A Different Kind Of Date Night

Yesterday afternoon J and I had our first real date night in a long time.  His schedule has been to put it mildly, hectic.

Because of the fact that he has CQ duty today, he shouldn't have it at all since he has to be on call for the arms room but they are short handed so he was put on the roster this month, we went to church yesterday afternoon.  The only service available was Catholic.  Fine by me because I was raised Catholic but J was raised Episcopalian.  He isn't allowed to receive communion.

After pursuing the untamed ornathoid we finally found out where the Catholic service was to be held.  It was on McChord.  Our Main post chapel had been under renovations for a few years and the services have been tossed to the wind so to speak and ever changing at that.  Confession, or as they call it now Reconciliation,  was to be at 1600 to 1630.  We arrived at 1615 and no one was around to take my confession.  Thankfully I brought my rosary with me.  After hurrying through my sins and doing the rosary I felt confident enough to receive communion.

The sermon given by Father Tim, a New York native Long Island to be more specific, had us laughing a bit.  He was talking about how he was an "unclaimed treasure" when recalling to couples during a Strong Bonds retreat why he never married but felt he was still qualified to give advice on marriage.  One does often wonder what a priest can offer a married couple for advice on that particular subject.

J and I chatted with Father Tim after service and he was telling us how much we will love our new duty station.  He was wishing he was there now.  I think I wish I was too, I could do with some sun as this smog is killing me.

After mass we went to a fast food joint for dinner.  We were starved.  I have to admit that I did blow my calories for the day and then some but I'm allowed to splurge once in a while.

This morning I stepped on the scale and found that I lost another pound.  6 pounds off since starting up on Tuesday with calorie counting.  Not bad at all.  I know it won't last.  I know that I'll soon have weeks where I lose nothing.

But I'd like to think that I gained last night with the different kind of date night. 

Sunday Bliss

Well we took the plunge.  Sounds bad I know but for two introverts heading out to church, to an unknown church at that, can be frightening.  Yes, I know they aren't out to get me. 

I wouldn't say the kneeling part of the service was all that easy on my knees as I have fibromyalgia and a bad back.  But I did it.  The priest was also using a cane and not that much older than I am.  When his cane fell during service I looked over at J and said, "I hate when that happens.".  I do I really hate when I decide to use my cane and it falls in a quiet place, like a church, and everyone looks at you.

I got up early with the back and pelvic pain.  Its not as bad as some days but today because there is a cold rain, its Washington State more often than not its raining here, my back decides to get grouchy with me.  But I was in the mood to fulfill a promise I made to my spouse before Christmas.  I promised that when I felt up to it we would start going to church again.

I stumbled across some of the service as I'm not fast enough with the books to transfer between the hymnal and the prayer book.  I wasn't brought up in J's faith either.  So the prayers that he learned are a bit different than what I learned and memorized.  His Niece creed is different along with his Lord's Prayer too.  I'll get the hang of it and the folks there are well understanding of my newness to their faith.

I did receive communion today.  Again it was a bit different than the Roman Catholic Church's style.  But I think the Anglican Episcopal Church will do just fine.

J was pleasantly surprised that they had a church breakfast after service.  Plenty to eat and I wonder if I'll be asked to make food for them some day.  Not that I'd mind but I don't think I have any gluten free recipes.  A few members have special food needs and I too am supposed to eat more gluten free too.  Guess its a good excuse as any to buy a gluten free cookbook.

The only annoying part of breakfast in the church hall was the cacophony.  With my Vestibular Meniere's disease sometimes trying to hear someone in even a quiet setting can be tricky and today it was more of a I can see your lips moving so I can read them enough to answer you.  Terrible but that is part of life. 

Now for my symptoms update:

My pelvis is still a bit tender to the lightest of touches.  Some mild cramping, more like a biting feeling hit last night.  Annoying more than anything and definitely not the bend me over Endometriosis cramps that I get. 

A bit more than the nipples are now sore.  Some of the side of the breast tissue is starting to make the crossing of my arms that much more complicated. Before  I had only two spots to avoid now its almost to the point of hands and arms off the area completely.  I'm sure in a few more days it will be that way from the Endometrin.  I think Hope might be starting to settle in finally. 

Oh Emily gave me another version of Hope, its Japanese and Yuuki is the name.  If anyone else has any other language versions for the word hope let me know.