Continued praise

The appointment on Friday went very well. We're testing more things (including my thyroid and cortisol levels), and hopefully we'll find some answers. I am so thankful for wonderful doctors, access to comprehensive medical care, and all the wonderful people who support me.

BIG praise!

As some of you know I've been battling health problems since May 2010 and my weight since, well, as long as I can remember. I've come to believe these two things might, in fact, be connected. Despite consistent dieting my weight hasn't gone down. I met with Dr. Adolf Karchmer at Beth Israel yesterday. I must admit I was not the kindest patient around, but he was still wonderful. We decided that a consult with an endocrinologist may be helpful. I got the call just a few moments ago - they will see me tomorrow.

I don't know who specifically to thank, but I'm giving all the praise I can. Thank you Dr. Karchmer, thank you Dr. Gavrilla for having an opening, thank you family who made me so stubborn, and to the higher power out there as well.

Hoping and praying things go well tomorrow. I don't expect definitive answers, but hopefully a start!

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

This month's NASP Communiqué, (Jan/Feb 2011, Vol. 39, #5), featured an article by Jeffrey J. Froh, & Giacomo Bono entitled Gratitude in Youth: A Review of Gratitude Interventions and Some Ideas for Applications. I encourage you to read the article, it is a good primer on how we can increase cour gratitude and that of children (and thus over all quality of life).

If you have any trouble accessing the article (which could happen, I'm not super internet savvy), let me know and I'll email a copy as well.

Today I am thankful for..

• February vacation
• Sleeping in
• Beautiful, luxurious soaps
• A new job for a dear friend
• No class this week
• Good television marathons to watch on DVD while slowing producing reports
• Optimism, resiliency, hope
• Access to quality health care
• The possibility that maybe, someday soon, I'll have the answers I'm looking for
• Coffee.
  

Sign of spring - Red Sox spring training coverage starts on the news Monday!

Dancing and singing in the car makes morning traffic so much more tolerable. The smiles from fellow travelers are nice too. Have a good day everyone!

Finding blessings everywhere

When things are tough, or I have to do something I really don't want to, I try to flip it around. If I don't want to go to the doctor I remind myself to be thankful I have access to quality health care. I don't want to study or go to class, I need to be thankful for the opportunity to learn and better myself. One of my friends from college puts it this way on her facebook profile:

"If you're DRIVING your old car...PRAISE God because you could be riding the BUS;
If you're RIDING the bus...PRAISE God because you could be WALKING;
If you're WALKING...PRAISE God because you could be sitting in a WHEELCHAIR;
If you're sitting in a WHEELCHAIR...PRAISE God because you could be lying in a HOSPITAL BED;
If you're lying in a HOSPITAL BED...PRAISE God because you could be RESTING 6 Feet under;
If you're Resting 6 FEET UNDER...PRAISE God because JESUS CHRIST is the RESURRECTION and the LIGHT!!!
In all things, give GOD PRAISE!!!!"

Whatever higher power you believe in or don't, the sentiment of thankfulness is the same.

I'm unendingly tired, but thankful I had the chance to try and accomplish things today.

Stew

As the snow continues to pile up outside, the snow days are ticked off on the calendar and the summer vacation days cut off, optimism is getting harder to come by. Today I made lamb stew to stave off the winter blues. It turned out really well, and was a nice reward for shoveling the front porch, sidewalk, and driveway.

Lamb Stew

1 lb boneless lamb
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup potato, sliced
1 cup turnip, sliced

Saute lamb in pan with onion, still tender but mostly cooked. Drain fat, put in pan for stew. Add veggies, add water (enough to cover the contents), bring to a boil, let simmer approximately two hours or until all veggies are tender.

Now the toughest part - thickening the stew. I have never been able to get this just right, but what I was instructed to do (by my father) was to add some water to flour, mix and add to the stew, allowing it to heat a bit further. This website gives a bit better description for the novice.

I prefer a stew heavier on veggies, so I used two pounds of carrots, a whole turnip, and six red potatoes, with the pound of lamb (kabob style) meat.

The thing that made it 100% easier today was the new mandoline slicer I bought for myself - an hours long chopping process which made me hate turnips even though I love them, to take under an hour. I did slice my finger cleaning the blade - slicing with it using the safety settings were a-okay. I'll do another post another day on the wonders of this kitchen tool.

Stay safe and warm, friends!