please pray earnestly for my kind and beautiful friend georgia

i thank you with all my heart

…when you’re about to do something you know you have to do but that you really don’t want to do.

Like bearing your testimony because the spirit is telling you to.

And opening your bank statement or your credit card bill because you know it’s going to be bad.

I’ve got that feeling.

Because in just a few minutes I’m meeting some friends at the gym.

Gold’s Gym. (At least some of you will know exactly what I mean.)

Don’t me wrong. I like working out (weird, I know). I just don’t like going to the gym.

I used to go to the gym faithfully. I liked my gym. I was comfortable there. That gym was friendly to People Like Me. I could even go there by myself (I didn’t need a support group to help me muster enough courage just to drive into the parking lot).

One time, when I was eight months pregnant and as big as a house, I was working out there and a gorgeous and petite former Miss Provo walked up to me, flashed her sparkly natural-white smile and said, “I really admire you.” (She said it sincerely, not like she was making fun or feeling sorry for me.)

But then the big shark ate my old gym and acquired my contract and I haven’t been back since.

Because I don’t think things like that happen at my new gym.

In fact just the other day I even heard someone say over the radio, “Old People (by old she meant over 40) and Fat People should not go to the gym. I do not want to see you at my gym.”

Ouch. We all know which gym she belonged to.

(Now I wonder if they’ll let me in.)

Wish me luck. I’m lacing up my tennies and heading out the door.

(It’s a good thing I didn’t eat breakfast because I think I’m going to be sick.)

First off I have to say I absolutely love keeping chickens.

When I selected my sweet tiny babies from the local IFA it was all about the eggs. I had no idea how entertained I would be as I patiently endured their gawky teenage stage, tripped over them as they flocked about my feet every time I let them out into the yard, and discovered the smart ones who seemed to inherently know if they would climb up on my lap as I sat in my back yard to observe them I wouldn’t be able resist feeding them by hand.

But I did know that in addition to making sure they had plenty of love, food and water I would also be responsible for mucking out their coop.

And if I’m going to be mucking out a chicken coop you’d better believe I’m going to be wearing a cute pair of boots. (I have the same attitude about other necessities of life. You should see my pink plaid reading glasses.)

photo courtesy of western chief

A pair of these arrived on my doorstep yesterday. (Two pair, actually. I got a screaming deal so I bought a matching pair for my daughter.)

I decided these boots are going to be the symbol of taking care of business.

And this summer I am all about taking care of business.

Especially in two areas: my home and my health

my home

Spending a week in a two-bedroom condo reaffirmed this feeling I’ve been having that I simply have too much stuff. Managing that much stuff (or not managing it, as the case may be) is both a time-suck and an energy-drain. And I’d rather be doing other things. So I’m going to be getting rid of it. It may take me all summer. It might even take up part of the fall. But I’m going for it.

I hope I can be ruthless.

my health

My attitude toward my body has basically been a twist on the old “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” My version is “if you don’t know what’s wrong it ain’t really wrong.” But having met all our out-of-pocket medical this year is kind of a big incentive to take care of some things I’ve been putting off. So instead of ignoring my body in hopes whatever it is it will just go away (it generally doesn’t), this month I’ll be seeing doctors and getting tested.

Nerve conduction study. Check.

Still to be scheduled:

Mammogram.

Colonoscopy.

Yeah. I’d definitely rather be mucking out the chicken coop.

Also on the list: coming up with some sort of a fitness plan. I have hesitated to do this in the past because I won’t start it unless I am serious about sticking with it. But for the first time in several summers–knock on wood–my knee and feet issues are relatively mild (it’s just my hands and elbows this year). I won’t have a kid in early morning seminary this fall–so I might have a few spare minutes in the mornings to do something for me.

I think now’s a good time to get this party started.

And that’s where my friend ~j comes in. I already mentioned how she inspires me. She just completed her second triathlon. Now she’s hosting a great giveaway on her blog. Three sessions with her amazing personal trainer. I seriously want to win this one. But I’m all about playing fair so here’s a link in case you want to enter as well.