Life Is Amazing

My heart is incredibly full as I write this.  I am so very thankful for the Gospel in my life, and for the wonderful man who has become so very important to me.

Let me fill you in a little more.....
Concerning the Gospel, without going into it too much, I very very recently almost lost the church in my life completely.  I was scared and petrified of it happening, and could already find myself lashing out because of it.  But last night I recieved an incredible blessing, and am SO thankful, and SO blessed now.
(sorry for the vagueness)

Concerning the guy in my life.....
As you may have seen from last post, I have a "new" fella.  Its been a little over 2 weeks now, and its been wonderful.
We went to the local fair with his family last weekend, and I haven't had that much fun in FOR-EVER.
We got wristbands so that we could ride every ride as many times as we wanted.

The FIRST ride we went on was the one where you raise up way high, and then it DROPS you!
WHOOO!!  I'm not kidding, I was like a kid in a candy store.  I was giddy, and you could not wipe the goofy grin off my face.

On the Ferris Wheel (of looove)

Portrait/Drawing thing we had done.  (picture photoshopped into a drawing)

The "In-Laws"    The coolest couple around!!

On Pole-Position.  We made the car spin like crazy cuz it was soo full!

On Freak-Out.  I LOVE my hair!!

His Sis N Law took these while riding The Pirate.  My hair is sooo funny!

AWWWW

We git to ride twice in a row cuz there wasn't a line.

We had such a blast, I wish we could go every weekend!

Before we got to the fair, we all went to a chinese restaurant for lunch, and we got some very interesting fortunes........

The top was His, the bottom mine.....

Whatever "it" is....will be on Jan 15th! 

SAVE THE DATE!!  ;)

Now for some dressy pics...

LOVE this picture!

Like I said, life is good.  I have a wonderful man who loves me, and I love him right back!

I have the blessings of the Atonement in my life, and my beautiful family, both furry and human.

My beagle Ginger had to go in for surgery again today on her knee.  The implant wasn't taking, and the screws were pulling out of the bone.  Hopefully this sticks. 

Ok, Goodnight!!

Manda

100 lbs down BABY!!!!

100 POUNDS DOWN!!!!!


Here is a visual for you!  (DEEESGUSTING!)  *shudders*

I hit 100 lbs 2 days ago!! 
I am now actually at -102!!
I am 205 lbs, and soooo close ton ONE-der-land!

I have been rocking a size 16 pant, that makes the booty look great, even though I'm not in ALL 16's.
My foot has not bothered me in a looong time.  I still can't get over this concept!
My back actually bothers me more then my feet do!
I still tape my foot every day to provide arch support (I can't go without it, I've tried), but compared to a year ago, its night and day!!

I was looking through my scrapbook pages last night with my fella (more about him in a minute!!)
and I was SHOCKED at how much smaller I am now than I was in EVERY SINGLE ONE of those pictures!   I am smaller now - by a lot - than when I first got married in 2003.
I am about the size I was my sophomore year in high school.
This boggles my mind, as I used to look at my wedding pics, or my senior pics, and long for those "skinny" days to be back. 


Ok, so, I took some pictures of my 100 lb loss, and I wore a dress that I'd taken pictures of when I'd lost 70.....so here is the comparison. 

  

-70 lbs, May 12th                                                                -100 lbs, October 9th

-70 lbs, May 12th                                                                  -100 lbs, October 9th

-70 lbs, May 12th                                                           -100 lbs, October 9th 

-70 lbs, May 12th                                                         -100 lbs, October 9th

This is just amazing to me.  I'm comparing for the first time, just now, and its insane.  Look at the difference in my legs! And my waist!  Goodness.....

Ok, here's a few of the pics from the past to compare to now......

Feb 2003       Size 20 dress                                                Oct 2011, size 16/18

Senior Portrait 2000                                                                Last Week

Ok.....so on to my love life.  Heeeee....   <3

I can't BELIEVE how much has changed in less than a week!

I went out with the guy from Denny's for a couple days.  He was very sweet, and we got along great, but I decided it'd be best for us to part ways.  We're still friends.

The guy that paid for my meal at Denny's, and then came to my work to ask me out and I are now dating.   It was kind of subtle at first, and now it's just amazing.

Because I was with the other guy, he and I just texted to get to know each other and became friends.

I was amazed at how it felt like I'd known him for years.

He's pretty shy (in person), so he could open up over text more.

We got to have lunch together once, and apparently I didn't scare him off with talk of all my animals and my dream of opening up an animal rescue.  In fact, he liked me all the more for it.

Then, he went to a little concert at a bar/restaurant of a 70's/80's cover band with his brother, sis in law, and friends, and invited me to come join them after work.

We were still in the friend phase, and just enjoyed each other's company.

But there was a very nice moment when we went on the porch and talked.  And something really just clicked. 

We went to church the next day, still as friends, and it started to feel like "ok, time to make it official, there's something there...."

After I'd ended things with the 1st guy, we discussed being a couple, and both thought it was a good idea.  Since then, it's just been moment upon moment of greatness.

He helped me study for Pharmacology, we went to lunch, we went to the movies, I met his parents, I showed him all my scrapbooks, we went to a church activity (we played Disney Scene It! with the singles, and he's as good as I am at it!!)

Photo Booth in the Mall

Lunch

He's such a good guy.  He's so gentle, and is such a gentleman.  He listens to KLOVE (a Christian station that I love), and has such a strong testimony in the Gospel.

