kwinkleman

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I want to start by saying....I really am not crazy LOL.  I feel like I am always trying to change something, fix something, do something....DIFFERENT!  I guess that phrase "Life, Liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness" rings very true in my life.  I am always pursuing happiness to the point that I am tired.  I chase it, stalk it, I search for it high and low, I go on hunting expeditions trying to find it.  Why?  Because I feel that it truly is out there we just have to be determined and patient enough to go get it.

Those of you who have followed my story know that I have made some major changes since I had RNY in 2010.  From losing over 140 pounds to moving to a different city, to leaving an unhealthy relationship, to having another child.  I am all about change LOL...not really.  Change scares the heck out of me but I am so darn hard headed that I refuse to put up with the drama or misery anymore.  A few years about (before I lost weight) I would put up with any and everything.  I stayed in bad relationship, worked dead end jobs, allowed myself to be the doormat to anyone that needed to wipe their feet.  It is amazing how losing a few pounds can give you a boost in the self-esteem department.

So what is it that I want to change now???  Well I want to change my career focus.  I have said this in other posts and it is still very true today...I believe that people should be able to do what they reasonably enjoy for  a living.  I know that every job has its ups and downs but I believe that if an individual follows their heart and their true desire and works somewhere that they truly enjoy they will be happier (in general).  Does that sound crazy?  My dad loved his career, he had perfect attendance every day for over 30 years!!!  I woke up this morning and thought about every single reason that I could call in sick.  But then I remembered that my boss is out of town...again so I got up and came to work.  It is stressful to worry about why you don't want to go to work instead of being excited or at least "ok" with getting up and going to work.  Who wants to be miserable all day Monday-Friday?  Not me.  And don't get me wrong...I am not miserable at my current job.  I enjoy what I do to a certain degree but it is not where my heart is.  I don't have a passion for it.  I cannot see myself in 20 years bragging about how I have been on this job for so many years like some people do when they talk about their jobs.

So what so I want to do?  Well for years I have had a calling to be in the medical field.  Since I graduated high school in 1998 I wanted to be a nurse.  But life led me down a different path.  So now...many moons later I feel like I might as well give it a try.  Not necessarily a nurse but more along the lines of a medical assistant.  I found a great accredited certificate program.  It is 10 months long and the school is a testing center and they pay for the certification test after I graduate.  Sounds great right??!!  I thought so too, but classes are from 6pm-10pm Monday through Friday.  Let me also mention that I work Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm and I have two wonderful boys...one who is 7 months old and one who is 9 years old. 

I have been going back and forth on whether or not I am ready to make the sacrifice.  It is only 10 months...piece of cake right??  But at the same time I know how much the boys can grow in 10 months.  But it isn't like I am leaving the country for 10 months...I will still be there to wake them up every morning and I will still be off on weekends...minus homework time.  But is it worth it?  Will they resent the fact that I am gone?  Will I have major regrets?  I hate regrets.  I totally dislike looking back and wishing I had done things differently.  I try to be completely ok with every major decision I make.  Looking back and wishing you could change things is not fun.  I don't want the 10 months to go by and my son to not even know that I am his mother.  But at the same time...I am not getting any younger.  At 33 years old I feel like it is time to make a decision and go with it.  All this jumping back and forth from this to that isn't going to cut it.  Especially since I really want to do this.

Let me also add that my oldest son (who's school just called me...literally) has been acting out lately.  He will be 10 years old in August so his behavior is completely unacceptable but as a single mom I have spoiled and sheltered him BIG TIME!!!  He thinks that he can get away with murder and just cry and pout about it and everything will be fine.  He is disrespectful at school, after school, when he goes to a babysitter, and he is even disrespectful with me.  I give in to him way too much simply to keep the arguing and bickering to a minimum.  That is completely my fault so I do take responsibility for that.  I don't want to do anything that is going to make things worse. 

 

Decisions decisions.......

Is it really almost Christmas already??  LOL my how the time does fly.  I have been MIA for a while, with moving, new job, new baby, trying to get back into some type of routine....which is still a work in progress time has literally gotten away from me.  It dawned on me a few weeks ago that I completely missed my TWO year surgiversary....not sure how that happened.  Two years, I can still remember my first informational meeting and how anxious and nervous I was that my insurance wouldn't approve me.  And now two whole years have went by and so much has changed!!

