ObesityHelp

 I woke up early this morning ... oh wow... I should say yesterday morning instead since it is today's morning now ... wow ... how fast time goes by ...

It was my turn (Al and I) to serve hot breakfast at the outreach center and I had been preoccupied with mouth issues that I totally forgot ... As soon as I woke up to wash my face and hit the treadmill running as it was freezing out and still too much ice on the ground Al reminded me ... we gathered our things together real quick and went out there.. and as happens every single time a feeling that I cannot describe with words comes over me and I start to think about the word outreach and the significance that comes to me is REACH OUT .... 

What was so special about this morning 2/5/2011? it is special to me because this day marks 4 years since I have WLS ... yes .. it is my 4th Surgiversary ... in my rush to get out to the outreach center I remembered my special day and as I did my hair I looked in the mirror straight into my eyes ... and I was trying mightily to find something different and all I could see in that mirror looking back at me was ME ... because the definition of ME is not in the size of my body or of my clothing ... the definition of me is what lies within me ...and all day long all I could do was bring myself into remembrance and as far back as I could go I remember such happy and fulfilling moments at every stage of my life .. coupled with a bit of tears and a bit of pain I can truly say that my life has been good ...  and I have been happy and truly blessed...

I look at my yesterday and I remember all the things I love to do ... things that I can do more of now with increased mobility and remission of all co-morbidities thanks to WLS and strict adherence to program... 

I thought I should celebrate my Surgiversary ... I came home and had to rush back out to a shower and after that I had to rush out to an event for the American Heart Assoc. when I got back in the house I was pooped and in pain ... so much so that I had to take meds which I hate .. and now in the wee hours of the following morning I celebrate my surgiversary remembering all the things I love to do and still do tenfold today ... there is nothing new under the sun for me ... when I look in the mirror despite size or hidden gums now all I see is ME .. the person who I have ALWAYS been...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE making bassinets and gift baskets for the young mothers who come to our outreach center and still do today...

I love rounding up things for the care baskets all year round and I go to the consignment shops and pick up the bassinets and the re-cover them with new fabric and ribbons and lace replacing all cushioning and pillows ... I try hard to always have one available so as not to forget anyone.. I CRIED  WHEN THEY GAVE ME THAT HUGE CARD FOR MOTHER'S DAY ... 




I remember sitting down with a book after a strenuous day much as I do now after returning from the gym ... and I remember my dufus DH being as goofy as ever to take my picture with me picking at my nose ... as I remembered I also remembered the numerous wedding gowns I sewed and still do like in the collage where not only did I do the brides dress but also her hair and dressed her in my own room too.. there goes my before with my parrot Tally who I soooooooooo loved and me making dolls the soft body dolls and also the paper dolls ... see? I am no one else but me... so I help myself in remembrance of all the things I did and can do more of now...


As I remembered I also remembered my happiest moments ... my beautiful wedding with Al with all my friends and my DD and DS who all participated and everyone had such a wonderful time ... and I sewed each and every dress including my two aunts the one in blue and the one in lighter pink .. I held my wedding day ... me a fat bride and my DH with both his limbs and strong and healthy until years after when his kidneys failed ... and I stood by him and always will..




I LOVED that Al did all the cooking and I did all the sewing and baskets and bouquets and boutuniers  ... we had sooooooooo much fun ... I hold me in remembrance...I made my own wedding gown and those of all my bridesmaids with such love I never once felt tired it was like a charge of energy with each dress.... here is me sitting on my bed in my unfinished dress that I beaded by hand..and me in the bottom picture getting larger and larger each year putting on the pounds .. and as today wherever you see me at home you WILL SEE a serger and a sewing machine....


Oh yes I am celebrating my 4th surgiversary just remembering ... remembering the celebration of my daughters fiesta quinceañera .... her coming out party at the age of 15 as we celebrate in my country ... I made her dress and the dresses of all her friends .... and I made a collage of her very own party as well as parties in which she participated both her and my son and in all of  them I made ALL the dresses...
MY beautiful DD Fiesta Quinceañera, her cake and her chamberlain her cousin Hasson and my DS her brother....


She had a huge party with live band at the Coamo Social Club there was tons of food and dancing till you dropped ... here I am dancing with the chamberlan in the bottom picture...


Both DD and DS got to participate in several fiestas de 15 as their friends turned 15 too ... they were always asked to participate and I was asked to make the dresses... I made all the dresses in the pictures below where both my DD and DS are also part of the party... the young man in white with the arrow pointing to him and the young man escorting the girl in pink in the picture on the right is none other than my DS... what a ham... LOL and there he goes also in the pictures with the purple dresses standing beside his sister also... 


I love outreach today as much as I did yesterday ... from bringing my pets in and sharing their love ... to making bassinets ... to cooking for those who may be in need ... I love love love to give ... not that I have it like that ... giving is not about abundance nor excess .. when in lack I give my talent because it makes me happy...

Lawd look how big my butt was ... that is me preparing a meal for center  and me in other activities ... those are the things that make me happy ... YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND UNTIL I DIE ... when I look in the mirror I see me ... smaller in proportions but I still have the heart of yesterday in my body of today...

I will post my after pictures in the morning because I am about to go to la la land now and it is 3:37 am...

HAPPY 4TH YEAR SURGIVERSARY TO ME - I AM MAINTAINING FOR LIFE ... I KNOW WHAT TO DO BEING MINDFUL OF MY INPUT AND OUTPUT I HAVE HAD NO REGAIN AND NO STRUGGLES SO FAR.... I AM GRATEFUL...

at the end of a long day I crash in my beautiful bedroom that I have all to myself ... this is me on the way to shedding the pounds ... a few months out... in my bedroom ready to crash for the night..



THIS WAS ME AT WORK YESTERDAY...


AND ME AT WORK THE DAY BEFORE...