GOOD MORNING LADIES!!!!! Rise and Shine!!!

It has been ages since I started a thread! It's just after midnight so I figured it is officially Thursday and I will still be up for a while.......so here goes.

First, I want to THANK some special people.

Sherri, What can I say??????? You are always there with such wise, encouraging words. Thank you for understanding every thing that I have had to deal with.........especially being tied down for the past 18+ years with few breaks. It slapped me in the face a while back that so many years have been wasted since we can't do things as a family....you know all together. Someone always has to be with dd at home. {for those that don't know, she cannot go out much due to medical susceptabilities} There isn't much fun when the freedom isn't there to just go out. Our saving grace is that she is such a love.......and has such a wonderful, beautiful personality. Not a mean bone in her body and she just goes with the flow enduring everything that is thrown her way. As DH says, 'her smiles make it all worthwhile'.......but I tell ya, it's TOUGH. We also know that if it wasn't for our vigilant care, she wouldn't be with us....and that would hurt even more. Thanks for encouraging me to vent [yep, my eyes are welling up]. Hey, you got your hands full too. Sorry the boys are teething at the same time. That can be rough. Megan is getting big, WOW molars!!!!! Sounds like she is a great big sister! Give her a hug for being a good girl!

Wendy, First off, CONGRATULATIONS on Garret!!!! Brandon sure is a proud brother, I bet! Thank you also for your support with words to think about. God continues to give me the strength I have.......if it weren't for that, I wouldn't be perservering like I do. Most people would have given up on their child [statistics prove it], but I could NEVER put her in a 'home'. I think often that my nursing background is behind that. I KNOW the lack of care that is given..........and she would never have the personality she has....let alone be alive. I think you said you lost a sister, may I ask what she had? Hey, it sounds like you are doing well with taking off your 'baby' weight. Have patience, it will come off and the tummy will get smaller. Don't forget that our bodies change after having kids and our bellies may never totally go away, especially with C-sections. Crunches are probably the best, but not too many people enjoy them........I know I don't! Hang in there dear! Yep, we do need to be honest with this weight loss game.

Penny, I love the cute attachments you have on your postings. You're busy also with your 3.....but it sounds like you are doing well. GREAT GOING!!!!

Eleni, LOVE YA sis. Hang in there...........get better. We all look forward to seeing you back......but take your time...........and get that BIG HEART of yours straightened out!!!!

Nita, I have missed you too and think of you often. How is your dh doing? I can relate so much about having lost our 'drive' to lose weight. We get on a roll and do great......then something happens and we get off track. Hang in there and we will turn the corner and get focused again.

Susie, Welcome to the board. You have done GREAT with your weight loss. In regards to the Elavil, it may cause weight gain, but only if you allow the food to pass your lips. I think it was nice of the doc to warn you that this could be a side affect, but maybe you can control yourself and keep up your losing ways. You already have a plan in place to keep up the exercise. It may not be as much as you were doing, but it is still something and that is a biggie!

It's getting late and I know I'm having a brain %#$^ and forgetting some of ya by name.........forgive me....but you're all wished the best with 'losing'.

Me, I finally had a loss last eve....a little one.....but still a loss. It has been difficult with not being able to walk much. I can't believe I went over on my left ankle yesterday and tourqued my bad knee again. It is so sore! Even walking down the ramp out of the house can't be done right. My range of motion is very limited in it. My luck has been horrible this year. I hope I can put off whatever needs to be done to it till late spring when the snow and ice won't be around. I fear it will be a knee replacement. I have been on crutches, with the ice picks on them, one time too many during cold months ....plus dh would have to take a lot of time off to care for dd. School is about to restart and he can't take off work, not till next summer when the 'kiddies' are out. SOOOOOOO, my focus is to get some of this weight off to make moving around easier, put less stress on the knees and help with the rehab time. Well, I have a plan, now I need to enforce it!!!!!

Gee, I wrote my book!!! [sorry] My butt is getting numb from sitting too long. Think I'll get to bed. Dh gets up in 3 1/2 hrs. Luckily he's a big boy and gets his own breakfast. I am blessed with him and I know I don't let him know enough.

Have a great day everyone. Here's to us losing together and helping each other through life!!!

