A Year in Review: 2013

Josh:

Josh has really flourished as a person. He's still pretty quiet around people he doesn't know well, but coaching has really brought him out of his shell. 

He also got a brand-spankin'-new truck this year. 

Josh put a lot of work in this year. We went to 8 or 10 CrossFit style comps, an Outlaw Training Camp, and his first USAW sanctioned meet. He finally saw the podium at a team competition, Deprivations Doomsday, where he, Jake, and Christian completely dominated. He podiumed again at his weightlifting meet, taking silver in clean and jerk and total for his weight class. 

He put Christmas lights up! He talks about it every year, and he finally came through. 

Carter:

He turned two!

Medically, this has been our absolute best year with C. He has had ZERO surgeries in 2013, and ZERO hospitalizations! We've had several UTIs, but overall he has been a healthy boy. We're still struggling with low iron levels after many infusions during the year. Hopefully 2014 will be the year we kick anemia. From the PT side, he took his first steps and never looked back - boy is a walking machine now! He's finishing up the year with the Early Intervention program, and will transition to the school system PT when he turns 3. 

We had Carter dedicated on Mother's Day this year. I'm so thankful we found a church like Highlands to raise him in. He loves it and begs to go!

We got rid of the bottle! Carter finally started eating pretty well, so in October, we decided to lose it. 

Carter LOVED Christmas this year. We had a blast with our Advent calendar and made so many memories. The first photo is last year, second is this year. His personality has really bloomed! Lol

Me:

I cooked more this year than I probably ever have. I've really enjoyed experimenting with whole foods and new recipes. 

I ran my first 5K. Props to Amanda McQueen for getting my butt in gear for the event, and sticking with me on the course. 

My best friend got engaged AND married! I loved being a part of the process and the big day. 

I exercised a lot less. With furloughs and the dismissal of our Wellness program, along with occasional laziness, or just unavoidable scheduling, I rarely made it to the gym. My parents invested in some equipment for Christmas for us to have a garage gym. Here's to hoping 2014 brings a healthier me!

I've had a very introspective year. I dug deep to find the source of my stress and anxiety and realized that I'm very unfulfilled in some areas of my life. I'm praying hard that 2014 will be a year of new beginnings, balance, memories, and maybe some risk-taking. 

Thankful for faith

Ahh November, the only month out of the year we FOCUS on being thankful for things...First, some facts on the Thankful holiday:

(From Wikipedia... so you know it's legit...)

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, and has long been celebrated in a secular manner as well. Thanksgiving proclamations were made mostly by church leaders in New England up until 1682, and then by both state and church leaders until after the American Revolution. As President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, "as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God."

I love religiously founded holidays like Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. For those families that may not have their feet firmly planted in faith, it's a time of year that they stand still and recognize that religion, faith, and the belief in a greater power are still prevalent in the world, despite the fight to demolish those views by our society and our government. It's an opportunity to share with our children about "true meanings" of a season, and that while we can enjoy the secular spins on these holidays (ie; candy, presents, food) we always remember and honor their roots.

This year I am most thankful for my faith. Through every trial of life, my faith in Christ has kept me going. I've watched others who have little to no faith face situations that instilled in them some hope of a God that loves them and takes care of them - that's an awesome event to witness in a life.

The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. --George Müller

I wrote a book report on George Müller in high school, and his accounts of prayer and faith have stuck with me. George Müller was known for caring for over 10,000 orphans, as well as his education and missionary activities. Many times he could barely make ends meet for the orphanage, but he never solicited funds. He always prayed. Every need he ever had was met through prayer and faith. It doesn't get much better than that!

For many, faith is something that seems far out of reach. For others, faith seems silly and uncalled for - to depend on an "imaginary" being to provide for them. For few, a devastating life event will bring them to their knees and cause them to beg a God they may have never called on to answer a prayer, and they will find faith, and it will bring comfort and peace like they've never known.

I was raised in the church, but it wasn't until our experience when I was pregnant with Carter that I truly understood the power of prayer and the peace that faith brings to a situation. I'm thankful that my upbringing prepared me for that call to faith, where others may have been more likely to waver. You'll hear more on that subject in future thankful posts :)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. --Hebrews 11:1

These guys...

In honor of Father's Day I'm going to list 5 things I have in common with my dear ol' Dad:

1. We love beer. Much to my mother's dismay, I have inherited his love for the brew.

2. We love the Florida Gators. Growing up in Alabama, I could have easily ended up an Auburn or Alabama fan. Dad made sure he took me to Gator games often, and instilled an overall love for the SEC in me. He's even cool with the fact that I married an Alabama fan.

