No, No, Your Eyes Are Not Deceiving You...

You thought I was gone forever right?  Nope, just too stinkin' impatient to wait on pictures to download.  And I'm really not interesting enough to blog without pictures! ha!!

Anyway, a lot has happened since I blogged last time, but that's all in the past now, and I can't remember much of it anyway.  

A friend of mine has been struggling to lose weight and so I though this would be a great time to be accountability partners with eachother.  So we started back on February 15.  I'm watching my calorie intake and working out 5 times a week.  I have done the whole "diet" thing more times than I care to admit, but this time (I've also heard myself say that) I'm changing my whole lifestyle.  It really has been easier this time around than the times before.  Don't get me wrong, there are times when I am in tears because I'm so hungry and have considered eating Boyd (kidding, he's too skinny anyway).  But I HAVE to do this.  I don't have a choice now.  

I'M MISERABLE!

 I'm afraid to go on amusement park rides because I'm afraid they will ask me to get off because I'm too big;

I'm afraid to see some old "friends" I haven't seen in a while because I'm afraid what they might think; 

I'm afraid that I may be the cause of my husband and I not being able to have children because of my weight;

I'm afraid that if I don't get a grasp on my addiction to food that I will continue to be on a downward spiral to the grave.  (don't get me wrong, I long for Heaven, but I would rather go in the rapture, not because of something I could've prevented);

I'm afraid that my nieces and nephews will pattern after me and I want to be a better example to them.

Do you see the pattern?  I'M AFRAID.  My name is Kayla Combs and I have a food addiction and I'm afraid.  Who wants to live their life like that.  NOT me!

So, I'm going to use this blog as sort of an accountability for myself.  It's embarrassing that I've posted this picture of myself, but I'm not hiding the fact that I'm fat, so guess it shouldn't bother me.  So here it is...

This is me and my dad in January in Oklahoma.  My dad has always tried to encourage me to lose weight.  He sees how miserable my mom is and he does not want me to be going down the same path.  My mom had always told me since I was little, "please sis, you can wear my shoes, but please don't ever get big like me and wear my clothes".  But guess what, we wear the same size.  Way to obey your mom, Kayla!  Anyway, their support means the world to me.  When I've tried "diets" before, I've gone to visit my parents and my dad has mapped out a place for me to walk and usually walks with me.  And when I call my mom on Mondays (my weigh in day), she always ask how I did and tells me she's proud of me.

I'm doing this for myself first and foremost.  I need to do it.  But I also want my husband to see a different me.  A happier me who feels beautiful.  Even though he tells me, I haven't felt beautiful in a long time.  I want to do this for my parents.  My mom especially because she has just recently been told that because of some of her health issues, she is going to have to stay on a medication and she's not going to be able to lose any weight.  She will have to fight hard to not gain weight.  So, just because it's too late for her does not mean it's too late for me.

And I cannot accomplish any of this without the help of my friends and family, but most important, without the help of my Lord and Savior.  In order to stay on the straight and narrow path to a new life style, I need to keep the path between my Savior and I clear of debris that might get in my way!

Ok, I've written a book now.  I have so far lost 10 lbs.  I will try to keep this blog updated often and keep track of my weight loss.  I'm excited about this journey.

And I will try to put up some pic blogs once in a while too.  When I have like 2 years to wait on them to upload!

LOVE ALWAYS!!!

Philippians 4:13 (King James Version)

 ¹³I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

The first weekend of deer season is always a busy time of the year for me. Ever since I can remember, I have watched my nieces and nephews for my brothers so they could hunt all weekend. And I always decorate for Christmas that weekend. So Friday afternoon I started out by picking up Caleb. He got in the car with our foster son. They started chit chatting away. Then they got into it. And Caleb finally said, "KK, he is arguing with me". Wonder where he has heard that word! ha!!! And then got home and Bub, McKenna, and Trinity came over. We had a great time. We played some games on Friday night.

Saturday we got up and had biscuits and gravy. Mmmm good! Then we went outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. We worked outside ALL day Saturday decorating and cleaning up the outside a little. In the afternoon while Bub and McKenna were working outside, I brought out a blanket and Caleb and Trinity took a nap outside. It was all I could do not to go over there and lay down with them.

