Summer is Slipping Away

Wow, where did it go? I remember vividly the last minute I was at school, getting in my truck and realized that I was done with school for 3 whole months! I was gonna go here, gonna do that, it was titilating! Now less than a month away from the start of school, and I haven't done but maybe 20 percent of any of it. Money makes the world go around, and no money makes the world stand still! I mean I have had a great summer, don't get me wrong. I have spent a ton of time with my family and friends, had cookouts and sleepovers, did a fair amount of swimming at the Natural Dam down from the house. But I had hoped to get to the Gentry Zoo, get the Alma Waterpark in, Kathy and I both want to go to the aquarium in Tulsa with Lauren. I think that is gonna possibly be our last hurrah this summer. I found out it was worth the trip and the price of admission, so I am gonnna see if I can sock back a $100 and make it a Saturday day trip kind of thing. I know Lauren will love it and I am guessing so will we!

Figure this out

So I am sitting at the table eating my breakfast and I start thinking. Where did this new found concern for my weight and health come from? It seriously just materialized out of nowhere. I am loving it though. I have stopped eating 20-30 hot dogs a week, countless sandwiches and chips and sweets. I now snack on fruit, both at home and at work. I get at least 5 pieces of fruit a day in and even some vegetables too, which I am thinking about upping. I also have a different attitude towards food. I don't crave it all the time. In addition to all this, I have spent the last week using my morning time to ride the recumbent bike and using 5 pound weights to do arm exercises while doing it. I know all this added together has made me feel so much better about myself. I have more energy and a much better attitude. I may have an explanation for where it came from. I recall not long ago, I was floundering. I specifically recall I was trying to figure out why, even though I truly wanted to, I could not for anything get myself motivated to lose weight. I desperately tried using the motivation of staying around longer for my wife and step daughter and our kids to come. So in depseration I told the Lord that I needed help. I wanted my wife to have a good life and I wanted to be the one to give it to her till well into our advanced age. I truly believe that is where this came from. HE knew I needed help, and he came to the rescue. Thank you Jesus.

Day 2 Momentum

I am quite excited this evening! First, I got up and did the bike and upper body workout like I decided would be a good plan AGAIN this morning (thus the Day 2). I also kept my food intake low through out the day. I even cut my usual breakfast by skippin the bacon, saving it for weekends only, and only one piece of toast. I know everybody is poo poo-ing the fruit, but I am basically eating a ton healthier than before. If I am able to keep losing while eating oranges and bananas and grapes etc. then I am gonna go ahead for now. I know I haven't had a burger in like 2 weeks and I got a huge craving today! Anyway, to continue, Katherine and I also went for a walk after supper settled for the second day this week. I think we have both synced up on this weight loss thing and are taking it more seriously than in the past. Should prove to be beneficial since we both want to lose weight so bad.

Lauren's girl scout troop had an even yesterday and I have to admit, I love doing things with the troop. It is also great to have so many new friends from doing these things. Kathy and I got invited to go out with Amber to see her husbands band play one night and I think Penni and Wayne may wind up being some running buddies for us too! Kids are a great social networking tool! I have met some great people by going to Lauren's school and social functions. Add those to the already awesome group of friends I have and it just can't get much better!

Look out sub 300 pounds!

I have to come tell this. I don't know exactly how it got started, other than the hand of God moved over me, but I out of the blue started eating considerably healthier. It started off I had to nix fast food for monetary purposes. But shortly after that, my wife bought some oranges for some unknown reason and I started eating those. Well, that was so good, I went ahead and started buying other fruits like bananas, apples, strawberries, etc. Before too much longer, I was using these as my night time snacks. Then I began to carry fruit to work and made it my mid-morning and mid afternoon snacks. I kinda thought I noticed I may have been a little weight, but I never tried to measure it or anything. I finally got the Wii Fit to weigh on and found out I had lost 5 pounds without really TRYING. So we went a step further and when Katherine cooked, she only made enough for the meal, not for seconds. At first that was a challenge cause I loved a big supper after a long day. But tonight, July 20th, 2009, I almost couldn't finish my plate!!! So for a celabration, we went for a couple of laps around our block as a family! How cool is that?

Summertime!

I have to say, I am loving me some summertime! I have gotten more work done around here in the last month than I have been able to get done in the last two years! I even got the deck I have been yearning for since I moved in here.

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One of the good days

Today was one of those days ya know. All of the bad days just kinda fade into the background and this day is the one you hold onto. I had a good day at school and I think it can be chalked up to the fact that the semester is winding down, I have chosen to forego summer school this summer and the weather is just looking so inviting. I got alot of assignments back today and made A's on all of them. I have all A's going into the finals it seems, and I am not overwhelmed by the idea of taking finals this semester. One of those good days.

A Brave New World

Hellow blog world. I was driving down the road the other day and suddenly I was sideswiped with the idea that I should start blogging. Not necessarily for the world, but for myself and if the world finds me and likes it, well that is ok too.

My name is Shane Griffin and I am a 36 year old man who just recently was able to find who he really wanted to be and I have now set out on a journey to get there, however long it takes. I married by beautiful wife Katherine in July of 07 and it has been nothing short of all I could ask for in a marriage. I also have the honor of being step parent to Lauren Doreen, a 7 year old sassy girl! She is a challenge and a blessing all rolled into one. Between my two girls, I can never have a bad outlook on life. If I am down when I get home, one of them always makes it ok within a short time.

I am also what is branded a non-traditional student. I started back to school in the spring semester of 07 and have not looked back. I was on fire for the first two years and took every class available to me and made straight A's excepting for one B which I won't get into at this time. I am fixing to graduate my Associates program in Paralegal Studies in May, then I move on for my Bachelors in Applied Science. I am actually fairly close to finishing my Bachelors already as I have been taking classes for it on the side when my paralegal classes are not available that semester. So in no more than a year and half I think, I should be done with that and heading to law school! That is my ultimate goal. I think that if I can get there ( and with the family an friends I have, I don't see me failing) my job working in a law firm paired with the tutelage I get from my attorneys will make me an exeptional law student and hopefully land me a in a good job after graduation. Truth is, I just want to work for the county prosecutors office in either Sebastian or Crawford County. I was a bail bondsman for a short time in my life and feel I owe society something.

Ok, I see no reason to give the whole story away on the first post, so I will close this out and for anybody who happens to visit, welcome and feel free to tell me I am great or that I suck!

By the by, the beautiful young lady you see me with in the picture, that is Lauren, my step daughter and one of the three most important women in my life.

and here is the most important woman in my life, Katherine by wife! She puts up with me no matter what and that is WAAAAY more than I ever got or gave to the ladies in my life before her.