3. We research, but are impulsive buyers. As soon as our mind is set on a certain product - why wait?! My sweet husband will plan for months to save and buy an item, whereas I have the mindset "if I'm gonna buy it eventually let's just do it now!"

4. We're people-people. Is that the plural of people-persons? I'm not sure, but roll with it! I haven't met a person I can't talk to. I may not want to continue to talk to them, but I can at least initiate a conversation. I'm thankful for receiving my dad's social persona. It's gonna get me places.

5. We love this country. Yep - the US of A. Obama, Bush, Clinton. No matter who is running this great nation, my dad has supported and defended it. Sniffles during the National Anthem or a flyover can be heard from both of us. I think the first time I ever saw my dad tear up was while watching a war movie. I'm thankful that he pushed me into the career I'm in today, because if I reap nothing else from it, it's given me a much deeper sense of patriotism to have supported the warfighter myself.

Josh is by far the best dad I know. Here are 5 things I love about him as a dad (and husband):

1. He's been involved in Carter's care since before he was born. He went to every appointment at UAB. He was there to take care of me while I recovered after delivery, and wanted to know everything the nurses could teach us in the NICU. From the time we came home, we learned Ostomy 101 together, and conquered feeding issues hand-in-hand. He kept C for a week by himself when he was only 9 months old! It wouldn't be a stretch to say he's changed more bags/diapers than I have in the past 2 1/2 years. He does PT with him basically every day he's home, and I'm convinced C would not be as advanced in his motor skills if it weren't for his efforts.

2. There aren't many men that are rushing to get their kids from daycare on their off-day so they can play with them. Josh is that dad. He wants every last minute with that kid. He looks forward to "firsts" and wants to be there for moments like C's first dip in the pool... his first zoo trip.... and that makes my heart swell.

3. We're on the same page. Raising kids is complicated. Raising Carter is more complicated. We could very easily baby and pamper him because of his medical issues, but we choose instead to treat him like any other kid. We have very little problem when it comes to being on the same page for discipline and limits for Carter.

4. He's a great example of many things. Fitness. Work ethic. Determination. Fitness may not be important to a lot of people, but for our situation with C it is. We want Carter to know that despite his medical complications, he can find ways to adapt and still care for his body. Josh is a hard worker, and isn't scared of physical labor. He's always willing to lend his skills to a friend if he can help them out, whether it's welding, concrete, or just lifting something heavy.

5. He's becoming a spiritual leader for our family. Everyone goes through hard times in marriage, and there are many difficult dynamics in ours. I can say that from the day we were made aware of the complications with Carter, Josh and I became a different couple. We had no choice but to rely on the Healer. We witnessed a miracle on an ultrasound screen during the shunt procedure, and we're determined that Carter will know the God that gave him to us. Every day Josh is growing in the Word, and every Sunday Church of the Highlands speaks blessings into our life.

 

Life as we know it....

Wow! Time flies when you're busy! And we. Are. Busy. Here are some happenings since mid-April:

Carter

 

- Newest obsession is the Avengers

 

 

- Talking up a storm

 

 

- Almost walking

 

- Got dedicated on Mother's Day

 

 

- Loves CrossFit

 

 

Josh

 

- Attended an Outlaw Training Camp in Atlanta

 

 

- Coaching the competition team at CFI

 

- Competed at "Ends of the Earth Showdown" in Gardendale, AL (and placed 3rd!) 

 

 

CFI Athletes representing!

 

 

Devan

 

- Went to the beach

 

- Became the Event Coordinator for CFI & helped put on Hero 4 Heroes - CFI's first competition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Officially received notice of furlough... or as I prefer to call it... "pool days." I'll have one day off a week starting sometime in July!

 

Upcoming in the Piatt world for the month of June:

- I plan to blog a lot more often. Starting tomorrow.

- Tomorrow is the start of CFI's June Paleo Challenge. I'm hoping to udpate the blog with recipes and progress throughout the 30 day contest.

- The 8th is the March of Dimes' River Region March for Babies! We have a team - "Carter's Love" - and are looking forward to our friends and family walking with us in honor of babies across America that are born too early or with birth defects like C.

- Josh is getting USA Weightlifting certified this month. He has a passion for lifting heavy things, and wants to learn how to do it most efficiently and effectively... as well as how to coach others to do the same!

