Thyroids are for the birds.

When I was 21, only a few short months after I had given birth to my dear daughter Emily, I started to gain weight at an incredibly rapid rate. I was EXHAUSTED and was having other issues, that I won’t share here, because they are gross. Anyhow- I went to the Doctor, because I thought to myself, “Oh, gracious, I think I am pregnant again. Oh and by the way I have a four month old. ACK!”

After talking to the doctor and having a ton of blood work, the nice little doctor sent me home to wait for a call to figure out what was wrong. I went home and the doctor’s office called me that very afternoon to tell me that I needed to come back for more blood work. There had been an error and that they needed to redraw my blood. No problem, except that I am so tired it hurts to even think about walking to the car to drive across town. Once I arrive they take the blood and send me on my marry little way again. I received a call the next day that I was not pregnant, but instead I was broken. I had hypothyroidism. Meaning my thyroid don’t work. It went on vacation and is never coming back. Meaning that my body likes to be tired and fat all the time now, forever. In fact so broken that the doctor was shocked that I was functioning at all. He told me people with less of a “problem” never leave there home because it can be so debilitating. He put me on meds and told me I would feel better soon. The problem was I started to feel ok, but the weight, it never went anywhere.

Now the problem was that I have never enjoyed exercising. I remember in college going to the athletic center and riding the stationary bike for 30 minutes and thinking, “Wow! I am so fit now!” HA!

So I lived my life and the baby weight never went away, but now I had a bit of an excuse plus- there were days in the beginning of my journey that I literally had to drag myself from the bed I was so tired. Simply caring for my child and trying to not live in a pig sty were the more important thing in my life. I got pregnant with Jacob and got a desk job and the weight came on and never went anywhere.

Well, I am tired of it. I began in January eating healthier and have been visiting the gym more often than not. I am trying to go, even when I would rather sit on the couch and stuff myself full of chips. My endurance is raising, but the pounds are staying put. And I am frustrated. I hate my thyroid. I want it to get fixed and make my life a whole lot easier. I want to try to be healthy and see some results. I will stay with it. Because I will win. I am in a competition with myself. I have someplace fabulous to be in August and I want to enjoy it, even if I haven’t lost a single pound- I will have at least gained endurance for the trip. What is most frustrating about it all is that I want it, I am trying, and there are no results.

Also, I literally cannot remember the last time I wasn’t tired. It has been at least 12 years. And that, that really sucks.

Old Bessie

Well, it appears that “Old Bessie” may be down for good.

On Sunday, as I was driving to drop Emily off at camp, Josh was driving to work. Only he didn’t make it. About halfway the car started over heating and he had just enough time to get her off the highway before she just plain stopped. After towing her back into town, and getting an estimate for a new engine ($4000!) we have decided it is time to let her go. But she has been good to us, for 7 long years. We bought her right after Jacob was born, because we thought we needed a bigger car.
I thought I would show her off in the best way that I can.


Hanging out in the car wash.

Running to the car with our friends.

Reading the Bible in the car.

Just being silly.

Sleeping.

Riding our big boy bike next to her.

Wearing ridiculous hats while driving her.

Carwash again. See, we took car of her.

Working on her.

Taking the dogs for a ride in her.

Going to Six Flags in her.

She even went to Kentucky!

Being dramatic while riding in her.

Celebrating the holidays with her.

Just being Jacob while in her.

Sleeping after seeing the Cheetah Girls.

Lounging in her.

She even made it through the huge ice storm 18 months ago.

What is really odd about the whole situation is- it is really like almost loosing a family member. We have owned her for so long and she has been with us through think and thin.

I am sad to see her go, and even sadder to think about what we are going to do about it.

Goodbye Old Bessie, its been fun.

Al Gore, I will tell you about the REAL inconvenient truth.

Blah, blah, blah, global warming. I have my own thoughts on global warming, and what we as humans need to think/do about it. They are similar to Amy’s, if not even a little more non-earthy.

But I hate me some Wal-Mart.

You see, every time I walk through those electric doors I just hate myself a little. I am never happy when I leave, always angry and yelling at the kids. The lines are always SO long and the help leaves a little to be desired. And the prices, they are not that much cheeper. Before this weekend, I couldn’t tell you when the last time I went to Wal-Mart was. It had been at least 6 months. I usually can last on my ban of Wal-Mart for about that long, until I decide to give it ago again.

Last weekend I had dropped of Emily at dance class and after lunch I needed to pick a few things up for our up-coming trip. Lots of random things, which I could have pickled up at other stores, but honestly, it would have taken longer than the hour I had to do it in. So I told Jacob we had to go to Wal-Mart. He responded with, “No, mom, I am staying in the car.”

I have passed my hatred for the Wal-Mart onto my offspring, isn’t it wonderful?

I tell him, tough, we have to pick up things like goggles, a pink tank top, iron on transfer paper, sharpies, shorts and crayons. It has to be done at Wal-Mart, we don’t have time to go to Michaels, Target, Kohls, JCPenny, and the outlet mall. We just have to do it.

“Don’t make me go in there” is his response to me.

I had to pull the mom card to get him out of the car.

We walked into the giant supercenter close to my daughters dance class and got to work. We made it out alive, with $100 less in my checking account and a lot of stuff that could have been purchased somewhere else, but darn it Wal-Mart, you are too convenient, too available and too affordable, and that is the real inconvenient truth.

Is it the weekend yet?

I have always been taught: "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all."

So there you have it, I am not saying a thing, because what I have to say--could probably get me fired.

And that's my week.

Ugh.