What have I learned?  Well I learned that I deserve to be happy, I learned that taking care of myself is the #1 goal, and I learned that being alone (single) isn't all that bad after all.  I do have two amazing boys who keep me super busy so I am never really alone.  I have learned that I have to love myself first.  AND most importantly I have learned that at no point in time will I ever be perfect.....and you know what???  Thats ok!  I wasn't born perfect, I don't know anybody that was.  I ballooned up to 301 pounds....that is no where near "perfect" in most peoples eyes.  And then now to step on the scale and it says between 155-160 I still don't feel "perfect" but I am satisfied.  Some people look at me and say I have lost too much weight, some look at me and say I could lose 20-30 more pounds.  But what really matters is that I am healthy, and I am ok with my weight.  Are there things that I would like to change or fix?  HECK yes!  I despise my stomach and my sagging chest LOL, I also miss my behind....this chair gets harder and harder everyday!  But at this point in my life I don't want to undergo any more surgeries, and I can't financially afford to go have plastic surgery and the things that I dislike are not hurting me health wise so why worry about it?  Self acceptance is huge in my life now.  I have focused on other things, I have a nice new hair cut that I am trying to keep up with.  I found this super awesome new curly hair product (if you have curly hair...you gotta try Miss Jessie's Quick Curls) that works wonders.  I have changed my wardrobe up a little bit.  All positive steps. 

I am also happy with my routine.  I wake up every morning which is a blessing in itself, I am able to get my kids ready for the day, I feel that they are safe while I am working, and in the evening I am able to cook and just be a mom.  I have heard horror stories about individuals gaining so much weight back after having WLS, and I pray that doesn't happen to me.  At two years out I can say that while I do still have some tummy issues I am happy with my decision.  It has completely changed my entire life.  I do still have things to work on....like my diet.  I have found that I snack more...sweets, cookies, cakes, things that I already know I shouldn't have....and the other day I ate an entire 6" sub from Subway...minus the top bread....who even knew that was possible??!?!?!?!?!  I sure didn't.  And I don't plan on doing it again even through I didn't feel any pain or discomfort I just personally feel like it was too much at one time.  I also want to start adding a better vitamin and a protein shake into my daily routine somewhere.  Maybe a shake for an on the go breakfast or something.

I am more social, I will talk to people, engage in conversations.  I can't say that I have really made a ton of friends here but I have made work associates, made some business contacts, and I am more outgoing and communicate with the clients better.  So basically what am I trying to say?  LOL, well I am thankful for another Christmas and Holiday Season.  I am thankful to be able to come here and write about it.  I am thankful for the progress and the journey and consider it a life changing learning experience.  And I look forward to 2013 and hearing more and more success stories, and being more active on the site and continuing the journey!

I woke up this morning thinking about food as usual and kicking myself for getting up in the middle of the night and eating those 5 chicken nuggets....but dang it they were good!!! 
While I was kicking myself down the hallway I thought to myself that maybe I wouldn't crave this stuff if I was eating more healthy "alternatives" to the junk that I am craving.  Chocolate is a big one for me.  I told my boss yesterday that we should have chocolate breaks...do I need a chocolate break? NO, if chocolate was in the office would I sit here and eat it till I was sick?  Yes.  So a chocolage break is probably not a good idea LOL.  But if I am craving chocolate there has to be some "alternative" that can give me the taste that I am wanting without the calories.  Then I thought there just might be healthier "alternatives" to most of the things that I have been craving.  For instance, the other day I was talking about the English Muffin and cream cheese.  Ok, so bread kills my stomach and makes me bloat...so it is not the bread that I want....it is the yummy cream cheese.  So why not have maybe some celery with fat free cream cheese?  I love the onion and chive cream cheese, regular fat is 80 calories in 2 tablespoons, the fat free is only 30 calories in 2 tablespoons.  Plus if I am eliminating the muffin (which isn't sweet...so why do they call it a muffin?), I am also eliminating those calories as well so I could just go head and have the regular full fat (full flavor) cream cheese.  And then the chocolate...as I was scouring through the cabinets I found a package of chocolate fudge sugar free fat free Jell-O pudding mix.  So I made it (of course) with fat free milk and to my surprise it actually had a great chocolate taste....who would have ever guessed LOL.  Only 80 calories per serving.  I think I personally am going to look into finding more of these healthy lower calorie alternatives.  I read one online this morning for pizza....which called for a corn tortilla topped with fresh tomatoes, cheese, and veggies then popped in the toaster oven till melted.  I don't remember the calories and I guess it really depends on the type of cheese used but it sounds pretty good.  AND as an added bonus the corn tortilla is thin....and eliminates the bread crust that upsets my pouch.  
So what is my point?  That I believe a balance is going to take time, research, and preparation....something that I should have started almost 2 years ago when I first had the surgery.  But I will admit that I took the easy route.  I wasn't hungry before so not eating a lot or certain things was simple....that not hungry feeling has gone far far away....and maybe it is mental but still it is there.  I wish I would have had this conversation with myself 2 years ago but I guess it is better now than never