- The Girls - a Garage Game Series competition. I can't wait to watch that guy I live with compete in this one. He talked about doing it last year, but we were unable to make it. This year it's bigger, better, and in a different month. We're excited to make the trip to GA, and represent CFI!

- Lots of pool time. We got C in the pool Monday during our Memorial Day bash and he LOVED it! It's still a little chilly, but should be warming up soon - the Alabama summer is in full swing!

- Books. I want to read more books! I used to read at least a book every week or so. I couldn't tell you the last book I finished. I think it was over Christmas "break"... whatever it was. Monday I started the final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris (the basis for the HBO hit True Blood) and I'm hoping to finish it by Sunday night. Finishing a book in a week would give me some kind of hope that it can be done! lol Wish me luck.

Help me out with some prayer requests!:

- You may have seen my facebook posts - my friend (and prior cheerleading coach) Mrs Debbie, lost her daughter, Jada, this past week to cystic fibrosis. Jada fought long and hard, and was waiting on lungs. She's now breathing easy! Please say a prayer for the family and friends as they adjust to life without Jadabug.

- Another recent loss of life was my tiny cousin - Chase. My cousin, Michelle, and her husband live near St Louis and her twins were born very early. Please keep Michelle and her family in your prayers as they grieve, and also as they continue to be strong for their little Evan as he is still in the NICU.

- Please continue prayers for our OEIS friend, Carter Cline! He's making huge strides in the right direction, and I can't wait for Meagan to post that they're heading back to Mississippi with a smiling, healthy boy!

- And finally, Carter-man. He's doing pretty well lately... we recently switched antibiotics and so far so good - no UTI. After battling back-to-back UTIs for nearly 2 months, this is a good sign. Pray that his iron stores will stay high (we have our last infusion scheduled for July), his creatinine will stay within normal range, and his weight will continue to increase.

And I'll leave you with this verse:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

 

 

 

Start SMART Now!

We're coming up on a new year... assuming the Mayans didn't know what they were talking about. We're also smack dab in the middle of the Holiday season. I have heard so much of this....

"I need to lose weight, but there's no sense in starting right now with the holidays..."

"Just wait until January... enjoy the holidays."

Let me 'splain something. There are approximately 40 days that encompass "The Holidays" (the time period from Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Years). This year there is an even larger gap between between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you can honestly justify in your head to spend FORTY DAYS slacking when you know you need to do something, then be my guest. Out of those days, there are maybe 7 that we actually encounter "holiday" situations such as parties or family dinners. 7 out of 40. Your best bet is to start now. Eat right and train hard when you have the opportunity, and then when you do encounter a "holiday" situation, you won't feel bad about splurging on that cocktail or that homemade chocolate chip cookie.

Along the same lines... with the new year comes the pressure to set new goals. I decided to go ahead and set one to keep me motivated through the holiday season. I use the SMART format for goal planning, which I find very effective.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goals should be SMART.

Specific

Measureable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

Specific: answer the six W questions:

WHO: Who is involved?

WHAT: What do I want to accomplish?

WHEN: Establish a timeframe

WHICH: Identify requirements and constraints

WHY: Specific reasons, purpose, or benefits of accomplishing the goal

Measurable: Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you just set. Measuring will help you stay on track with your target dates. To see if your goal is measurable, ask these questions:

How much?

How many?

How will I know when it is accomplished?

Attainable: Almost any goal is attainable if you have a solid plan for accomplishing it. That brings us to our next bullet....

Realistic: Your goals HAVE to be realistic. They have to be something you are both willing and able to make happen. High goals create greater motivational force than low ones, but only you know how high you can set your goals before they become unrealistic.

Timely: A goal should have a definite time frame. A time frame causes a sense of urgency and creates higher motivational force.

******************************************************************************

My new weight goal: 160 lbs by EOM January 2013 (lose 5 lbs)

Specific:

WHO: ME!

WHAT: lose weight

WHEN: by EOM Jan 2013

WHICH: 5 lbs

WHY: because I need to lower my body fat percentage

Measurable: weight is an easy one to measure. Other goals may be more difficult to set measurements, but there's always a way.

Attainable: I can lose 5 pounds, because I'm nowhere near my threshold of NOT being able to lose more.

Realistic: 2 months + is a realistic time frame to drop 5 pounds

Timely: My timeline of EOM January 2013 is enough time to do it, but a short enough time to make me push myself to drop it fast and stay motivated.

