WHATS HAPPENING MONDAY MORNING.

Sunday morning when I woke up it was so cold in the house I wondered what it the world happened to the heater but I could feel the heater running full blast and it was fairly warm in the bedroom but the farther I went toward the kitchen the colder it got , found the back door standing wide open. Guess that will teach me to lock the door more often. The wind was blowing so hard I guess it just pushed it open. It is a wonder our two dogs weren't inside. Lol I think they would have been if they had been on the back porch. Lol but I guess they were in the shed last night. Got a thought provoking question for all of you, this is your challenge: Some one I think it was Maya Angeliu said once: If you don't like something change it. Of you can't change it change the way you think about it. Now is changing the way you think about something it the "chicken" way out...what do you think???? Andrew: brrr was right and never got much better all day did it. Was pretty and sunny and enticed you outside with all of that sun and then you realized that it was really cold out there. Lol Wow I wish I could be with you all when you are working out in the gym. I love doing all of that stuff with someone but hate doing it alone. I could never get Joe to do it all the time with me. He has too many aches and pains and unable to do it. He would try for awhile but it wouldn't last long. Oh the biggest loser classes sound great. Is there anyone in there big already or are they all twigs to start with. Lol Lana: Here is another one going to the gym so Tami you have two more to add to your list of trainees. I do get on my scales every day but just know in my mind that it doesn't freak me out if it shows a number that I don't want to see. Lol. I just use it to motivate myself. I guess if it really freaks you out that you need to have someone to hide them from you. lol. Yeah I hope you can get up a new picture soon because you had changed some already the other night at the meeting. I still haven't lost all the weight I will really like to lose but if this is all that I lose I would do it over in a heartbeat just to feel so much better and to be able to breath and walk and do what I can do now that I couldn't do 6 months ago. Julia: so glad to see you again. Sounds like you have been being put thru the wringer lately with trying to find a new place to live and all. We will all keep you and your sister in our prayers that you will find new living arrangements that you can afford. How in the world does your sister afford to live at all with only 200 dollars a month? That is sad. Colette: love your pictures that you have on your profile. Sounds like you all will have you support group up and running soon. Good luck on getting the church. And im sure that Golden Corral will allow you all the use of their back room as long as they don't have anyone else in there. I know what you mean about finding out how old you are doing that night time duty. That is a hard one isn't it. The work isn't as hard but the time that it is hard. I never could stay awake on my lunch break I would tell the girls that I was going to be in one of the empty rooms stretched out and to wake me when my 30 minutes were up lol Not a fun shift. Wouldn't work it again ever. Then fighting to stay awake while driving home I the morning and by the time I got home I would be wide awake and couldn't go to sleep then. Vicious cycle. Well I say never I would if that were the only way that I could get this surgery . Remember the early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap LOL My funny for the day. LOVE AND JOY AND PEACE ABOUNDS JAN

Jan, My gosh - still so cold this early morning - I'll going back to bed - just got up to see hubby off to work I don't think that changing the way you think about something is the chicken way out. Take for example a family with a child born with disabilities. In most cases there is not much they can change about their situation. But, how they react - or decide to thing think about it - has a huge impact on their lives. My brother's family is a perfect example, although their 16 year old daughter has never progressed in any fashion past the stage of a one-month old - they choose to see her life as a blessing. Through her eyes they have changed how they think about many things in life. Their daily challenges have helped them to understand what is important in life. This sweet, innocent child is not seen as a burden but rather the most lovable, precious gift from God. One time I was having a very rough time in a job, with my direct supervisor, and one of the individuals on the Board of Directors gave me some advice - change the things that you can change and don't worry about the things that you can't change. I truly belive that attitude is everything so our thought life is one of our most powerful tools for change!

good morning board. very cold here and suppose to get colder....everyone have a good day....vesta