Happy Monday   It is a stormy start to the work week here in "not so sunny Florida" with Isaac moving through it is suppose to be stormy all week.  I feel a storm cloud over my relationship with food as well.  You would think that with my surgery being almost 2 years old (11-29-10) I would have already developed a healthy relationship with food WRONG!!!
I LOVE to eat.  I am sure that is the #1 reason that I ballooned up to 301 pounds before I had gastric bypass, and I feel like I have written this blog post before but it is as true today as it was the last time I visited this subject.  I love food.  I love sweets, savory foods, sauces, candys, ice cream, I want it all.....and then I pay for it by spending hours in the bathroom (TMI) and by having a not so happy trip to the scale.  I can say that when I went to the doctor this past Friday I weighed in at 158 pounds!!!!!  That puts my total weight loss at 143 pounds!!!  So I am blessed and very happy with my progress but I also know that at almost 2 years out the weight is NOT going to just continue to fall off and I AM going to have to work hard to maintain.  This hard work will have to be with both my diet and my exercise....both of which I struggle with.  I feel like if I restrict my diet too much then I am doomed to fail. A friend of mine who had the surgery in August 2010 is preparing for plastic surgery, and her surgeon told her that she isn't suppose to have more that 2 grams of fat per meal...WHAT?  Is she suppose to eat air and water all day???  I don't understand how this can 1) be accurate information and 2) be reasonable.  There is more that 2 grams of fat in just about everything except air and water....and some of the flavorings that we add to our water has more that 2 grams of fat.  When she told me this and I literally saw the look of despiration on her face it hit me that I too have to start thinking about "maintenance" and how I am going to maintain my new way of living.  Honestly to this point it has been a struggle and it continues to be so.  I have given myself a new goal weight of 150.  My original goal weight was 180....I am hoping that I will be happy at 150.  My doctor thinks that is a good number and he was very pleased to see that my high blood pressure that creeped up on me during pregnancy had completely gone away.  He was not so pleased to see that my Iron was still extremely low so I am on an Iron supplement 3 times a day now.  The number on the scale isn't as important as how I feel and how healthy I am.  Currently I feel like crap which I am sure just adds to the stress.  Why?? Well because I have this amazing little guy named Masen who doesn't like to sleep through the night.  And someone has spoiled him....not sure who but I would like to beat that person LOL (me).  He loves to be held, walked, doesn't even consider sleeping in his own bed, and he has this habit of smiling at me when I am at that point of pulling my hair out.  That smile somehow makes me feel all better until I get to work and realize just how completely tired I am.  Anyway the purpose of my rambling is to say that I am on a journey to have a healthy relationship with food.  I started a new 'diet' today, so I had a hard boiled egg and some mild cheddar cheese for breakfast.  I went in to the kitchen area at work and saw english muffins, cinnamon swirl bread, cream cheese, yogurt GRRRRRRR Of course I want one of everything with extra cream cheese.  But instead I made my cup of coffee and came back to my office totally and completely ticked off LOL.  Why do I want the things that I know are only going to a) make me feel miserable and b) are not good for me?  Yes the yogurt isn't bad, but it wasn't greek yogurt so really I can do with out.....especially since I just ate my breakfast like 10 mins ago.  Am I hungry? NO, but it looks good and I know that it tastes good so I want it.  Temptation is not very nice!!!
It is hard to say to myself that my lettuce salad is so much better than that slice of pizza....when I already know that the slice of pizza is AMAZING!  So where is the balance, how do you come to a happy medium?  I think for me it is going to be- everything in moderation.  Ok so if I want a slice of pizza I can have it.  But then I KNOW that I have to eat right the rest of the week and hit the gym for some cardio.  Is the pizza still worth it?  Maybe yes and maybe no. The english muffin with extra cream cheese is so not worth it right now.  Balance.  I hate when someone tells me I can't have this or can't have that....that just makes me (being hardheaded) want it even more.  So if I am craving ice cream, why can't I go have some nonfat yogurt?  If I want pizza, who not have 1 slice of thin crust with just cheese and only eat 1/2 the crust (since bread is my enemy)?  If I want a cheeseburger (which hopefully won't happen since I am not eating beef), but why not have a turkery burger patty, or a Boca burger?  I believe it is going to be a give and take 50/50 relationship....or at least that is what I am hoping for.  

