Day 51, 2/20/2013 - Eat, today enjoyed a riblet basket at Applebee's. Finger licking good! Pray, I pray for continued productivity with regard to work and packing for vacation. Joy, my joy is in the countdown until vacation. Just a few more days...yay!

Day 50, 2/19/2013 - Eat, today was a Chili's day. Love their chips and salsa. Pray, interesting day with regard to prayer. Working for a church there are many people who may stop in on any given day. Today was no different. A representative from Gideons International stopped in the office today. You know, the people who put Bibles in hotel rooms. They always offer to pray with/for you when they visit. Well, I am crazy this week getting everything done before going on vacation. Not wanting to seem ungrateful when they asked, "How can we pray for you today?" I replied hastily,  "Pray that I can get everything done on my list. " Basically I was trying to get the message across, "I'm busy and you're an interruption. " He may have got the message, or not. I am the one who received the gift of someone praying for you in the moment, hestic or not. I learned a valuable lesson, "Never turn down prayers, no matter how busy your schedule is." Having someone lift my name up in prayer re-energized my day. Prayer answered, God is good! Joy, my joy today is in the fact that I was very productive before and after I received the gift of prayer.

Day 49, 2/18/2013 - Eat, enjoyed Main Street Bistro for a friend's 50th. We all sampled different selections for appetizers and meals, but all enjoyed their delicious chocolate mousse cake for dessert. 50 is just a number, right? I think 50 is when I realized that I could finally just be myself and developed the attitude, "What you see is what you get!" It was quite liberating. Pray, prayers of thanksgiving to my friends who pray with me for my sadness, no questions asked. I am abundantly blessed. Joy, my joy is my mothers of multiples group, Rosemary, Yvonne, Michelle, Fredda, Julie and Angie. These women strengthen me and lift me up whenever needed. Welcome to the over 50 club, Yvonne. May you feel the love of family and friends as you enter this new decade! Remember, 50 is just a number!

Day 48, 2/17/2013 - Eat, today I had lunch at one of my favorite fast taco places. Fast and cheap and not bad Tex-Mex either. Then it was home to finish weekend tasks before a busy week before vacation. Pray, I pray that I will be better able to deal with the feelings of sadness that I am currently experiencing. Perhaps I should just feel and not over analyze as is my nature. My praying continues. Joy, my joy is in the enjoyment of the tulips I received on Valentine's Day. Their changing beauty cheers me each day. I love having fresh flowers in the house. Such a treat!

Day 47, 2/16/2013 - Eat, today I enjoyed lunch at la Madeleine with a good friend. I love so many of their menu items but chose Quiche Lorraine on this day. The desserts called to me as I approached the cashier. I gave in and chose the petite chocolate almond tart. Everything was divine! Pray, my prayers today were selfishly for myself. I awakened with a migraine and prayed for relief. Anyone who has ever suffered with migraines can no doubt understand my plight. After medication and an afternoon nap my prayers were answered. Joy, my joy today was in having dinner with and spending the evening with my youngest son, James. He was also able to help me with several computer items. He has a lot more patience for those things than I do. I now have the use of my new wireless printer.

Day 46, 2/15/2013 - Eat, today I started my day with fresh brewed coffee. It was Gevalia Chocolate Mocha blend, a Valentine's Day gift from my boss. It was a very smooth and tasty "wake me up" this morning. Pray, my prayers today are for the passengers of the Carnival cruise ship "Triumph," who experienced such trying vacations aboard the ship after it had major electronic failure. My heart goes out to them as they now make their way home after such a trying vacation. I cannot begin to fathom how disheartening that would be. Joy, as simple as discounted gasoline.  First thing this morning my low fuel light came on as I made my way to work. I decided to stop at the Kroger fuel station even though I did not have more than a $.03 discount accumulated.  A woman at the neighboring pump offered me her $.20 discount. My gas cost $3.26/gallon rather than $3.43 that I was entitled to. A simple but gracious gift from a total stranger. This simple gift made my day!

Day 45, 2/14/2013 - Eat, today is Valentine's Day, when the whole world seems to flock to an overcrowded restaurant for a romantic dinner. I am so glad not to be caught up in the "going out" part this year. I was invited to a friend's home for Valentine's Day dinner. They brought in a wonderful fajita meal from On the Border. Pray, my prayer today is for all of the unattached people out there on this manufactured "lover's holiday." I pray that they not feel lonely. I spent many years before I married lamenting the fact that I didn't have a "Valentine." I now realize that I always have friends whom I can call if I get to feeling lonely. Joy, my joy today was in receiving chocolate covered strawberries and red and white tulips. These were a very unexpected surprise from my good friends at dinner. I also learned a valuable lesson. No matter what the status is on "a romantic relationship," I am blessed with good friends who bring joy into my life when I least expect it.