My thoughts on the challenge Jan. On the things that are out of your hands to change, you have to change the way you think of it to be able to be comfortable with it. My brother and I have a ongoing battle that I guess will never be dissolved. I think of it constantly and mad for years at him. I had finally forgiven him, (my very close friend says the Bible says We are to forgive to be able to work through it) So I forgave him and went all out invited him and family for Christmas etc... really put the whole thing behind us. Needless to say, he did not come, made up all kinds of stuff to our Mom, and caused a whole bunch of misunderstandings between my sister and I, my Mom and I, etc.... a real mess at Christmas...I have choosen to deal with it this way this time instead of be mad .....again. I have prayed about it, I know that it is his problem, I have done what is possible, tried to talk it out and everything. He continues to keep the negitive attitude to me. I have washed my hands of him, put it in Gods hands and hope one day he will come around. I hope in dealing differently this time that my prayers will be answered. Boy....I really did not mean to go into the whole saga....maybe I needed to get that off my mind, thanks for listening, it's been very stressful. Tara

Hello, my dear friends, Yesterday was so cold but I journeyed out to the gym and was glad afterward. Then, I worked on the patchwork sweatshirt. I better love it when I'm done because it didn't cost much but the amount of work is incredible. Does anyone know about freeform quilting where you drop the feed dog on your machine and move the material by hand. I'm really apprehensive about that part of this process. Guess I'll just experiment and read my machine book about how to drop the feed dogs. My hands were really stiff this AM, but like always they are loosening up as I use them. The sewing has made my back hurt but I'm soldiering on!! DH has been complaining about the cold and I told him only really February to get through and then we'll start having more spring-like days. I'm going up to North Missouri to visit DD and DGS over Presidents holiday and then DGS has surgery at Shriner's in St. Louis on 3/20 and I'll be going over there to be with them. I have the best boss in the world, she just says GO!!! Better get back to work. Love and hugs to all of you. Lana

In response to your thought-provoking questions: I believe that when things become beyond our power to change them we have to give them over to God and change the way we think about them. Forgiving is great but truly giving things up to God is freeing. I don't think it is the "chicken" way out. Actually, I think it is the only way out. I used to tell my bible study girls at the jail that if there was a person, guard, another prisoner, whoever, who was a problem for them, to vow to pray for that person for a week at least twice a day. They reported without exception that at the end of the week their feelings toward that person had changed. Some thought the person had changed but most agreed that it was their feelings toward the person that had changed. God is so able to make us better people. We just have to ask. Hugs and love, Lana

