Thursday, December 11, 2008

Writers Workshop-My Path

For my Twisted Silver Earrings Giveaway, go here.

I've walked a path this year full of changes......but the good kind of change. You know, as opposed to the pick-your-world-up, shake-it-around and then-drop-it-on-it's-side kind of change. Oh, how I love this change where I haven't had to pick up the pieces and figure out a way to move on.

I think the thing I love most about the changes of 2008 is that they were all with my consent. I CHOSE the changes and was lucky enough to not have them "happen" to me, as has happened in the past. I'm sure you can all imagine that being able to chose makes the manager in me very, very happy.

I headed down my path in 2008 with a New Year's Resolution. I resolved not to resolve....out loud... rather in my heart and mind. And I did. I was sick and tired of carrying around the baby weight I had been unhappily lugging with me since two weeks after the twins were born. That's right. I weighed the same weight 2 years post child birth as I did 2 weeks. That slayed me. Really slayed me.

So, I started the year with a plan. The plan to lose that weight once and for all, and keep it off. Since the word diet isn't in my vocabulary, I decided to change the way I ate. Pure and simple. Those first three months were hard because my eating habits.....were, um.....habits.....and took a conscious effort to break. I sort of went through each day keeping a mentally tally of what I ate. If at the end of the day I couldn't remember everything I put in my mouth, I knew I had eaten too much. I also made MUCH different choices, steering clear of unhealthy options.......and you all know what those are. I pretty much cut out all snacking, and stuck to 3 round meals and dessert. But not EVERY night. I couldn't give up dessert. 11.5 months later I feel great and have forged a new partnership with food. It's different than it was before. I don't let it's pleasures unnecessarily fill my stomach. Plain and simple.

Now, don't be deceived. This path has not come without a few negatives. Like, it's taken a toll on my husbands wallet. Every size I went down I bought new clothes.....and those (the clothing bills) add up. I played it safe and resold most of my designer jeans, but it was sort of shocking to find that I had moved up a tier in the Nordstrom customer appreciation ladder. I hadn't "banked" on how expensive it can be to get rid of that junk in my trunk. Let's count....2 or 3 pairs of jeans per size, is um, approximately 12 pairs.... Just fair warning, ladies and gents!

The second major path I followed in 2008 led us 1000 miles south on a prayer. Jeff and I finally felt good about our decision to walk away from our house (that had been on the market for 6 months and that we'd spend the previous 2 years remodelling), pull our children out of a school they loved, take them away from their friends, change jobs, and leave family and friends, and move. So we did. And those prayers paid off because a day after we left Oregon we received an offer on our house, and although the girls had a bit of an adjustment at school, we weathered the flurry and are all settled in our home of perpetual sunshine. Literally and figuratively.

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention that after 8 years of diapering up to three children at a time, our household became diaper free. And crib free, too, for that matter. That's another path that I no longer walk down....I don't have babies anymore. That path has been bittersweet.

And there you have it. The Personal Christmas Letter I'll never send out, and you can thank Mama Kat for it. This is just one more installment in her weekly Writers Workshop.

And, you got another "walk-away" shot because it's so apropos. If I hadn't fallen out of favor with Mama Kat and she still emailed me the writing prompts in advance like she USED to, this wouldn't have happened. But, it's OK, I'm not holding a grudge or anything. :) And, just to be clear. I haven't fallen out of favor with Kathy. She still loves me as much as she used to... I think. I was only kidding.
Photobucket

59 comments:

Erin said...

Oh, to be diaper free/crib free.....
Great post!

Erin said...

Oh, to be diaper free/crib free.....
Great post!

Michelle said...

Wow Angie, you look so great now that I can't imagine that you were ever over weight. Way to go on getting your figure back.

I know that isn't an easy task!

Great job on the prompt.

Gunnisac Sandersons said...

Wow, I am so happy that your life this past year has been great. I love reading your writter's workshop. They always let me feel like I am getting to know you a bit more. You look great by the way and I am taking your advice on the eating! I know that is were my biggest problem is. good luck with the next year, I hope it is as happy as the past.

Christina said...

Good for you! Wow! I'm always happy to read a story with a happy ending. Thanks for sharing. :-)

Sarah said...

Wonderful post! I love your personal Christmas letter! What a wonderful year it has been for your entire family. But also for you Angie!! Good Work....I loved seeing the incredible shrinking Angie! We miss you!

Mama Wheaton said...

Wow you are an inspiration!

Kally said...

Another Awesome post. Congrats on getting to where you are :)

Tinabean said...

I am so happy that you have had such a wonderful year.
Life is hard & it's nice to know that it can go in your favor once in awhile.
I hope your path leads you to even more happiness.

Oh & I'm so jealous of the diaper free accomplishment!

Kelly said...