Day 44, 2/13/2013 - Eat, breakfast for dinner, I love it. Scrambled eggs with pepper jack cheese and a toasted bagel. Delicious! Pray, my prayers today are for myself and all who enter into the observance of Lent on this Ash Wednesday 2013. My prayer is that I will be faithful to my commitment for these 40 days. Joy, my joy was in my evening free of rehearsals. I get very few evenings at home during the week and truly enjoyed the mid-week break.

Day 43, 2/12/2013 - Eat, hello Red Robin my old friend. My, how I've  missed your bottomless bowls of fries, signature blend of seasoning and great burgers. Yes, it is Fat Tuesday and I will indulge. Back to the dieting tomorrow as Lent begins. Pray,  my prayer today is one of thanksgiving. I am thankful for friends, far and near, who keep me grounded in my faith. As anyone grounded in traditional faith, I am considering what I should "give up" or "change" during Lent. This is always a difficult decision for me as I want it to be a meaningful Lent.  After prayerful consideration I came to a decision. I will abstain from negative descriptive language when referring to certain individuals in my life, whether they are current or past relationships. Yes, that means I will not refer to people as  f-ing ass_ _ les or use other negative descriptive words. After all, they never hear the description, and it only stirs anger, betrayal and other negative feelings within me. It will definitely cause me to pause and reflect when the temptation arises. Joy, my joy was in dining with my fellow handbell choir friends before rehearsal tonight. Good times!

Day 42, 2/11/2013 - Eat,  today I had another creation from ingredients on hand. Greens, cranberries, cheese, turkey, and more made for a great salad for dinner. Pray, my prayer from yesterday was answered with advice from a good friend. I will strive to remember his words, "you can't be responsible for the other person's emotions or their response." I must remember that others emotions (just like mine) get in the way of reality and perception. Yes, friendships and relationships are difficult. I pray that I will remember these words whenever the going gets tough. My prayers and my joy are similar. My joy is in the friendships that I have. No matter how challenging or difficult they are, they can also bring great joy. I think we are meant to be in relationship with others, whether it be courtship, marriage or friendships. What brings us the most heartache can also bring us great joy!

Day 41, 2/10/2013 - Eat, today I enjoyed the best Bruschetta I've had to date. Awesome  pizza followed the wonderful appetizer. Pray, my prayer today is that I learn to trust my instincts more often. We are the only ones that know our inmost thoughts and intentions and it is so hard to navigate relationships. Others perceptions and emotions can greatly distort the reality that was intended. Today, I will pray, with faith that tomorrow will be a better day with regard to others perceptions of my intentions.

Joy, my joy today was in my shopping find. A simple thing, finding the perfect gilded purse for evening wear during my upcoming vacation. The makeup brushes that came with it were an added bonus!

Day 40, 2/9/2013 – Eat, today I was invited to Girls Night with several new friends and my friend, Marilyn. It was hosted at a home and all food was prepared by one individual. From the appearance of each dish, she didn’t “cheat” by using some “prepared” foods. She is quite the cook, her dining room table overflowed with every delightful appetizer (and some baked goods) you could imagine. Her claim to fame is her selection of award winning salsas. Her salsas have won awards at the State Fair of Texas, and rightfully so from what I tasted. You know how sometimes you just put a little on the plate thinking it will not look bad if you don’t like it. Needless to say, my plate was empty and I went back for seconds of my favorites. Pray, my prayer today was that I continue to get organized for my upcoming vacation at the end of the month. It will be here before I know it. Joy, my joy was in having something to get me out of the house on a Saturday night. It was a gloomy day and I could have easily curled up in comfy clothes and read a book or watched TV. My new philosophy is to never pass up an opportunity. Life is too short to spend most of it in your “comfort zone.” Every day is a new adventure!   

Day 39, 2/8/2013 - Eat, TGIF, today was all about Happy Hour. After making good choices all day, I decided to enjoy several martinis and munchies before left overs for dinner. I love Fridays, 2 days before another work week begins. Pray, I pray that I will be productive this weekend regarding some much needed personal record keeping. Joy, my joy today is in the fact that it is Friday with nothing early on Saturday morning. I will enjoy sleeping in tomorrow morning.

Day 38, 2/7/2013 - Eat, believe it or not, this was an uneventful day of eating. No new dishes to try or describe. I did start the day with a tasty meal replacement of cereal with milk. Does your cereal with milk have 15 grams of protein? Pray, I pray that I am truly getting caught up at work and not forgetting something major that will catch up with me on another day. Joy, my joy is in the feeling of accomplishment at the office. I actually boxed up and stored 2011 and tidied up a bit. I never have time for such things. Moving on with 2013, hard to believe we are in February already.