All our hard work paid off though. We even tossed big plastic candy canes into the trees. Not sure how we will get them out, but it was fun putting them up there.

This little cedar tree McKenna decorated with all kinds of things. It looks so much better in person.


















McKenna also helped me with this. She put the garland up. I need to figure out a way to have it lit up at night. It's so cute. Now if we can just keep the kitty's and dogs out of it.
















And this is the big well house. Bub got up on the roof of it and helped me hang the ice cycle lights. He and McKenna got up there and put the cross in place and then put lights on it as well. I think it turned out really well.














We ended our weekend with going to church Sunday morning where Trinity and I sang "He Knows My Name". Then we came home and ate Fried chicken, mashed taters, gravy, corn, greenbeans, etc. Then we started putting up the tree. McKenna does a great job of "fluffing" the limbs, and Bub "fluffs" the top of the tree. My lights didn't work though, so we took a trip to Forsyth and I bought 3 boxes of lights. Got home, ran out of lights. So we still didn't get the tree done. We went to Hercules church last night. Trinity sang "Walking on the Heaven Road" and McKenna, Bub, and Trin sang "He Knows My Name". They blessed my heart!!!

I had such a great weekend with them all. It is such a healing time for me. For just a weekend, I get to feel like a mom. I love it. It does my heart good. I always tease my brother Ron that he is stingy with his kids and that he always wants them to himself. But I am SO thankful that he is that way and his kids will be thankful one day too.

So thankful for a wonderful weekend. I will treasure these memories that we made this weekend. I hope the kids will too!!

New Do!

So last night I went to get my hair done. I was sick to death of it and have had the same color, cut, etc for a while now. I wanted a change. So my friend from way back, Suzanne, just opened her salon up just a month or so ago, so I called her and made the appointment. I told her she could do whatever she wanted to do with my hair. People thought I was crazy, but you need to look at her website (http://www.studiotrendz.com) and you'll see why I had total confidence in her. Thank you SO much Suzanne! I love my hair!

So here is the before picture. We forgot until she already had foil on my head. I can't believe I'm posting this before shot for all the world to see, but oh well!!!

















This is the after shot. I don't like this one as well as the next shot. But I wanted you to see the cut/length of my hair. You should have seen all the hair on the floor. Crazy!!!!

















This is the picture I like because you can really see all the cool colors. I had a such a great time. I was there over 3 hours, but we had a lot to catch up on. I hadn't seen her since 1996 so lots of things had happened since then.

Movin' On Up...

When dad and mom came up at the end of August they had planned to maybe pour the foundation of their new addition. They never dreamed they would leave this Friday and have it built and dried in. WOW!!! My brothers and dad know how to get 'er done. Anyway, we had such a good time getting together and working (ok, so the women mainly kept the men fed and "watered"). Tearing down the old porch was kind of bitter sweet. That's where my Grandma slept the last 18 years of her life was on that porch, so that was hard. The picture above is a before picture. This was before Labor Day.

And this picture was taken this past Sunday September 27th. Looking good huh. This is probably the way it will look until they come back sometime in the spring.

This is so exciting to see work being done, knowing that they will move home eventually (sorry Tishomingo people). This past time is the longest they have been here at one time since they moved away in 2002. We have so enjoyed having them here and it is going to be SO hard to see them leave. Especially for the grandkids. They have been so use to having Papa and Granny around and going to all their school and ballgame activities. They won't be back until Thanksgiving now. But that's not too far off.

Well I guess that's it for now. If you want to see more of the house pictures, I have them on my facebook page. It doesn't take as long to download them on there.

Have a blessed day!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMMY!!!!

Today is one of my best friend's birthday! Woohoo!! We have known each other for a very long time. We first met when we were both singing with the New Life Ambassadors. I thought she was a snob (love you Tam), but turns out she's not and we became fast friends. We had a blast singing together and I was so sad when she became a Senior and wouldn't be in the group anymore. But little did I know that's when our friendship would really blossom.

We have been through a LOT of ups and downs, but our friendship stays the same. We don't get together as much as I would like either, but when we do get together, it seems like we've been together everyday. We are able to pick up where we left off.

