Grateful for the good things in my life. Pix Included

Hanfordrose

Our van is in the shop for some major repairs, but my hubbie wanted to make sure that I got my workout. Our housekeeper dropped Ed and I off at the gym, but it was Ed to made sure that I got home...and much more.

After I spent one hour swimming and a few minutes in the spa and sauna, it was time to head home. Ed suggested that we stop at Denny's for lunch, but all I kept thinking was, "How much do I weigh right now?" I just knew that the scale was going to be good to me today; but it wouldn't show me as good of a number, if I stopped for lunch first.

How do I know that I am married to a 'very special man', because he fully understood my thinking and came up with a solution. We were 3 long blocks away from our home, when we left the 24 Hour Fitness gym. Ed push me all that way home in my wheelchair, just so I could get dried off, weighed in and redressed to go to lunch. Then, he pushed me all the way back to the Denny's which is right across the shopping center from the gym.

After a nice lunch with leftovers for tonight, Ed began the second trip home. This time he decided to cut across the 4 lane Jess Ranch Parkway that leads to our senior, gated community. There is no marked crosswalk in that section of the Parkway, and the nearest marked insection was a block away in the wrong direction. So, Ed just pushed my wheelchair right into the road.

This is where things got interesting. There were no cars coming from the left and only 2 cars heading our way from the right. That's when I realized that one of them had lights on top. Yep. It was a local police patrol car.

We were in the middle of the road, when the voice over the loud speaker said, "I'm going to let you go this time; but the next time, go to the intersection to cross." Ed gave the policeman a thumbs up and pointed at his passenger in the wheelchair, like this was my idea. Later, he said to me as we were going down the sidewalk to our home, "How would he explain giving a ticket to an old man, pushing an old lady in her wheelchair across the street. Are they going to take away my pedestrian license?"

The rest of my day has been spent dealing with oversized clothes again. I just got a mail order containing some size large tops. It was definitely time to purge the closet again of all 2X tank tops and oversized blouses that I bought in the spring to replace my old 4X blouses.

I have one blouse that I really love in a size 22, but I know that it is now way too big for me. I didn't want to part with it. Then, it hit me..."Order it again in a smaller size." I got on the phone with Roamans, 'cause that's where I got it. After some searching, the young man on the phone found my blouse. He told me that size large (my current size) is a 16 in their catalog. Good news. They had my favorite blouse in a 16 ON SALE; so, I took it one step further. I ordered one in size 16 and one more in a size 14 as well. That 14 can stay in my closet for a little while. I know that I will be wearing it before long. To make things even better, I got a new parka for FREE. They had a special in the newest catalog..."Buy anything...and get the bright purple, winter parka for FREE." This was truly a great day.

I am so grateful today...for a great hubbie, a sweet housekeeper, a kind police man, a helpful young man on the phone, a free parka and...I even lost 0.4 pounds today. Yes, I am blessed. How about you? Are you grateful for something or someone today?

*****

By the way, here is my most recent comparison photo. The 2 photos on the right were taken by Ed, when we got home from lunch. That is one of my new size large tops that arrived this morning.



Here is another interesting photo. This shows my size 4X blouse with my size large tee shirt on top.



This photo shows my size 32 pants with my current size 16 pants on top. Yep. I am really shrinking.

melsy21

You've done very well, congratulations! You must feel so wonderful to "downsize" your clothing

bmskid

I love your story! You are doing a great job! And what a sweet husband you have. Before you know it, you'll be posting a picture in the 14!

JustLindaLou

Fantastic Sue! I love the comparison photos - the larges and 16s will not be yours for long either. I love your story and am so thankful you are sharing your journey with us - you inspire me every day!

Hanfordrose

You've done very well, congratulations! You must feel so wonderful to "downsize" your clothing

This is the fourth time that I have had to purge my closet of oversized clothes. Scary thing is that I just bagged up about 12 tank tops which were bought in April. Some still had the tags in them. I shrunk, before I could wear them.

Oh well. I know some ladies at our church that will be blessed this week with new and almost new tank tops and blouses. I also broke down and gave up a coat that is acres too big on me now. Afterall, I am getting a new parka in the mail soon that will actually fit me. :happy:

Johanne1957

Wow, what an amazing story....thank you for sharing and making me think of all the positives in my life also...

Your positiveness is contagious!

Good luck to you in all your current and future endeavors....

lgrahamtx

Wow! You have done so well, and your husband sounds like a sweetheart!

Hanfordrose

I am so GRATEFUL because we can replace roofs, tree's, grill's, gutter's, & patio furniture, but we cannot replace Sestina & Gabby!!! Thank God they are SAFE!

That's right, Sis. Thank God. Things can be replaced, but those precious people in our lives are priceless.

Hanfordrose

By the way, the 4X shirt and the size 32 pants are my keepers for future comparison. Last year, that was the outfit that I wore to my doctor's and surgeon's appointments. Everything else was getting too tight.

