Families Come in All Shapes and Sizes

Today a friend of mine shared a fantastic article about people making rude comments on her all boy family, but getting encouragement from an older sweet lady who also had all boys and how much they took care of her now. It got my brain going of how free people feel to make snide comments about families. You get the comments about how wild all boys are and "don't you wish you had a girl" or "aren't you going to try for a girl?". Then there are the all girl families and the snide comments they get, "oh wait until they're teenagers." "Doesn't your husband want a son to carry on his name?" Then there's the family that has one child, and people think it's their right to inquire "why" "don't you know he/she is going to be spoiled and not know how to play with other kids?" Then there are those of us with larger families (ultimately 4 or more children) and we get the "don't you  know how that happens" or "do you not own a tv"? Really, I mean lets dig in here a little bit.
That family of all boys or all girls, I have friends with both those and they feel so blessed with their only gender family. It seems that the all boys, my friends just love their boys and can't even imagine having a girl, because they have so much fun with their boys. They feel like God created them to be a boy mom. The families who have all girls, just adore their girls, and can't imagine adding a boy into the mix of their girls. God blessed these families with the children they have. Maybe they do desire a girl or a boy to add into the mix, but here's a newsflash, it's no one's business and I've yet to meet any family with all one gender, who do not feel so blessed with their children.
That family with one child, I've had many friends who have a miracle baby and are so thankful and blessed to have their child. Many of them would love to have another, but they trust God and know that he's blessed them beyond measure with their child. IF they do have fertility issues, do you think your snide comments on their one and only is helping? Making suggestions of adoption, fertility treatments, etc do not help them and you do not know their convictions or where the Lord is leading their family. They may also feel simply put that their family is COMPLETE with their one child.
Those of us who have many children, yes we know how that happens, don't you? Yes we have a tv, last I checked, tv is not the end all of "entertainment", but hey if that's all you want in your life, that's your choice. All of my children are a blessing and I praise GOD for every one of them. We've had surprises and planned and they are were equally wanted and are so loved. We don't ask your permission, we do not invite you into our bedroom, so how about you stay out.
Honestly, I'm amazed at how rude people are when it comes to children and family sizes. Children are a blessing from God. IF God blesses a family with all boys, all girls, one child, or multiple....they are a blessing. Sadly our society views children as a burden. We live in such a selfish society that we see children holding "us" back from the newest gadgets, great vacations, new cars, bigger houses. Let me tell you what, you can't take any of those THINGS with you when you die. God does not bless selfishness.
I see hurt from friends and family who have had rude remarks made to them. Truly it's enough. It's enough making comments on the gender of peoples children, sizes of their families. How about instead of making a comment that could cause hurt, you compliment them.
"You must have so much fun with your boys, I bet they keep you hopping and laughing, boys always seem to love to make their mommas life interesting".
"Your girls are beautiful, I can imagine it's wonderful to see them growing up to young women."or "I bet it's so much fun to watch your little girls growing up, giggling together, dressing up. You are blessed."
To the family with one, "How blessed you are, to be able to devote your time to your son or daughter, I bet you have a beautiful relationship, and he/she brings you so much joy."
To the family of many, "What a beautiful family. I bet you all have so much fun. I'm sure you're busy, but I have no doubt you wouldn't want it any other way."

Just simple, but kind things is all it takes. Families no matter size or gender, are blessings from God.
We should never feel we have to defend our children from rude comments towards them.
I don't WANT to understand those who make the comments. I just would love to see it stop. I'd love for my friends and my own family to just feel loved from others and if they're not, to have no idea what is going through those peoples brains.


I'm stepping down from my soap box now.

