Weird...

I had my induction at the gym last night, and it was enlightening.

First of all, I don't think the fitness instructor really believed me when I said I used to work out all the time, until we got to the machines and she was making sure I knew how to use all of them.  Then, she told me that my technique was perfect.  Ha--told you so!

I have a very quick program on weights to do, and I flew through it after the induction so that I could get home in time for dinner. I figured out my own weight limits on all the machines, and it was really interesting. I haven't worked out in a gym for about 5 years now, butI still remember what I was lifting before.  My cardiovascular fitness is pretty pants.  I managed about 5 minutes on the cross-trainer and 3 minutes rowing, and I was shattered.  I'll have to work my way up on those machines.  My core strength is pretty good, even after two kids and not enough crunches.  My lower body is still pretty strong.  Seriously, I was pleasantly surprised. But my upper body--woah!  Bicep curls were pathetic!  I kept having to decrease my weight, and felt like a total weakling.  So when I moved to triceps, I started at the same weight.  But, strangely enough, my triceps are really quite strong.  I guess it must have something to do with the way I pick up and carry the kids.

The strangest thing is how much I enjoyed being at the gym.  I used to go 5 times a week when I was in college, and I went quite a bit when I lived in Cedar City and worked out 3 times a week when we lived in Grimsby.  It never felt like anything but hard work. But I've missed being nicely sore, and I've missed the body that results from lots of work at the gym.  Last night at the gym was a real pleasure though, and I think it's because I was there doing something for myself.

I spend all of my time taking care of my children and my family.  I take care of all their physical needs, and once the kids are in bed I am on my own and spend that time taking care of the house.  Everybody is cared for, except for me.  It's past time that I started taking care of myself as well.  And going to the gym to work out is totally self-indulgent.  It benefits nobody but me--totally selfish, but in a good way.  It gives me 45 minutes to an hour with no kids and nobody to think about but myself.  It's a treat, because it's "me time."  I could seriously become a gym junkie again!

On a completely unrelated note:

Yesterday, when we were picking Dylan up from school, I was thinking about when Edith first started walking.  She was desperate to walk everywhere, because she had been watching Dylan run around for ages.  The first time she walked up to Stables to see Martin, she was so excited!  Dylan has a wall that he balances on and stairs and a ramp he walks up (and down) every time we go, and Edith was squealing with excitement the first time she got to go up those stairs.  She is always so anxious to do the things that Dylan does.  I have a feeling that it could pose a problem later in life.  She seems to be in a real hurry to grow up.  But it's so adorable right now!