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The Haps…

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Okay…dumb blog title, but I’m cutting myself some slack because I couldn’t think of anything more creative at the time I sat down to finally update.

So, some good things are happening around here lately…

  • Mickey and I rocked out and completed our first Whole 30! We haven’t gone off the wagon yet, either. He’s had a little piece of candy Macey saved for him, but only ONE, and we have both tried a little reintro of cheese, but we are mostly sticking to plan. Last Tuesday (February 2nd) was Day 30 and I’m so proud of us for making it all the way and beyond! I cannot say enough about how beneficial this has been for both of us. W30 isn’t supposed to be about weight loss, but I’ll say that’s a nice little perk. Besides that, we’ve both had an upswing in overall energy, clearer skin, far less snoring (not me!), no headaches in weeks, and MORE. Also, a big shout out to Mickey because he not only did all of this, but he went so far as to cut his caffeine habit completely which, frankly, is a serious accomplishment. I’ll be perfectly honest and say that it’s not the easiest thing to start, but once you’re rolling it gets easier. The keys, I really believe, are to be over prepared with your food and recipes and to have good support.
  • One of my 2016 goals was to experience some firsts this year and I’ve done some of that already. In January, I attended my first volunteer leadership conference with my job. Sure, it was work, but it was AMAZING and was a first for me! Just last week I had another first in that I treated myself to a salon hair cut and color and went with some purple highlights. LOVE it and so glad I took a chance on that first. Firsts can be totally fun. I’m digging this firsts thing.
  • I’m also working on my goal of being more intentional this year. I’m not just saying “Hey, let’s get together sometime”, but I’m saying “Hey, let’s have brunch. How’s Thursday?” It doesn’t always work out, but putting the intentions into action have been good and have given me some good family and friend time already this year, with more in the works.
  • I recently read Nobody’s Cuter Than You: A Memoir About the Beauty of Friendship by Melanie Shankle and looooooved it. It was just what I needed to read and I highly recommend it for friends. Seriously, get yourself a copy of this book today if you haven’t ready it already — it is just THAT good. I have honestly never read Melanie’s blog* but I probably should since I enjoyed her book so much. And I’ll pick up others of her’s too!  (*Sorry, Melanie, if you ever randomly stumble upon this blog…which won’t happen, but…just in case. Gotta have my manners in place.)
  • We recently had a little family retreat to a cabin in the mountains in North Georgia. It was a sweet little cabin, just perfect for us, and secluded. Ahhh!! We had plans to maybe hike or make a bonfire or all sorts of things, but the main thing we did was have some R&R which, honestly, was just right. We also went to see the band I am They in concert which was great!! If you haven’t given them a listen yet, let me recommend them too.

So, that’s the basics of what’s going on around here lately. Plus, I mean, work and school, trying to keep up with laundry and housekeeping (and failing like crazy), while maintaining what little shred of normalcy we can muster. In other words…life is good.

Best,
Kelly

Just a few pics this time.

A side view of my new ‘do. Can you see the purple?
purple

The view from the front door of the cabin:

cabin_view

 

Mickey and me before the I am They concert:
honey

Our girls before the concert:
girlies

The blessing of a day…

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One year ago today, I spent what was to be my Granddaddy’s last day on this earth with him in a hospital room in Southwest Georgia. None of us had any inkling that day would be his last, but I can see the blessing in the not knowing.

On the Sunday prior to that Wednesday, Pop (as Macey named him when she came along) sustained a broken hip which caused him to fall. Mickey and I were having coffee at church when I got the text from my mom that she and Gran were at the ER with Pop and she let me know what happened. My heart was immediately in my throat and I knew I needed to get there. Mickey was very supportive of this and we put a plan into place for him to run me home to pack and get on the road, then he would return to church and get the girls. Thankfully, our church staff is amazing and incredibly supportive and when we told our children’s director, Dolores, what was going on, she sent me on my way, assured me all was fine and they would call Mickey if need be. We rushed me home, I threw all kinds of things into a suitcase and I was on the road. I called some friends who were also very encouraging and supportive and offered to take up any slack they could for me in my absence. (Thank God for friends you can call to stand in the gap. Amen?) When I arrived at the ER, close to three hours later,  he was still there – waiting to be moved to a room. He was uncomfortable, but the pain was being managed. As always, he was a trooper. I told him he sure did go to great lengths to get me to come see him – we always had an element of fun to our relationship and this was no exception.

