Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Busy and sick, not a good combo

I have been absolutely crazily busy this week already with doctor appointments, dentist appointments, meetings, diabetic education, errands, and therapy appointments and on top of that I have something wrong with my throat. I woke up on Monday morning with a very sore throat and a splitting headache. I wasn't sure if I had just not been getting enough sleep or I really had something wrong. Yesterday (Tuesday) I woke up with the same feelings but no headache and a worse throat issue. I went to bed last night at 9:00 and woke up this morning with less of a throat issue but I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow in order to find out if it's anything serious. I think I might have strep throat or tonsilitis or less serious, a sinus infection that is draining into my throat.

That being said, I am a bit overwhelmed today. Today I started my new eating plan and diabetic plan after talking with the educator yesterday. I am going to be going on a plan specifically for me with them but overall I am just focusing on getting healthy and in good control. They told me that they also have a program to prepare you for pregnancy so I am going to be starting that in a year in order to start planning for my baby! :) I am so excited about being a mom sometime in the next few years.

Everything is going pretty well outside of being under the weather and extremely busy but I'll get through that and we'll move on to a new week. Thanks for stopping in and I'll catch up soon.

--Erica--

Monday, June 25, 2007

One year of happiness, how do i do it?

So today has been one year since I started being Anthony's girlfriend and started growing, learning, and being completely and utterly loved. This relationship has been the healthiest thing I have ever done and my happiness has been so large that I haven't known how to handle it. Now, that isn't to say that Anthony and I never disagree or fight..it's to say that I am so fiercely loved that I feel on top of the world. I mess up a lot and so does Anthony but we are finally accepted for those mess ups and found someone worthy of working on them with. We recently started premarital counseling and although we aren't engaged, it's so much fun to plan for our future and think about how things in our life are going to be when we are husband and wife. More importantly it's fun to live today with this man. It's fun to get hugs from him TODAY, it's fun to get kisses from him TODAY, it's fun to have conversations with him TODAY, and it's fun to plan things with him TODAY! I am looking to the here and now and realizing how great I have it to have someone so wonderful in my life and to have them here TODAY! :)

I have so much to do today in preparation for school to start back up in august, my sisters to visit, work for today, summer school for Christopher, appointments, doctor visits and the like as well as I am battling a bit of a sinus infection so my life is a bit hectic today. I started on my fitness plan today and I am very excited to meet my goals and know that I am doing the right thing for myself. Only one year until I am married lady...hopefully...and I want to do it at my healthiest!

Here's to a lovely 1 year anniversary to me and a gorgeous day to you!

--Erica--

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Refocusing the fights

Have you ever bickered with the ones you love incessantly and wondered what that was about just to find out you were really the cause? I am one of those people that usually can admit I am wrong once I am shown and then gradually accept it on my own after analyzing it to death. Anthony and I were bickering quite a bit for a while and I don't mean about anything serious, just little stuff. It was getting very annoying and I kept wondering why it was happening. I finally looked into myself and realized I was causing most if not all of it. He never said that and still takes his 50% of the blame but I know who it was no matter how much he tries to console me. What I was doing was kind of pushing his buttons a lot of the time and being naggy. That being said, I wasn't doing it consciously nor on purpose. I love that man to death but I was just working my old habits. They sure do die hard don't they. I am having to re-evaluate who I am and what kinds of things I really want to happen in my relationship. It's a hard place to be. Realizing that you are the cause of something that annoys you to death is humbling but at least I had the power to change it.

It's been about 2 weeks of knowing this and changing myself and get this, no arguments..not even one. That is pretty clear to me. I hate being a nag but I was a nag for 6 years of another relationship and have grown up with my own whole family of nags so I came by it honestly. Now it's my job to stop it and just be happy where we are and realize that people have different personalities, neatness factors, hobbies, interests, and desires in life. I love this man and I am willing to meet him half way instead of always getting my way in the relationship.

Things have been going pretty well this weekend. On Friday I really didn't do much but play video games with Anthony and head to bed early because I am beat from a week of getting up early and going to bed late due to work. On Saturday I went out with a friend to Target and got some lunch at one of my favorite spots, Boudin. They have this fantastic sour dough San Fransisco bread and it's to die for. I had a Turkey and Cranberry on Sourdough and one of their phenomenal lemon squares. I then headed out to pick up Anthony from work and we had dinner together and talked about some exciting news...my Birthday!!!!

That's right, in less than 2 months I will be 27 years old and celebrating this year's Ericapalooza. My gift from Anthony is that my lovely sisters; Hilliary and Brittany are coming out to visit California for 6 days. They are going to be attending my birthday party, going to Hollywood, Vegas, and Disneyland with me, and being able to see my life out here. Britt has been here before but she is ready for another visit. Anthony is sparing no expense for the sisters to have a good time togehter and really enjoy the time we have. He is an amazing man and I am so lucky to have him.

