Oh my gosh!

I've been swamped at work almost since I have arrived, and now I am finally caught up. I had an envelope on my desk, which I opened, and it was a letter from the Wellness Council of the Midlands. (http://www.wellnesscouncil.org/index.htm)

The letter tells me that I am going to receive this big local award called the William H. Kizer Light of Wellness Award, which is given annually to individuals who "as a result of their company's wellness program, (WW in my case) have made a change in their lifestyle and encouraged others to do the same."

My husband & I will be wined & dined at a special dinner on October 16th, when the awards will be presented. I'm freaking out!

It's funny how & when these things happen. The 13th of the month can be a difficult day for me, as it marks yet another month that my son remains gone and unaccounted for. It is 27 months today. It seems to me that God choses this day to remind me of my blessings. This was the day I made Goal & Lifetime. This was also the day that my Mom met John Walsh. (BTW, I talked to the show last week, and they still have not scheduled the next missing persons show)

Another one of my many blessings is all of my friends here online. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Written on 9/13/03

I've been trying for such a long time to verbalize what a great joy it is to be slim & healthy. Some of you may not have been overweight for a very long time, as I was, so you may recall what it is like to be free of the burden, both physical & mental that excess weight causes. As I was overweight for over 22 years, I had forgotten what it was like to be free of those burdens.

 Now that I am free, it is an absolute & continual joy. I do not cease to be amazed at how wonderful I feel moving my body. I do not cease to be amazed that the face in the mirror is truly mine. I love this!

 Do you ever just get a big smile on your face because you felt such happiness that you want to burst? Did you ever want to walk & then spin around & around with your arms outstretched simply for the joy of it all? Did you ever want to laugh out loud not because something was funny, but just because you feel you cannot contain the happiness you feel inside?

 Sound child-like? Perhaps. As adults in a sometimes stressful world, we can lose our ability to feel joy, and more importantly, to express it. We need to be able to do this. We deserve to be able to do this. We should not hold back for fear of what those who have swallowed the bitter pill of life think. Let go!

 To me, being overweight was similar to how the character from A Christmas Carol, Jacob Marley, forged chains that bound him because of his greed & love of money. I forged chains around me because I loved food more than I loved myself. As the chains grew longer & heavier, I felt powerless to remove them. I thought I was doomed, like Jacob Marley.

 Now that I found the key to success (No Excuses) and broke away from my bondage, I no longer take for granted the meaning & value of this life. It's a limited time offer and the redemption date is not printed on the "coupon". I may have to cash it in at any given moment. I want to be able to say that I savored and made good use of each moment.  I want to be able to say that it had meaning.

Without the oppression of the weight, I am free to be me...free to explore all of life's possibilities, and of those there are many. I will no longer sit idle while time passes by & not do the things I was meant for. No more!

 The thought of no longer fearing life's path & embracing this new journey brings additional joy. It's a rebirth of sorts. Like a newborn, my eyes have been adjusting over the past 6 or more months. Now my eyes are opened to all of it. To see what can be & to find yourself experiencing it compounds the joyous feelings.

 So, I sing, and & dance, and when the snow comes, I shall fall backwards into a snowbank, spread my arms, and make a snow angel, laughing all the while. Oh, the joy of it all, to be alive & healthy.

 You can & you will know this, if you believe that you can.

Written on 9/15/03.

 

Photos Below!

Some never seen before photos of me at my heaviest.

Another new photo….a serious business-like one for use in my seminar business.

My official BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) photo.

This is on one of my bike riding routes. Every time I see this sign, I smile because I am no longer limited by my weight. I can do whatever I put my mind to, and I can go places (figuratively) that I thought I could only dream of. The entry number I am wearing is for the Corporate Cup 10K walk/run to be held on Sunday, 9/21/03. This will be my second time in this event. I feel so blessed that I am able to do these things!  Post note about the Corporate Cup: I beat my last year’s time by 20 minutes! 

200 Plus Board Members at the 9/26/03 Kansas City Seminar:

 

From left to right:

Marty (thisisit), Joy (Joystarr), Me (Kellyscifi), Valerie (xangelofdreamsx), and Amy (Montana722).