Anyway....food for thought for this Monday morning.

I totally hate negativity.  I try so hard to not be negative, I have been trying to surround myself with only positive people, and literally RUN for negativity.  I have been shown over and over and over again that if you stay positive things usually work out.  I usually don't mention religion or politics....simply because they are such touchy topics and I would never want to offend anyone but I honestly believe that God always provides a way to those who truly seek it.  I have been totally down and out and thought that I was ready to give up and something always happens to give me a "way"out of the bad/negative situation.  Whether it is a financial situation, a situation with my weight, with relationships/friendships, whatever it might be a "way" always seems to be provided if I just take the time and determination to look.  With that being said I also believe that negativity is always lurking right around the corner and I believe that misery does love company.  
So while I don't have a scale at my house right now (lost it in the move) I can tell that I have lost a little more weight. My clothes fit looser, I have on a size medium shirt on right now which I never thought would happen so I can tell that things are still moving in the right direction.  I went and got a new hair cut yesterday....super short for me as I usually keep my hair below my shoulders, but as a new mom (again) I simply don't have the time, so I am embracing change and cut it all off LOL.  Then negativity reared its ugly head in the form of a not so nice comment....someone tells me "you use to be cute and sexy BEFORE you lost all that weight"!!!!!!!!!!  WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!  Sometimes it is best to keep what you are thinking to YOURSELF!!!!!  That should have been done in this situation.  OK, every one has a right to their opinion but does that mean that you can just allow garbage to fly out of your mouth anytime you want? I don't think so (and maybe I am wrong).  I don't like everything about every body that I see every single day but I don't go up to them and tell them my thoughts/opinions.  I don't even do that to my closest friends.  If I don't like something that is my problem not theirs, now I will tell my good friends my opinion on things but never in a blunt harsh manner.  Maybe it isn't necessairly WHAT you say but more HOW you say it.  

I think that the TRUE reason/meaning for most of us who have had WLS is lost.  Yes I wanted to be smaller, yes I wanted to be able to shop in the regular clothing section and not the plus size section, yes I wanted to be noticed more, yes I wanted to "fit in" to what society has made acceptable, BUT most importantly I wanted to be healthy.  I hated walking up a small flight of stairs and being completely out of breath and sweating like I had just ran a mile.  I hated hearing that my blood pressure was somewhat high, I hated seeing the diabeties commercials or having to sit and listen to my doctor lecture me about all the things that could happen if I didn't lose the weight, I hated not being able to go out and play with my son.  I remember sitting in the initial information seminar for WLS at the hospital and the surgeon came out and gave his speech and showed all the statistics, and then he flashed a photo of a very overweight man, it was the mans "before" photo.  The next slide showed the same man after surgery a few years out and he had lost a TON of weight, he didn't have a shirt on and you could see the loose skin and I remember one lady making a noise and a comment about how bad he looked.  The doctor then said that he didn't care HOW the man looked what he cared about was the fact that he had lost over 100 pounds, and that he was off ALL his medications, his blood pressure was in normal range, he was working out 2-3 times a week, eating healthy, and enjoying life for the first time in his life.  I have to sit and think back to that moment a lot myself because I too get caught up in the "image".  I want cosmetic plastic surgery but I have to remind myself that the TRUE reason for going through this process was to get my life back.  To be HEALTHIER more than anything.  So when I hear a comment like "you was cute and sexy before you lost weight" I think-while that may be true, I also was closer to an earlier death and there is nothing cute or sexy about that.

