more ink...

Today May 29 would be ma's birthday. Since the day she died, I told myself that I wanted to get a tattoo to remember her by...it has taken me 7 months to come up with a design that both hubs and I agreed on.

Ma was big into the water, beach, ocean and anything and everything related to. Many images came to mind when thinking of what to get, but none 'fit' me...as in, she liked all those things, but me not so much. 3 weeks ago I was going to get a Pagan symbol for mother (a stick figure with a belly), I was also going to put a little blue heart inside said belly. Then, I changed up everything and designed this:




My tat artist Benjamin at Three Six Tat.



I was worried about the PAIN. Was surprised that this tat (on my inner right wrist) was pleasant compared to my 1st tat on my ankle.




It is a Heart (duh) with a mom holding her 2 kids...the mom has a halo. I had first designed it with only the 1 kid (to make the heart), but it didnt feel right because I have a brother and also I have 2 kids. I added the smaller and BAM! Tattoo.

Fun with junking...

I had a fun time yesterday out junking. Had lots of luck! Here are just a few or several pics of my finds...(went out again today and found more) :)

9.5 months out -

On Tuesday, I had my 9.5 month checkup with my lapband Doctor. My last appointment was 8 weeks ago, I figured I could lose - at most 16 LBS & as little as 7LBS. After 8 weeks I went in and was weighed...I lost a total of 1 (ONE) LB in 8 weeks!!! *not happy*

However, I have lost a total of 50LBS!

I feel better and I am doing more - which had I not, I would probably still be sitting on my fat butt. Had I not had the band who knows what I would weigh today???

I am grateful for the band. I just thought that I would be down 70-75LBS by now.

I have been using a scale to measure out 6oz of food each meal. My doctor was glad that I have been measuring my food, but he said a scale is not accurate...he wants me to measure it out with a measuring cup and ONLY have 1/2c per meal.

I go back in early June...

They were right!

I started walking last Fall. I can do 1.5 - 3 miles, depends on the mood. My hubby isn't shocked anymore when me and Sprout just 'show up' at work (a good mile and half away).

I was on FB (facebook) Friday and I saw a post from a girlfriend of mine. She said she was walking a 5k on Saturday and wanted to know of any friends doing the same.
I replied to her post sayin' "had I known of the 5k I would do it with you"...*phone rings* its my girlfriend she says I have til 8p that night to sign up for the 5k the following day.

*making a long story short - found out about the race on Friday and did the race on Saturday.

I DID IT!

So, to all my friends that told me last Fall that they could see me doing a 5k within a year......You Were Right!!! An I want to do it again in June!

A couple of us got tired of waiting for the shuttle to take us back to the starting line, so we walked back; not the exact route, but we still walked all the way back.

Jus' tryin' to do good

So, I woke up Friday morning and all I could see were all the toys that did not go at the yard sale we had a couple weeks back. I feel closed in, I want to be released! To be FREE!

A thought occurred to me: I could take all these things to Goodwill or I could take them to the pediatrics wing of the hospital for the sick kids. *light bulb*

So, I called the hospital and found out what kids (sex/age) were there and I found the proper toys for them. I even went to the Dollar Store to buy for a 13y/o girl (girls that age don't play with hot wheels or dolls)...I picked up a cute little purse and some nail polish, nail bling, eyeshadow, etc...

*MEMORY*

When my brother and I were younger - there were a couple Halloweens where we & ma would dress in our costumes and take candy to the kids at the hospital (where she worked).
*

So - When hubs came home I told him what I did and he is totally on board (I knew I married a good man!)

I have 2 totes full of toys I plan on taking to the ped wing. *the nurses there told me that I can bring it all in and when a child has a procedure or just before they go home, they can look threw the toys and take something home.