How The Heck Have You Been??

Hello???  Remember me??  Little ole' Amber from NC?  Just in case you don't - allow me to remind you.

Formerly blonde, slightly neurotic, always obsessive, tad bit sensitive, occasionally sarcastic, CrossFit addict.  Ringing any bells???

Just thought I would pop by and let you all know that 1) Yes, I am in fact alive and well.  2) "Well" is a relative term.

Sorry for skipping out the past few (three - yikes!) weeks.  Life (or rather as I believe -the Lord) has seen fit to throw me a curve ball and we are working through it.  No health emergencies or life threatening circumstances....just another obstacle to overcome.

Unfortunately this obstacle is taking up a great deal of my time - hence the no blogging.  I promise - it's not you, it's me.  Don't believe that I'm insanely busy?  Here's proof:

I didn't go to CrossFit for SEVEN days straight!!!!  Gasp...sigh....sobs.....the whole nine......

So anyway, that's my story.

Or lack there of actually.  Not quite ready to blog about this one.  I feel as though once again I'm learning some valuable lessons and I will blog about this season of my life at some point - but just not now.  I'm finding that there is something to be said for the clarity that comes when your looking at your life in the rear view mirror - I just need to focus on getting to the road ahead for now.  Or more appropriately, getting out of the Lord's way and allowing Him to lead me to the road ahead.

So Happy Friday to you all - until next time know that I'm missing the blogging world dearly!!!!

Birthday Wish List

This Friday marks the big 2-6 for me.

Hubby and a few friends have asked me what I want for my birthday and honestly, I've had a hard time coming up with much.  I've really been trying to focus on being content with what I have the past few months.  I'm kind of tired of the "always need something new" mentality.  Tired of saving money for some big splurge or lusting after material things.  I've inventoried my closet and jewelry box and have noted that I have more than enough designer hand bags, shoes & jewels to last me for a while.

I find that today's culture of "bigger and better" can often tempt me to focus on what I do not have instead of focusing on all the many blessings that I have been given.  Mainstream media bombards consumers with hidden advertisements and promises of satisfaction based on material gain - but I'm learning that a new designer bag will not make my bad day better and it will not increase my status in life.

There is a big distinction between wants and needs.  It hasn't killed me to say no to a few of my wants in order to focus on what's truly important in this life.

I read the following verse often a reminder that the goal of this life is not to accumulate many material treasures - it is the live a life of quality and contentment - a life centered upon trusting in Christ to provide for my family.

I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:12-13 

So I won't be making a birthday list this year.  I want to spend time with my friends and family and focus on what I have already been given - the treasures that cannot be wrapped in paper and topped with a pretty bow.

*I just want to be happy with what I have*

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, meditate on these things. - Philippians 4:8

And That's When I Had A Melt Down

I had a difficult day yesterday.

I got into a pretty large, we'll call it, "disagreement" with a friend yesterday.  Out of respect for this friendship, I'm not going to go into details, but let's just say it was the biggest argument I have had with a friend in over years.  I spent a great deal of my morning and lunch break resolving this issue and by 2:00 pm I was *completely* spent.

I was very much looking forward to my evening workout.  I've learned the channel my anxiety and frustrations in my workouts and use them as a means of therapy.  Last night's WOD consisted of double unders & kettle bell swings - I was hoping I would be so physically exhausted by the end of the workout that I wouldn't have the mental capacity to do worry or fret the rest of the evening.

To make a long story short, I hurt my wrist pretty badly two weeks ago doing a move called a "wall climb".  (See HERE for an example.)  I fell and tweaked my right wrist.  Ever since, it will randomly start hurting during a workout.

So of course, last night about half way through my WOD, my wrist started aching.  At first it was subtle and I tried to ignore the pain.  A few rounds later, my wrist was throbbing with every kettle bell swing.  It was impossible to ignore the pain, but I took a quick break and tried to push through it anyway.  I did not want to tap out of that WOD.  So I took another quick break and grabbed the kettle bell - but it was too much.  Each swing felt like my wrist was going to snap under the pressure and I tapped.  I quit - didn't finish - gave up.  Oh the shame......


I grabbed a bag of ice and stewed in my disapointment and anger while I waited for Steven to finish his WOD.  As soon as he was done, I begged him to take me home - icebag in tow.

On the drive home, I felt the frustrations of my day building in my chest.  Replaying the disappointment I had felt earlier in the day.  Throbbing pain in my wrist.  Frustration at tapping out of the WOD.  Stupid icebag that was leaking freezing cold water *all over my lap*.