WOW, I can honestly say that I have missed being on this site!!!!!!  And I am very happy to be back.  I took a little break from everything LOL.  Baby Masen was born July 1, 2012 at 9:22pm, he was 7pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches long.  Today he is over 9 pounds and 23 inches long so he is a healthy growing boy.  I have posted a photo of him in my "photos" section.  He is such a joy and a blessing.  My c-section was scheduled for July 2nd....but he decided he wanted to meet the outside world a little early.  I can now say that contractions SUCK LOL, I never had any labor pains with my son Alex, nothing.  So when I had that first real contraction I knew that it was time to go to the hospital ASAP.  But it was all worth it and I can laugh about it now.  Everyone says that Masen is going to be something else seeing that he couldn't even wait a few more hours till the 8am appointment on the 2nd. LOL
I am happy to say that I moved from the city I was in....took the new job.....and things are going GREAT!!!!!!!!! Those who read my older blog postings will clearly see that the move and leaving those negative relationships and people behind was a struggle, especially when I found out that I was pregnant but something told me to just give it a try so we moved in May and have enjoyed it in our new city. My son Alex has made new friends, he is looking forward to starting the 3rd grade later this month.  Masen has fit right into our routine and has added such joy and love to our family.....although he will add even more when he sleeps all night long .  
The new job is very positive and me and my boss, who also happens to be a good friend, get along great.  Of course there are hectic days but the good days out-weight the bad which is what I was missing from my last job.  My departure from my previous employer was not pretty. My boss took it really hard, said some really mean and completely unprofessional things, but I stayed for my full 2 weeks and then ran LOL.  He has not really ever apologized, it honestly was more like a really bad breakup than an employee resigning which is crazy because there was never anything romantic about our relationship.  But he was mad and said hurtful things just like when a couple breaks up, it was a little crazy.  My co-workers all told me that he was just hurt, shocked maybe, but I honestly tried to be open and upfront about the issues I was having but there were never any solutions just broken promises....again something like a really bad relationship LOL. Lord knows I have had enough of those for 2 lifetimes.

WEIGHT LOSS:  Well when I found out I was pregnant I was 4 weeks along and weighed 173 pounds....right before I had Masen I was 207 I was heartbroken as I had promised myself I would NEVER be in the 200's again. But everyone kept assuring me that it would come back off and at that point it was more important to get the calories needed to be sure that Masen was healthy.  At my last post baby appointment I weighed 162!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WOOHOO, I was not a healthy eater during this pregnancy.  I stopped counting calories and basically ate what I wanted but in smaller portions....even the unhealthy stuff like the Snickers bars, cookies, Chinese food....which I craved like crazy with both pregnancies.  And for the past month since having Masen I have pretty much been doing the same thing....but something hit me this morning and I decided that it was time to get back to my routine and moving towards my new goal of 150.  So I re-downloaded my calorie food tracker, and packed a super healthy breakfast, lunch, and snack for while I am at work and I am really going to try and stick with it and lose these last 12 pounds.  I have TWO amazing reasons to work hard and try to be the best most healthy Kathy I can be....and those 2 reasons are named Alex and Masen. I made really stupid decisions before and I don't know if it comes with getting ready to turn 33 or the fact that I am now a single mother of two, but something has changed!  My outlook has changed, my priorities have changed, my way of thinking has changed.  Where I use to always but others (outsiders) boyfriends first I now realize that there are other so much more important things that I need to focus my time and energy on. I use to spend so much time thinking and worrying about my ex and our failing relationship and what I could do to try and make it better that I didn't have time or energy to focus on anything else and it literally took over my entire life.  Now I don't know if it is from the lack of sleep or the new location, new baby, new job, or what but those things rarely even cross my mind.  Of course he and I still communicate because he is Masen's father but our conversations are now very short and to the point.  I give him baby updates and we get off the phone. There is simply nothing else for us to talk about.  And I am OK with that its an amazing feeling!!