Day 37, 2/6/2013 - Eat, today I was true to my diet with somewhat healthy choices. My inner chant until vacation at the end of the month, "Must lose weight, must lose weight, must lose weight..." Pray, today I pray that the fog of denial will lift for one whom I loved. Fog, it's powerful; it surrounds you and seems to close in around you. Denial is powerful. Not powerful and productive, powerful and hurtful. Addictions have such power over us. And being in denial is hurtful to everyone, family, friends, etc.

Joy, my joy is simple, I spoke to my sister today. We both lead such hectic lives. I called her on a whim this morning as I drove to work. We were able to catch up in those few moments as we both drove to our offices. I told her I loved her as we said goodbye. Those few moments made my day, I hope they did the same for her. Family is so important, never take it for granted.

Day 36, 2/5/2013 - Eat, today went to Applebee's for my favorite salad, the Oriental Chicken Salad. It did not disappoint, delicious! Pray, prayers of thanksgiving. Results for my friend, Val, benign, God is good! Joy, my joy today was in flipping the page to February on my "Plan B" calendar. February is, Trust Your Crazy Ideas. An excerpt,  "New ideas always encounter criticism and opposition. But remember, all great ideas started in somebody's basement...with a vision. The key is to believe in yourself and persevere. So trust your crazy ideas.They could change the world!" This is a reminder for me not to be fearful of my creative spirit, for we never know what we will encounter on our journey. Never compromise or settle for the same things over and over.

Day 35, 2/4/2013 - Eat, today I am still enjoying the relaxing afterglow of the weekend at the Angel's Nest B & B. Since it is back to reduced calories today, I will describe the breakfast I enjoyed on Saturday. Wonderful puff pancakes with berries and bacon. I didn't know that pancakes could be that fluffy/light and still be so tasty, yum! Pray, today I pray for my friend Val, who had a procedure on Friday. I pray that all went well and the biopsies will be benign. Joy, my joy is simple today, I am joyful that I stayed on task. So many days I let things and interruptions distract me and get me off task. Today was a productive day.

Day 34, 2/3/2013 - Eat, it happens once a year, the Super Bowl. This year was no different with regards to eating. The munchies abounded. I added my cream cheese appetizer to the mix. Cream cheese, pumpkin butter, green onions, pecans and bacon. You can never go wrong with bacon. Right? Burger sliders, queso, chips and cake were also there lest you believe I only indulged in a few appetizers. Of course this Super Bowl will go down in history as the one where the lights went out in New Orleans. When all else fails, eat more munchies, and that I did! I have now consumed my sodium content for the week. Pray, today a prayer of thanksgiving,  for friends such as Scott and Yvonne and their family, who are always so very inclusive. Love you guys! Joy, my joy comes from the fantastic weekend I had. From traveling with a friend, to dinner with family, to watching the game with long time friends. On this day... I am blessed!

Day 33, 2/2/2013 - Eat,  today we visited Granbury, TX. Lunch was on the infamous Town Square at the Brazos Smokehouse. Had the Primetime Stack, Texas toast, mashed potatoes & gravy, prime rib, tomatoes, all topped with Swiss cheese. Surprisingly good mix of flavors. Pray, today I pray for my friend and I that we continue our restful "somewhat unpluged" weekend in Weatherford,  TX. Joy, my joy today has to be the weather, once again. A weekend vacation with walking outside and it is sunny and 72 on February 2, unbelievable. It was an awesome day!

Day 32, 2/1/2013 - Eat, today I enjoyed The Mesquite Pit of Weatherford, TX. Had a wonderfully grilled pork chop with country sides of baked potato and green beans. Delicious.  Pray, my prayer today is for much deserved rest and relaxation for my friend and I as we enjoy the Angel's Nest B & B in Weatherford, TX. Joy, my joy was in seeing family who live in Weatherford. It's a small town but has a lot of charm. Feeling more relaxed already.

Day 31, 1/31/2013 - Eat, today I had home cooking, thanks to my mothers of multiples group. Ham & dumplings (several agreed that chicken & dumpling are good, but ham and dumplings are even better), glazed carrots, spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. It is even better when you didn't have to prepare it. And to top it off we had chocolate turtle cake for dessert...omg...over the top richness. All was glorious. Pray, today I pray for the two moms who couldn't be with us, that they can be with us when we gather next. They were both missed. Joy, my joy is in this group of ladies. We have been there for each other through thick and thin. As our twins and we grow older our perspective changes a bit but not the friendships and bonds that have been formed.