Pop was taken for surgery to repair the hip the next day. We knew it was risky going in, but Gran felt, and we all agreed, including Pop, that it was only right to give him a shot at coming back and being mobile. We were with him before surgery and he was ready to go – just like always, being brave and facing what life had for him with faith. He came through the surgery just fine. His BP took its time coming back up, so he spent time in PACU, but he stabilized and woke up that evening. True to Pop form, he said he believed the worst was behind him and he would start getting better. That’s just how he was. He wasn’t a man to complain and he wasn’t a man to stay down either. There was work to be done and he was set to go about it to get better.

I was with him that Wednesday, two days after surgery. It was my day to stay at the hospital all day so Gran and Mama could rest and Gran would take the night shift. As I said at the beginning of this post, I truly TRULY see the blessing in not knowing it was my sweet Granddaddy’s last day with us. I feel that I would have tried too hard or made too much of it or messed it all up if I had known. As it was, we had a good day — just the two of us. He loved watching his western channel at home, so I got out my iPad and cued up “Hondo” (gotta love John Wayne) on Netflix.  He didn’t get far into that before PT came and moved him for the first time. We worked together and he got to the chair where he rested for a good while. Lunch came and he picked at it — mostly only eating his ice cream which was his favorite! He had settled in for a nap and I was HUNGRY, so I tried to quietly open a package of M&Ms so I wouldn’t wake him up. Well, he was like a kid when it came to candy and he, sure as day, heard that candy wrapper. “Whatcha eatin’, Boo?” I told him and I asked if he wanted some and the answer, of course was…”Yea.” So, we shared those M&Ms. Like we have shared many a treat before in our times together. My dear friend Sammi brought me Chick-Fil-A later for lunch, but he didn’t want that — I guess because it wasn’t ice cream or chocolate. 😉 We had to get him back to the bed, which was hard on him, but he did it. We had to do bed and gown changes which, again, was HARD and painful, but he did it. We worked together and I saw hit grit and determination shine through. We also had some quiet times and just some time to be together. He told me so many times that day how much he appreciated me being there and I told him it was where I wanted to be and that I love him. Later in the afternoon, I got a special shower cap from the hospital that is warmed in the microwave and put on the head to wash the hair. Oh, he loved that! I told him I was getting him all fixed up for his woman to come see him later. When Gran arrived, I stayed awhile — not wanting to leave, for some reason. I finally left and went to meet my mom for dinner. When I was not far into their county, I saw a shooting star. I haven’t seen one in ages and I let it remind me to say a prayer right then and there.

Not long after midnight, I got the call from Gran — go get my mom and come to the hospital, Pop wasn’t breathing. I don’t remember much about getting dressed, but I got to my mom’s and woke her up and we got to the hospital as quickly as we could. He was already gone. He went peacefully. And, that, also, in its own way, is a blessing. He didn’t struggle, he didn’t suffer and he didn’t linger on in pain — he had a peaceful passing from here into eternity in heaven. Our hearts were and ARE broken, but we have peace knowing Pop was a faithful man and knowing that, as Scripture say, we grieve with hope.

One year ago today, I spent that last day with one of the great loves of my life. The man who took me deer hunting with him knowing he wasn’t going to get a shot when I had snacks in the deer stand with us. The man who taught me to swim underwater in his pond and let my brother and me try to sink an aluminum boat in that same pond. The man who helped me learn to drive. The man who always and forever called me “Boo” or “Kel” and who I can’t really recall calling me “Kelly” — ever. The man who loved hearing stories about our girls and delighted in their antics. The man I grew up calling Granddaddy…then Jack…then Pop. I will always treasure that day. And I am thankful that it wasn’t more or less than it was, it was just right.