Sometimes I think it is necessary to take a break and truly THINK about what it is that YOU want.  What makes YOU happy, and what YOU want to do with your life.  That is what I have been doing for the last month or so, an I am pleasantly surprised in the changes that I have put into place for myself and my family. 
First on the weight loss home front I have gained 20 pounds!  Hearing that whole TWENTY POUNDS....20 pounds....20# literally sent me straight into a crying fit.  But I realize that the baby is due late June/early July so weight gain is expected.  I can physically tell that I have gained in my thighs...tummy of course, and lower legs.  Surpisingly I think it has been contained to my lower body LOL.  I was afraid that my face was going to gain a lot back.  All my coworkers/friends always make comments about how it seems all 20 pounds are in my tummy.  I can tell that my legs have gained weight or stay somewhat swollen simply by the way it feels when I try to cross my legs or the way my pants fit.  Shirts all still fit the same....with added tummy tightness.  I finally broke down and bought one maternity shirt and a pair of maternity shorts.  I had put off buying a lot of tighter clothes before I found out I was pregnant so luckly I can still wear a lot of the pants that I was wearing before.  They fit now where they were super baggy before.  Such an ironic turn of events.  I went from watching every calorie and cleaning out my closet to buy nothing but tight sexy summer clothes.  To still watching every calorie but in a different manner, to buying maternity clothes, to holding onto those clothes that were all baggy before.  I am so excited about the birth of my 2nd son....Masen and about getting back to weight loss.  I would really like to lose around 40-50 pounds, and surpisingly I am confident that I can at least get close to that goal.  I use to doubt myself so much when it came to weight loss, but I really think that my determination is hight this time.  I was really on a roll when I found out I was pregnant and all that had to be put on hold.  Then when I was 2-3 months along and was still losing weight I got worried and uped my calorie intake....which of couse led to some weight coming back but at this point I don't eat to survive, I eat to nourish my body and provide nourishment for baby.  I am not going to lie....I have cravings like there is no tomorrow.  It is for random stuff though.  I crave fish, or shirmp.  The other night all I wanted was a crab cake LOL, last night it was rotisserie chicken from Boston Market.  I have had those cravings for ice cream, cookies, cake, I have been seriously wanting a cupcake...but haven't given into that one yet.  Yogurt....I crave yogurt all the time LOL.  So it isn't all bad stuff all the time which is a blessing.  Most random craving....besides the one crab cake was saltine crackers with american cheese and honey mustard.  Everyone thought I had lost my mind but if you haven't tried it....it is pretty darn good!
On to other things....I decided that a change was needed.  I am telling you weight loss surgery makes you change your way of thinking on just about everything.  So I haven't been  happy in my current job position for a while now.  The work is not the issue, it never has been.  The high school petty office drama is too much to handle though.  I work in a high stress position where attention to detail is vital.  It is too frustrating to be working on the file of a dead child and have a coworker being difficult all at the same time.  I know that every job has its ups and downs, but there should be more ups than downs.  And the downs shouldn't be all day everyday.  It has just become too much to deal with.  I find myself literally going home, and going straight to bed.  That isn't fair to myself or my son.  When I noticed that my attitude with him was changing for the worse I knew that it was time for a change!  So I am  happy to say that on April 29th I am moving to Jacksonville from Gainesville and I am starting a new job.  I will still be working in the legal field but moving from wrongful death back to personal injury/soft tissue cases.  It will basically be my show....to run and manage on my own which is very exciting.  Moving to a new city is very exciting.  My new apartment is 20 mins from the beach....that is super exciting LOL, there is a gym right down the street, plenty of places to walk, activities for the kids.  So all in all I am excited about the move and about a different job/city, the whole 9 yards.

Hello blogging friends!!!!!!!!  I finally got my laptop back and internet at my new place so I should be able to post more often again....I have honestly missed it.  On the weight loss side things have been rough.  It is so hard to have pregnancy hormones and be hungry yet at the same time trying to not over eat and dealing with the unbelievable bloating.....which by the way no one knows what causes or how to help.  I had a gastro tell me that even if they could figure it out there is nothing they could give me.....so basically I am left to just suffer it out.  I have gained around 10-15 pounds and I can so tell.  I can't wait to have baby and get back on track.

