Photo Friday + Quotables!

Happy Friday the 13th, and Happy 35th Birthday to my favorite billionaire, Taylor Alison!!  I do believe I'll watch the full Eras Tour on Disney+ this weekend in her honor.  Even the Strands game was Swiftie themed this morning. =)

Got off work early enough to take a walk before it got dark yesterday.  Yay for my new airpods, and yay for some time to reflect on a milestone week and potential life changes ahead.

Honestly, it's more surprising to me that I didn't take even one photo on September 4th, although the timing of the one blank day makes sense to me.

Friday Flashback - the fam celebrating Christmas at Gus and Marilyn's in Texas 14 years ago!!

Another morning Peloton walk whilst pondering the stages of life! =)

In family news, the Mini Miss K has a volleyball tournament in Stillwater tomorrow.  And I'm joining Rach and the kids for the Coca-Cola Classic Christmas event tonight - yay!

And in family-adjacent news, the Deppens (Carter's guardians) officially adopted Emberlee (Triston & Carter's half-sister on Brooke's side)... and J&K were a handsome groomsman and lovely bridesmaid in their dad's wedding to Emily last month!

I had my friend, Tori, do a watercolor sketch of 9121, the home that represents my childhood... I still have to write on the bottom and frame it, but YAY for this! ❤

A few quotes that made me laugh lately:

In our family dinner convo my last week of college:

Jace:  "So how long were you in college, Mom?"

Rach:  "Well, I took classes for almost two years."

T-man:  "Oh wow, what were you going to school for!?  Was it hair school?"

Rach:  "Nooo... Dad, close your ears!!" lol 

(...She nearly finished her degree at Rose State, then finished the Duncan Brothers program but decided to opt out of a hairstylist career. However, she's in a great job now, and this convo was more funny than serious.)

Attorney about to work through lunch: "I still need to meet with him, but we won't need you... respectfully!"

Judge (already at 12:20ish): "Those are the best words I've heard all day!"

Chettles encouraging Sarah:  "Listen, C's get degrees!  Once you get into the real day-to-day job stuff, that's what really matters.  Who cares about all the anatomy and the terminology and --"

Jon (talking to Sarah while circling his hand in Chet's direction):  "Okay, I'm gonna need you to tune this out!" lol

Abusive Defendant:  "I'll just let God be my witness here."

Annoyed Judge:  "Well, it's gonna be pretty difficult to subpoena God, so do you have anything else, sir?"

(*Me biting my lip to keep from laughing when I saw the DA laughing about that! lol)

Kristin:  "...so that sucks."

Me:  "Ugh, sometimes people suck."

Kristin:  "Most of the time."

Me:  "A lot of the time, yeah...  hmm, I'm gonna quote us on that!" lol

And on that cheerful note, I wish you all a delightful weekend ahead!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Thankful Thursday #218!

"Now may the LORD show steadfast love
and faithfulness to you." ~2 Samuel 2:6a

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  This Bible and bookmark rest on the table by the cotton-candy pink couch in my bedroom.  I rarely open a physical Bible anymore (mostly use the audio Bible app and podcasts and BibleHub website)... but even reading this bookmark felt timely and encouraging for me!

2.  Today's Verse of the Day also felt encouraging... I'm thankful my Zoom interview went well, and I'm praying for God's guidance and peace in this situation!! ❤

3.  Supportive, Godly friendships with these women (pic = Amy's Instagram post) + Amy setting up a weekly meeting for us and some of the awesome men of CCU in 2025 + CCU setting up "The Remnant Counselor Collective" for alumni Christian counselors to meet up with professors and colleagues to discuss questions and encourage each other!!