Tammy, thank you for being such a great friend. Someone I can talk to about anything and I know you will listen. Thanks for all the many prayers you have prayed for me. I am so blessed to have you in my life. You are a treasure!!!

I LOVE YOU TAMMY!!!!

My girl Bailey Jo

This is my new puppy Bailey Jo Combs. Isn't she a cutie. I got her on Friday from my cousin Gina. Bailey's daddy is a border collie and her mom is part Great Pryenese and Commodore. I am in TROUBLE. I had a Pryenese before and she got to be about 80 lbs or so, but with Commodore added to it, OH NO! My brother had a Commodore and he was huge. When he hiked his leg he peed all over my cousins car window. I'm kind of excited to see how big she gets.

I got her because I want a "big" dog to take on walks with me. We have beagles but they are too busy trying to find a rabbit trail and don't care about walking. Besides, there has been a bear around our area and I feel that when Bailey gets big, she would be more able to scare the bear away then the tiny beagles! ha! She has a pink camo collar and of course I had to get her a pink leash to match.

Yesterday I went out to feed our calves their bottles and I heard a little meow. I went into the field and tried to follow the sound. I found him. A tiny kitten that got left behind. He was so tiny and so cute. I took him up to his mom and she took him in and nursed him. Hopefully he will be feeling better soon!

Well, that's all the news I have for now at "Boyd and KK have a farm, E..I..E..I..O" ha!

The Valley

I love the mountain tops. But with the mountain tops, come the valley's in between. That's where I am at right now. Being raised in church my whole life, and being a preacher's kid, sometimes people think I have it all together. That couldn't be further from the truth. I struggle just like everyone else, sometimes daily. Especially here lately. There are some days, I'm completely at peace about not being able to have our own children, then there are days, like the past week, I'm completely upset about it and mad. I look at pregnant women or people who have children and am totally envious and jealous of them. I want their life, but more importantly I want what God wants for my life.

We took our foster care classes but everytime we get close to actually signing our license, they come up with another piece of paperwork that's missing. AHHHH!! Sometimes life is just so unfair. I think Boyd and I would be great parents and I just don't understand why it is so hard to make that happen. If Boyd was closer to my age, then I would say we have more time, but he will be turning 50 next year. I know the Lord's timing is perfect, and people keep telling me that, but when I'm in the valley, it goes in one ear and out the other. It just plain makes me mad.

I haven't been singing specials at church lately, because my heart and mind aren't where they need to be. I've been going to church and sitting though the messages, but wasn't really hearing what was being said.

Well, yesterday was different! I went to church and my friend Mel got up to sing a special and she sang "my" song...

I choose by Ivan Parker

Master, may I be so honest
Could I admit the way I feel?
I’m hurting, it seems that you’ve forsaken
I wonder, is Your love for me still real?
Though my friends think that I am happy
Unaffected by this trail
They can’t see the pain I’m hiding
Just under my smile
Master, I can’t live this way anymore

So today I make my choice

Chorus
I choose to believe that You are faithful
And my heart is in Your hands
And this mystery that I face today
Is part of a greater plan
I choose not to be discouraged
When the sun will not break through
I have the choice of trusting you
So Lord this is what I choose

I know this road will not be easy
I know I’ll have my weaker days
And Satan will tell me I don’t mean it
When I say, “I’ll trust God all the way”
But that doesn’t really matter
I refuse to hear him out
With my faith I’ll find the power
That will overcome all doubt
Lord, I’ve never felt so strong
As when I’m resting in your arms

Chorus
I choose to believe
That this mystery that I face today
Is part of a greater plan
I choose not to be discouraged
When the sun will not break through
I have the choice of trusting you
So, Lord this is what I choose


That was it. I began sobbing, not crying. You know the sound you make when you try to hold it in and then you have to let it lose. I went down to the altar in the middle of her song. I couldn't even say the words, I was crying so hard, but the Lord knew what I was thinking and knew my heart. I went back and sat down and then Pastor Jeff's sermon was SO for me. I walked away feeling so much better. I'm not saying I won't be in the valley again, but I DO KNOW that the Lord will be waiting on me with open arms and tell me everything will be alright. In HIS time.

So, I'm trusting the Lord and am leaning on my friend Tammy's favorite verse...
Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE!!!