So my thoughts of the day have actually been thoughts I have been having for about a month now.  How do you find Happiness?  What makes you happy?  I think I have posted about this before but it is something that I think about a lot so I am revisiting the subject.  I firmly believe in being happy.  I think that people in general should be happy.  Working around death every day has made me appreciate life in a totally different light.  Why spend every single day unhappy, why spend even one second unhappy?  There are people that lose their loved ones everyday, for that family there will be no more happiness with that person.  Life is too short.  I have found happiness with my weight loss.  I have found that I am more outspoken (which some people don't like LOL), I have found that I am more outgoing (took my son to Tampa, stayed the night and went to Clearwater Beach this weekend).  I find that I will venture out and do things on my own or with my son that I never would have done before.  Before when I was 301 pounds I wanted to stay in the house, and if I left the house it was for a purpose-to go to the grocery store, to go get a specific item, or if I did go out it had to be with someone else because I never wanted to do things on my own.  Losing weight isn't just about the pounds dropping it is also about the mental picture.  What it does to you mentally is amazing.
So back to this happiness thing.  My #1 question is this::::: should we be happy in our careers?  Should I enjoy what I do at work for the most part?  Should I enjoy where I work for the most part?  Every job is going to have its ups and downs but overall should I enjoy it?  I think the answer is YES.  And if so.....I need to reevaluate and think about making some major changes because I am NOT happy with my current employment.  I love the legal profession, I love the area of law that I work in, I think that if handled correctly we can honestly make true changes in the lives of our clients.  But I do not agree with the things that go on at this particular place or the way that things are handled.  Everything is so hush hush, people will smile in your face and stab you in the back as you walk by.  The lies and BS come flying every single day.  The growth is there but the employees are not appreciated.  The constant back and forth, no direct answers, wishy washy garbage is almost unbearable.  So in that aspect I think it would be safe to say that it is time for a change.  I hate coming to work and just sitting at my desk, too frustrated to move forward, and too angry to actually do quality work.  It use to not be that way, I use to be the first one here and the last one to leave, I always knew that my work should speak for itself and I felt that it did.  I knew that I went above and beyond and I expected that to be recognized....it never was and now I feel like there is no point in keeping up that high level of work product for what?  I know that is a completely negative attitude and I don't like being that way which is why I think an evaluation is necessary.
THEN....there is the baby!!!!  HE is doing great.  I have chose the name Masen!!!  I am 24 weeks yesterday.  I want stability for myself, my son and the new baby.  So I think it would probably be best to wait on changing jobs until after baby Masen is born.  Then I can truly asses the situation, financially, time wise, and not have to expect a new employer to be willing to allow me 6 weeks off after I just started a month ago.  Plus financially I really need the time that I already have here and the insurance.  So I think I have answered my own questions....which is why I love this site, this blog, and having the freedom of expression to say exactly what is on my mind, get it all out in the open, and I usually come to a conclusion!

