and I can't wait to see her and her family!  I keep telling my friends that it's been so awesome to be a part of MOPS and see all these pregnant friends have their babies, but it would just be such a blessing if I could share that experience with my very best friend.  And now, God totally opened up the doors for me to be able to be there to celebrate Kristin. I am thrilled!