When I looked at the 'stretched out' waistband on those 32 pants today, it reminded me of how I felt last year. I was embarassed that I had literally stretched the elastic to it's limit. My belly and my butt were so big that I couldn't pull those pants up to my waist anymore.

As for the shirt, it was the lightest thing that I could wear. I couldn't button up my other blouses; so, I had to leave them open and wear a tank top to cover my belly. I didn't want to have on a blouse AND a tank top for my weigh in at those appointments, like that would really make a difference. I was so fat.

It still amazes me that I have lost my surgeon's required 70 pounds and more. I can now is that a normal body weight IS POSSIBLE for me. I am already thinking about a future in the 140's.

I mentioned that to Ed this morning; and he said with a big smile, "You will only be HALF the woman that I married. Will I need to get another 140 woman to make up for it?"

My response was simple, "Not, if you plan to live for much longer." :noway:

Gotta love my hubbie. He is always coming up with something funny to brighten my day.

karlalband

Sue

You inspire me everyday. You look fantastic. All your hard work is paying off. In your pictures I see such a difference and you just glow:flowerforyou:

sunnyhlw77

All I can say is Awesome! you have great determination! :flowerforyou:

booksgiver

Great way to show just how many inches you've lost by comparing your clothes. Like you, I was wearing a 3x top and 4x bottoms. I was thrilled when I was able to wear my size 22 pants again, but size 16 sounds impossible still. Maybe someday, and when I get there, why you'll probably be wearing size 10 or less at the rate you're going!

grho

Congratulations! That is some hard work and determination. I just love to read your posts, they always make me smile. Keep up the great work.

Hanfordrose

Great way to show just how many inches you've lost by comparing your clothes. Like you, I was wearing a 3x top and 4x bottoms. I was thrilled when I was able to wear my size 22 pants again, but size 16 sounds impossible still. Maybe someday, and when I get there, why you'll probably be wearing size 10 or less at the rate you're going!

You're going to get there, Sis. Just keep "putting one foot in front of the other", and the mile and pounds will pass away.

As for size 10, I don't remember ever being that size. Maybe, that size occurred back in 1964, when I joined the Navy. I weighed 135 for about a week. Then, I started putting it right back on and ended up on the Pudgy Plattoon. Not a good place to be in boot camp. :noway:

My final weight goal will be somewhere in the 140's. I don't think that is a size 10, but we will have to see.

Godispromising

I love to read everything you write. I am thankful for you and all my friends and family. I am thankful that we are all healthier. I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful that I could go out and walk today. I am thankful that God gave us another day to be thankful for. Much love to you & everyone!!!!

floridared

You are to be commended for your weight loss. Congrats on making it to Onederland. You are an inspiration to me and I am sure so many others. I can't wait to compare clothing sizes :-)

RekindledRose

I love reading your posts! You and your husband make me happy every day.

thesophierose

You're doing so well!!

ChelleBalady

Great day, congratulations on your weight loss journey.

erinxo13

this is awesome, you're doing great!

WDA4655

You are so encouraging to me and I am thankful to have you as my friend. Thanks for another inspirational and thought provoking post.

I am thankful for my hubby. Yesterday we were suppose to go to the beach and I would have had my 30 minute walk and 60 minute swim but as we pulled into the parking lot of the beach it dawned on me that I left the stove on where I was cooking dry black beans for our dinner. So we had to turn around and go home. Thankfully they didn't burn or burn the condo down. John knew I wanted to get in my exercise so he said why don't we just go down to the Dunedon Causeway so I could walk over the bridge, because by the time we head back to the beach we would not have that much time before the rain rolled in. I am thankful for a thoughtful hubby too.

I am also thankful for my son whom I had a long talk with, too. He told me that he so appreciated Daddy (my first husband Dom) and me, for raising him up right and he was sorry for all the hard times he gave us. As a father of a 2 year old his finally viewing things from a different perspective.

I am also thankful for my mom too. We were reminising on days of when my brother sister and I were kids and my mom would say, Just wait til I tell your father what you did. Dad worked on a tug boat and was away 2 weeks at a time and then home 2 weeks. Mom would be on the phone telling him how we were cutting up and he would tell mom, just tell them wait til I get home and I will straighten you kids out. Mom & I just laughed because when he got home he never did anything. He was a very happy and light going father/man and mom was the one whom the "buck stop here". I'm thankful that I have a mom and dad who raised my brother, sisters and I up right.

jojo37696

you are awesome Sue

sarahthin

You always make me smile and give me something to think about. Today you reminded me that I have to get that pile of clothes out of the closet and to the consignment shop.

SIMONERENEEINCABININTHESKY

I'm grateful for everything rain or shine

jkal1979

You look amazing!

Thank you so much for sharing your stories with us, I find myself always looking for them when I check this forum. Your positive attitude is very contagious.

TXEXrunner

Congratulations on your accomplishment. And thanks for sharing the story!! Best of luck on the next phase of your journey and your new goals!