Hello friends long time no post LOL.  Things have been going a mile a minute here in sunny Florida LOL.  I am happy to say that I am all moved into my new place....it is such an amazing feeling to finally be out and on my own and enjoying life.  I am also happy to say that I had another ultrasound this past Monday and I am having another BOY!!!  While I was hoping, praying, and doing the baby girl dance every second of everyday....it has finally sank in that I am having another boy and I am excited about it.  Boy's are fun, my son is amazing and I wouldn't trade him for the world.  I take it as an honor to be blessed with the responsibility and JOY of raising another boy!  Hopefully I can lay a solid foundation for him and Alex to be strong, independent men and teach them both how women should be treated!  Maybe they will grow up to be doctors, dentists, lawyers, scientists, or even the president LOL
I have gained a little weight....which I guess is normal LOL for being pregnant.  When I saw the nurse at my surgeons office she told me that I had already lost 70% of my excess weight and she had no worries in her mind that once the baby was born if I went back to the basics and used my tool like I am suppose too that I would not only lose the baby weight but more excess weight as well.  So I am hopeful that she is correct.  I am looking forward to getting back on track.  I haven't totally fallen off but it is so much more stressful when you are trying to eat for two (per say).  They say a normal pregnant woman only needs an additional 300 calories per day...but when you don't eat like a "normal" person period it makes things a little more difficult.  At my first few appointments they were worried because I was underweight for my pregnancy development...but I think I have gotten that under control.  It is CRAZY to think about eating more calories when for my entire life all I have thought about was eating LESS calories.  Then after surgery calorie count and watching what I ate was even more important.  So to hear them say...eat more healthy calories like peanut butter, nuts, eggs, etc it is shocking.  I never thought in a million years that I would be trying to get more calories in for the day.  Mind boggling!!!
Well my original due date was July 8th but since I am having a scheduled csection it will be scheduled a week early which puts me around July 1st...but that is a Sunday so maybe the 2nd or even the end of June.  A summer baby .  I have been thinking about names...mostly girl names until Monday, but I do have a boy name that has stuck in my head.....Mason!  Of course the daddy wants the baby to be named after him.....but he already has a son named after him so I think I am going to pass on that one LOL.  I officially have about 4.5 months left and I wish I could report that my extreme bloating and pain has gone away but that would be a HUGE lie.  I stay bloated at this point.  No one knows why and no one can tell me what is going to happen when baby gets to be 5-7 pounds and I have all this bloating....something isn't gonna fit.  I literally look about 6 months pregnant now the way my stomach sticks out, and it is all above my belly button which my OB told me is all intestines and other parts being pushed up due to my growing baby/uterus....OK, so my question remains...what happens when baby is 6 pounds and I have all this bloating?  Where is it all going to go?  And how an I going to survive or move around when this happens?  I literally live on Gas-X.  Literally I buy a box of 36 probably twice a week.  I chew them all day everyday.  Water makes me bloated.  Sitting here typing is making me bloated LOL, it is literally everything.  My surgeons nurse said "well this is just the way your body is responding to baby".  My OB says "well keep trying a different combination of small meals".  Ok great.  LOL the ONLY thing that helps is not eating...but I guess that really isn't an option for the health of baby.  Who knows.  I am thinking about scheduling an appointment with a gastro on my own and getting a 2nd...well 3rd opinion.  One day at a time I guess.

Happy New Year!!!!!!  2012 is already off to an amazing start.  Well.....I met someone new....her name is Kathy!!!  LOL she is actually pretty cool once you get to know her.  I have put everyone and everything before myself over the last 3 years that I completely forgot who Kathy was exactly, so it is nice to get to know her once again.  I finally after 32 years of always trying to make everyone else happy have decided that it is time that I make myself happy!  So this afternoon after work I am going to sign the lease on my new apartment!!!!  I will be moving in the end of the month!!!!!!  Since I came to Florida and met my ex everything has been about helping him, making sure he has what he needs, making sure his family is ok, living by his moms rules when we were at her house, living by his rules now that he is out and about....I live in a beautiful huge dream house filled with HIS stuff.  Nothing is mine, I have no say, and have to listen to his rules and regulations even though I pay all the bills.  Well that STOPS NOW!!  It is so liberating and refreshing to be picking out my own furniture, picking out my own sheets to go on my own bed.  Buying my own dishes and my own forks and spoons LOL (the small things make me happy).  The freedom to sing while I am cooking, or sit on the couch and read a book in silence, or if I get off work and don't feel like cleaning....I will not have to clean :-) the dishes can wait till tomorrow.  Those simple choices that seem so minimal to most are all part of gaining independence.  I have always thought that I wasn't complete without a man by my side...well this new Kathy that I met thinks otherwise.  She wants to just be happy, to raise her son and new baby in July to the best of her ability.  She doesn't want to deal with the stress, the depression, the frustration, or the anger of having a man in her life that doesn't seem to want to do anything other than stay out all night and spend all his money on himself.  Its been a long time coming, but I am  happy to say that the wheels are finally in motion.  2012 is a chance for new beginnings.  I know work goes on as usual....bills are still due....the daily expectations and challanges of life are all still there but it is also an opportunity.  Forget the mistakes of 2011, and start fresh.  Its a NEW YEAR, new address, new life....127 pounds gone, I am literally a new person.  And with the baby coming I will be a new mommy with a new little bundle of joy!  This isn't only a new start for myself but also for my growing family.  My son doesn't deserve to grow up in an uphappy household and neither does another child.....and to be honest neither do I!