Tomorrow will be a year since we lost him and I miss him every day more than words can express. I’m so thankful that God chose me to be Jack Parks’ granddaughter. I’m so blessed and I look forward to that heavenly reunion one day.

pop

I love you always, JJ…
Boo

Reclaiming January.

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I’ve realized that if I’m going to write on this blog and share stories and such, there is a degree of transparency that I have to be willing to submit to in the process. While I’m not talking about delving into the deep of “total TMI” situations, I do mean that I feel that it’s good sometimes to share thoughts and experiences because, you never know, someone out there might benefit from knowing someone else has been through the same. The possibility may even be remote, but I was thinking about this today. I want to be as transparent as I can be on this blog mainly because I want to keep it real and I want to connect with people on that kind of level.

So, if I’m just being honest, January isn’t my favorite month ever. I just don’t dig it, generally speaking. It’s stinkin’ cold (which I don’t like), the joy of the holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Years) has passed, there’s very little football, usually, for our teams, and January has been a time of loss in our families. For three Januarys in a row (2003-2005), we lost Mickey’s Grandma Lois, then his Grandpa Vic, and then his good friend Brian. Needless to say, in 2006 we didn’t want to answer the phone much in January. Not being fearful, mind you, but just not wanting to face another loss. That next loss didn’t come until last year, but it was a big one for me because my beloved Pop passed away on the 22nd of January. As I have said before, and I’m likely to say over and over again, I miss him every day. So…January is really not a month I tend to look forward to even with the turning of the calendar for a year and all.

I wouldn’t say that I suffer from seasonal affective disorder at all, but I do know that I most certainly get the winter blues. Typically, in January I will just feel a significant decrease in energy, I’m more tired, my motivation lacks, and what I really want to do is sleep and eat. I sort of feel like Eeyore. (No offense to the adorable gray donkey, but we can all agree that he’s not the happiest of sorts.) I have tried taking supplements to combat it, but it didn’t really seem to do a lot. I even asked for, and GOT, a sun lamp for my desk to try to help it this year.

Last Monday, I was feeling it again. It was the first day of Whole 30, but it was also just a day when the winter funk was on me like a heavy blanket. I did start using my sun lamp on my desk at work, but it was flippin’ cold because the building heat had apparently been OFF over the weekend.  I basically felt like a human popsicle all day and I just didn’t feel like ME, besides. Then, a rassafrassin’ headache settled in on me and had me awake at 2:30am on Tuesday and, just…UGH. Seriously. Stink!! On Whole 30, you’re encouraged not to take any OTC meds, but, listen – it had to happen. Diffused oils weren’t cutting it and it hurt to so much as move my head AND I wasn’t able to sleep due to the pain. Enter a decongestant tab and some ibuprofen. AHH! I went back to sleep after being awake more than an hour and, just being real here, I was a total negative nelly (which is not like me) thinking there would be no way I’d be getting up on time or able to go to work the next morning. Guess what? The alarm went off and I was fine. Significantly reduced headache and I didn’t feel like a truck hit me. I did pop a couple more meds throughout that day, but I didn’t feel horrid. I also kept with the Whole 30 plan, of course, and I also continued to use my sun lamp during the day. Okay…fast forward a couple of days…by Thursday I could NOT believe how good I was feeling! I’m feeling THIS GOOD IN JANUARY?! WOO HOO!!! This is awesome!

If I gain no other benefits whatsoever from Whole 30, just feeling this much better, in general, is amazing!! In addition to having more energy, I’ve also gotten rid of some post gallbladder surgery issues I had been having for weeks!  I am just amazed!! In seven days of being on this program, I’ve already seen incredible results. I’m not talking about a scale – heavens no, I avoid those jokers like the plague. I feel a resurgence. I feel like the me I want to be. I’ve reclaimed January! And, that is pretty stinkin’ cool!

