Has it really been a month??

Wow.  So time is flying by and this past month has been a big one.  I've met some pretty big personal goals.  I'm continuing to lose weight and I am finally starting to feel like myself again.  But let me back up to where I last left you.

First thing you need to know, in the education field, it has always been my goal to be a diagnostician.  This is the person who conducts assessments and interprets them to determine special education eligibility and placement with the ARD committee.  These tests fascinate me (I'm a dork, we know this, move on.) :) I earned my Master's last May and started looking into getting my certification.  Well, turns out to go the traditional University route and not have to pay out of pocket (which isn't an option for me because I have never been a successful saver- working on this one), you basically have to go the degree route with the certification endorsement.  So I would need to get a second Masters and add A LOT more loans.  Ummm, no thank you.  I did know of one other option, but I knew it was a one shot opportunity.  They have many applicants and only select about 20-30 per year.  I filled out all the paperwork last year, but my degree was not conferred in time to interview for last year's cohort.  I called in December on the chance that my information and application fee could be rolled over and considered for this year's cohort and they said yes!  A couple days later, they told me they were waiting on one piece of paperwork and they could set up an interview (I had been told that you get an email when they received everything and then a letter in the mail either saying you get an interview or a no so I was pleasantly surprised).  On January 27th, I had my interview and was accepted into the program.  Y'all I am going to be a diag.  NEXT YEAR!!!  Where I have no idea, but I am so excited!  That being said I have so much work to do between now and then that I am trying not to get overwhelmed.  In my current position, the proverbial mess has hit the fan.  No one on my team has done anything wrong but we have just had some major kid issues with a few kids all at once after a relatively quiet year so I feel like I have not sat still or taken a deep breath in a month.

Health wise- I am doing great!  I started going to the gym, so far only 2 times per week but I'm trying to get myself organized and in the habit to make it to 4 days per week because I have seen a difference in the small things I have done.  I am walking on a treadmill at 4.5 mph!  Anyone who knows me and these thunder thighs knows that is no small feat.  I am the girl that at 3 mph cannot hold a conversation and looks like she is going to die.  This past week, I did 4.5 mph at a 5% incline for 25 minutes + warm up and cool down.  And y'all, walking works for my body.  I've lost a total of over 35 inches since my surgery December 20th.  5 from my waist, 5 from my chest (THANK YOU JESUS!), and a good amount everywhere else.  I even lost a half inch around my neck!  Bye-bye double chin!  I weigh now what I did during my first semester at A&M and just after I graduated from college.  More than that is how things are fitting me.  My clothes are too big for the most part.  My bras are either too big or still too small which is frustrating cause if it were up to me I would just cut the dang things off.  I really need to start adding in some weight training because honey things are starting to sag.  I mean, I was a big girl (and still am, I'm realistic) so gravity has been taking its toll for a while.  But things aren't as... dense as they were.  Side note- a woman in training the other day was talking about one of her friends the other day who has started referring to her bra size as a 38 long.  I feel her pain.  My arms are getting smaller but they are jiggling more.  Same with my stomach and thighs.  So while with clothes on, without a doubt, I look better.  Sans clothes, lets just say things are funky!  I am sleeping better now and my thyroid seems to have adjusted a bit because I am not losing hair at the rate that I was.  I will try to make an appointment with an endocrinologist over spring break to see what I need to do regarding that medication.

Perhaps the greatest part of this journey so far- outside of all the support and well-wishes I have received from friends and family has been feeling like myself again.  I'm becoming comfortable in my own skin again which is HUGE for me.  For those who knew me prior to moving to Waco in high school, I was pretty outgoing.  I was bubbly, always smiling and generally happy.  Moving was not a good experience for me and I built a wall.  Over the years, it built up and up and up and for the past several years, I let very few people in.   I also fell victim to social media in that I keep up with people on facebook or whatever is trending at the time but did not couple that with actual face time with real people.  I did not realize until I felt like it was too late to change it how detrimental that was to me personally.  I have those great friends, those wonderful people that I can call and talk to after not speaking for a year and we pick right back up where we left off, but there are some friendships that I really wish I had cultivated more and I only have myself and my baggage to blame for that.  I am solely responsible because they tried to reach out to me and I was so uncomfortable with myself I didn't reach back.  If I did this to you, I am sorry!!  Saturday, I went to a training (make-up for the day I had my interview and missed PD).  I sat with a great table.  We got our stuff done and were able to joke around and have fun with it.  I made jokes, I smiled, I connected with people again.  WITHOUT FEAR!  I walked away from that day feeling elated-- I talked to strangers without having a panic attack or feeling like I was going to throw up!  First time I remember feeling comfortable in a situation like that in YEARS!

On another completely unbelievable note, we were at the farm on Sunday and I told Gibson I was going to get him and he started running.  I ran after him and caught him!  I ran!  I caught my child!  It was exhilarating!  That was the main reason for me to go to this drastic measure to make a quick change and 4 months later, I can run and play with my little boy without falling down, without getting winded and without feeling like I'm going to die.  HUGE!!!

So overall, I am doing well.  My actual weight loss has slowed down and there are still things I need to work on (such as eating slower and not drinking while I eat).  I need to track what I'm eating to make sure I am getting everything I need and still watching my sugar intake.  I am a work in progress.  Sometime I will get around to posting more pictures.  It is hard to take them when you don't own a full length mirror!  Plus, I want to get some clothes and appropriate undergarments so I can see what I actually look like!

Again, thank you to everyone who has been so supportive since I started sharing.  It really does mean the world to me.  And I am also thankful that those that don't agree with what I have done or the methods I have taken to get to where I am, have kept those thoughts to themselves!  I'm in a positive place and feeling awesome!