Now I'm a Mimi (grandma) it's time to get it together and get healthy

I let myself balloon up to 282 lbs. Four years ago I got serious (for the millionth time) and lost 55 lbs and had gained it all back and then some since I got married. There's been a lot of stuff going on with David, Lyric, Tiffany, and Kayla and I let it all overwhelm me to the detriment of my health. No more! I'm on a lot of different medications everyday - 9 to be exact - and I think the doctors have finally got them straight (which is a tremendous relief) and without doing anything else I had lost 15 lbs since the middle of December. Starting Feb 19 I started a company sponsered Fitness Camp and then the next day signed up for the "Biggest Loser" that a group of people at work started and I've lost 11 lbs since then. I've been exercising and I also started back with Weight Watcher's Online (which is how I lost the weight before) and I feel I'm finally back on track.

I want to be able to really play with my grandson. I want to be able to run with him, and after him. I don't want him to think, "Oh, I can't ask Mimi that. She won't be able to do it." I can hardly get off the floor once I get down and I have to bend over to see my feet. Besides, I think my husband will like it too.

Here's a before picture from Christmas Eve. The quality is poor but you can still clearly see the rolls under the shirt. I can take these pants off without unbuttoning them now. Yay!

I'd like you to meet Gwendolyn Strong

I'm not sure how I found Gwendolyn's page, but I've been a regular reader ever since. Gwendolyn was born perfectly healthy, but at age 6 months was diagnosed with SMA Type 1. This beautiful little girl and her parents have touched my heart in so many ways. I can't imagine finding out your little girl has a terminal illness and being able to rejoice in her life the way that Bill and Victoria have done. I feel so inadequate to describe how much I admire them and how their courage has strengthened me for the, small in comparison, things that I've had to deal with. Please read about Gwendolyn and sign the petition to end SMA and join their fight. The buttons are to the right. You can also read more about Gwendolyn and the fullness of life that her parents bring to her everyday here.

It's really been a long time this time...

Well, this blogging stuff is not as easy as it looks. First I decided that I wanted to change the name of my blog and then I just spent an hour trying to update the template. I finally found a "Florida-ish" one, so I'll see how this works out.

I meant to put a picture of my new grandson, Tyler, on here; so here it is. I'm a pretty sappy person by nature (I cry at 30 second commercials), but I told my daughter that I thought I loved her and her sister a lot, but the way I love this little guy is heart filling and amazing.



There have been too many things going on to mention all at once, so I'll go about it slowly. First though, I'm going to highlight the blogs that have taught me so much about love, courage and perserverance over the last months. I've "met" so many women that I admire, and so many children that have touched my heart. I just want to share some of them.