Hello BlissDom 2012

Hey Peeps!

Until a few days ago I didn’t think that there was a chance in the world that I would be going to BlissDom this year! There were all sorts of obstacles in my way. They have been miraculously cleared and now we just have to pray for good weather! (Can I get an amen?) We’ll be driving from Tulsa (about 10 hours) and hubby is coming with me to get away for a few days and check out Nashville. Besides … he’s a better long distance driver than I am.

Who I am as a person:

I’m a (seriously imperfect)  follower of Jesus. I’m a wife (32 years and counting … yeah … I’m old … sigh). I’m a step-mom times 3. I’m a mom to one 22-year-old that wants to be a missionary.  I’m Oma (grandmother) to 6+ (only 1 lives close). I’m daughter, sister, friend, etc.

I was blessed to be a stay-at-home home-schooling mom for 20 years and just reentered the work force (with great trepidation) about 5 years ago. I work in the admissions office of a private university processing student applications. My job is VERY busy for about 5 or 6 months out of the year and then VERY slow for the rest of the time. I took up blogging to fill some of those quiet hours. Now I’d really like to give up the job and blog full-time but …

I have struggled with weight issues for most of my adult life and currently find myself needing to lose about 150+ pounds. My doctors recently told me that I need both knees replaced (arthritis) but they will not do it until I have lost at least 100 pounds. So … I’m on a very low carb diet. I did Atkins before (about 10 years ago) and dropped 200 pounds so I know it’s possible! The trick is staying ON the plan! Venturing off leads to rapid return of the undesired weight.

Because walking is very difficult for me and I keep hearing “wear comfy shoes … the conference center / hotel is HUGE” I had some reservations about attending but I have been offered a chair (not a HoverRound but similar) which will enable me to maneuver with the rest of you. And when you’re tired you can hook your goodie bags on my chair and walk beside me … or you can sit in my lap and take a ride.

I should also mention that I am painfully shy and prone to social anxiety. Crowds can easily overwhelm me and a friendly face always makes it easier so I’m glad we have this opportunity to meet.

Who I am as a Blogger:

People have always told me that I write well and really should write a book. Somehow the idea of a book scares me. (Maybe someday.) But shorter blog posts … those are easy! And they feed this creative hunger that I didn’t realize my spirit even had until I started blogging. I started on Blogger, moved to self-hosted WordPress a couple of years ago, and added a couple of topical blogs. Last summer my website was hacked with some malware (through a Tim Thumb vulnerability) and in my attempts to clean things up … I managed to delete 4 years worth of blog history. I was, and still am, sad to have lost all that BUT being a lover of new beginnings … I decided to embrace the opportunity!

Beth: A Work in Progress is my most established blog. It’s a catchall for a little bit of everything. I do a few memes here weekly and I regularly pour out whatever is on my heart and mind here. Faith, Family, Humor, Life, Etc. It’s all here. When I was told I needed to belong to a *niche* a few years ago I couldn’t figure out where I belonged. Lifestyle is the closest. But I don’t much care for being categorized anyway!

Looking for Tigger is my fledgling blog. I have long joked that I am an Eeyore … complete with my own storm cloud! When it got really bad recently I decided to combat it … look for my inner Tigger … by finding things to take joy in, and give thanks for, even in the valley. It is a fun and pretty upbeat little blog. I’d love to have you join me there!

Journey is my health and fitness blog and it is, I freely admit, a little dark right now. I have been going through a severe depression and a variety of crises (when it rains it pours) all at the same time. It helps me to be able to journal those feelings and Journey is the place I do that. It is a public blog, because I hope that my story might help someone else, but I don’t actively recruit followers there.

Well … that’s me in a nutshell! A slightly cracked one. I’m really looking forward to meeting you at BlissDom!