frost on the pumpkins last night

I didn't know how chilly it was this morning until I saw the frost. One field was covered in it, looked like snow. And I had my shorts on. With a sweatshirt, but still. Right now my feet are cold, I forgot to put my slippers on and do not feel like getting up out of my comfy chair. It is 39 degrees now, so it must have been pretty cold this morning as the sun was coming up. I get up in the dark, and leave in the dawn...pretty cool.

The kids are all back in school. wah. Charlotte Claire is so much fun to have at home. Last night as I was tucking her in, and Camille, she was telling me the names of the kids in her class...she would always get stuck after six or seven names, then I would say, "Barbie and Ken?", or "Belle and Maurice?", and we would laugh our heads off. Camille joined in, suggesting, "Teacup head? Doll shoe?" We laughed and laughed until it hurt my stomach. Those two are so much fun.

Jonathan is so happy because he got his Wii game that Paul bought him from Amazon. Jon has been watching the mail for two weeks, waiting and wondering. Then we found out it was at the post office, the mail lady had tried to deliver it the one day I had a nap with Camille...anyway, I was a nice mommy and drove to town to get it for Jon yesterday. He was SO excited. Then I drove to town again after dinner to get eggs for the cookies Kathryn was making for her friend's birthday. M&M chocolate chip cookies...so good...I only know because I tasted a little bite. But I did eat a few spoons of cookie dough...blah. The house smelled heavenly while they baked. Kap made some huge ones to take to school. This morning I wrapped all the one left here up in plastic wrap, two in each pack. It is easier not to eat them that way.

So....back to my whole weight loss thing. Yes, I have lots of reasons to be glad for the forty pounds I have lost. But I figured out that for one whole month, this last month, I have lost only one pound. One pound. I may have gained some muscle, true. But...one pound. It is really hard because I have suffered and endured and exercised and sweated and lifted....I think I really have to pay more attention to not just the calories I take in, but get back to being more careful about the combinations of foods, like making sure I have some almonds with the apple so my blood sugar doesn't just spike. After all the success stories I have read, it sounds so easy. Eat right and exercise, and it will fall right off. hmm.

One thing I keep thinking about: I have eaten better this past month than I did during the summer, but lost way less. In the summer I ate ice cream cones. Can eating ice cream be the key to weight loss? Probably not, but I would like to try it. ha.

There is a place in town still serving soft-serve cones, and the flavor on the sign outside: pumpkin and French vanilla twist. And it is every bit as good as the sign would lead one to believe, I only know this because Jon got one when he was with his cousins the other day, and still had some left when he came in the door. Poor boy, we all wanted a taste.

I have been procrastinating the shopping I have to do for the church grill. I am going to get it done today. Evelyn and Sonja are going with me after school, yay! We need more candy and cases and cases of drinks, and hot dogs and burgers and the buns and bacon and chicken....

So the Apple computer genius has passed away. He said something interesting in 2005 at a college commencement, "Death is very likely the best invention of life. All pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure, these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important." Something to think about. I mean, he was a billionaire. Now he is dead. What good did it do to have all that money? He was successful, yet that didn't help him one bit when he was battling cancer and facing death.

We are all facing death, whether we want to think about it or not. And we shall all stand before God someday, whether we believe that or not. Will He care if we were all caught up on the laundry? Whether we were in good shape, or still had a spare tire around the middle? All the things that ensnare us and worry us and occupy our minds...things that won't matter in the end. The things that WILL matter are what we should take more pains with: things like forgiving and forgiving and forgiving again, and partaking of the sanctification, "without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12), and also the first part of the verse, "Pursue peace with all men". Setting someone straight seems very important when we are in the situation, but pursuing peace is where the treasure lies.

It is interesting indeed...we have our lives to live here on earth, things to take care of and accomplish, but during this there is so much wisdom to seek! God gives richly to those who ask, those who seek.

Yesterday while out on the deck grilling burgers, I thought of the responsibility of a mother. A mother has to be there for her kids...when they are small, she has to discipline them in gentleness, take care of them, feed and clothe them, teach them manners, remain just and patient when they are stubborn and unreasonable...then as they grow, the mom has to continue to sacrifice and listen to her teenagers and be there for them and help them figure things out, sometimes standing back to let them do things for themselves, encourage them when they doubt themselves, tell them how wonderful they are....in all this, the mom is still a person with her own needs and trials and problems and situations. But for the kids sake at least, the mom has to make sure she takes things right and doesn't get discouraged ...

So basically, a mom can't afford to get depressed or discouraged...

Camille came out to see me, and yes, I had her get my slippers for me.

She brought them out, put them on my feet, then told me she is still playing Barbies, and went back to her room. poor me, eh?

Anyway, I feel challenged and tempted to be really bummed out about weight loss stuff, and frazzled...but there is hope in the gospel, hope and help. Good thing!!!