In A Moment

In a moment my cousin went from a healthy 26 year old young man to one who's now fighting for his life. A few years ago, he made poor choices that landed him in prison. He served his time and when he was released, decided to change his life. He was no longer in the gangs, no longer making the poor choices that landed him in prison. He got a job, worked overtime every time it was offered, he was living with his mom, and helping her with bills, helping with the upkeep of her house, painting the house. When my dad was working on her house, he was there asking how to help, and doing everything my dad asked of him.
He was healthy, fit, and seemed to be working towards making a better life for himself and his girlfriend. Tuesday as he was on the phone with his brother and his girlfriend was in the same room as he was in, he had a massive heart attack.
My heart is heavy for T and for his mom/my aunt, who has already buried one child (her little girl died from SIDS over 17 years ago). Please keep them in your prayers as we wait to find out if he's going to pull out of this. I do not know if he's a believer and that is what is grieving my heart the most, because without having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, he will not be in Heaven. I pray he will be. Please keep my Aunt S in your prayers and T. His girlfriend, C, and his 2 younger brothers, B & S.

Getting Back on Track

Since my pregnancy and having Nathaniel 5 weeks ago (btw, where has the time gone that he's already 5 weeks old?!), I have not been eating the absolute best. Last night when Chad got off work, I had him me up my Greek yogurt, lots of fresh fruits (pineapple, cantaloupe, and honey dew mellon), sugar free popsicles, and pudding.
The scale has pretty well just stayed put for the last week and I've had it with that. Breastfeeding brings on the need for more calories, as well as I'm hungry and so I have been eating. I can't eat the same amount I could before my Sleeve, but I have not made the best choices. This is why it is soimportant for everyone to know that weight loss surgery is not a magical fix, it's only a tool, and the rest is on me. I have to make wise choices in what is going in my mouth, and exercise, if not, I will not reach my goal for optimal health.
My goal is to see the scale moving down even just 1 lb between today & next Tuesday. I really need to get an updated picture taken of me, it's good motivation for me!

I'm back!

It's been a long time since I updated on here. This will remain my weight loss blog, and this is a life long journey I am on! I had my sweet Nathaniel 4 weeks ago. So I ultimately lost 80 lbs, before I started gaining weight from my pregnancy. I ultimately gained a total of 23 lbs by the time Nathaniel was born, and once he was here the lbs just started falling off! I lost the 23 lbs and then lost another 5 lbs.
I have to say that with breastfeeding Nathaniel, eating is something that I have to do and want to do. I hope that over the next couple of months that can slow down. I'm trying to make good choices, although to be fully honest, I don't always make the best choices. I don't make horrible ones, but it is something I want to and need to be honest over and want to do better.
I am looking forward to being able to get to the gym and starting to work out on the eliptical and weight lifting. I am excited that in 2 weeks I can be in the gym and hopefully see the lbs coming off a little faster. I have 34 lbs to get to my initial goal weight, and really look forward to hitting that number!!
I'm very close to being in the 100's!!
Today I was at Target and ran into a friend who I had not seen in many months and she didn't recognize me! Do you know how exciting that is?!! I hadn't even considered someone who actually knows me, wouldn't recognize me!
I am so thankful that I had the sleeve done! It has changed my life in so many ways. The energy I have, I just over all feel so much better, physically!
I will get a picture of me taken tomorrow and post it, to show my progress and will start taking a picture as the weight continues to come off.

A little realism.

