What happens when you can't sleep at night?

Well, you probably will lay there and toss and turn for a long time, telling yourself that when it gets to the next 'o-clock' that you will get up.  And then you will give it another 15 minutes or so.  Well, that is what I do.  We went to bed around 9:50 or so last night, I think - and I heard the clock chime midnight.  and I still didn't get up.  Thought about it.  In fact, I thought about a lot of things.  (Now my brother sent me an email about 1:30AM the other night because he couldn't sleep - see, I should have gotten up and done something!)

I rewound in my mind the choir concert we had attended earlier in the evening to see our granddaughter, Tricia, and loved it again as I watched her smile and sing.  I am so proud of her!  I thought of the conversation my daughter and I had afterwards.  I thought of my children, my grandchildren, and prayed for them.  I thought of things purchased for Christmas and anticipated the expressions when the gifts were opened.  I thought of my little sissy and things we have been discussing.  I thought of my big brother and the challenges he and I have thrown out to each other for improving our health.  And I prayed.  Until I finally went to sleep.

As I processed many things, I realized some things about myself.  Some good, some not so good.  I am a great encourager.  I love to encourage people to succeed in whatever they choose to go in to.  Some people I want to beat it into them, for the more I tell them, the more they whine they can't do it!   I believe I am capable of achieving much more than I have been.  In fact, since I have been off work the past six weeks, although I have been busy doing Christmas things, I have gotten quite lax about improving my health.  After the first week when I had two-three days in the gym and two days out walking - I haven't been out doing anything!  Even excuses of cold, wet and rainy weather is not a good excuse.  I just didn't do it.  I have no excuse.  I have good intentions, and in my body - especially after watching the finale of the Biggest Loser (my one and only favorite show!), it is ready to start running and do something!  But I have nothing written down to motivate me.

My brother issued my sister and I a challenge recently - in March to walk 13.1 miles.  I have told him I'm 'IN'.  But I glanced at an email from him this morning in which he made me feel like he doesn't think I can do it - although we easily did ten miles when I was in Indiana last September.  Yes, I need to start pushing myself and get out there again, but I felt somewhat discouraged by his comment.  Yes, I plan to address that with him when I respond to his email.  And, yes, I do plan to be ready to do a 13.1 mile walk in March.

So what am I going to do to get ready?  I have to make my mind up I am going to do it.  I don't need my hubby pushing me out the door, I need to do it for me.  Not for my brother, or for my sissy.  Not for anyone, but for me.  I know I am perfectly capable of walking and can work up to doing even a 26 mile marathon.  Yes, I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I am confident I can do it.

Still don't have our dobie to walk with me - haven't found the one we want yet.  So if I say I can get my hubby to walk with me, it doesn't mean he is taking the place of a dog.  (You can wipe that thought off your face right now!) LOL  Tom has been good to walk with me, even though walking is not his favorite thing.  I'm hoping during the Christmas break my daughter can join us for I know she will want to walk with her uncle when he comes out for the challenge.  Perhaps one or both of the boys would like to walk, as well as spouses and some of the children. I'd love to make it a family walk out here, just as my brother made it the lst Annual Rigsby Family Marathon back last September in Avon.  

I did realize as well this morning as I baked cookies, I need to find another treat to make at Christmas besides the cookies, cranberry pumpkin nut bread, etc.  I need to search for a recipe low in fat and sugar.  How can one be watching what they eat when I give them all the goodies for them to eat?!  And it doesn't help having it here at home either!  That's why I send it home with friends and family.  I don't want it at my house!  But I love to bake and cook - I just need to find healthier recipes!

Speaking of baking and cooking, I still need to have some of the grandchildren over to do just that!  I understand one grandchild is sick - I think we were planning on that group coming over on Saturday afternoon.  Sure hope he is better soon.  Tonight we are cooking part of a meal and taking over to the House of Refuge and 'serving' the men there.  We enjoy working with the others in our former 'small group' and cooking for these men trying to get a new start on life.  Tomorrow night we are scheduled for dinner with a large group of friends from over the years.  It will be good to see many we haven't seen for a long time.

So how are you doing with your Christmas preparations?  Got your baking done, gifts purchased and wrapped?  Good for you!  We are in countdown mode now - today is the 15th so we have ten more days!  Don't forget to take care of YOU in the process!

Blessings!