{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}
Summer

Summer,

Congrats on your loss. That is the first of many more to come. You sound like you have done some thinking and organizing and you sound so much better then the other day. I am glad. Sorry to hear about the knee. Remember to take care of it and do what you know to do. YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT EXERCISING IF YOU EAT RIGHT! I did it while pregnant. So it can be done. Don't worry about what you can't do concentrate on what you CAN do right now and you will be happier for it.
Yes Melissa is surely a great blessing from god you are blessed with having her in your life. Just look to her for your strength and support it is right before your eyes. See what she has to endure daily and you know she is making it. You can to. Remember it is because of you that she is thriving and you can thrive as well. Just put your heart and mind to it. To look through her eyes you have it made even though it doesn't seem like it to you. God gives us all different struggles to deal with that is why we are all different in our own ways. We are all special in his eyes and you can get through this tough time in your life and be happy with YOU again. Learn to love you for who you are not what you want to be. You have so many great things about you that you should be proud of. You will jump through any hoop for Melissa now it is time to start the show for you. She will be there for you cheering you on just like us. Keep up the great attitude. I know we forget what we really have in this life when we have so many things to deal with but lets not forget what we have to be thankful for and then we will stay on track and keep living this wonderful life that god gave us. You are always in my prayers as well.

I am doing great the scale is still up not moving. I exercise and it goes up I don't and it goes down 2 lbs. I am not going to worry about it. I was at 200 this morning. No I don't want to be there but I am doing great with my eating and exercise and it should eventually come off. I have a can of fruit and a wheat english muffin with 2 cups of milk for breakfast. A salad with FF dressing for lunch and my dinner. So I am getting a lot of fruits and veggies in that I wasn't doing before. I am probably not eating enough points because what I am eating is low in fat and cal. But I am eating throughout the whole day. I eat my salad while working and it usually takes me about 1-2 hours to finish it. That is why I am so full when I get home and I am not hungry for dinner. But eating slow like that keeps your metabolism up I think and I am not craving food which is a great thing. I am going to keep up what I am doing and hopefully it will come off.
My boss said we should have a challange starting in a month who can lose weight the fastest I said I am with you there but I am already working on it. He can't start until baseball is over with. Hopefully that will give me a great start. I am working out every other day for 30 min doing my aerobic tape.
Well the boys are finally better so they will be going back to daycare today. Ben finally cut one of his top teeth and the other is right behind it. He is done with the fevers but still in pain until it finally breaks through it should be through by the weekend. He was up and down all night then gave him motrin and put stuff on his gums and he finally fell asleep for the night at 3:30 am.LOL
Jesse is doing better also yesterday was the first day that he actually kept down stuff. He hasn't been keeping anything down all week. John said he talked all day yesterday so he is getting back to himself to. No sign of teeth for him yet. I think they are giving him a break for awhile now hopefully.
We were supposed to go camping today through sunday but I am going to call and change it to the first weekend in sept before school starts.
By the way the minister we had left finally and we have another one. I haven't met him yet but I hear he is visiting people and is apolozing to people about the whole situation in the church even though it wasn't his fault. He is having a meeting with a counseler and any members that want to come on the 17th so I am going to that. The other minister that is in the other church he went to our church since I can remember then became a minister. He died suddenly sunday so I have to go to the wake tonight and I am working until noon tomorrow so I can go to the funeral. I feel like I should go. I was going to have him baptise Jesse but I decided to wait. I waited too long. He had a stroke while visiting his son in pennsylvania. Still can't believe he is gone. I wasn't close with them but have known the family through church for all these years they are great people.
How is everyone else doing? I have to go get the diaper bags ready for the day and get out of here for work. Talk to you all later.

Sherri

Summer: It's very nice to meet you. I've found this board to be such a wonderful place or acceptance and inspiration.

Congrats on your weight loss. It can be very hard to loose weight, with all of lifes interruptions. But Penny is so right, it's up to us to choose what we will do with each day and to make the most of it. It's really up to us isn't it?

It's so nice to know that we have each other out there to cheering us on in all of lifes up and downs. Hopefully, the only downs we will all have for awhile is the scales going down!

Have a wonderful day ladies.

Susie

So far so good today. I've gotten some things done, slow but sure. Had to do the lawn while dh worked since he will be packing up the lawn mower this evening to take down to his moms house for the weekend. Other dd is going to the university there.....so she is living in that house. At least it is occupied and not sitting empty, plus it is only a mile from campus....very convenient. It was really hard on my leg and I feel I burnt quite a few calories just manuvering that thing around. Unfortunately I will be here alone with other dd and all the lifting and moving her around will fall on me. The lift is very cumbersome and takes a lot more time to use, but I think I will have to break down and do it. The weather should be nice, so that is something to look forward to.

Sherri, thanks again for your insightful words. That's right, kick my butt I bet it feels good for you to be back at work.....oh a challange from your boss......could be interesting. [just teasing] Sorry to hear about your minister, hope the new one will be good for the congregation. How often do you have Ben now?

Susie, hope your weigh in goes fine tonight and good that you haven't had and increase in appetite.

Oops, gotta go, dd's PT is here and were going to get her on her therapy ball. Talk later.......

HUGS, Summer