Crossfit Christmas

Christmas is right around the corner! Here's a list of possible gift selections for the Crossfit-crazy person in your life. I better be getting a few of these. *coughJoshcough*

Stocking Stuffers:

Lacrosse balls

Tiger balm

Socks… good ones

Body glide

Head bands

Lifting gloves

Power straps

Custom jumprope

Blender bottles

Gift certificate for sports massage

KT-tape

Epsom salt

Eye black

Under the tree:

Foam rollers

Gym bag

Custom Nanos

Oly lifting shoes

Athletic clothing

Custom kettlebell

Plyo box

A giant tire

For the Competitors:

Pop-up tent

Portable chairs

Giant rolling cooler

Battery powered fans

Busy Week!

 

Tuesday night we celebrated my birthday at my parent's house. My birthday present from Josh also came in that same day, and he met me up at the box so I could wear them for my workout!! Check out our new kicks! (Somehow, he got a pair for my birthday, too....)

 

 

 

These are the Reebok Nano 2.0s! They are super comfy. I didn't realize how much cushion was in between my feet and the floor in my old shoes... I could feel my feet a lot better in these. Also, there's more room and give in the toe, so my burpees and box jumps were better from the extra leverage I could get!

 

 

My dad grilled filets, and mom roasted some vegetables and made sweet potatoes and sauteed onions/mushrooms for the sides. And yes, I even had a roll! Guess what else I had....

 

 

Yep. Happy Birthday to me! Carter ate like a champ, and then played with mom in the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

And later, Aunt Stephanie came over! She's in town visiting from Pennsylvania! She got some good sugar!

 

 

Carter got his hair cut for the THIRD time Thursday. He's such a big boy!

 

 

And I decided to (**drum roll, please!**) go brunette! I really think I'm going to like it once I get used to it. I'm still caught off guard when I look in the mirror!

 

 

My parents got me a gift card to Academy, so after Nichole treated me to dinner for my birthday last night, I went by there and picked up some new workout gear! I even bought my first pair of spandex shorts!! Eek!!

 

 ---24DC Update---

 

Wednesday was day 10 of the 24 Day Challenge. Thursday morning I measured and weighed to see what the results of the Cleanse phase were:

 

4 pounds down

1 inch lost in hips

 

I feel great! Between being without my computer and just being busy in general, it wasn't possible to blog my food every day. To be honest, I haven't been being very good. I'd say I've been at about 70% "good"/30% "bad" for the past week. That means I need to do some serious planning for the upcoming week! I'm now on day 13 of the challenge, so I'm over halfway finished! After seeing such great results in the Cleanse phase and loving Spark so much, Josh and I decided to become Advocare distributors. I can't wait to see what my final results are for these 24 days!

24DC: Day 8 & Birthday WOD!

Food for my birthday was as follows:

Breakfast: Fiber drink and meal replacement shake. I finally found a way to mix this shake that is perfect for me (a big thanks to Kelli Rhodes!). My magic recipe is 10 oz of water, 5 ice cubes, and a blender bottle. Success!
Snack: Banana with peanut butter
Lunch: Dad took me to Lek's Railroad Thai... one of our favorites. I had Pud Thai. Yum.
Snack: I had a Spark before I left work for the gym
Dinner: Pork tenderloin and roasted veggies (squash, zucchini, mushrooms, onions)
Snack: Birthday Banana Bowl! A banana, peanut butter, and dark chocolate chips!

Birthday WOD!
Several people wished me a happy birthday as I walked into the box. We worked on Clean and Jerk for strength, and I was able to get a new PR of 75#. Josh Carter helped me fix my power clean... I tend to pull my shoulders forward and down and it puts strain on them, so now I have no pain!

1600m Run for time! (that's a mile-ish)
9m 8s... my fastest mile ever!

30 squat cleans @ 55#
I'd never done these before... and they suck. Better yet - I suck at them. I made a lot of progress, though. It felt good to get them done!

When I got home I was reading through my birthday comments on Facebook, and a fellow Crossfitter friend mentioned "birthday burpees." I thought it was a great idea, so I busted out 23 burpees in the living room! Carter was intrigued, and attempted some himself!

Tonight is my birthday celebration with my parents and Greyson. I'm looking forward to a steak dinner! Yum! And my birthday present from Josh is supposed to be in today - I can't wait to show them off!

Things My Daddy Taught Me

My dad has taught me so much in my 22 years of life.

