ROAD TRIP

HEY Y'ALL ... OUR DAUGHTER, NATALIE, CALLED & TOLD US SHE COULD GET US FREE PASSES TO HER COLLEGE (SIFE's) NATIONAL SPEECH COMPETITION IN CHARLOTTE, NC, SO WE'VE BEEN DASHING IN & OUT OF CLOTHING STORES ... GOOD NEWS ... I'VE COME DOWN FROM A 4X TO A 14-16W IN KNIT TOPS ... OR, 18-20W or 1X IN OTHER BLOUSES (NOT BAD!) I GOT PROFESSIONALLY FITTED FOR A BRA AT LANE BRYANT & EVEN GOT A STRAPPLESS BRA ... OH MY GOSH! I CAN ACTUALLY GET INTO A MISSES XL IN A KNIT TOP, BUT IT IS SKIN TIGHT. HEY, I GOT THE THING ON SO IT WON'T BE LONG & I'LL BE OUT OF THE WOMEN'S SECTION & INTO MISSES! I CAN ALSO GET INTO SOME REGULAR SIZED 18 PANTS; I HAVE A PAIR OF STRETCHY 18 (REGULAR SIZE) THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO SINCE LATE 1999/EARLY 2000 THAT I'M WEARING ON THIS TRIP. I THINK I'D STILL BE IN THE 20s IN NON-STRETCH PANTS LIKE BLUE JEANS. BUT, I PUT ON SOME FLEECE PANTS THAT WERE ACTUALLY MEN'S 2X THAT USED TO BE TOO TIGHT FOR ME & THEY ARE SO BAGGY, SOMEONE ELSE COULD BE IN THEM WITH ME! SHHHHH DON'T REPEAT THIS TOO LOUDLY, BUT I'M NOW DOWN TO MY LOWEST OF 212.60 AT A LOSS OF 67.20, & ... I WALKED ALL DAY YESTERDAY ROUND & ROUND & IN & OUT OF EVERY STORE THERE WAS AT THE MALL, IT SEEMED - &, I DIDN'T HAVE TO SIT DOWN EVERY 5 MINUTES, BUT I WAS ONE TIRED PUPPY LAST NIGHT! AS FOR THE TRIP ... UNFORTUNATELY, NICK IS ON A SPECIAL JOB & WILL WORK 12 HOURS TODAY (SUNDAY - THIS IS VERY RARE****IL MIDNIGHT OR 1:00am ... I'LL PICK HIM UP, DASH HOME FOR HIM TO SHOWER & ON THE ROAD FOR THE NEXT 480-500 MILES ... CHANGE INTO OUR NEW CLOTHES, WATCH NAT'S SPEECH AT 11:30 MONDAY MORNING ... LUNCH ... AWARDS CEREMONY AT 3:30pm & GET BACK ON THE ROAD AT 5:00-6:00ish FOR ANOTHER 480-500 MILES TO BE HOME SO NICK CAN DRESS FOR WORK AS HE HAS TO BE BACK ON THE JOB AT 6:30am TUES. WONDER IF WE OL' FARTS CAN MAKE IT!?! WELL, WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT OUR BEST. GOD BLESS Y'ALL & WE'LL SEE YA WHEN WE RETURN DAWN & NICK

That's wonderful on your sizes. Ya'll better be careful. hugs, Britt

Thanks Ms Britty ... Having such a long stall was really getting to me, but now that I can actually get into smaller clothes ... That gave me a real boost!

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy for you!!! I had my own moment last night! Tommy had my old box of "skinny clothes" and I found an old Esprit sundress that is a 13 Juniors, and I had worn it back when I was a size 10, and had the dress taken in even, and last night I tried it on, knowing it would not fit....well, IT DID!!!!!!!! I almost burst into tears. It was the first time I ever almost cried over my weight!! It was even a little big on me! Very coral, very short, and very sexy! I am now 186lbs, and size 12, and the 12's are getting big. I love this! Hope you had a great trip! I am going to New Orleans next week on a missions trip with our church to help out with the gutting of homes and people down there are still needing help! Love you! You are doing great!! Deborah