4.  Submitting my final major assignment Tuesday night at our family dinner, then submitting my final discussion post late last night - Seeking Wisdom felt like the perfect final discussion topic, and I love that we're ending on Session 7 (the number of completion), and that this is grad school class #24 in 2024!!  So many little things that I'm taking as nods from God lately. ❤

5.  I'm in an uncharacteristically celebratory mood with the ending of school... thankful for lots of fun new things… but between the new removable hair extensions, ordering several shirts on Amazon for the CCU photoshoot, big Christmas gifts for the niece and nephews + fun things for me on Cyber Monday sales, and randomly booking an NYC Christmas trip, this meme feels very true right now! #nomore #mustavoidallads

6. Thankful for our 15 years and 2 months with Reagan, aka "RayRay" to most of the fam and "Moose" to me!  She lived a good, long life then had a very rapid decline with kidney failure.  She died in my parents' backyard and Dad and Alan buried her body out there late last night.  She's always been sweet and skittish (warm with the fam, but anxious around most people), and she's my favorite of the dogs Mom and Dad have had - just look at her fluffy gray self with one blue eye and one brown!  ...RIP, Miss Moose! ❤

Now they're together again in Heaven! ❤
(And yes, I 100% believe pets go to Heaven, and John Eldredge does too.)

7.  A fun Wednesday lunch and catch-up with Kristin Michelle, who was nice enough to suggest and drive to the Norman Hideaway when I'd forgotten it existed! lol

That's all for today, friends!

❤ ❤ ❤

The Goodness of God

❤ Joy, Lindsey, Michelle, Lauren, and Amy ❤

Amy sent these photos via our Roomies group text late last night, which felt like perfect timing on the day I'd submitted my final reflection paper for the Masters in Counseling degree!!  The headshots turned out great!  And here again, I am grateful for the timing aligning with my 6-month surgiversary...

Michelle Sharp Cartmill... my early childhood friend (her dad was a groomsman in my parents' wedding and JoBug is her Godmother) turned college buddy - so thankful for the way God worked that out!  Michelle will continue teaching at Epic Charter Schools while working with Oak Haven and Verite Counseling in Edmond to complete her supervised hours!

We all have a painful backstory and a vicious spiritual enemy, accompanied by a redemptive arc with a very faithful God who has now called us into the counseling field to lead others toward hope and healing!!  On a related note, I've always loved this poem for the "All that's best of dark and bright" line. ❤

Hooray for the sparkly boots making a minor appearance here... 

...and yay for not hating these seated pics!!  That. is. new. ❤

Joelnika, aka "Joy" Martin... a feisty mom of seven who is going to be the Director for a Texas branch of a private practice run by a CCU professor!

More than anything else, I'm so happy to have these group pics of us!!

*In the above pics, Michelle borrowed my black cardigan, which I'd borrowed from Rachael. lol

Thankful for notable physical progress, even without the flattering mirror-selfie angle!  I feel peace with where I am today and fully believe I will continue to improve my health moving forward.  Also, thankful for glasses - Amy tried a few shots without them, but I really feel more like myself in them now!

Lauren Bennett... a tenderhearted Texan who will also be running a branch of the private practice with Dr. Welsh from CCU!

What a gift to do this alongside other women who are also making a major career transition in their 40s.  These ladies are wonderful, encouraging, faith-filled, wise counselors - women of substance who are called and anointed by God!  They're also healthy (and thin) and beautiful, and a year ago, I might've found a reason to bow out of this photo session... or felt very self-conscious about my weight in every pic that showed anything below the chest and face.  Looking at these group pics fills me with SO MUCH JOY AND GRATITUDE about the renewed confidence and sense of belonging - not hiding or fading or playing it small, but fully embracing all God has for me in this new chapter!! ❤

Lindsey Claire Muecke... A warm and competent Christian counselor feeling hopeful about what God has in store!  (Not positive exactly where I am headed, but as of 4pm yesterday, I have a promising interview tomorrow afternoon and may know more soon!)  This is probably my fav headshot by Amy... *huge thanks to Rachael Parrish for the hair help and for suggesting browns and reds as good colors for me!

Submitting my last assignment after our family dinner last night!! #getexcited  I finished that paper at work, but waited until I was with people so it wouldn't feel so anticlimactic to submit it. lol  Thankful for the fam and their emotional and financial support through the past 2.5 years!!

My fav selfie from our photo shoot!  We all changed several times, and sadly, I never had this exact clothing combo on in any of Amy's pics.  I chose jewelry, jeans, and a "hair crown" that I could wear with everything. =)

Amy Christian Sargeant... our photographer extraordinaire!  A kind and confident Edmond native and military wife and mom who will be working with Verite Counseling moving forward!

"All my life, You have been faithful.

And all my life, You have been so, so good.

With every breath that I am able,

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God!"

❤ ❤ ❤

Lately...