Oh, and do you see his eyes??   I told him he had very pretty eyes, and he told his brother and sister in law and was like "FINALLY!!"

I was shocked, and he said they'd JUST been talking about that, and they'd asked if I'd said anything about them, and were surprised I hadn't, because that's the first thing EVERYBODY says.   LOL

They're like ice blue, mile long eyelashes, and just stare into your soul.  Just dazzling. 



Concert

Anyways, I'm really really happy.   It's been kind of fast, but if y'all know me, you know I'm kind of impulsive.  We've got very similar goals, and we're both cautious in our relationships so we don't get hurt again, so we'll take it day by day and see where it goes.

In the mean time, I'll be smiling!!

Down 100 pounds AND a boyfriend all in the same week!  SCORE!!





GUYS Guys guys..... My Favorie Subject!!

Did I mention I was single??  Cuz yeah, I am.  And....I'm "skinny" for the first time since high school.  I actually weigh less now than I did my senior year.  Booyah!
And I'm sorry, when your butt looks like this.....ya gotta flaunt it!!!

LOL....anyways.  I have been dating.  And it has been fun.  The first guy, was just talking, and it was while I was still married technically, and he just became a tird and stopped talking to me, so....moving on to other things. 

Next guy....I'm still not sure what I saw in him, other than attention. 

Casual was the word to describe it.  Occasionally fun.  Still, there was an undeniable spark, and its still tough to see him without feeling silly.

Third guy.....

I met a guy online.  He was really really sweet.  Lived in Austin, and LDS.  We talked a lot.  Went through scenarios of how life would be "if and when" we were married.

We'd planned out our first date, and were trying to set a time good for both of us.

He has 2 kids, and a lot of baggage emotionally, but I was still on board....

Until he stopped talking to me.

SERIOUSLY?!?!?!  Come on guys, buck up and just break up with me, don't just be silent!  GRRRR

And now for the fun part!!  A real live LDS BOY!!!!

Ok, I should back up a few steps.....

Yesterday I had a strong heart to heart with God.  I was clinging on to guy #2 and 3 just because they were there.  Guy 2 was purely a physical being, and it was just leading down a dangerous path....

So I gave it to God.  I asked for patience.  To help me stop SEARCHING for guys, and just be able to be calm, and wait. 

Wow..  all I can say is wow.  He answered my prayer a few hours later.

I went to my church's scripture study for the singles, and I started talking to a few guys.  Normally I don't think anything about this.  Just making friends.  We all went out for a bite afterward, and had a blast.  One of the guys I was talking to sat by me and we talked one on one a lot, and touched knees and little giddy stuff like that.

Another guy was super sweet and paid for my meal (scrambled eggs and cheese!!).

The guy who sat beside me (guy #4) hung out in the parking lot afterwards, and we talked for like an hour.

About anything and everything. 

About temple marriages, about sin and forgiveness, about my weight loss surgery, about what we like and dislike in relationships...

He asked at first, "so when are we gonna go out?" and I said,...."um, when you ask me?"

So we set up a date.  Then talked.

I thought that was the end of the night when he said he had to go get to bed. 

We texted a few times, and had a few sweet comments back and forth.

He decided to come over, and we hung out a few hours more.  :)

We shared some nice kisses, and cuddles.  We played Uno a few dozen times, and he totally kicked my butt.  It was a really really surprising end to the day, and a sweet first date.

God truly immediately blessed me when I gave up my guy #2 "addiction" and he gave me a good LDS boy.  :)

OK, you ready for it??

When I went into work today, the guy who paid for my meal was there, and asked me out.



Unfortunately, it was for the same night I already had a date.

So, what do I do?  Do I date both?  Do I become exclusive with someone I've had one date with?
I'm a month+ out from my divorce....I wanna shop around, but I also don't wanna hurt anyone.
So, I told my current guy about potential guy, and vice versa....
And with their reactions, and some thought, I came to the conclusion, that I need to see where this thing with Guy #4 leads.

I'd asked him what church was gonna be like this Sunday, and he said that we would sit by each other, and people would talk, and then he'd be like "what?  we're gonna get out of the singles branch before you!  :P   "  LOL  So, I'm totally looking forward to church now!!!


Speaking of guys in my life.........
My ex-husband and I saw each other on web cam for the first time in months.  I'd seen him, but not heard him, back in maybe June.  I hadn't heard his voice since April.
It was very very interesting.....
Its amazing how different the same conversation can come across differently over IM verses webcam.
We talked like 3 hours.  It was really nice.  I missed him.  He was, and is, still my best friend, and it sucks not talking to him.   I was really happy getting to talk to him, but afterward, stuff started to sink in, and it put me in a weird mood.  Guess its to be expected.


Well, ok, update on my weight loss progress.  I hit a speed bump when my family came in to town, which I knew would happen....
I'd gotten down to 210 when they came, and hovered at it +1 or 2 lbs for a few days.
Now I got back on track, and I hit 209!!  Single digits!!  In 2 lbs, i'll have lost 100 lbs.
in 10 lbs i'll be in ONE-der-land!!!

While mom was here, I tried on everything I owned, and got rid of 10 large trashbags worth of clothes that were too big.  This is in addition to the 2 HUGE piles I'd been adding to since the beginning.
So yay!  I'm in an 18 now.  20's are WAY baggy, and 16's are too tight, but they close!
Hooray!  I'm happy to see results!