Good Morning Jan and Fellow OH Peeps~ Wow-What a FUN weekend (but busy) we had here....we went to Mel and Terrys for dinner and dice and an adventure to one of the "haunted" roads between Reeds and Carthage.....the lasagna ROCKED!! I tell you, she could probably cook with blind folds and it would come out tasting gourmet. "I" won 3 out of 5 on the dice (go Jan, go Jan) and the haunted road-well, we WONT talk about that, because between Mel grabbing me on the neck and her hubby grabbing my ankles-I am so surprised I didnt wet myself!! My knees had REALLY been hurting for about a straight week, and I took a pain pill (had been a LONG time since I did that) and needless to say-I was literally so pain-free, I couldnt walk a straight line to save my life!!! I guess I should have started out smaller and add to it, but I didnt think something I had taken in multiples before-would react to me that way-just cause my tummy is smaller......Thank goodness I had a designated driver!! (LOL) So-we had the house to ourselves-and got lots of SLEEP.....even SLEPT in!! (wink wink)....The little mans b-day was yesterday and he had a BLAST...he woke up this morning and asked if it could still be his b-day today because he had so much fun yesterday. His grandma and grandpa had to leave early because my mom tore her rotator cuff and was crying in pain.....nothing is helping and probably wont until she has surgery. His aunt Mel and uncle Terry came-and I have a picture of them wearing "Mater" hats (from his favorite movie: CARS) and I will be glad to show those off at the next support meeting!! I have a lot to do today, and wish I didnt, cause I am exhausted. Mel said she almost fell in my driveway leaving last night-and I went to feed my dogs last night and came off the porch and I went down, right on my right knee!! Its hurting fairly badly today. Okay-to get to your challenge....I guess what I have ALWAYS tried to do-is to change the situation IF I can-and IF I cant-try to accept it within myself, not necessarily change the way I look at it, but TRY to understand that say-IF its something that I cant change, I MUST either get out of the situation, or accept the fact that everyone isnt like me, accept it and work on HOW I can understand it. So, to some extent, I have to change how I look at it-IF I chose to, and move on. I dont always accomplish what I want-BUT I dont consider it the chicken way out-some things are just NOT in our control and we cant change people... 2 examples here: When I told 3 of what I considered best friends that I was going to try and get the gastric bypass-they told me that IF I would just love myself the way that I am, I would feel better....they told me all of the horror stories about bad things they knew...they told me that they couldnt support my decision because I wasnt thinking about the long term. Well, I had all my documentation, I gave them the statistics and I cried-because they knew how I cried every day because I hurt and couldnt get around or do things with my family. I couldnt make them understand. It hurt my feelings really bad, BUT I tried to understand-and took myself out of their loop. Then my ex husband is living a gay lifestyle-this is a pretty heavy one, because I have 2 daughters from my first marriage. Can I change him? NO...do I WANT to change my way of thinking about it? NO-but do I HAVE to move on and just deal with it? YES, because I have children that would get hurt IF I didnt. We are by no means buddies, am I civil? Yes....so, you see-sometimes it may seem like we are changing ourselves to conform to something we dont believe in, but its not-its just that I tell myself that If the situation cant be changed-whats the best way to deal with it? I ALWAYS say my peace-believe me-but once its over-then the decision can be made on HOW to deal with it. The serenity prayer is good-although I dont remember it word for word, you get the idea-give me the serenity to change the things I can, accept the things I cannot and the wisdom to know the difference. One last thing-we KNOW from being big people in this world-that there are some that think that all we do is sit on the couch and eat bon bons-this is a situation where we cant change them-and I dont even try-I would rather shove those bon bons where the sun doesnt shine.....but there are laws out there that would put us in jail for assault and battery, although will there ever be a law to protect our self images or feelings from them? No-so how do we deal with it? Is it chicken if we tell ourselves they are ignorant? (just a thought) Have a great Monday everyone....Jan

Janet.....your supposed good friends, (I am experiencing that also with one friend) have they ever gotten back in contact with you? Had you been friends long? Sorry you went through that. It's not easy is it?? Take care, Tara.

Good Morning Everyone: When they talked about the temp dropping that was an understatement. Had a great weekend. Our (DH & I's) best friends came over for dinner and dice. Then we took a road trip thro the woods. I lol so much that the next day my cheeks and stomach hurt. Then on Sunday after I slept in for awhile. I did some things thro the house. And we went to my lil nephews birthday party. It was so cute watching him open up his gifts. He would get so excited when he was opeing them up. His eyes would light up and his eyebrows would nearly shoot off his face. So all in all it was a really good weekend. I hope everyone had a great weekend. Love ya'll Melissa ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Women in Public Restrooms When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied. Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall. You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance." In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance." To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more. You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible.. It's still smaller than your thumbnail. Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. "Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper- not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get." By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too. At this point you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women, still waiting. You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this." As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?" This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've got to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh my Mel, How true that is Hi all. Not much going on here. I am in the sit and wait mode for everything. Surgery, new apartment, moving, you name it it is in a holding pattern. So I guess that answers your question Jan. I can't change things all the time so I change my thinking and accept it at least for the moment. I have started my contacting of friends for the Blue Springs support group. I have one confirmation and they are contacting others. Their response was "YEAHHHHHH" so we should have a good time. The last 2 times I went to Sedalia group it was almost boring, mundane and not very uplifting so I look forward to this one. Julia