And that's when I had a melt down.


The sobs started quitely at first.  I felt my bottom lip begin to quiver and I begged the hysteria to go away.  By my efforts were futile and within seconds I was in full on melt down.

Startled to see that I was crying, Steven asked, "Honey what's wrong??  Is it your wrist?  Do we need to go to the hospital??"

To which I replied......

I've....(sob) had.....(gasp) a....bad....(full hysteria) DAY!!!!!  I fought with my friend.  (Tears streaming down my face.)  I tapped out of my WOD.  (Voice rising)  I've broken my stupid wrist.  I'm never going to be able to workout again.  (Sob - gasp - sob) And that's going to make me sad.  (Tears)  And then I'll start eating my feelings again.  (Snot running down my face.)  Which will make me get fat again!!!  (Full on panic!)  AND this damn ice bag is leaking all over ME!!!!!!!!!

I could tell by the frightened look on Steven's face that he knew we had reached defcon 5.  We were quickly approaching a melt down which could rival the scuba incident of 2009.  I could see the wheels turning in his mind as he tried to determine the best way to talk me off the ledge.  (He later confirmed that he was trying to figure out where the closest fast food restaurant was with a good strawberry milk shake.  See even my husband knows I eat my feelings!)

After a minute or two of silence I regained composure.  Steven encouraged me that it was okay to tap during my WOD because I was hurt.  I need to listen to my body and understand when enough is enough.  That doesn't make me weak or less of a CrossFitter - it just means I need a break.

Thank God for a husband who is quick on his feet and can calm a girl down when she's at her worst.  :)

And yes, I fully realize that I may have been slightly melodramatic during this melt down - but during the moment all I could envision was myself thirty pounds heavier, with my wrist in a cast and stuffing my face with salt & vinegar chips for the rest of my life!

So I'm taking a rest day today and allowing my wrist (and my soul) a day to recover from our melt down.  I will leave you with this video - as proof (mainly to myself) that I'm not a total whimp and that I can push myself and should not be discouraged by one bad WOD or one fight with a friend.  Everybody has bad days.....



CrossFit Charlotte: "The Hill, A Team Thing" from Boomer Alred on Vimeo.

This is a video from our WOD last Saturday.  It's kind of hard to tell who I am since it's in black and white.  Got a ponytail and a gray shirt with black yoga pants.  I'm the one with the big grin while running with the sand bag - Lord only knows why!

I'm Just Sayin'

Welcome back for another round of my weekly rants.  Thanks for the positive (or mostly positive, should I say) responses!  Feel free to link up and play along if you  like!

To the college girl I watched park in a handicap spot yesterday - you're not handicapped!  Yes, the car you are driving has a handicap sticker; however, it also has a nursing home parking sticker so I am assuming that either this is your grandparents' car or you are an aide of some sort that helps at a local nursing home.  Either way - you, yourself, are not handicapped.  I know this because I watched you bee-bop out of your car chitchatting on your cell phone and literally starting jumping up and down screaming "OMG! OMG! OMG!" at some news that you received from whomever you were talking to.  Other than the fact that you're an idiot for making such a spectacle in the middle of a university parking lot, you are obviously not physically or mentally handicapped.  How dare you take advantage of someone else's disability and use their handicap sticker to park in a spot closer to the building?  You, my dear, are the perfect example *exactly* what is wrong with college kids these days: self serving, ignorant, disrespectful & oblivious to those around you.  Snap out of it - or the real world is gonna eat you alive in a few years.  And I hope I'm there to witness it.  I'm just sayin'.....


To the producers of the Oscar's - thanks for waisting three hours of my life on Sunday!  I won't go through my rant of all that I found incredibly boring about your show considering that I've already stated it HERE.  I will simply ask that you step up your game next year.  If you were trying to reach a younger demographic, you failed miserably in my opinion.  I really don't understand what is so difficult about putting on an entertaining awards show.  You've got tons of money and the best of Hollywood's celebrities at your disposal - this isn't rocket science.  I'm just sayin'......


To the readers who keep leaving anonymous comments on my weekly I'm Just Sayin' posts - please feel free to leave your name!  I welcome your opinions - even if they are in contrast to my own opinions.  I think I proved with yesterday's post that I'm able to poke fun at myself.  I can admit when I am wrong (except for to my husband, because I am obviously never wrong when it comes to matters of my marriage!)  But if you're going to leave a negative or challenging comment on my blog, at least give me the opportunity to respond.  It's just common courtesy.  Anonymous comments are no way to make new friends.  I'm Just Sayin'......