Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Finish This! -- Week #18

Finish This!

This game is called "Finish This," and all you have to do is finish the following prompts and link up your post below! You can also visit the other hosts of this party on their fun blogs: Nicole {Three 31} Lisa {Coastlined}, and Becky {The Java Mama}.

George was baptized this past weekend.
Isn't he sweet in his little baptism outfit?


I feel an adrenaline rush... Oh I used to feel it when I would get the call that a new storm had hit and I had to report for work. I had less than 24 hours to pack for what could be a 6 month assignment or two week assignment - you simply never knew. I was off to a new adventure with new friends, new sites, and all kinds of new! One year I was out for 11 months straight (talk about a strain on a relationship!) but went to Tennesse, Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, New Jersey, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri and finally to Minnesota. Oh how I miss that "rush" of getting the deployment call. (Disclaimer: when I stay "storm" it's not all utter destruction. It could be hail or light wind damage as well).

I feel energized when I run.  I feel strong and powerful when I'm running. Even though I look like I am pulling an oversized refrigerator behind me, I simply don't care. I feel capable and full of energy while pounding the pavement or treadmill.  (Even if it's for 30 seconds before I walk again!).


I feel small when I'm in a crowd.  Uugh. This is a literal interpretation. I am a season ticketholder for the Minnesota Twins and I get bumped into, overlooked, spilled on more times that I can possibly count when we go to game. I simply do not know why people cannot see me. I'm 5'4" and not a little person! 


I feel big when I'm clothes shopping.  Again, literal interpretation.  I'm having personal challenges right now with body image. I knew this was going to be difficult for me after having a baby. I have struggled my entire life with self-image and my weight.  The funny thing is now after having G, I would give anything to be my pre-pregnancy weight (which I used to think was heavy!). 

I feel indestructible knowing I have God on my side. I am a woman of faith, although it's not something I blog about. I know that I can do anything I set my mind to - through Him all things are possible.  Phil 4:13.

I feel stupid when I'm new in a social situation.  Non-literal interpretation. I am akward and uncomfortable and really do not enjoy being social with groups of people. This sounds ridiculous but I'm so much more of a one on one kind of person. I love to talk to people and love the art of conversation.  (Dialogue friends - not monologues and one uppers!)  But when I'm in social situations my stories never come out right (the blank stares you get from people when you're done with the story and they are waiting for more.. happens all the time..)

I feel smart when I get calls or messages asking me questions about my old job.  People still see me as a resource even though I've moved on from my prior role and I feel needed and smart when called upon.

Prompts for WEEK 19 (May 14) are: 
A lesson I learned from my mom ...
To burn calories, I … 
My best hair day was …
I am grateful for …

23 comments:

  1. I have four kids and I'm still struggling to feel great about my body but ya know I wouldn't give my kids back for anything. You'll get there. Your little guy is adorable. And I can totally relate to feeling weird in social situations. I too do way better one on one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 4 Kids?! If you don't have a superhero cape, I am giving you one virtually! You are amazing for being a mama to that many littles :) I struggle with 1 so I have found my new hero. Kudos my dear!!

      Delete
  2. George is precious in his baptismal outfit, oh what a precious occasion for all of you! I'm originally from Kentucky, where and what did you cover there? Gosh, I love to travel but being away from home 11 straight months would wear me out. You and I could be best friends, I'm six-feet-tall but somehow the majority of my friends and relatives are barely above five-feet. I've always felt like the Jolly Green Giant. I, too, have struggled with my weight my entire life but somehow -- lifestyle change, diet, and exercise -- lost 36lbs during my pregnancy and I renewed my gym membership last month (April) and I've been going, religiously, every week day. I'm not seeing a lot of results, but I keep on going because I'm confident they'll show eventually. Being 30 is hard, but being 30 and post-partum trying to lose weight is for the birds! But the sweet, precious little guy still sleeping right now, I wouldn't trade him for any 'toned' body in the world. Kamden is such a blessing and I'm grateful to be his mommy! Thanks for joining the link up. xo, Nicole

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Girl.. you hit it on the head with being over 30 and postpartum... this summer I'll be halfway to 40. Lord help me! Kentucky has my heart (well Georgia is a close second!) I worked in Louisville in 2012 for a hailstorm that rolled through there.. Of course I arrived the week after the derby!! I did some trail running while I was in town and just fell in love with the landscape and the people. I am convinced its the most beautiful state to drive through!!

