My First Blog!

Well, this is the first blog I have ever written. English was never my best subject so I hope it’s not too terrible to read! I have started a new journey a few months ago of trying to lose some weight. I just recently started reading the blogs from the anti Jared and escape from obesity. I thought I would give it a try and maybe it would make me more accountable for my weight loss and hopefully help me lose more and eat better. So, this will be about my weight loss journey and whatever else I may want to blog about! First, I thought I would start with a little about my history…

I was born in Duncan, OK on Jan. 22, 81. I have a younger brother that was also born in Duncan on Dec. 15, 83. Our parents divorced when we were very young. So, young that I don’t even remember them ever being together. Which sometimes make me sad to think I missed out on enjoying them together but if they didn’t belong together in the first place maybe it was for the best?

Anyways, my brother and I are of the few families that were raised by a single Dad (Larry). I believe he is the greatest man in the world and I look up to him so much! We didn’t have a whole lot when we were younger because he struggled to work and pay the bills and keep us fed and it turns out Mom didn’t always pay child support. So, all I have to say is – it’s not always the Dad that’s not paying child support! Most of our time was spent with my grandparents (Dad’s parents – Loretta and Kenneth) on their farm which was about 45 minutes from Duncan. We would help grandpa feed the cows or just roam the many acres he had with their dogs Leo and Frost. When we weren’t there we spent time at our aunt and uncles (Lorane and Ken) with our cousin Daniel who is just 6 months younger than me. He was more like our brother though since we spend so much time together. The elementary we went to was about half a block from his house. Spending so much time with my brother, cousin and my dad I was definitely a tom boy…getting dirty on the farm, playing basketball with the boys, riding bikes or playing with hot wheels and legos. We rarely just sat and watched TV or played video games because we were so active outside so I was very thin when I was younger. We also spent time with my grandparents (Mom’s parents – Glynda and Bill) whenever we had a chance also. They lived in Duncan also and grandma loved to fish and grandpa loved to tell stories.

We moved to Dallas, TX and that was where I went to school in kindergarten while he was working but not sure exactly where. I don’t remember a whole lot about Dallas. The main thing that I do remember is trying to make a snowman one day and my brother, Dustin, packed the snow down flat every time he had the chance so I never did get very far! Then another time a waffle ball hit me and left marks on my face from the wholes on the ball! Fun times! Haha But I also remember it to be the year that our grandpa Bill passed away. He loved to smoke a pipe but that what took him in the end. I was young so I don’t remember much about him except he always had it with him. Grandma went on to live with a man name Don. He’s a grumpy old man but we love him! Hehe They never got married but they do live in the same house she has lived in since about the time I was born.

We moved back to Duncan for when I went to first grade and about half of 2nd grade until we moved to Wichita, KS. My dad took a job at Boeing. It was hard moving from our family but it was what we needed to do. I went to the rest of 2nd grade and 3rd grade at Peterson. Then 4th grade we moved to the south part of Wichita and I went to another school. For 5th grade, dad was laid off from Boeing so he went to Arizona for school to get his A&P license (I believe) and Dustin and I moved back to Duncan and lived with our grandparents on the farm. We drove into Duncan, yes 45 minutes every morning, to go back to the same school I went to before with Daniel. When dad got done he came back and got us and we moved back to Wichita because he took a job at Learjet. I went to Jardine for 6th and part of 7th grade until we moved back to the west side and I went to Wilbur for the rest of 7th and 8th grade. Finally, we were settled in a good place and my dad had an excellent job. So, I was able to go to Northwest high school all four years and graduate! Woohoo!

The whole time we lived in Wichita we would drive back and forth for weekends and holidays to Duncan to see our family. But, once I started working when I was 16 that changed a lot because I wasn’t able to go as much. Now, I rarely get to go. I have a full time job, married and have 2 cats and a dog. My brother is a few years younger than me and is dating a woman my age! It’s so funny but we love her and she is like part of the family.

Mom had gone on to marry a man named David. She was in the military and so was he. She had been in the Navy and then on to the army. They had a son named Michael so I also have a half brother but I’ve always thought of him as my Brother. We visited mom once in a while. She moved to Arizona and that is where Michael was born. We visited her then not long after he was born. She moved to California for a while and we visited for a month in the summer one year. I never did like David though. I don’t know if I ever really knew why for sure but there was just something I didn’t like. We didn’t’ see him that often so we didn’t know him very well. But, one day when mom came home to visit after being in boot camp, I realized why. It was one of the worst days of my life and I will never forget it. They were working in the garage at my grandparents when I heard them start yelling and a lot of noise going on. She came running in with him chasing her down. He had punched her in the head! She called 911 and not a few minutes later my grandparents and uncle (her brother Tony) got home. I remember lots of arguing and yelling. He wouldn’t leave. Don came out of the house with a shotgun! The police showed up and made him put it away or they were going to take him away too! He finally left but we found out it was not the first time he had hit her. She moved on though and married my now stepdad, Merron. He was also in the military and turns out she met him in boot camp that year. Which is probably what caused the fight in the garage is my guess? He has a daughter and a son that lived with their mother in Florida. Mom and Merron moved to Big Rock, TN so we may see them about once a year if that.

Anyways, that’s sort of a short version of my life. But what it brings me to now is about my weight loss. Like I said I was very active. We also spent a lot of time at the lake during the summer camping, skiing and tubing. But once I got out on my own, my weight has slowly climbed up! My heaviest was 251lbs. I started going to the gym and eating better in November of last year and have got down to 234lbs – 17lbs lost! I am feeling better already but don’t feel that 17lbs in 5 months is good enough. My goal was 2lbs a week and that is far from it. I have a long ways to go….

But I guess I’m going to end with that for today. If anyone did read my blog I hope they were able to stick with it and not be too bored! Hopefully future ones will be better. If you did read it – Thank you!