New Years Eve! I can not believe it is the last day of 2012. The day itself is pretty normal: school work, gym, run errands, nap, get ready and head for Pier Park. The difference between this year and the last 2, is that there is not a movie that we can watch where we would get out in time to watch the ball drop. I guess I am in for a LOT of walking tonight, which is good, lol.

Tomorrow Daniel and I will sit down and make a list of goals that we would like to accomplish this year. Then I put our list on the fridge and we check it from time to time. We did not do good reaching our goals this year. 2013 will be better for accomplishing our goals--goal number 1.

Of course I have the usual goals: lose weight and get into my size 8 clothes, read my Bible all the way through, learn 20 Bible verses, and be a better mom. The new goals are going to be: graduate college and start teaching Daniel to play the piano.

With Daniel's ADHD, I have not really seen any improvement since he has been on his medicine. Somebody told me yesterday that it usually takes a week to get in his system, so hoping and praying by Thursday I will see some improvement.

Well have to get back to studying for my major test which is the 15th. Everybody have a great day and be SAFE!

Today is the gym! I have not been but one time since my cataract surgery, and that was just the elliptical machine. Going to take it easy, but still get an awesome workout: 1 hour on weights and 1 hour on elliptical. Going to start back next week my 3 days/week. Going to be harder when school starts back because going to be in school Wednesday mornings and can not go Wednesday afternoons because can not get in there in time to get it all done and be to church on time. Looking at going on Monday, Tuesday, Fridays or Monday, Thursday, Saturdays. The only problem with the later, is going on Saturdays I would have to leave Daniel with somebody or pay my $1/week, and there is a Zumba class I go to on Saturdays. I know I am not supposed to go two days in a row and do all muscles, but just going to have to do it that way this semester.

The thing is I HAVE to lose weight. I start student teaching in August, and have to dress really nice. I have the clothes to do this, but they are currently to small. I do not have the money to go out and buy a new wardrobe, and I do not want to do that anyway since I have the clothes, just have to drop 3 dress sizes. I can do this as long as I only eat when I am hungry, exercise everyday which includes no less than 3 days at the gym. I am going to start off each of the other 4 days, after I have my time with God each morning, with some sort of exercising for an hour. As long as I do all this, the weight will drop off like it has before. I just have to do it, and I WILL do it  :)

Praying Daniel has no bad side effects to his ADHD medicine. Today will be day 2, and expecting to see some sort of difference; if not today at least tomorrow. Praying this medicine works well for him. Looking forward to the help he is able to get from it.

Well time to get off of here and ready for the gym. After the gym, I get Daniel back (he spent the night with a friend), and the rest of the day is studying for my major test that I take next month.

Thanks for listening!

Jennifer

Today my son Daniel was diagnosed with ADHD. He is 7 years old. I was not surprised by the diagnosis. After a lengthy discussion with his doctor, he has had him since birth, we are trying the medication Focalin, beginning with 5 mg. It is time released, and should help him to be calmer during the day at school. Eventually he will be off of it for weekends and school vacation times, like Christmas break.

I believe I am doing the best thing for Daniel. However, it is still hard. I am searching for websites that have support groups that I can join. This is all new to me, and being a single parent I need to find other parents who are going through this to. I will need to have support in the coming months and years. I am smart enough to realize that and am searching for new friends to help me along on this new journey.

The rest of my life is going fine, although I am really going to have to buckle down with studying. School starts back for me on the 9th, and I have to have the studying done for this test before then. I just don't know where this month has gone. Amazing how, when I do not have school, I have so many other things happen where I do not have the time I originally thought I would to get other much needed things accomplished  :)  That is life though, isn't it.

For those who do have ADHD children, there is one website I have found so far. It is ADDConnect and found at: http://connect.additudemag.com/members/profile/25870/

Today is going to be amazing! I get to go on my son's field trip to a nursing home where his 2nd grade class is going to hand out items to brighten the residents day. Then we go to Outback steakhouse and eat lunch. Then I am going to the gym and work out on the elliptical. I think home will be my destination after that.