What a week we've had. My mother in law passed away, Sunday morning. Her funeral was yesterday. It's been funeral planning, and we still have to help pick our in-laws headstone, tomorrow. (My father in law is still alive, but he's included everyone in all the decisions).
Tonight we're going to go watch our nephew play football, about an hour away. I suggested we go, because he's a Senior and we'll never get the opportunity again, when we live 12 hours away, popping up for a game, just doesn't happen!
Today, I've just been trying to decompress & have a mentally quiet day. I was reading facebook earlier & read a friends status & comments about the friend getting off work early to pick her son up & in the process put stay at home mom's down, then another of her friends chimed in. Honestly, I am so sick of the flipping jealousy. I will not apologize for choosing to stay home with my children. I will not apologize that it's important to my husband that I stay home. We are not rolling in the money, just the opposite actually. It's not a luxury to stay home, it's putting our children as a priority & making sacrifices, many many sacrifices. I believe the Lord called me to be a mother & that job is raising them, he's called me to home school them, etc.
It's time to suck it up people. Quit all the complaining.
There are a lot of things we get no choice about. We had no choice that our daughter died. We had no choice that my husband's momma died. We suck it up. There are many things we DO get to choose though, and if your choice has led to your unhappiness, well accept your roll in that, quit blaming others, who most definitely had no roll in your life circumstances and maybe be happy that others do not share those circumstances, although for all you know, they do, but have found a different way. (Maybe they work 3rd shift, have their kids sleep at Grandma's or have a babysitter, etc) just sitting and judging people without knowing their circumstances, without knowing THEM, doesn't look bad on them, it looks bad on YOU.
Life's hard. It can really suck sometimes.  But we suck it up and keep going.
We praise God for all the blessings we have, and we praise him for the hard times we have as well. We don't deserve a single day as it is. Be thankful.

Big News and pictures

I shared on facebook already, so I figure I'll share here as well. I'm 4 months post-op and 3 months pregnant. The pregnancy was NOT expected, not planned, and was attempted to "prevent". When you have Weight loss surgery you're advised to not get pregnant for 1 to 2 years after surgery. I can say that condoms are obviously not 100% and well we have a little one on his or her way, that proves that!! Although this blessing was not planned by us, we know that the Lord planned for this life and that He will bless this little miracle.
I have seen everyone on my weight loss team and they are all thrilled and so very encouraging to me. They were definitely  more excited for me, than I was for a few weeks. It took me a couple months to truly have it settle in, but I'm there now and starting to feel excited. Our youngest 3 are excited,the two big boys are accepting! :) E says she doesn't care if it's a boy or a girl, she is just excited to have another baby in the house! N wants a boy! O doesn't quite grasp it, but her little world is going to be rocked. I'm due just 3 days after I was due with O. I actually went into labor 21 days before my EDD with O, and I went into labor 14 days before my EDD with N. I'm interested to see if I go into labor again or if I'll make my planned c-section!! I'd prefer to not go into labor, but I have no control over that part and will just trust the Lord that this baby will come on the day the Lord has planned!! I'm officially 12 weeks, so one more week and I'll be in my 2nd trimester!

I have also now lost 81 lbs. I go see my nutritionist on Tuesday, so I guess we'll see if I've lost anymore.
I made a new collage, 2 actually front view and side views, that are up top. The first ones on each are from today and they go throughout the last 4 months.

So close to another goal!

I stepped on the scale and found 10 lbs gone!! I'm now at 78 lbs gone, total!! I can't believe that as of yesterday I'm officially 4 months post-op and have lost nearly 80 lbs! It's hard to believe that I could possibly lose 100 lbs in the next couple of months! It's just amazing to me. I even have been slacking on walking and working out in general, because it's been so hot (high 90's and 100's and high humidity) the last couple of weeks. I still have to pinch myself, that I've really lost this much weight. I am hoping that by next week, I'll have at least, if not over 80 lbs lost. I feel like I'm doing everything right, and just need to keep things up, keep walking (we went for a walk last night and it felt good and thankfully had cooled off a bit). We bought me some 5 lb hand weights, so I can be firming my arms aka bat wings up. I actually am developing some muscle in my arms. One place I have most definitely noticed smaller is my arms, especially my upper arms. I've hated my arms for years, and although I'd wear sleeveless shirts, would feel so self-conscience in them, felt so fat and gross. I don't feel like that anymore. I feel comfortable with them for the first time in I'd say at least 8 or more years! I've also noticed my chest is smaller and I never thought I'd see the day!! I think I may be the most excited over that!! :) For those who know me, know that's a really big deal! LOL