Starting next week, the blog will feature "Marathon Monday" posts with a weekly video update, so yay for that!!

(Alternating phone screensavers lately)

Annie's "Stay Tuned" Advent videos have been wonderfully encouraging in this season (all focused on these verses).

I made these Pioneer Woman apple dumplings for the second time in like 3 years on Friday... yum! 

*(For the record, I used half the butter and sugar she calls for - still tasted great - and I've paced myself and given several away and not overdone it, aaaand training officially starts this coming weekend. lol)

AFD in NYC - grateful for that Instagram account for ideas for my upcoming trip, and grateful for all the ways Annie has inspired me to live a more vibrant life!!

Saturday was Pei Wei lunch with the fabulous Foster fam - fun times - Miles and Hope were both talkative and had lots of good things to share, and it was great to catch up with Jon and Kristin too!

After lunch, I picked up my new Halo Couture hair extensions (they're removable like a headband - wearing them in this photo) - they add the perfect amount of length and volume, and they match my hair color and blend really well - YAY!  Also, I love the new window display at Janelle's salon! =)

After that, I went to watch Parker Elizabeth's ballet performance!  I was picturing a much more low-key thing, but this was a massive event at Union High's theater room that holds 3000 people where I had to park like a mile away and barely made it inside on time... eek!  She was on stage for approximately 4-5 minutes, but the little mice were genuinely the cutest part of the show (which was all very well done and fun to watch).  Gigi and Grammy both brought flowers for her, and she was a fan! =)

Get OUT with the cuteness of this photoshoot!  Love her and her entire personality! ❤ #feistymouse

The wonderful Wilson fam - could not love them more!  We took some pics for their Christmas cards, then I joined them and the Weatherfords for dinner at Mission BBQ (where Parker showed me her new Chick-fil-A Christmas ornament). lol

After all of that, I drove to Rachael's house where she curled my hair (and extensions) and loaned me some cute clothes, then I tried on several options and sent tons of photo texts to her and Mom to decide what to wear for the headshot photos the next day. lol  (This = her cute front door chalkboard.)

Saturday, we met at the White Moose Studio where we all changed clothes multiple times and Amy took several photos of us from 11:30 to 1:00!  My first professional photo shoot where I wasn't in the photographer role, and it was pretty fun (and incredibly well-timed, as I mentioned in the previous post)!  Michelle, Amy, Lauren, and Joy have been my CCU roommates at the last two Residency weekends, and we've had a group text for the past couple years that's helped us all get through grad school together!  (Lauren and Joy drove down from McKinney, TX for this!)

Michelle turned on a fun playlist of '90s hits, and we took tons of individual photos and ended with a few of all of us - excited to get those back soon! ❤

We went to Cheever's Cafe in OKC for lunch - new to me, and my chicken enchiladas were great!  It was a really fun morning talking about future plans and celebrating being *almost done* with our Master's degree!!

And finally, last night was Dad's State Farm Christmas dinner at BJ's, where we had a big crowd and grabbed a family table to the side of the main staff table.  Jaceman joined us for this group photo, but sat with some other boys around his age for dinner! I feel bad that I didn’t ask for a full SF staff pic… I’ll remedy that next time!

PS how much do I love turtlenecks!?  Yes, please - classy and cozy and cute!!  I'm so happy about having some cute new shirts that fit me - a few from Rach and several that I ordered on Amazon for the photo session!

Okay, that's really all for today.  For what it's worth, I love you and believe in you, and I believe in your ability to create a life you love!

❤❤❤

Six Months Later...

❤ December 7, 2024 ❤

Good morning, dearest friends and family!!

Saturday marked six months since my gastric sleeve surgery at Blossom Bariatrics in Vegas.  It's been an incredible, transformative season for me, inside and out!  Today, my heart overflows with gratitude and determination... weight loss surgery has given me the gift of an amazing jump start.  More importantly, it offered RENEWED HOPE that real, lasting change is possible.  After years of struggle, I now feel empowered to pursue and maintain a healthier lifestyle, grounded in a growing sense of purpose. ❤

Progress Update:

• I’m down 90 pounds from my highest weight ever, over 70 pounds since this summer, and within 40 pounds of my goal weight range!
• No more blood pressure meds, better lab results, and increased energy and endurance!!
• Improved emotional balance as the initial hormonal changes have stabilized!
• More confidence and a desire to take better care of myself in several areas!

