. . . Our reguarly scheduled blogging. I knew it was going to be “a” week, and it was. Even yesterday. But I have the whole day free today, so am going to try and do a little bit of catching up, with friends and family, blogging, paid blogging, housework, laundry. But I can go into the week with a little less on my plate this week.

I thought I would have the whole weekend. Actually, I thought my “weekend” would start early Friday evening. But it definately didn’t work out that way. The county fair is this week, and the parade was Friday evening. I had thought about not even going; but our church had a float, and so I thought I should probably go, and at least take pictures. I ended up taking pictures of the whole parade — which you can see — Here — . The plan WAS, David would go on down the fair, and I was going to come home. But neither one of us got to do that. We ended up eating supper with “the family” — David’s mom & Dad, and sister & her husband. The first place we went, we ended up waiting 30 minutes (and I know, I know. In larger towns, going into a place, esp. on a Friday night and being put on a list for 30 minutes is the norm. But in a small town like this, it just doesn’t fly). We didn’t leave mad, but we did leave. We went out to the golf course and had steak out there. So, it was after 9:00 before we got home.

Ethan got off work at 8:30, and was a bit concerned to where we were. I had left my cell phone in the Explorer, because I thought it was just a simple “watch the parade and go home” plan. And for some reason, where we were, the reception wasn’t very good. He call both of us numerous times, and was getting a bit worried, not to mention, not real happy with us for not letting him know where we were and what we were doing. (i.e. we kinda got the same lecture we have given him a time or two for the exact same thing).

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April from Butterfly Kisses. Congratulations, April. Email me with your address and I will get your book out to you Monday or Tuesday. April wins the book “One Tuesday Monday” — and has agreed to play the Pay It Forward Book Exchange. She will read this book, and then when she’s done, she’ll host her own “Pay It Forward” exchange, and send the book on. This is so much fun. Ethan went and got one of his ball caps to put the names in. We had thought about video taping it, but its getting late, and we should have done this earlier today, but didn’t. So, we just did it plain and simple.

Slipping into another hot day. Summer is definitely here, and has me longing for fall. I don’t like extreme weather, one way or the other. And right now, its the heat and humidity I’m not liking. But. I am blessed that I work in an airconditioned office (both places) and my home has decent air conditioning. So, I’m comfortable — and blessed, so should curtailed my whining here. I can’t believe, though, its almost the end of July. The days are whizzing by way too fast. School will be starting before we know it. And then it will be Christmas. We should start now, with Christmas shopping. But, it never seems to happen that way. I do know a few that are on top of their game and are gearing up to do Christmas shopping — yes — in July. Smart. People. I can’t seem to live beyond today. Just get through it. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. I’m working really hard again to stay focused on the weight loss program. I am ready to gear back up and seem some substantial losses here!

I didn’t do as bad as I expected with my weigh-in. I “only” gained 6 lbs from the last time I was there, which was a month or more ago. Knowing how “so-not-with-the-program” I was this past month.. and even beyond not being on the program, just some of the “I fell back into bad eating habits” from time to time … yes, I am counting my blessings here — it encourages me that I only have a short course to take to get back to where I was, instead of virtually having to start all over.

I’m not still not sure what David has decided. He did. not. make an appointment. The $350 for all the medical stuff and the initial appointment kinda stopped him in his tracks — even though he KNEW that going in there. So, he continues to raid my food supply, and we’ll see how he does this week. I’m not going to let him continue to eat my food supply and NOT be on board with them all the way, but maybe if he gets a taste of what its like to be on the program, he’ll understand the sensibility of being monitored medically very close by them. Either way though, he hasn’t brought home chips or pop like he normally does, so that is a good thing. I would still like for us to do this together; but I will honor his wishes and back off if he chooses not to. Its a personal decision, and not one for me to make for him.

This technically won’t be the “first” step, but it definately is a step in the right direction. I started a weight loss program last September. I did really good — losing almost 75 lbs. But then I hit a wall, and I haven’t been able to regain any momentum, and par for the course, have lost ground at this point. And some of the events of the summer have made me toss the towel in and give up totally. Granted, its only been for a month, but still, enough damage has been done.

I sucked it up, gathered up all the courage I had, and made the call to make the phone call to schedule a new appointment. I’ll leave in just a few minutes. David is going with me, and that is a good thing. But, here’s the key. He doesn’t have an appointment today, but he is seriously considering making one. He had me pack a day’s worth of “my food” for him to try for it and see if it truly was something he could commit to.

We are going on this journey together. I would like to include Ethan as well. But, one step at a time. 1st step. Get me back there — today — and back on the plan. Not wait another day. Step 2. Make an consulation appointment for David. Get him in and on his way. Step 3. Make an appointment for Ethan, and draw him in to what we are doing as well.

Do this as a family. Get obsessed with losing weight. Reactivate my “The Quest” blog. Surround myself with weight loss tips and thoughts and reflections.

We are in this together.

First the original rules by Overwhelmed with Joy, then a bit about the book:

Most all of us love to read and get “new-to-us” books, right? And if you’re anything like me, you love winning things (what a rush), not to mention getting fun stuff in the mail! So here’s what I’m proposing:

1) Once a month I’ll pick a book to give away to one lucky reader (you don’t have to have a blog to enter). It may be a book that I’ve purchased new or used, or it may be a book that someone has shared with me that I really like. It’ll probably be a paperback, just to make things easier, but no guarantees.

2) Details on how you can enter to win will be listed below.

3) If you’re the lucky winner of the book giveaway I ask that you, in turn, host a drawing to give that book away for free to one of your readers, after you’ve had a chance to read it (let’s say, within a month after you’ve received the book). If you mail the book out using the media/book rate that the post office offers it’s pretty inexpensive.

4) If you’re really motivated and want to host your own “Pay It Forward” giveaway at any time, go to Overwhelmed by Joy to grab the button to use on your own blog. Just let me know so I can publish a post on my blog plugging your giveaway and directing my readers your way!

So there you have it, my Pay It Forward Book Exchange idea, designed to encourage people to read, to share good books, to possibly get you out of your reading comfort zone, and to get fun stuff in the mail instead of just bills!

Sign-ups for this book will be open through Saturday, July21, 2007 at midnight PST. Scroll down to Mr. Linky and leave your name and URL and that will get your name in the hat. I’ll draw and announce the winner sometime on Sunday, July 22, 2007.

Now about the book I’m giving away this week:
(excerpted from the back cover)

Beyond Tuesday Morning (by Karen Kingsbury)

A terrible tragedy. One woman’s discovery. A chance to love again.

Its been three years since the terrorist attacks on New York City, but FDNY widow Jamie Bryan keeps waking up to the aching pain of that oneTuesday morning, the morning of September 11, 2001.

Determined to find meaning in her grief, Jamie pours her life into volunteer work at St. Paul’s, the small memorial chapel across from where the Twin Towers once stood. In the stream of broken, grieving people who make their way through the church doors, Jamie connects with two men - a firefighter forever changed by the attacks, and a Los Angeles police officer.

Unsure and feeling somehow guilty, Jamie opens herself to the possibility of loving again. But what she learns about one man sends her reeling. How can this be God’s plan for her life?

Now only the persistence of a tenacious man, questions from Jamie’s curious young daughter, and words from her dead husband’s journal can move Jamie Bryan beyond one Tuesday morning toward life.