Kelly

Two Days into Whole 30…

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Well, here I am…two days into the Whole 30 plan. And, I’m making it. Barely. No, I’m mostly just kidding around when I say that. It’s really not that bad, but, then again, I’m only two days, six meals, into this thing. For me, when I do any change in eating, the key for my success or failure is getting past day three. Seriously. I have gotten to day three in other plans before, sailed through and had success. I’ve also gotten to day three and fallen head first off other wagons. It’s make it or break it time. In other words, tomorrow is key. And, to that end, I’m preparing myself to steel my will, double down my resolve and continue to make it happen. I’ve done my meal prep, so at least I’m ready. That’s usually a deal breaker right there. I get behind, don’t have what I NEED to eat and…bam…I’m shame spiraling into QuitsVille. Not this time. Nope. I’m going to stick to it. Please wish me luck!

So, let me back up a little and talk about how I got here in the first place. I’ve been hearing about The Whole 30 for awhile now and have heard all along that yes, it’s challenging, but it’s worth sticking with to get results. And, frankly, I need a reboot. I won’t go into lots of detail at this point, but, well, a lot happened in the last year and I’m a stress eater PLUS I have a mouth full of sweet teeth AND carbs are delicious. Like I recently read on FB, “It’s all fun and games until your jeans don’t fit anymore.” Ahem. I’m not one to weigh myself because I get obsessive about it and the number drives me crazy. So, I honest to goodness, I have no earthly clue what I weigh right now and I’m okay with that. Ever since I gave up the scale, I have reminded myself that the number I am concerned about is the one on the tag in my jeans. In other words, as long as they fit well, I’m good. Well, right now, some do and some — not so much. Besides that, I’m prone to the winter blahs and I need an uplift in energy. Basically, it came down to the fact that I really felt like I needed a reboot. I wanted to do something different. I wanted to challenge myself. Surprisingly enough, I got Mickey on board too. So, we’re both doing it and we’re both determined to succeed. Yes, it’s challenging, but it’s not impossible. There are way harder things out there and I know it. I don’t even have to go into a list to say that people HAVE to do things every day that are unbelievably hard – they don’t even have a choice. So, I won’t begin to say what I’m doing is hard. Challenging? Sure. Any hardcore change, even for “just” a month, will have challenges. But, this isn’t hard. Hard is a word reserved for other things, not this. This, I can do. I may have stupid sugar withdrawal headaches and I may get the worst case of the grumps ever, but that’s temporary. Better things are to come and I am pushing forward to THOSE THINGS. Bring on the “tiger blood” and the better sleep. I’ll sludge through some headache mess for a better feeling ME. Oh yes…I sure will!

So, back to day two. It’s been a little bit on the BLAH side at times, but I find that my energy level tonight is elevated from what it normally would be at this time of day. I woke up with a wretched headache in the middle of the night last night, despite defusing my trusty oils, and I was MISERABLE, so I did cave and take some meds. That helped me rest which I needed. I had a dull headache most of the rest of the day, so I hydrated like it was my job. I also found that eating helped my headache subside. I know I’m not out of the woods as far as the “icks” from sugar detox go, but I’m seeing that it’s not insurmountable. (And, when I read this blog entry from Whole 30, I see the crazies are probably AHEAD of me for a few days yet. ACK! But, the pay off should be more than worth it!) What I know for sure is this — succeeding at something difficult will feel ten thousand times better than quitting when the going gets tough. I can hang tough. VIRTUAL FIST BUMP, PEOPLE!!

So, that’s where I am today. Two days down, 28 to go. It seems a long way off now, I’ll be honest, but the time is going to pass anyway, so I might as well be doing something to make me feel better. Plus, I have Mickey doing this too AND I have the support of friends also on the journey. If you’re on the journey too, I’d love to hear from you. To me, the keys are determination, preparation and dedication. I’m bringing it! Whole 30 or bust!