In other news, in my quest to change habits and do things I really want to do in life, I am heading to the Getty Museum next weekend. I am going by myself on Sunday I think to see all of the awesome exhibits and check something off my WANT TO DO list. This week starts the trek to fitness also because tomorrow is Anthony and my 1 year anniversary which means presumably only about a year until we are getting married. This means I need to get in dress shape and be serious about fitness so that we can start our family safely and healthfully. Tomorrow I will be working on changing eating habits, exercise habits, and well-being tasks. On Tuesday I will be attending a diabetic education meeting which is awesome because it will give me the opportunity to work on this goal in the realm of my disease.

Today's plans are to go to premarital counseling which has been going very well and we are excited about it. We are also probably going to catch a movie because it's Anthony's day off and he really enjoys cinematic enjoyment. I am not such a movie buff but I have a couple of days off a week to enjoy my own interests. We will probably do something like play a game or go out to do something as well. We try to live up our 24 hours together when he works so much right now. We are praising God for the work though because it allows my sisters to visit, us to go to Indiana in Sept, and us to plan for our future.

Well here are tomorrow's goals so that I can try to stay on track in some way. Only 5 of them so it's doable. Have a lovely new week.

Goals for Monday:

1. No fast food
2. At least 30 minutes of Cardio/30 minutes of weight training
3. Get through my major to do list for the day.
4. Therapy
5. Clean up my room and get it organized.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Out of the loop.

It's been over a month since I have written in my blog and I really need to update for those of you who frequent it and stay tuned to my life through it. Lately I have been very busy but not with my own projects. Anthony has been working 16-18 hour days so I have been helping out by doing his laundry, driving him places, and being available for pick up so it's been crazy. My job has been a bit uneventful because it's summer for school and Chris doesn't go to summer school until next Monday. Also, my mind has been consumed with a lot of things like premarital counseling, preparing for my next semester, and my health. My health has been going pretty well on the new medications I have been put on and I am now seeing a new endocrinologist. I am going next week to attend diabetic education and learn how to properly care for myself.

Another project that has been taking some of my time is the "Step Out to Fight for Diabetes" 5K walk I am participating in. I have developed a team and we are walking in November for the prevention and cure of diabetes. I am really excited and have set a goal of $1,000 for our team to fundraise and help with the research and lifestyles of diabetics everywhere. Of course, this personally affects me. It is also a chance for me to use exercise to do something good for my world.

Lately I have been thinking about things that I really desire to do in life and things that I really want to change about myself on the way through. I have been thinking about how quickly life goes by and also that there is continual loss of quality of life just by not making yourself better each day. Mediocrity is such an ugly thing to me. I have decided to start out with 5 things I really want to do in life and 5 things about me that I would like to improve upon or change. These things will be continuing through the blog and I will keep up on updates pertaining to my progress.

The things I desire to do are going to range from hobbies I want to try, places I want to visit, activities I want to attend, fears I want to confront, things I want to learn, and lessons I want to take. The things I want to improve/change are going to be personal characteristics of myself, projects I don't keep up, relationships that need repaired, qualities that need progressed, and simply put; sins that need abolished. I really believe that God has a plan for this project and I will listen to his voice through it as well.

Here are the first 5 things in each category and some comments:

Things I desire to do:

1. Completely see The Getty Museum.
2. Experience a day of wine tasting.
3. Become an avid bike rider with my beach cruiser and mountain biking.
4. Buy and own a Mustang that I really love.
5. Go to Mac and have them teach me how to apply makeup and buy a complete supply.

Things I want to work on/improve/change:

1. Completely take fast food out of my diet.
2. Make Exercise a daily activity and a priority like sleeping.
3. Make Reading my Bible something that is not negotiable on a daily basis.
4. Keep Monthly spending records to find out where money goes.
5. Pay off all debts and keep current bills up.

These are all things that will take time, money, effort, and motivation but I am going to just work on these 5 for as long as they take. These things are so important to me that they will be worth the work and wait. I am encouraged that if I focus intently and become someone honest about my emotions through it and passionate about changing, these things will occur and at a timely rate.

Next Monday Anthony and I will be together for 1 year and we are also thinking of making that our wedding date next year so begins my plan to get fit and take care of my body better through good nutrition and good exercise. I have joined "The Biggest Loser Club" where I can talk to people who are also trying to lose weight and keep track of my progress. I have also scheduled diabetic education, as I mentioned before, which will help me have a nutrition plan that works with my disease and medications. I already have a gym membership, it's just putting it into action that is the problem. I am very focused right now and I know that I will feel better and be better because of these changes.

Well, I will be checking in more often as I am making blogging and journaling something required of my fitness plan in order to process my thoughts, emotions, and actions. Have a lovely Thursday.

-- Erica --