THAT IS FANTASTIC ABOUT YOUR "WOW" MOMENT ... MINE HAVE BEEN FEW & FAR BETWEEN WITH THIS STALL, BUT THIS REALLY GAVE ME A RENEWED ENERGY TO KEEP UP THE EFFORT EVEN HARDER. ARE YOU PHYSICALLY UP TO WORKING IN NEW ORLEANS? DO WHAT YOU CAN, MS DEB, BUT DON'T OVERDO IT! ONE OF THE PROJECTS NATALIE'S SIFE GROUP HAS AS ONGOING IS THEIR K.A.R.E PROJECT FOR THE HURRICANE KATRINA SURVIVORS IN HAN**** COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI (SEE THE ARTICLE & PICTURES ON MY PROFILE) ... NOT ONLY ARE THEY GATHERING DONATIONS THAT NOW ARE VALUED AT OVER $55,000.00, BUT THEY ARE "ADOPTING" DEVASTATED BUSINESSES TRYING TO FILL THEIR "WISH LISTS" SO THEY CAN GET BACK IN BUSINESS & GET THE ECONOMY ROLLING AGAIN. WORTHY CAUSE! SO, A GREAT BIG TO YOU & YOUR CHURCH FOR HELPING OTHERS! GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

WE'RE HOME!!!!!!!! WOW, WHAT A FANTASTIC TRIP! WE HAD SUCH A WONDERUL TIME. WE WERE DRESSED IN THE TEAM COLORS SO YOU COULD TELL WHO WE WERE WITH ... WE ARE NOT THE UNOFFICIAL "MOM & DAD" OF THEIR SIFE TEAM! 1st OFF, WE THOUGHT IT WAS 480-500 MILES ... WELL,WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS ROUND TRIP ESTIMATES SO, IT ONLY TOOK US 3 HOURS TO GET THERE. WE WERE REALLY TIRED WHEN WE ARRIVED SO WE GOT A ROOM FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS TO NAP ... OH MY GOSH ... THEY HAD THOSE "HEAVENLY" BEDS THAT ARE SO PUFFY & SOFT ON TOP ... WE WERE ASLEEP IN NO TIME. NATALIE BROUGHT US OUR PASSES & SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL IN HER OUTFIT - THE TEAM HAD MATCHING OUTFITS, OF COURSE. WE SAT IN ON OTHER COLLEGE'S PRESENTATIONS. THEN, WE GOT TO WATCH NAT'S SIFE GROUP &, WITH A MOM'S PRIDE, THEY WERE FANTASTIC. THE DRAMA COACH AT BLUE RIDGE CC HAD WORKED WITH THEM & YOU COULD REALLY TELL IT. THEY MET ALL 6 CRITERIA & THEIR VIDEO PRESENTATION WAS VERY EXCITING INSTEAD OF JUST DRY STATISTICS. ALL THE HARD WORK PAID OFF BECAUSE THEY SWEPT ALL 6 CRITERIA COMPETITIONS & WON THE OVERALL COMPETITION IN THEIR LEAGUE, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE GOING TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION IN MAY IN KANSAS CITY, MO WITH THE "BIG BOYS". ONLY 2 COLLEGES SWEPT THEIR LEAGUE, ST PAUL'S & BLUE RIDGE. THE AMAZING THING IS THAT BLUE RIDGE IS ONE OF ONLY 2, 2-YEAR COLLEGES COMPETING. ALL OTHER COLLEGES ARE 4-YEAR COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES. SO, "THE LITTLE ENGINE WHO COULD" CAME THROUGH WITH FLYING COLORS! BUT, MS REBECCA (THEIR ADVISOR) WARNED THEM THAT THIS COMPETITION WAS A "CAKE WALK" IN COMPARISON TO THE NATIONALS ... VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE THERE SO THEY HAVE A TON OF PAPERWORK & A LOT MORE PRACTICES TO DO IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO. I WAS PLEASED WITH MY EATING CHOICES ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T GET ALL MY FLUIDS IN. WE TOOK OUR POWER CRUNCH PROTEIN BARS TO FILL IN INSTEAD OF EATING OUT ALL THE TIME & I ATE THE CHICKEN PART OF THE LUNCH SALAD DISH. THEY SERVED A GORGEOUS APPLE PASTRY BUT AFTER NICK TOOK 2 BITES & PRONOUNCED HOW DELICIOUS (& SUGARY) IT WAS, I COMPLETELY PASSED ON DESSERT. I HAD A COUPLE BITES OF CATFISH AT CRACKER BARREL FOR DINNER & WHEN WE CAME HOME, NICK WANTED TO GET A SNACK SINCE WE ATE DINNER EARLY BUT, I WASN'T HUNGRY SO I JUST HAD COFFEE. EVEN THOUGH MY HANDS & FEET ARE SWOLLEN FROM TRAVELING (I'VE ALWAYS DONE THIS), I DIDN'T GAIN ANY WEIGHT SO I'M PLEASED! YEAH WLS!!!! GOD BLESS Y'ALL DAWN & NICK