Week #31: Life's A Beach!

This was me at the beach in 2009.  It was Kate's first trip to the beach.  I wasn't at my heaviest weight here.  Ugh!  This picture makes me sad.  I never knew I looked like that.  Our self-perceptions can't be trusted.  Not about our physical appearance, nor about our spiritual condition.  We are misguided.

But I digress...

This was me at the beach this year--2012.  I got home from my vacation on Sunday.  Today is Wednesday and, would you believe it?, I lost 3 pounds this week at the ocean!  That makes my grand total weight loss 90 pounds, officially!

It was a whole new experience going to the beach at this weight.  I didn't struggle through the sand.  I remember, one year when we were there it was very hot.  I think it was August.  And, between my obesity and the heat, I almost fainted coming back from the walk off the sand.  I had to sit down immediately and couldn't get up for awhile.  I was scared.  But...not so this year.  In fact, this year I RAN on the beach.

This year I actually got in the ocean.  Would you believe that's the first time since I was a teenager?  I always felt so unstable on my feet and fearful that if a wave knocked me down I would not be able to get back up.  But...not this year!  That's me out there in the water waving!  I had a BLAST!!!

Here is my family sitting on a blanket waiting for the 4th of July fireworks to begin.  This would have been another experience I couldn't have handled before.  I could sit on the floor, but I would have been afraid to get down there on that blanket on the sand and not be able to get up.  This year, however, I wore a SKIRT and enjoyed every moment of sitting here with the people I love.

I'm not going to lie.  This trip was hard for me.  We always got ice cream every night when we were at the beach.  And pizza!  And this year we were near Rehoboth Beach and they have GROTTO PIZZA!  I LOVE GROTTO!!!!  But, when you have a goal, you have to ask yourself if the choice your making moves you toward your goal or away from it.  Sooo...

This is my beautiful sister and I at Grotto Pizza.  That salad was amazing!  As was every other lean and green meal I had.  And no ice cream touched these lips.  And guess what?  We had a FANTASTIC time!  Turns out that food is not the key to an awesome time!

 

So, here we are.  Me, in my size Large Gap shirt and my cute little skirt.  And Dan at his goal weight.  I'm so excited about this picture!  But you know what I'm even more excited about?  Next year's picture!  Which I hope will be taken on the beach in the Bahamas when I am at my goal!!!!

I've come a long way...