I chose the safest and least invasive surgical option, which means my weight loss is slower than it might have been with other surgeries.  My body still fully absorbs all the calories and nutrients of everything I eat (which is part of why I'm not struggling with vitamin deficiencies, major hair loss, malabsorption, etc.).  I am really happy with that decision, while being aware that it puts more responsibility on me to continue and maintain my progress as I move forward!

Six months down, the rest of my life to go...

Challenges and Growth:  As my body adjusts (the newly smaller stomach naturally relaxes a bit by the six-month mark), it’s time to get more serious about consistent, wise food choices.  I'm aware that protein and veggies fuel me best and keep me feeling full, while sugary treats and processed carbs digest quickly and cause cravings.  Old habits are hard to break, but not impossible - so much of it lies in where our identity is rooted.  One thing I'm actively struggling with is having a little too much grace for myself and thinking of 'eating whatever I want' as the best way to really enjoy my life, especially around vacations and holidays.  Having a more limited portion size can make it feel more tempting to snack around and have "just a little" of ALL the things I want... but those calories add up, and it all impacts my blood sugar and mood and energy levels, so it's important for me to use wisdom and remember that there are other ways to reward myself (like buying smaller clothes, for example)!  For more than one reason, I am embracing the WW app for some extra accountability moving forward.

Especially in the first three months post-op, the physical changes were rapid and my mind and heart were struggling to catch up - LOTS of strong emotions and long-held fears were bubbling up to the surface.  I'm thankful for my counseling sessions with Emily, having a place where I've felt safe to process the past shame, emotional shifts, and unique life changes that accompany my story.  At this point, things feel much more balanced, and God is healing/transforming my thoughts to align with this healthier new identity.  I feel increasing clarity about what I want my health patterns to look like moving forward - I am not exactly where I was hoping to be by this particular milestone, but I have plenty to celebrate today!!  I finished my 5th Half Marathon, I'm on a good health trajectory, and I'm close enough to believe with confidence that my weight and health goals are now within my reach - that hope is not a small thing!  I'm deeply grateful to be stepping into a happier and healthier identity - mind, body, soul, and spirit! ❤

Looking Ahead:  I’m excited to begin training for my first Full Marathon soon, a long-term goal that I feel ready to conquer now!  I plan to document and share that journey - I'll get into those details in a later post, but I've decided to use the WW app paired with the Apple Watch activity tracking to ensure that I stay in the right food range as I'm training.  It's a simple and familiar tool that feels helpful and aligns well with my goals right now (prioritizing protein and healthier foods + enjoying all foods mindfully while keeping smart boundaries + adjusting my food intake according to my activity level).  This new season is about consistency, discipline, and embracing the identity of being an athlete in training!!

*On a personal note, the doctors recommend that you wait at least a year to try for a pregnancy after weight loss surgery... so it helps to redirect my energy and focus toward Marathon training and career transition in the meantime.  I am prayerfully considering pursuing another IUI or embryo adoption plan next summer - staying tuned in and awaiting God's direction.  Either way, I am grateful to prepare my body and spirit for whatever motherhood might look like in His timing!

Reflections:  This health journey is gradually reshaping the way I see myself, which is a huge blessing and the only way my progress will last.  Amy took professional photos for our CCU Roomies group yesterday, and it was such perfect timing to celebrate this six-month milestone and our 2.5 years in graduate school coming to a close!  I feel healthier, more vibrant, and ready to step into a new season as a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate in 2025.  I'm glad I chose to be vulnerable and share this publicly, and I'm deeply grateful for all the support, encouragement, and accountability I’ve received from family and friends!  Progress has slowed down, but the surgery was a solid choice and has been very successful for me... and it's now up to me to make the most of this jump start and reignited hope as I move forward with building a meaningful life. ❤

*THANK YOU again to Chet Lee for sparking this life-changing journey and for being an exceptional friend and support along the way!

We are valuable, loved by God, and worthy of love at every size, period.
Taking better care of ourselves enhances the life God created us to live!

Hopeful Reminder: A lot can change in a year.  Especially when we embrace outside help/support, shift our perspective, and choose to believe in ourselves!

With deep gratitude and fierce determination,

❤ Lindsey Claire