OLD FART .. BUT LIKE THE WINE THE OLDER THE BETTER....

 WITH ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY COMING UP SOON ... AND ANOTHER REAFFIRMATION FOR ANOTHER YEAR OF TOGETHERNESS...

  I kept a few duds each year ..... and gave away the rest.... at my lowest weight post WLS at 110-111 pounds where my head was looking like a lollipop and I was beginning to wonder when would it stop ... I had not had my panni nor my brachioplasty yet ... I wore this dress that I put on again today 3 years after wearing it last to make sure it fit and to see the difference today ....  My arms are still swelling and puffy at end of the day ... it going on to 2 years post modified brachioplasty and I still have these issues ... I am scheduled for a revision and corrective surgery ... yet I keep putting it off ... 
This is me in June of 2008 at my lowest weight post WLS  and me today wearing the very same dress and weighing in at 120 pounds this morning.. ... 



While I was at it I remembered by most awesome collage ... the one of me and my DH taken 22 years ago when he married me, a fat bride,  and vowed to love me and my two children from my prior marriage... he is my soul mate ... In 2008 we re-affirmed/renewed our vows on our anniversary date and a month prior to my panniculectomy .... and I made my before and after bride collage ....


I left the house having made my vow renewal gown the night before woot woot and I made my own silk bouquet... and walk out my front door... without holding on to the rails... 

and we took a picture beside our pool ... together for as long as we both shall live was the vow we took ... this picture was taken in August of 2008 .. 18 months post WLS...

and this is me sitting by the same old pool on Saturday 7/28/2011 4 1/2 years post WLS with DH taking my pictures... 

 Maintaining for life with health and mobility ,,,. standing like a steel magnolia no matter how strong the winds blown my way/our way .... I can breath, I can run a marathon, I can swim in a triathlon ,,, ohhhhh my knees are no longer shot with DJD caused by my morbid obesity ... 5 co-morbidities are in remission ... and I have the strength of a gazelle in my achilles tendon .... and what it more I EMBRACE JOY AND MAKE IT HAPPEN TO ME .... hey ... ALL HELL IS BREAKING LOOSE AROUND ME .... BUT I STILL EMBRACE JOY OVER MISERY ... I AM MORE THAN A SURVIVOR... I AM AN OVERCOMMER...  AND LIKE THE WINE ... THE OLDER THE BETTER ...cause this old lady is feeling ohhhh soooooooo good!!!!

My DD ... a steel magnolia herself is holding strong .... and coming along one day at a time she will again rise to her full physical potential ... she is surrounded with love and care and an excellent medical team ... this is my mini-me sporting true-blood tarte and lip gloss....

She is feeling better ... this is her feeding our dwarf ferret Chiquitita a treat...ohhhh I AM SOOOOOOOOO HAPPY .... THIS TOO SHALL PASS MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER.....



OHHHHHHHHHH THE LYRICS OF MARY MARY'S SONG ARE RINGING IN MY EARS STRONG TODAY...

"Can't Give Up Now" (Mary Mary)

There will be mountains that I will have to climb
And there will be battles that I will have to fight
But victory or defeat, it's up to me to decide
But how can I expect to win If I never try.

I just can't give up now
I've come too far from where I started from
Nobody told me the road would be easy
and I don't believe he brought me this far to leave me

Never said there wouldn't be trials
Never said I wouldn't fall
Never said that everything would go the way I want it to go
But when my back is against the wall
And i feel all hope is gone, 
I'll just lift my head up to the sky
And say help me to be strong

I just can't give up now
I've come too far from where I started from
Nobody told me the road would be easy
and I don't believe he brought me this far to leave me

[Hook:]
No you didn't bring me out here to leave me lonely
Even when I can't see clearly
I know that you are with me(so I can't)

I just can't give up now
I've come too far from where I started from
Nobody told me the road would be easy
and I don't believe he brought me this far to leave me 

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE ... AND PLEASE EXCUSE THE PICTURE SHARE ... YOU SEE .. I HAVE TRACKED IT ALL ... IN MY DIGITAL JOURNAL A PICTURE A DAY KEEPS THE POUNDS AND THE INCHES AWAY .... IT WORKS FOR ME... 

THIS IS MY JOURNAL ENTRY TODAY... ohhhh IT IS TOOOOOOOO HOT FOR EXTENSIONS SO I AM BACK TO MY OWN CROPPED MANE...




 

 Mi hermana bonita! 

Continue to share the joy and the struggle.  Even those like me who say "when will it ever go" rather than "when will it stop" can appreciate how life changes for the better as we shed the fat and leave morbid obesity behind.  As we maintain we need to regularly reassess ourselves and resolve never to buy that bigger size. 

Our lives are to be cherished and savored both the bitter and the sweet.  The bitterness makes the sweet even sweeter and far better appreciated.  This is true even if we can't see it at the time. 

Candice looks beautiful.  So much better than at our last get together.  She is so blessed to have the support of her Mini-Mom (La madre es mas pequena, verdad.  Lol), family and friends.  I'm so looking forward to our next Mom and DD get together.

You and Al are a beautiful couple twice over and soon to be thrice.  Even more beautiful as you are healthier and stronger each time and Al is steadily overcomming each challenge. 

Stay strong, keep the optimism going, keep presenting your picture journal.  So many need to see it.