What a great letter. I love the picture too!

AutoSysGene said...

See now I like this photo better...you looking back really makes the shot!

You really are amazing, Angie. I had no idea that your house was on the market for 6 months before you moved. And the fact you had an offer right away must have made you SURE that you made the right choice.

I also lost weight this year and so get the clothes thing. I have spent more on clothes this year then I probably have in the 14 years I've been with Joe. Thank goodness he's a good sport and really likes the way I look in the new things.

And no more diapers...I can here the change adding up in your bank account and the relief in your voice! Yippee!!

All in all a GREAT year, huh? This resolving not to resolve stuff really works for you!

Sandra said...

Beautiful... I, too, am taking your choice of path in the weight dept. I feel better after just a week.

Thanks for the inspiration!

The Momo Momma said...

I need to get the courage to do that "walk away" from our house! I have a sneaky feeling the banks will find us! lol ha ha!! :) Congrats on all your "resolutions" I know how good it feels to set goals and accomplish them!

Laura said...

Great post! I love that you had a year of planned change. I know all too well how hard "unplanned" change can be. I am glad you are so happy in your new place.

As for the weight loss I give you so much credit. I am totally stuck. I feel like I work so hard to only ever stay the same weight. It's discouraging!

Melissa said...

I LOVE this picture.
I'm glad you had a great year.
I'm glad I met you.........finally.

Deb said...

what a HUGE year you've had! i am proud of you for losing the weight. and i totally endorse your buy as you drop plan. a girl has to look her best no matter what her size!

we pulled up stakes and moved far away once, too. our plan didn't turn out quite as well... but it eventually led us to where we are now, which we LOVE.

are you planning any resolutions for this year?

Julie@My5monkeys said...

what a great post...its also about attitude and how you see the world with changes.Loved it

Anonymous said...

I love how positive and happy you sound! Congrats on all the wonderful changes in your life!

Mrs Anne said...

Love this post.

It exudes positivity, and for that, i ♥ it!

Way to go on all fronts.

Sounds like 2008 was a year of change and fabulousness for you!

:)

Julie said...

This is a really inspiring post. I have had some similar experience lately with more trying to buy a home... millions of prayer I tell you what. Anyway, no I am not from sanpete county but a very good friends of mine is.. but we did get married in Manti just to be different from Utah county. And thats where my parents got married also. So since I was the first child in my family to marry we thought.. well what the heck!

Jennifer said...

Thank you for sharing your past year with us. I too do not diet, sadly it took me longer than a year to shed the pregnancy weight and my twins are heading into teen-hood when I began my journey. New clothing can be quite hit on the budget, but how can one put a price tag on health?
Congrats on no more diapers and cribs. Soon it will be driving and dances (wait that is where I am (*sigh*). I digress, you have a lovely family and it is quite obvious you are happy and (I am not sucking up here because I want those Twister Silver earring, although I really want them. ;)) you are one of the best blog writers around. Have you ever thought of writing a book?

Ronda's Rants said...

I love this post...I am trying to lose the BIG M weight gain...not a diet but a lifestyle change! I love this picture even more!

Simply AnonyMom said...

What a lovely post. It is great to see that good things can still happen to good people. It helps me think that next year can and will be better than this one.

A change in perspective can change your life, right?

Allison said...

Congrats on a great year for you! Soemtimes change is good and it looks and sounds great on you!

angi_b72 said...

Nice post Angie,a nd congrats!! You sound so happy!!

Jenners said...

What an inspiring and lovely post. To choose change and make it happen. Great concept.

I hear you about the weight. I know what I have to do...change my relationship with food like you did. Stop the bad habits. I have to really want it...and maybe I will someday.

Glad you are flourishing in the land of perpetual sunshine...I went to college in Oregon and it is beautiful but not great for a sunshine hoarder like yourself (I read your About Me).

And being diaper-free is fantastic -- that should help pay for all the new jeans your skinny new self needs!

Anonymous said...

First off, let me say that the black and white picture of you with the kids is wonderful. There are so many special feelings conveyed in there and I love it.

I'm so happy that your year's journey has ended in such a place of contentment and peace for you. That's how it should be and we can all aspire to reach that same level of joy.

You're a gift to the bloggy world, Angie.

Elizabeth Byler Younts said...

i love your journey and your attitude. thanks so much for sharing.

Anonymous said...

This is such an upbeat inspirational post. A pep talk without being one. :) I hope that my 2009 will be as positive as your 2008. And congratulations on all of your changes.

debi9kids said...

That was just fantastic Angie! What a wonderful thing... to have so many happy blessings occur just as you hoped.


ps Thank you so much for the big hug today. I needed it.

Susie said...

Sounds like a pretty good year!!

Belinda said...