Blessings,
Kelly

fun_games

 

When God’s Got Your Number…

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This blog title may be sort of ridiculous in some ways because, those of us who are believers know for a stone cold fact that God has always got our number. I mean, He knew us before we were born and there isn’t another that knows us more intrinsically than our Creator. So, yea — there’s that. But, what I mean here is there are just moments when you KNOW that He’s up to something with YOU and He’s got your number. Have you ever sat in a sermon and just felt like it was aimed right at you? That was me today at our church. There are many times when a sermon reaches me, of course, but today, especially toward the end, I sat there feeling like it was AIMED at me. Like — listen up, girl…this is for YOU! And, I don’t even mean that in some selfish “this is MY sermon, back off, people” way, naturally. I just felt it so personally. And, the more I think on it, the more I see my own lessons to be taken and applied to my life.

We are in a sermon series entitled “detox” right now and I’m sure that’s a common theme in churches all over the place. I know that we are in this series with other churches in Alabama, for instance. Today’s sermon, basically, was about detoxing from the world. Pastor Ike talked about starving things of the flesh (doubt, negativity and sin) to feed the spirit. In order to starve doubt out of your life, trust God (Proverbs 3:5). In order to starve negativity from your life, focus on thinking what God thinks (Isaiah 26:3). And, in order to starve sin from your life, turn to what God wants (Ephesians 4:29). He went on to say that we also need to feed habits that encourage us spiritually. Those are – being in God’s Word, worship and prayer. As a church, we were invited into a 21 day prayer event, starting today. And, we were given a “challenge”, for lack of a better word, to focus on these next six days in doing the things that feed our spiritual habits — Bible, worship and praying. I’m thinking – cool, this is right in line with what I wanted to do for this year…this is awesome…I’m in and I’m ready! Let’s do this. Then, Pastor Ike basically talks RIGHT to me and he focuses in on the worship time for a little bit. He says that this week, only listen to worship music when you listen to music. Y’all, I have some serious radio ADD and I don’t stay on one station for long at all. Ask Mickey. It bugs the mess out of him. And, I enjoy listening to sports talk radio besides just music. So, I’m thinking okay, I can do podcasts of sermons and I can do worship music and I can still listen to my sports talk. WRONG. Pastor Ike went and called out VERY SPECIFICALLY, mind you, sports talk radio. Oh no, he didn’t…except…OH YES, HE DID! And, to be just honest, I was thinking “Awww man! It’s the week after Georgia just barely won in a bowl game AND the week before the college football championship. And, no sports talk radio?!?! Are you kidding me right now?!” Yea. I did. BUT, that’s when I felt like it was aimed at me. If anything is keeping me from worship or the word or encouraging relationships, well…that needs a break. So, no sports talk radio for this girl this week. (And, no other music either.) I messaged my friend Melissa about all this and she said “Oh my stars!!!! Jesus is ON to you!!!!!” Yep. That’s the moment when you know – He’s got your number. What I needed was for something I wanted to do to be taken away so I could focus on what I need to do. And, she went on to remind me that all He’s asking is for me to listen. (Shout out of thanks to my sweet friend. I needed that!) So, that’s what I plan to do. Listen. Listen for that still small voice – the one always tells me the truth. Without switching channels 57 times or whatever, just listening. And, I also plan to use any non-radio time to connect with family and friends on the phone which goes back to that whole being intentional thing and connecting with loved ones on a more personal basis. This is a whole ‘nother blog post in the making, but I really need to use my smart PHONE for more than a tech device. For now, I digress.

So, this week I will do my best to be more in The Word, to worship and to pray very intentionally. This is the start of 21 days of prayer. I’m in. And, I just want to hear and follow what He has to reveal to me in this time.

Blessings,
Kelly

One page of today's sermon notes.
One page of today’s sermon notes.