      Delete
  3. I hate when you are in a social situation with new people and you say something and they stare at you like you have 4 heads. It makes me feel dumb like I grew up in a cave.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm pretty sure that's me all the time in groups of people! I used to be the girl who said nothing, which made me look snobbish and rude, so I'm on the dumb side with my silly stories that no one gets! Oh well, I'm trying, right?!

      Delete
  4. Hi Kristen! Totally hear you on the running thing! I call my run a "wog". It's a cross between jogging and walking. LOL Interval training is the best thing! When I'm on a trail I play mind games with myself - such as I'll pick a certain thing I see ahead and tell myself I'm going to "wog" to that spot, then I can walk again. Silly I know, but it works! And the body image thing, ugh I hear you. But we are our own worst critics! I am so hard on myself and I need to work on that. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you hear me laughing?! I am still dying over your "wog.." I LOVE it!! I do the same thing when i'm running outdoors as well... in the gym I force myself to run faster longer.. if only I could accomplish the same thing outdoors.. there's something about having something moving underneath you to keep you running!!

      Delete
  5. Don't you wish we could all have personal shoppers that would bring clothes into our home so we could try them on and not have to go out and find our size and then get in the dressing room and get all sweaty, grumpy and frustrated! UGH.. I feel you on this one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well my dear... Have you heard of Stitch Fix? I tried it for the first time last month and although the clothes weren't my taste, having them delivered to my door to try on in the privacy of my home was simply heaven!!! I didn't have to explain to the sales person (because i'm so self conscious) that i just had a baby, so am learning my new baby body size... If you haven't tried it, look into it!!

      Delete
  6. I hear you on the body image thing! I was in a wedding recently and everyone kept saying how good I looked (with the disclaimer "for having just had a baby" like that is supposed to be confidence building??) but all day I had been bummed because I didn't think I had lost enough weight before the wedding. It's hard but I wouldn't trade my baby for anything!
    Your job sounds like fun! What did you do?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes... people don't realize how their words can come across as backhanded.. "you look great.. for not doing anything with yourself today, your lack of sleep and your baby weight gain.. " awesome.. thanks. How about, you simply look stunning - with no caveat?! I was an IT person for an insurance company. I setup all the laptops for our independent partners, taught software classes, and then did all of the data reporting and analytics for our mgmt onsite. It was pretty sweet :)

      Delete
  7. Clothes shopping can be the worst thing ever! But I guess it'd be worse to go around naked ;)
    Thanks for your honesty - body image is an-almost universal struggle, I think, but we don't talk about it enough. Thanks for letting everything out!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you for being supportive and encouraging with your comments :) It's nice to feel like I'm not the only one who goes through this!

      Delete
  8. Definitely a one on one person too! Trying so hard to venture past that though! Happy Wednesday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Being social is never easy for some folks - definitely me! But I love finding that one person who I relate to so well and bond with instantly. I'd much rather have one solid person in my life than a group of acquaintances. Enjoy the rest of your week!

      Delete
  9. Oh my goodness, we sound so much alike in two of these - when I feel small & I feel stupid - holy smokes, those could have been my words! I am 5'4" too and I think I have slight claustrophobic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why are we so hidden to people?! Simply silly I tell ya! I love finding others who relate and have similar answers :)

      Delete
  10. Sweet baby. I'm still carrying my baby weight too. He'll be 34 next week...

    ReplyDelete
  11. I never had a chance to lose all my baby weight before getting pregnant again. I have high hopes it will come off after I deliver this time because no one likes a triple chin!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's too funny! I am terrified of going through the entire process again because it's so darn hard to lose the weight. I can't imagine having to go through this rigor again!! You are a brave woman my dear :)

      Delete
  12. I can totally relate to feeling small in large crowds.. mine is more of an emotional thing though. I just look around at everyone around me and I get so overwhelmed. no festivals or sports games fr me lol..

    ReplyDelete