On Joining the Club

For a very, very long time I longed to join the club of women I experienced every day.  They were a diverse group, some older than I, some younger - belonging to a group that I just wanted to be a part of so badly.  There was nothing I could do to meet the initiation requirements of this club - I just had to wait.  That was the hardest, the waiting and not being able to join.

On September 4, 2010 I finally, finally earned my place in their ranks.

At 6:42 p.m. that evening I became a mother.  Suddenly, in the bowels of Detroit International Airport my initiation was complete, and my son was placed in my arms. It was amazing.  It was everything that I had imagined it could be, an more.  I had joined the club.

Today marks my second Mother's Day, the second time I get to celebrate joining this group of women.  My husband and son (and my Mom!) made me feel so special, appreciated and cherished today, even more so than on other days.  We celebrated well today.

In all the joy and celebrating this day now holds for me, I want to be clear that I have not forgotten the sisterhood from which I came.  I have not forgotten the tears and heartbreaking emptiness this day brought for oh-so-long.  While I celebrated today, I also cried for the women for whom it is not yet time for Motherhood.  I cried remembering the feeling of missing someone - some little person I had not even met - and then feeling like I was crazy missing someone I didn't know.  It's not crazy.  It's part of being a mother.

To my sisters in waiting I want to share this.
It's worth it.  It is amazingly, beautifully, worth it.

Weekly Weigh In - Week 7

I received an e-mail this week that made me feel like some of you reading think I have this all together.

Let me assure you I don't.  If I did, I would no longer have 64 pounds to lose.  (Yep, another week with no loss, but no gain either) I struggle daily, sometimes hourly with this.  As I have looked back over the last almost two months and realized something important.

The weeks I have felt the most in control of this journey, the most aware, and had the best results were the weeks where I was focused not on myself, but on my Creator.  Where I focused more on glorifying God with this journey than on the number on the scale.  Those were my best weeks. I think I need more of those weeks.  

Next up, the promised recipes!  

First up - No Bake Energy Balls

The Ultimate Test

Last year for Christmas (2010) my Father-In-Law gave me a great gift - a Kindle with a light in the cover.  (mostly because I like to read before going to sleep, and Steve isn't thrilled with keeping the light on "Until all hours of the night".)

Let me go back to explain - I love to read.  I love books.  I love to feel the weight of the book in my hands, and feel the pages creak open.  I loved leaving the library with more books than I could carry. I also like to read favorite books over and over again, they are like old friends.  The story doesn't change, and is a comfort in a crazy world.  They are predictable.

I was not thrilled with the idea of electronic books.  I resisted for a long time.  Then I caved.  Then came the gift.  And it was wonderful.  (Just a note, Amazon offers an ever changing list of free books.  Of the 400+ books I have currently on my Kindle I have only paid for maybe three of them)

I was curious how the e-version of my favorites would compare to my paper versions, but too frugal to actually purchase a favorite that I already had in my collection just to test.  Last week I had my chance. One of my favorite, favorite books was offered free on the Kindle Free List.

Finally I could answer my question - which was better.

The answer - they are both pretty darn great.  I enjoyed reading my old friend electronically just as much as reading her in paper format.  Score one for the Kindle.

(In case you are wondering, my book is "Kissing Aidren" by Siri Mitchell.  Her stories are fantastic)

Weekly Weigh In - Week 6

Over all it was a good week - My husband and my 9th anniversary for starts!  9 Years!  We celebrated by going out to a nice dinner. And boy did we enjoy ourselves!

I didn't loose this week, but I didn't gain.  I am actually losing a little motivation - any tips on that?

Also, the votes were split this week on the recipe - so we will start with the No-Bake Energy Balls, next week will be the Buffalo Chicken Salad and the week after will be the Quiche.
How about you guys - any success stories?