This afternoon we have the dr appt to start the procedure for Daniel to be tested for ADD. The more I think about this, the more I think he does not have it. However, I want a professional opinion on this. If he does have ADD then I want him to receive the help he needs. At the same time I don't want him labeled with this if it is not correct. This is a hard decision, and one that I have been in prayer about. At times like this I am so grateful that I don't have to make decisions alone or go alone through this. God is always present, He hears my prayers, and He will guide the dr to the decision that is best for Daniel. Although I admit, at times like this I wish I had that physical shoulder to lean on; that person in the flesh who would stand beside me and go through this with me. At the same time I am grateful for who I do have in my life, and will not dwell on what I do not have. I do my best to stay positive; it works best for me that way  :)

Hope everybody has a great day! Can you believe it is only 6 days till Christmas day?! Where has this year gone? After 18 the years just simply fly by, lol

Today is Marvelous Monday! I still have not started studying for my test like I need to. Last week was a busy week. My aunt moved into assisted living Thursday, which is a big adjustment for her and us. My cousin who lives out of town is her POA so I have to have permission from him before buying anything for her, which is fine, just another thing added to my plate, but she is well worth it.

I also went in for my eye appt on Monday and had my cataract surgery on Wednesday. I had been praying God would work it out for me to have the surgery. Don't ask Him if you are not ready for quick answers  :)

This was my second surgery so now I can not read anything without reading glasses, that is the only negative. Can see everything else fine; eye is healing fine. This week consists of dr and dentist appts for my son and I. Daniel (my 7 yr old son) goes to the dr Wednesday to start the process of being tested for ADD. I have already somewhat lowered his sugar intake which is helping. I am curious to see what his dr says. His half brother and sister have both been diagnosed with ADD and ADHD, so I won't be surprised. Glad he has a dr that won't throw him on meds if not necessary.

Of course we have been dealing with the tragedy in Newtown, CT. Daniel is 7, which really brought it home to me. I can not imagine what those parents and relatives are going through. I can easily sit here and say that I could not make it through anything like that, but I know from my past experience with losing Rick, that I can survive a horrible tragedy, but only by the Grace of God. God gives comfort in ways no human ever can, and that is what I am praying for those parents and relatives of all that were lost. As a future elementary school teacher, I hope that I would have the courage to do what the teacher did, sacrificed herself to save her students. She will always be an example to me, in times of tragedy such as that. I never know what the future holds, and if I am ever in a situation similar I will always remember about putting the students in the cabinets and closets. I hope that I will be able to think so quickly, and save my students.

It also helps me appreciate my sons teacher, and the teachers he has had in the past. We always  need to work with our children's teachers, best we can. It only helps our children when we do so. Our children are with them more than they are with us; we need to do everything we can to help them. Sometimes a simple e-mail just saying thank you, can make their day. They do so much throughout the day that we never know about, and then go home to their own families. It is hard to balance job and family, especially when your job goes home with you as it does with any teacher that wants to do her/his best. They put in hours upon hours of work to help our children be their best. We just need to remember to say thank you, and show them that we appreciate them from time to time.

Hope everybody is ready for Christmas. I bought Daniel's last present today. We do the present thing, but out main focus is on Jesus. I never understood why we make our children wait until Christmas day to open all their presents, so I changed that. However many presents Daniel has, he is allowed to open one every night and then open his last one Christmas morning. He has 5 this year, so he will begin opening them Friday night. He is excited, and is begging to open the big one now (that is the one I bought today, and I knew he would want to open that one, lol). I just put the presents under the tree today while he was at school. I wait to do this because as soon as I do the begging to open one present begins  :)  I think it is just as hard for me to wait as it is him, lol

Christmas morning is a very special morning. We get up and the big thing on Christmas morning is baking Jesus His birthday cake. Daniel and I make it together, and then while it is baking, we read the Christmas story out of Luke. This is a tradition that started with Rick and I; I wanted to continue it. We read this every night before Daniel opens a present. On Christmas morning, after we read, then he opens his last present. About the time we get done with this, the cake is done. We always find someone to share half of the cake with.