Inspiring stuff! Your writing makes for such pleasant reading - thank you!

Tiffany said...

Sigh.

Great post, girl.

I am so glad you can look back on 2008 with delight!

Kayla, Nic, Paige, Ellie and Maddy said...

I have not been by for a while, I love the baby weight story! Im headed down the same road, exept my baby weight is 4 years old!!! I better get started!!

Anonymous said...

you look great, i would have never guessed you ever had a weight problem...i'm stil working on mine :( i have a ways to go!!! btw, i think my rss is fixed now!! have a great weekend!! hugs and prayers...

Connie said...

What a great post Angie...you look great and you're al happy, what more could you want. I'm so glad everything worked out so well. ANd the no diapers nocrib thing? It will be a sad, sad, day, when I KNOW I don't have babies anymore.

Jamie said...

Loved this post! I found it inspirational. I have had a few major changes this year...but they are ones that I had no control over and they have shaken me up quite a bit. I'm sure I'll be stronger because of it though. But this year I'm ready to take control of some things that need to change. Thanks for this post!

Krazy Armstrong K's! said...

congrats on loosing the weight! thats awesome! im wokring on it but just not working too well.
thanks for stopping by!

jori-o said...

All the way down here, I'm just repeating what everyone else is saying...but it doesn't make it any less true!! You are an inspiration; so happy, strong, positive! I want to be like you when I grow up! =)

Jessica said...

I love your writers workshops..That is awesome that you have lost so much weight..I too lost a few sizes these past 8 months, and have splurged on designer jeans..It feels great to shop skinny:). I am glad you guys are settled in your new home.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Super great post!

Unknown said...

wow, what a year! thanks for sharing, great post, and happy upcoming new year!

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

Sounds like you have had an awesome year. I pray that it carries on through 2009!

I love this photo too! The way you are looking over your shoulder...as if to say "Bye-bye year and hello future!"

Casey's trio said...

I hope your 2009 brings just as much happiness!

tiarastantrums said...

oh, I like that photo even more than the other!! Gorgeous post! I so need to stop grazing!!

Momma@Live. Laugh. Pull your hair out said...

LOVE this post!!! Congrats on your great year!

Jaime said...

Congrats on a great year! May the next be equally wonderful!
Now you've got me thinking about my 2008 year...pretty much nothing has changed except I'm a year older!

Elizabeth said...

What a great post. Congrats on all you've accomplished in 2008.

Clark Captions said...

Glad you had such a great year Angie! I am jealous of the diaper free part! Ugh....if only my little 3 1/2 year old would cooperate. You look great, and cheers to you in 2009. I hope it's just as good.

Mandy said...

Great post. I do something very similiar to your thinking about what your eating, can't remember, ate too much, totally agree with this one. I need to concentrate more on this one and lose a few pounds I gained moving back by family! Oh, how comfort food and living by family go hand and hand! LOL!

Jennifer P. said...

After my year of shake the world up and drop it on it's side changes--it is soooo refreshing to read about good, happy change. Congratulations on the amazing life changes. So much to be thankful for!

Jocasta said...

Wow Angie what a great post! It's been quite inspirational for me about choice and how I need to decide how I want things to be for me. Thanks!

Darla said...

What a nice, positive post! Nice, positive changes too! I've had a year of almost solid pick the world up and shake it, turn it upside down and drop it on its side type changes so for the first time in my life, I finally had to say, "Wow, I think I'm out of energy to regroup!"

In a lot of ways, it was good for me in a weird sort of way because I've finally realized that it's okay to say, "Enough is enough!", look after myself and draw some serious lines and boundaries. So, to make a long story very short, even if these changes were not anticipated or even welcome, there is a silver lining. I've learned some life lessons that were a long time coming! I'm stronger for it and much, much wiser!!! :)

Leslie said...

I'm glad things have worked out so well for you and for your family. Those leaps of faith are so hard, but so rewarding when you can have such immediate feedback that you did the right thing (as opposed to years and years). Hope the new year is just as wonderful!

Unknown said...

I loved your Christmas bloggy letter!

Good for you on the weight loss - it sounds like you have a wonderfully healthy relationship with food now.

And another great pictures to boot! : ) Can't wait to see what 2009 holds...

Threeundertwo said...

What a great post. 2008 was quite a year for you and your family.

As far as problems go, the extra pairs of jeans is a *good* problem! Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

What I lovely post, Angie! I'm so glad that you had a good year! By the way, I love your new profile picture ;-)

stefanie said...

I like the walking away picture, but I love this one with you looking back. With what you've written, it's like an invitation to join you...making good changes and resting in those changes, growing as a person. Lovely.

Rebecca said...

What a great way to catch back up with you. Sounds good all around. Here's to a new year and new beginnings. And by the way, the picture is adorable!