Table Progress

The breakfast nook I am working on is progressing slowly. Above is a picture of the first seam of many for the solid surface table. I used 6 sink cutouts from a big apartment job we did last year at work; I had to cut the edges straight and mirror-seam them together in the workshop at home. I bought a triple-chip saw blade for my skil saw, then used a router to trim them perfectly. The seams worked out wonderfully despite my limited equipment--a ziploc bag to mix the epoxy; masking tape and pencils to hold the seam tight while it dried. After I had put enough pieces together for size, I cut it to shape--it looks like a spaceship or a flat football. I brought it upstairs to check the size/shape; it's a bit big but should work. Now I have to glue the edges on--including using our oven to heat up some of them so I can bend them around the curved edge!

Kate is up to some new tricks including feeding herself with a fork and spoon, and going down little plastic slides. She is such a sweetheart--not a baby anymore.

Potts Potty Potpourri

Grandma and Grandpa From brought a Pooh Potty for Kate when they visited us two weeks ago. Kate likes to sit on it sometimes. This was further entrenched in her mind when we went to Silverstar last weekend. Ollie was being potty trained (and doing quite well I might add). Kate watched him curiously at times but I wouldn't let her touch Ollie's potty. That's just gross! ...It certainly added an interesting dynamic to the weekend. I would be reading my book in the living room, relaxing and having a great time, to the background sounds of potty vocabulary. Just shows how you get comfortable with uncomfortable things once you have kids I guess. Also we forgot one suitcase in the hallway when we left on Friday. It had all of Kate's diapers and wipes in it! Luckily our friends from Kelowna were able to pick some up for us on their way! The suitcase was still sitting in the hall upon our return. Guess our neighbours weren't too hard up for size 4's.

Adrenal Fatigue

So, I think I have a mild to moderate case of Adrenal Fatigue.

This fits with hypoglycemia since cortisol (or lack of) affects blood sugar, and vice versa. I am reading a book recommended to me by a friend with a more severe case of this (and also my mom has this book); it is called 'Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome' by James Wilson. Basically it happens as a result of prolongued stress and a few other factors. Like hypoglycemia, healing is possible and is lifestyle and diet-related in most cases; certain supplements are recommended. Right now I am continuing everything I have been doing and feeling a lot better; I've started mixing 1/2 tsp of sea salt in a cup of water in the morning, and am intentionally consuming more vitamin C (from fruits and vegetables) throughout the day. I'm also cutting out some of the protein I've been eating so much of because I think I've overdone it and it's affecting me adversely--but I'm still eating more than I used to back in the day. I'm also eating more good fats like butter, olive oil and homo milk as much as I can because those last awhile in my bloodstream (plus I was losing too much weight). The key is to find a good balance of carbs/protein/fats and to do so throughout the day in small meals. Also a big key is lots of vegetables!!! And, as always, cut out as much stress as possible...

On turning thirty

I turned 30 years old yesterday. Birthdays make me feel old but at least there is always someone a bit older than me so it's not that bad. This is, however, a new decade..."thirties" I think of a chubby bald guy in shorts and a t-shirt with hairy legs, don't ask me why!

Jesus was thirty years old when he began his ministry. Somehow I'm not too confident that the same will be true of me. I often feel that my 'ministry' ended with youth pastoring, maybe prison visiting...although I do lead worship at church still which is kind of an official ministry. Jesus, however, was not a youth pastor or a worship leader...though obviously considered a religious teacher (rabbi), most of his ministry consisted of backpacking around the countryside, healing people and teaching in the synagogues. Is a backpacking trip in the works? Not likely...my health would not tolerate it for long.

When you pray, or picture Jesus in your head, is he older than you? He always had been for me...a youngish Jesus, not an old man...but I wonder, does his physical form stay true to his body age when he died/resurrected/ascended to heaven? In other words, is he about the same age as me (three years older)? Just an interesting thought.

I had a good birthday. I worked a weird shift to accommodate the cabinet shop showroom, sanding the reception desk from 4pm to 8pm...but had my sugarless muffin when I got home (sweetened with applesauce and carrots--quite good!) Last week I went to a Heat game and on Friday my brother and his family visited.

Tonight we are watching the Olympics and taking it easy.

Torch Run

The supposed event of a lifetime: The 2010 Winter Olympics. We walked a few blocks on Sunday night with Kate and Stacey to watch the torch get carried by.



While we didn't attend the ceremony afterwards, a lot of people did--up to 25,000!

In other news I attended an Abbotsford Heat game (for my birthday) last night, with a few friends. It started off a little slow--lots of scuffles with the Marlies--but things improved with the 3rd period, overtime, and the shootout. Abbotsford seems to get themselves into lots of shootouts for some reason...

There's a Surprise in the Bathtub - and Other Tales of Glorious Ignominy

The other day as I took items out of the fridge in preparation to make my day's lunch (with snacks), I paused and decided it was worthy of a picture. Back in the day I used to take two peanut butter sandwiches, a granola bar, an apple and a carrot, maybe some cookies, and that was my lunch for a day's work. Now with eating protein every 2 hours and trying to balance that with enough good carbs and vegetables, I get out the almonds and the cottage cheese and the whole wheat bread and the cooked grains and the leftovers from yesterday's supper and the apple and the carrots and the spinach and the cheese and crackers and the mayo and the meat...and I'm still hungry at the end of the day, and I'm still losing weight! Hmph.

And now that we've talked about lunch, here's another photo and I hope it doesn't make you lose yours:


I was giving Kate a bath and had just decided to get a book and let her play for awhile when I noticed a look of studious concentration on her clean, wet face. "Oh no," I said with great dread. "I hope you're just making bubbles." Alas, it was not so.

Worship

A few people have asked how I am doing lately (healthwise). Depending on how I am doing at the moment, I answer accordingly...overall I am doing quite well (better than I have been in ten months), but I still have moments/days that are not as fun.

Last night I experienced the interesting phenomenon known as 'crawling skin.' It literally feels as though my skin is crawling. Apparently it shows up in people who are lacking sleep and under stress, but is known to the hypoglycemic as well. As I had been short on sleep the night before, I guess that's why my skin chose last night to crawl... fun hey?

This morning at work I was also feeling a bit off, and was praying to my Father to help me make it through the day. I seem to feel closer to God when I am in greater need (desperation). It shouldn't be that way. But I also noticed that this afternoon when I felt much better, I was thankful and praising Him for that. So I guess I felt close to Him then, too. It is worship to need God, because He created us to be dependent on Him. It is also worship to thank him for every breath. Hallelujah!