I do all this because I remember growing up, Christmas was all about what I got on Christmas morning. If I had not gotten something I wanted, Christmas would have been ruined. This way Christmas is about Jesus and baking His birthday cake, and if times ever get where I can't afford presents, Christmas will still be as wonderful as ever! Jesus is amazing and deserves everything we can give Him  :)

Well hope all is well with everybody that reads this. I will write again later  :)

Thursday December 13. This date is very special to me because 15 years ago today I married the man of my dreams! I know, so how did I become a single mom? Well it is a long story, so pull up a chair and read a while:

His name was Rick Fox. We met at my church, August of 1997. Both of us had been praying for a while for God to give us the person He wanted us to have. We talked for 3 weeks and then finally went out. At the end of the day (supposed to have been just a lunch date but ended up an all day and night date, lol) we both knew this was it! Four months later, December 13, 1997 I became Mrs. Richard David Fox!

Neither one of us were perfect, but God is the perfect matchmaker just like everything else God does perfectly. Our marriage was amazing! In the short 3 1/2 years God allowed me to have this wonderful man as my husband, we only had 3 arguments. I learned a lot from Rick, communication being one of them. If you will sit down and discuss problems before they become actual problems, then the situation never gets to that point. Thus, a lot fewer arguments.

During our marriage, Rick surrendered to the call to preach. He was amazing at it too! Well the Lord led for him to put a missions trip together, going to Canada. Rick and 3 other preachers from our church left for a week long mission trip to Quebec Canada. They drove there and back. Halfway back, in Hershey Pennsylvania, the driver fell asleep and they wrecked. Rick was sleeping in the backseat of the van. He was thrown from the van, and airlifted to Hershey Medical Center. We lived in North Carolina at the time. A friend of mine's son was also at Hershey Medical Center in critical condition. We flew there together, and others arrived there by driving. God saw to it that I was never alone. I was able to see Rick, and tell him what all had happened. Everyone else survived the wreck, which was an answered prayer. I knew before I ever left home, it was God's will to take Rick home to Heaven. Rick went home to be with our Lord and Savior July 8, 2001. He was never conscious our last hours together, but I have always known that he heard me; knew that I was there with him.

Rick was one that would stop on the side of the road and pick flowers for me, and have them in a vase on the table when I came home from work. It was always spontaneous, so I never expected it. Just one of the many things he did throughout our marriage to show me he loved me, and was always thinking of me. His pleasure came from making me happy, and he was wonderful at it. He was a Sheriff's Deputy, and at his funeral all the deputy's each laid a single rose on top of his casket. I had prayed that morning, and had found the most beautiful flower on the side of the road. I laid it on top of all those roses, my last physical gift I was ever able to give the man who had owned my heart from day one.

It was the worst time in my life, but yet the closest I have ever walked with God. He literally carried me through this time in my life. Many a time I would sit in the middle of my bed and let the tears flow. I am the type person that doesn't cry in front of people. God had used Rick's death in so many ways--people got saved and got right with Him. Rick was in Heaven, a place where there is no more heartache, pain, or sin. However, when God took Rick home to Heaven, he literally took my heart away, and He knew this. That is why when I sat in the middle of my bed and cried, God wrapped His arms around me, and loved me the way only God can. I found comfort and peace in the greatest valley of my life. I would have never survived this time in my life if it were not for God's grace, love, and mercy. When we can't and nobody else can--God can and will. That is my God. That is the God that I serve and Love! No other can even begin to compare.

November of that year I met my son's dad. He was the complete opposite of Rick, which at the time was exactly what I needed. We were married the following September. However, the real him eventually came to light and we divorced in 2007. Lesson learned: if somebody changes to be what you want them to be, it is not meant to be. If you can not be your real self, then that person who you are changing for is not the person God wants for you to spend the rest of your life with. Be yourself, completely yourself. The one that God has chosen for you will love you and accept you exactly the way you are!

I can not complain to much though because I have the most amazing son any mother could ever have. His name is Daniel, he is seven years-old, and he is my heart. When he was only four years old, he accepted Jesus as his Savior December 13, 2009! That is no coincidence. That is God! He had to take my heart for souls to be saved, which is what this life is all about. He gave me a new heart August 23, 2005 when Daniel was born. He allowed Daniel to be born into the family of God December 13, 2009 so that this date would have double special meaning to me!

