Couldn't have said it better myself

from a dear friend of mine who has been through much of what I have been through in the past few months...

"Well it has taken me sometime to be open about a decision that I have made not just for my wonderful husband, who has been my rock and my shelter but for my children who make me wanna be better every day. I have received a lot of private messages asking me how have I lost my weight? And this has been a very private matter between my family & close friends , but as I sit here watching "My 600lb Life" I can't help but see myself on this show. No I never reached that big in weight but close enough to where I was in Congestive Heart Failure , and I see myself in everyone one of these people who are fighting to get their life back.. I have struggled with My weight my entire life, yo yo diets, and trying to hide away a lot of pain, and as I got older my emotional pain got worse. So what does almost every heavy set woman do, she hides it and hides it well, usually behind a great smile and BIG personality. Trying to be the life of the party and the most outspoken, just to hide the physical & mental abuse, not just from family ,but so called friends and even strangers. So in some ways I've become a master manipulator of my own self.. And not until I started this journey of finding myself my true self , did I realize that. So, I had some tough decisions to make , well at least at the time I thought they were tough decisions, and now that I've made the decision to FORGIVE, I look back and tell myself it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. It was one of the best gifts I could give myself to FORGIVE those who have done me wrong but also to FORGIVE myself for whom I've done wrong. So my next decision was to have the Gastric Bypass surgery and that is the 2nd best decision I've made for myself.. There is no looking back, it is onward and upward for me and my family. I have had some of my, who I thought were my friends, that I shared this with leave me some pretty hurtful messages, telling me it was a coward way out to face my demons head on..Well my decision was not made for anyone else other than myself and my family .. I am sharing my story because I want to be honest with you all when you ask me how did I do it, I'm not ashamed. I just had to come to terms before telling everyone something so personal. So please understand why I hesitated.. Thank you and I love you all."

~ Kimberly Holley

love & marriage

I will never forget how a wonderful woman once told me how absolutely in-love she was with her husband. She was probably in her early 60s then. She said that her children and grandchildren were merely pluses added to her already wonderful life.

http://qz.com/273255/how-american-parenting-is-killing-the-american-marriage/

Packing list

[clothes] jackets(1) - Bedroom sweaters(1) - Bedroom shoes(1) socks(1) - Bedroom coats(1) - Bedroom shirts(1) - Bedroom pants(1) - Bedroom sunglasses(1) - Bedroom hats(1) - Bedroom mittens/gloves(1) - Bedroom underwear(1) - Bedroom shorts(1) - Bedroom pajamas(1) - Bedroom [toiletries] make up bag(1) - Bathroom shaving kit(1) - Bathroom toothpaste(1) - Bathroom shampoo(1) - Bathroom towels(1) - Bathroom sunscreen(1) - Bathroom soap(1) - Bathroom toothbrush(1) - Bathroom lotion(1) - Bathroom deodorant(1) - Bathroom hairbrush(1) - Bathroom hair things(1) - Bathroom contacts/case/solutions(1) - Bathroom [other] cellphone, charger(1) - Office anti-bacterial wipes(1) hand sanitizer(1) - Kitchen medicine(1) - Bedroom tour guide(1) - Familyroom game(1) - Familyroom batteries(1) map(1) - Office book(1) - Familyroom walkie-talkie(1) reservation infor(1) - Office pillows(1) - Bedroom headphones(1) umbrella(1) - Garage [medical] antibiotic cream(1) - Bathroom anti-diarrheal medication(1) - Bathroom Band-Aids(1) - Bathroom bug repellent(1) - Bathroom sea-sickness bands or pills(1) - Bathroom pain reliever(1) - Bathroom [money and document] cash(1) credit card(1) driver license(1) passport(1) tickets/itinerary(1) auto insurance card(1) medical insurance card(1) business card(1) [camera] charger(1) tape(1) camera(1) camcorder(1) memory card(1) [swimming] water shoes(1) floating tube(1) swimsuit(1) beach towel(1) swim cover ups(1) [safety] turn off lights(1) lock doors(1) turn down heater(1) shut down water(1) close windows(1) unplug electronics(1) [for kids] wipper(1) playpen(1) bottle(1) diapers(1) cup(1) toy(1) books(1) coloring paper(1) car seat(1) [food] fruit(1) - Kitchen snack(1) - Kitchen drink(1) - Kitchen bread(1) - Kitchen water(1) - Kitchen [picnic] plastic plates(1) - Kitchen folding chairs(1) - Garage gas grill(1) - Garage utensil(1) - Kitchen tissue(1) - Kitchen cooler(1) - Garage table(1) - Garage paper towel(1) - Kitchen plastic utensil(1) - Kitchen pot(1) - Kitchen gas(1) - Kitchen [skiing] ski(1) - Basement boots(1) - Basement goggles(1) - Bedroom poles(1) - Basement gloves(1) - Bedroom helmet(1) - Basement ski pants(1) - Bedroom coats(1) - Bedroom [camping] fire starter(1) insect repeller(1) fire wood(1) - Garage fire lighter(1) air mattress(1) - Garage lamp(1) - Garage fishing gear(1) - Garage tent(1) - Garage pump(1) - Garage flash light(1) sleeping bag(1) - Basement Total # Of Items: 114

I'm not a fan of Alabama fans...

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/05/how_can_you_live_in_this_state.html

Dear Janie,

I save voicemails and even back the files up whenever you or my daddy leave me a message. If something ever happens to either of you, I will always be able to hear your voices...

One day you will understand how it feels to be a parent. How it feels to have part of your heart and soul walking around outside of yourself. How horribly scary and infinitely wonderful that can be all at once. How absolutely empty and drowning it all feels when your child disobeys or falls short.

Earlier this week a past student of mine came to visit us at the high school. A few months ago she had a very bad car wreck and almost died. She spent over a month in Birmingham in the hospital before being released and having to go to USA Women's and Children's hospital 3 times a week for her neck and spinal injuries. She is still wheelchair and cannot walk. She may never be able to walk again. She wears a backbrace and a neck brace at all times. She also does not have use of either of her hands.

I cried when I tried to talk to Chantel. The only words I could muster through my tears (and ugly crying face) were, that we loved her. But all I could think was what if that was my child. What if something happened to my Janie or my Si? That's where the tears flowed from. My unending love and worry for both of you.

If I cannot trust you on small things, I cannot trust you with big things. Like going on a trip to Point Clear, or going anywhere that you aren't 100% with me or your daddy. Your daddy doesn't want you to lie to him either, I promise.

I know you think I am mean, and you probably think I am too strict. You and Si are the most important people in my life. And my most important job while I am here on earth is for me to be a good Momma.

I love you Janie. More than you can understand.

❤,

Momma

Help

I can't help fix the problem if you won't tell me what is wrong...

I can't help you find happiness until you are ready to be happy...

I can't carry the load for both of us forever. I do think I am strong, just not that strong.

my son

As I walked down the hallway at JHS with my daddy, I remarked at how long this week had seemed. "I'm ready to get out of here and go get my son."

Daddy turned to me and smiled his sincere grin, "My son. How wonderful does that sound?! I've never been able to say those words."

"But you can say 'My grandson' which is pretty awesome too," was my reply.

"You're absolutely right!" he said with the same grin.

😍

— feeling thankful.