Hi bloggies! Is Tuesday treating you nicely? Mine has been good, but then again I always consider a day good if nothing traumatic happens. Today was just a basic day. I woke up around 6:15 to head downstairs and get some Bible time followed by computer time. I love having this downtime in the morning again. It sets the tone for the day perfectly.

After consumption of a whole wheat bagel + pb & honey, the morning continued with a Power workout at the gym. Strength training holds a special place in my heart. I already have a hankering for the return of intense lifting sessions post-baby. I adore being pregnant, but can’t help to miss my regular work in the gym.

Later in the day, I spent a good chunk of time writing an article and catching up on blogs. I took a quick break to devour leftover tofu broccoli slaw.

I needed lasting energy in the form of veggies and healthy fats to power through an afternoon at home playing with Makenzie. While decorating Dora in colors of blue, green, and yellow something occurred to me. Today is the 20th. It may not be an important date to you, but to me it symbolizes a new step in my life. On January 20th of 2010, exactly six months ago…Faith Fitness Fun was created!

I had blogged sporadically a few months before that on a different site, but it was less of a blog and more of an online fitness competition prep journal. On January 20th, I transferred those posts over for easy access to them and then committed myself to blogging regularly and using Faith Fitness Fun as a platform to share about my passions for healthy living and enjoying life to the fullest. It wasn’t until the beginning of this little blog that things changed. And boy, did they change. A sampling of some of the discoveries I encountered over these glorious 6 months:

• The blogging community is downright uh-maze-ING! You all are seriously fabulous and I do not know where I would be without your love and support. Every comment I receive leaves me glowing. Every chance I find to hear about your beautiful insights and personalities brings out the best in me. The friendships formed here fulfill me in so many ways and I thank you for that. I hope you all keep coming back so we can continue sharing the love and I hope to continue developing even more friendships across the blogosphere.
• The development of new passions. I love to write. Love love love it. I never thought to combine my passion for health and fitness through the written word until the blog. The chance to write my first published article sparked a huge interest. Now, I strive to develop and hone my skills to branch out further and further into the writing world. It starts with small steps, which I love, because there is no telling where they will take me.
• I learned SO much! Blogs are a wealth of knowledge. New recipes, workout ideas, and insights into how to handle personal issues only form the tip of the iceberg. I know I have much more growth inside of me and you fabulous ladies will be part of bringing that about.
• And the biggest lesson of all – to love myself and trust. At the start of Faith, Fitness, Fun I struggled with adjusting to my new body image. Having to gain weight post-competition in order to conceive our second child proved to be a challenge. Even more so when that positive pregnancy test did not come near as soon as we hoped. I went from tip-top shape to average and had to cope with it over a longer time than expected. There is nothing wrong with average (in fact, it’s beautiful) and I know now I still looked pretty stinking good. The changes inevitably messed with my mind, however, and it took much prayer and personal reflection (and love from you all) to push through it. I trust God used that time for me to further understand how to honor and respect my body for the beautiful creation it is and to prove to me that He will take care of me, which He did as I sit her 3.5 months pregnant today.

It has been a whirlwind and I wouldn’t change a moment. Thank you for sharing this time with me. A special thanks to Lisa, Naomi, Janetha, Julie, Krystal, Katie, Paige, and Mellissa who were there from my very first FFF post.

How long have you been blogging? How has it changed you?

Ever heard the term crazy busy? I’m living it right now. My eyeballs died last night and my butt lost all feeling as I sat in front of the computer reading page after page of editorial guidelines. I am about to sink back into that black hole to crank out some writing that I have to submit before Wednesday and continue to affiliate myself with the necessary info. It’s all part of the process.

After such a sedentary night last night, my life needed action this morning. Enter the best spin class I’ve been to in awhile. A perfect instructor, a dash of motivation, and the glorious feeling of movement combined to form a successful workout. If I could bottle that feeling, I could sell it for millions I tell you. Then we continued action for the day with a free Gymboree class.

Movement feels good I tell you. And more of it will be able to come because Hallelujah…we have A/C!!! Which means I don’t have to avoid activity in my own house. It only took 9 months to commit to signing our lives away, but I can forget that when the sweet breeze of coolness flows across my body. I don’t know how I survived in GA heat as long as I did.

Today I experienced a bit of a life lesson reminder. I was running really late (in my mind) to meet up with my friend and totally frazzled by it. I was in the car driving like a mad woman and ugly grunts and comments kept emerging from my mouth. Suddenly, a song came on the radio to awaken me from my ridonkulousness. Ahem. That is 100% a word.

I don’t remember the song, but it made me slow down. Awareness enveloped me. Some things simply aren’t worth the energy to fret over. If something that seems insurmountable or overly important now won’t make a bit of difference or be remembered another month or two from now, give it up. Let it go. The “will it matter in X amount of time” question keeps me grounded and has done so many times. I am prone to stress and anxiety (and depression) thanks to some lovely family genes, but with awareness I will always persevere in those battles. It only takes time to think, removed from the emotion, to put it all in perspective.

On a lighter note, I am welcoming an old love back in my life tonight. Tofu! Don’t act surprised. I know I have been featuring some of my special eats in the form of Mexican food and ice-cream on the blog, but this chick is still noshing the healthy stuff all the time. I just don’t post everything I eat on a daily basis. Enter my Baked Tofu Broccoli Slaw.

This time with minor adjustments like the ones I noted in the original post. I can’t wait to see what the changes do for the recipe.  I think I look forward to leftovers for lunch the rest of the week even more. Perhaps it will help me be yen-like and take a breather.

• Do you get stressed easily over silly things? How do you get over it?
• What is your favorite way to move your body?
• Are you watching The Bachelorette tonight? Or, if viewing on Tuesday, did you watch it???