2 Months....about :-)

Well, as usual , I haven't kept up with the weekly updates but here is how I am progressing. As of Sunday the 9th of July I am down 47 lbs! I am wearing clothes I haven't pulled out of my closet for at least 9 years. I cleaned out my closet of clothes that don't fit and I filled 2 hefty garbage bags ( no pun intended) . Started at a size 22 and I am now about a 18. My butt is starting to shrink. I am a classic pear shape and most of my weight gain is in butt and legs. Butt is less and I am starting to have knees again. And people are finally starting to notice. I thought it would happed before 45 lbs were gone, but I don't really care. I feel great and if people notice , awesome, but if they don't , so what!! I feel great regardless!!
So the drawbacks. No bread! I miss bread! I also have to eat REALLY small amount and chew like a mad. if I don't it gets stuck and I have to throw it up to get relief. Somedays everything goes down well, other days nothing does. Eating out is hard b/c i have trouble eating slow. I'm trying not to hold everyone up. When I do that I get stuff stuck. I am also having trouble drinking enough. The timing of food and drink is hard ( 30 minutes b/t them) and I am not peeing very much so I really have to improve or I may have trouble with my kidneys. ( kidney stones). Vitamins are pretty good but I am bad about the gall bladder meds to keep the gall stones at bay. It gets stuck a lot and I end up having to throw it up.
Other than that, things are going very well and I am still so happy that I had this surgery. Life is good!! I have hope about my weight and I can see normal size clothes on my horizon!! CAN'T WAIT!!!!

Week One

So , I'm a week into this WLS ( weight loss surgery) journey and I felt the need to document some of the progress and observations that I have had so far. Right off the bat, I AM SO GLAD I DID THIS!!!!! Feeling empowered and in control for the first time in a long time. Other than that, I think I'm going to divide this into progress revelations and then observations.
Progress
-the surgery itself went very smoothly
-left the hospital a day later.
-no hunger to speak of
-tooting and peeing like a happy camper
-back to daily life "stuff" 5 days later. ( driving, light housework, shopping)
-weight is consistently dropping
-started with refried beans today after liquid diet phase was done. tasted really good and I used to hate beans
-started bariatric vitamins( Multi, b12, iron) yesterday and I actually like them. So far I am being very consistent but we are only on day 2 so time will tell.
-told my folks on Sunday. Expected a huge "discussion" but they were really supportive and excited for me. You could have knocked me down with a feather.
-being very strict with myself about getting in my liquids. Don't want any kidney problems!

Observations
-Ankle swelling that I always seemed to have has been going down! YAY!
-rings fit better
- blood in my snot. nose isn't bleeding, there is just blood in my snot when I blow. Nurse Prac. thought it was from O2 they gave me in hospital and said apply pertroleum jelly. Started last night and it is still there today so I will keep an eye on that.
-things taste differently. diluted apple juice ( 50-50) taste full strength to me. And as I said before, things I didn't use to be fond of taste good ( beans, cranberry juice) Crystal light is almost too sweet for me now.
- I feel more happpy. I think because I know that something is finally working and I could be a normal size soon. Puts a little giddy-up in my step. The beautiful weather is probaly helping with that too.

Well, that is it for now. Week one is in the books. Fun and Blessings to you all.

The Journey Begins

new beginnings

This is the season
evidence of new life everywhere i look
trees blossoming
bulbs blooming
kids growing
yard coming to life.

new beginnings for our church life
made a change and feel like i am coming back to life
joy in church again
joy for the family
JOY!!!

miss the old body
making choices for our family
very hard
cutting some ties
forgiving and trying to heal

NEW BEGINNINGS!

Fork in the road

have been at this fork for awhile.
need to pick a path
should we stay or go
leaving friends like family behind
settling for the mediocre
have to make choices for our kids
have to start again
have to trust God to protect us as we venture out
have to trust He will make the choice clear
we have not failed
God had us there for a reason
we have learned and been cared for by Him and them
but realizing that we are in the same family regaredless of where we go

i guess the choice is beginning to become clear
it's just scary
starting again at this point in our lives is hard
still not sure
but hopeful and trustin God will make it clear

blowing my nose
all day long i'm blowing my nose
this is the first year that my allergies are making me sneeze.
it used to be just sinus headaches
now it is sneezing, blowing, and plugged up ears.
THIS STINKS!!!
one of the downsides of life in the Central Valley.
its the prettiest time of the year
clean air, cooler temps, beautiful blossoms
but allergies make you too tired to enjoy it.
I'm off to take a zrytec.

slow healing

Well, I'm back off my foot. SOOO FRUSTRATING!!! The incision is vertical from the right under my toes across the ball of my foot, so when I walk I flex my foot and put pressure on the incision.
I have either develop a blister on the incision that has opened up, or the incision is opening up a bit. It is healed underneath but not completely on top. So back on crutches I go. I'm going to get a scooter later today but until it arrives I'll use crutches. I HATE CRUTCHES!! So awkward and uncomfortable. Oh well! What is the alternative? There is none!!!

here is how i spent my day today.
I can't get the courage to move out of the easy mode
but , as they say in Guitar Hero, " I ROCK"!!!
i even played with a friend online.
so cool to have the friend on speaker phone
and be playing the same game on the Wii.
the internet didn't even exist for the general public
until after i was married.
back when i was a kid you had to look up information
in encyclopedias, or the dictionary.
you couldn't be connected to the outside world every waking minute.
don't get me wrong , I love technology, but sometimes i get nostolgic for simpler times.
And then i pick up Guitar Hero and that all vanishes.

owie cam

warning: healing incision revealed.

video blog

testing....