Today I get to go have Christmas lunch with my little man! I can not think of a greater way to spend the day. I hope all of your days are blessed beyond measure. Mine are  :)

Well today is Wednesday. I had my cataract surgery this morning; all went well. Downside is I won't be in the gym for the next week, except for the elliptical machine. At least I can do that which will help keep the weight from gaining instead of losing. Doubt I am going to reach my New Year's Eve goal but I will get as close as I can. Post more tomorrow or when I can  :)

Good Tuesday morning to everyone. There have been some changes to this weeks schedule. I will be having cataract surgery tomorrow, which means the gym for Wednesday and Friday are out. Hoping I can do everything on Saturday so I at least get 2 days at the gym this week. Next week I will be there every day to make up for it. I will also be doing exercises at home that I can do.

Today's goals are the same as always. Eat healthy and exercise. I will get the exercising in after I get home from pre-op. I always do much better if I could be exercising right now, but I have to get ready for pre-op appt.

Thanks for listening. Anybody want to comment, please feel free. So far nobody has and I feel like I am just writing a journal that nobody is reading. One of the best ways for me to lose weight is to be accountable, so I need y'all to respond to these posts if you will, please and thank you  :)

I hope all of you have a totally awesome Tuesday!

Well today is Monday. I will be at the gym at least 2.5-3 hours this morning.I will do 3 rounds on the machines, add in some extra workout on the stomach and thigh areas, and 1 hour on the eliptical machine. I am out of school until January 9 and intend to take full advantage of it. I weighed this morning and have gained but not surprised. I will have some of the weight off by Sunday when I weigh in.

Again my goals are to eat healthy, exercise everyday for at least 1 hour, and blog every day to help myself stay accountable. Today for eating, I will have healthy meals at breakfast, lunch, and supper. In between meals I will either eat 1/2 Cup of fruit, a Fiber One bar, small amount if Ritz peanut butter mini sandwiches, or small amount of nuts. I will probably eat one of these in between breakfast and lunch, and then a different choice between lunch and supper, then have desert. I will also not eat after 8 p.m.

I plan to be active with my 7 yr old son, Daniel, every afternoon. He also needs to be active. Today that will not happen because of my eye appointment. He will be at Bay Base until about 4. If he has done all his homework then we can go bike riding or something like that, but he usually forgets he has homework until he gets home  :)

This week I will begin to study for my 2nd major state test that I have to pass in order to teach elementary school. I will also be winter cleaning this week (didn't have time to do it in the spring, lol). Since school is out I am able to sleep in and I am enjoying that. I usually get up at 3 every morning in order to get everything done. Now I can sleep in at least until 5 and if I want to take a nap, it is o.k. I will also be helping my 93 yr old aunt move into assisted living this week, I think. There have to be papers signed by her and another family member, so it depends on when they get that done.

Well that is all for now. Let today be the day that I achieve all my goals!

Hello my name is Jennifer. I am a single mom along with being a full-time Elementary Education student at Florida State University Panama City campus. I am 41 years old, which is one reason why losing weight is hard for me. This is a real struggle.

I have learned that I have an addiction to food. It is my comfort when I am stressed or bored. If I simply ate when I was hungry, and stopped when I was full, I would have no problem being skinny and staying that way. This is a daily fight for me, and one that I usually do not win.

I go to the gym 3 times a week, and give it a good work out every time. However, things in life happen and going to the gym may fall to only 1 or 2 times a week. I have learned with my body that it takes 3 times a week or more of vigorous workouts to get this fat burned off of my body. The fat is VERY attached to me, lol

I was a member of Weight Watchers for 5 months. I lost 15 lbs during that time, which is nice. However, I still have 35 lbs more to go. I can no longer afford Weight Watchers, so I am hoping that blogging will be helpful to me, and others out there that are also struggling with losing weight. Accountability is a big help to me. I would recommend Weight Watchers online to anybody who can afford it. It helps you learn how to eat healthy, and there are many people on there you can become friends with that will be your support group.

So here are my goals for this week: I am going to eat healthy every day this week. I will not eat out this week at all; no exceptions. I will lose either 2 lbs this week OR see a change in my measurements. I will go to the gym 3 times this week, along with being active every other day of the weeks also (this is a very weak area for me). I will post at the end of each day how I did. Knowing I am going to tell y'all how I did will help me behave myself throughout the day.

Anybody want to join me, feel free. I am all about helping each other  :)

Thanks for listening!

Jennifer