1. He taught me how to be a Gator fan. He has taken me to games. BIG games. My Christmas present one year was going to the SEC Championship game. I know the words to "We are the boys..." I chant with the band. I walk miles to the stadium without complaining (I even did it once while I was very pregnant!). All because "It's great to be a Florida Gator!" I'm glad we can share these fun experiences together.

(This is me, and my mom's cousin David and his boy Dawson at a game in Tennessee... dad's the photographer)

2. He taught me how to golf. I hated it when I was little, so he never pushed it on me. Now I love it. I still suck horribly at it, but he works with me :) We play in our Booster Club tournaments together and played intramurals some this year... we were even co-coaches!

(Me and Dad before the 2010 ICS tournament)

3. He taught me that education is important. He always expected the best out of me in my schoolwork. In grade school a B was just not good enough. I would get in trouble for low As! However harsh it may have seemed, it landed me a full-ride scholarship to AUM, and not much of a struggle to make it through 4 years to a degree. He finished his bachelor's at Faulkner the year I graduated high school, and his master's last year at AUM. We walked together - I for my bachelor's, he for his master's!

(May 14, 2011 - Graduation from AUM)

4. He taught me about patriotism. My dad served in the United States Air Force for 20 years. He is one of the most patriotic people I know. He loves this country more than most. I inherited this gene, and neither one of us can hear the National Anthem without tearing up... and if there's a fly-over... it's OVER. At an air show after an F-16 fly-over, he looked down at me and said "That's the sound of freedom."



(Mom and Dad on their way to dad's Christmas party)

5. Along the same lines of number 4, my dad taught me how to work hard. I've had a job since I was 14 or 15. My dad has always enjoyed working, and does everything to the best of his ability. He pushed me to apply for a civilian student position, and it was the best push he's ever given me. My job at DISA has been a wonderful experience, and gives me the means to support my family. I love working with my dad, and he's daily giving me encouragement and advice. My favorite, most recent quote from him is, "Put a boot on, Piatt!" Some days when things just aren't going great, he drops his favorite line and it turns my attitude around, "Go do something for your country." It reminds me that ultimately my job is to support the warfighter, and if I'm not doing my best, it directly affects them. I'm proud to be known as "Country's daughter" around the building :)

(At one of his pin-ons... or his retirement... not sure)

(DISA Christmas Party 2010)

6. My dad taught me about marriage. He's always giving me marriage advice... especially on the subject of finances. Most of the time it's good advice. He's been married for 22+ years, so I guess he knows something about it! 

(Walking me down the aisle - May 28, 2011)

(Mom and Dad.... waaaaay back when....)

7. He taught me to volunteer. I get my social butterfly skills from my father, most definitely. I've served as Booster Club secretary, and currently am President. I've volunteered as intramural golf coach. I've worked the United Way CFC every year since starting DISA. I joined a sorority (back story: dad begged me to join one when I started college... I thought they were stupid... but changed my mind my junior year of college... and voila! I became a DZ. I made him hold up his end of the bargain "I'll pay your dues if you'll join one"). I lovelovelove volunteering. One year dad took me to the soup kitchen in Montgomery and we helped serve lunch... I will never forget that experience. I'm a huge proponent of charities, especially since our experiences with Carter. Places like the Ronald McDonald House need programs like the United Way, and supporters like YOU to fund their operations.  "He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what He has given." (Proverbs 19:17)

(Dad, Greyson, and me at the DISA Picnic last week - sponsored by the Booster Club)

8. He taught me to be TOUGH. A girl's gotta be tough to get along in today's society. However, he's not too hard on me when I'm vulnerable and a cry-baby. Like when I have a flat tire. And then he takes care of me and calls up some of his friends to come help me :)

(See that red mark on my nose... he started toughening me up early on)

(Good with a gun - my first time hunting)

9. He taught me to have fun. My dad's a fun guy. It's always a good time with him around.

 (At a Father/Daughter banquet)

10. He taught me about love. They say there's nothing like a father's love... I think the same goes for a grandfather's. Carter loves his Papa, and I'm so glad that my dad is involved with him. I love when Carter's face lights up when he sees dad, and how tickled he gets when he plays with him. Dad has been there for us since day one that we found out I was pregnant - we knocked his socks off with the news as he walked in the door from a flight back from Vegas. He went with us for my 20 weeks ultrasound when we found out there were problems. I'm so thankful he came for the targeted ultrasound where they diagnosed the problem and gave us options - Dad asked the tough questions when me, my mom, and Josh were still trying to absorb the information the doctor was giving us.



Dad, thanks for being the best dad and Papa ever. I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you, and hope you have a happy father's day.