3 Months later.....
Christmas is banging on the door.
foot surgery in a week
married my best friend 16 years ago on Friday
11 yr old daughter 1/2 inch shorter than me.
son can now play some piano and sings like an angel :)
mini son is a big boy and never wants me to hang around
when he is having a play-date, but somehow ends up cuddled next to me at 5am every morning.
Time marches on.
and in the immortal words of Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias,
"Time marches on and pretty soon you realize it's marching all over your face!"

wii fit

we finally found a wii fit today and got it.
i'm excited to try it but im also having anxiety about it
i have heard that when it measures your body size
you step on the pad and the body balloons up to your size

i know i'm fat . do i need my game console to confirm it to me?
i thought this was supposed to encourage me to exercise.
isn't the truth suppose to set you free? not send you into a full fledged
anxiety attack!!!

I am here, I am here , I am here!!

I have been absent for a while
summer laziness is excuse #1
back to school busyness is excuse #2

But now I'm back!
I love the beginning of the school year
a combination of pure joy to have a schedule
and pure chaos as I get used to a crazy schedule

have found a great organizer that is helping
Go mom inc. makes a trifold organizer
meal planning , shopping list, addresses, calendar
you name it , it has it

committed to filing it out , completely
thats new for me
usually just partially fill out and then don't use it
can't do that anymore with our schedule

meals have to be planned!!!
Kids have to be picked up!!!!!
Appts. have to be kept!!!!

It is helping, but it is still new so we will see.

Taking suggestions for good easy dinnners
my repetoire is getting boring.

Enjoy the the 1st day pictures!!

JJ Heller

here's a great singer that we got to hear at family camp this year
she is making her album available FREE for a few weeks
ENJOY

Jose Vanos

Today i got to experience the memorial of a life well lived.
my best friend's mom past away last week.
her service was today
she was a wife
a mom
a grandmother
a friend
and she will be missed.

dutch immigrant.
came to America sight unseen.
was a devoted woman of faith and served her catholic parish faithfully
helped her husband start a flower nursery business
from the ground up
raised 4 children
came to almost ALL their games
did daycare in her home even after she became a grandmother
LOVED SPORTS and BRIDGE
after being in america for 40+ years still had a thick accent
my name was pronounced yennifer.
traveled the world cruising with her husband in their retirement
gave great hugs and always made you feel welcomed
put her family before herself her whole life
will be miss by all she touched.
Until we meet again
Goodbye Mrs. Vanos

make-over

so the kids and brian are gone on a dad/kid camp-out
so mom has a lot time to hang out on the computer.
hence the blog make-over
im not sure how the quotes section is going to work
i have no control over the quotes it chooses
so i apologize if they offend anyone
i found a great site if your looking to enhance your blog
widgetbox
google it
let me know how you like it.

America's Most Wanted

had our own little fox reality show last night
around 12:40 am first heard the helicopter.
hear them every now and then
only for a second or 2 then they move on
not last night
it circled our house and neighborhood
spotlight shining down.
wasn't worried at first.
then 15 minutes past.
kept circling
the light was right in our backyard
i kept giving Brian the update
he didn't have his eyes in
but after 20 minutes he broke down
got up to get his glasses
we took turns running from window to window
saw 3 to 4 cop cars driving slowly down our street
"Brian... should we check all the doors and windows?"
they were locked
"should we call the police station? are we in danger?"
40 minutes later
"Jen grab the phone in case we have to call quickly."
60 minutes later the copter seems to be moving a little east
no spotlight now
starts to quiet down
" did you hear that"
"Yes"
"do you think there is someone back there?"
"I don't know"
window check again
Nothing
" i know i heard something"
"Me too"
" could something be hiding in the shed outside?"
"i don't know"
Silence
...Waiting
i don't know if i can fall back to slee.....ZZZZZZZZ
thank God I fall asleep easily
Brian not so fortunate
we call the police dept in the morning
burglary suspect was chased and apprehended
all they would tell us
guess there wasn't anything in the shed:)

i miss them

My 2 oldest left for camp yesterday.
i miss them already
andrew ask when they will be home
it has only been 1 day

nothing seems quite right when we aren't all together
told Brian that we will be lonely
when they all grow up and move away
cherish each moment
live in the now

i also miss them b/c im stuck with all their chores when they are gone :)

SUMMER CAMP

wow, it has been a while
summer's great!
time with kids .

just got back from camp
family camp
didn't go to sleep-over camp as a kid
so this has been my second childhood

love it
no cooking
no cleaning
childcare provided
bible teaching
great worship band
fun activities
trip to santa cruz beach boardwalk

had so much fun but great to be home
enjoy the pics