Weight of the World.

While I was growing up there wasn't much on the TV besides sports. Between boring golf tournaments on Sunday afternoons, March Madness basketball, Monday Night Football, and the World Series I remember watching a few episodes of Dr. Quinn the Medicine Woman, Walker Texas Ranger, and maybe some 7th Heaven if Mom and I got lucky.

The past probably 5 or 6 years though a show has consumed our Tuesday nights. The Biggest Loser. I started watching it on the couch between my Mom and Dad before Brandon came into my life and we now continue to watch it as a family of 3.

I'll be honest. I would watch the show in the past and feel sorry for the people on the show. How could they let their life end up that way. So unhappy, hurting, sick-and-tired of the way they were living. We would watch as Bob and Jillian would scream, curse, and work them to death.

This season has been different for me. My heart aches for every member of the red, blue, and black team. Each Tuesday night my eyes fill with tears for those people and I believe it is because we are fighting the same battle. The truth is: I have let my life end up that way. Unhappy, hurting, sick-and-tired of the way I am living.

I want my story to change lives, just like theirs are. Sure I don't have Jillian Michael's and Bob Harper in my living room, I have something better. I have a Brandon Robertson Armstrong and a little girl that motivates me.

This morning I feel like I have the weight-of-the-world on my shoulders. I want a better life. I want to feel beautiful everyday, not just every-now-and-then. I want to be healthy. I not only want to run, I want to run fast. I want push myself to new heights. I want change.

Change is coming. I am so close to my goal of {135lbs}, but Mission-Get-My-Body-Back is no where near over. You'll see.  

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around the Armstrong house.

The tree is up, decorations out, Christmas music playing 24/7, and  a cinnamon spice candle burning. I just love this time of year. I love the real meaning of this season, Jesus' birth. I love shopping for, wrapping and giving gifts. I love singing Christmas music with Brandon as we cook dinner. It's all so beautiful and special. All-of-it.

This year it is a little different though.

This year we have a little girl to share this special time with. We get to begin teaching her why we celebrate Christmas. We get to read her stories about baby Jesus and Santa Claus. We get to fill an extra stocking. We get to open presents with her, dance to Jingle Bells, and start our family-of-3 traditions. To say the least: I-am-excited.

Sweet December please take your time. Let us soak you up and enjoy every second.

What is your favorite thing about this season?

Monday After

All Monday's are hard, but the Monday after spending 4 days in a row with the hubs is even harder. Tackling daily events with the man that makes your feel confident, beautiful, special, and secure is so much easier than sitting in the living room alone with a crying baby, suit cases full of dirty clothes, and so many things to do before we head out for a another crazy weekend.

Our Thanksgiving weekend was great, but there is something about getting an almost 8-month-old out of her routine. To say the least as we walked into our front door yesterday it was great to be home.

The Christmas tree is half-way-up. We opened the never-before-opened-box and fluffed the tree last night. Tonight decorating it is on the list of too-many-to-dos. Alivia cried pretty much the whole time we were sitting it up, hoping tonight goes better.

Tis' the season, right?

Be Thankful

Tomorrow we will be stuffing our cheeks with turkey and treats, and I wanted to take a second before the madness begins to be thankful.

Thankful for my husband, the love of my life. Thankful for my baby girl, it is hard to believe that last year on Thanksgiving night I felt her kick inside  my belly for the first time, and now she is sitting in my lap desperately trying to type on the keyboard. {Blog writing was much easier without my little helping hands}.

Thankful for family. Thankful for friends that are so close they seem like family. Thankful for my health, and the body I almost have back.

Thankful for Perry and the community that we moved to 11 months ago. Thankful for our church family, and HeBrews. Thankful for the house that keeps us warm. Thankful for the brand-spankin-new-Christmas-tree sitting neatly in its box, waiting impatiently to be unwrapped and put up! HURRY MONDAY!

There are so many things to celebrate this time of the year.

Take a few minutes and be thankful today.

Thankful for no cancer, new babies, sweet family time, new love, best friends, good food, and whatever warms your heart.

What are you thankful for today?

A Good Report

Remember this picture from Friday?

Well, the girl on the left is Sarah Shelton. I met Sarah when my family moved to Perkins in the sixth grade. We attended church together. When I was a freshman in high school I dated her older brother, he was a senior. {That was a B-I-G deal people}. As years passed and relationships ended I grew to know Sarah more. I fell in love with her beautiful face and even more her beautiful heart.

Well Friday this girl had surgery on a tumor that was found on her medulla, and today I have a good report:

The mass that the Dr's found was a malfunctioning cluster of blood vessels Sarah was born with. I may not be a doctor, but I do understand these words:

One time procedure

It will not grow back

Cancer free!!!!

Praise Jesus! The Giver of life! Amen-Amen!

He moves mountains people.

Also, the girl in the middle of the picture: well, her name is Casey Shelton, and she and her husband live in College Station, TX. I met Casey while I was 15 and dating that said boyfriend. I couldn't go on a date alone, so what did I do? Set up a double date with said boyfriend's older brother, her, senior boy, and I. Long story short they fell in love, got married, and yesterday she went into labor with their baby Jack in Tulsa Oklahoma while visiting Sarah.

Good-golly-miss-Molly the Shelton family has been through a lot in the past two weeks. They still needs your prayers. So today I am asking for prayers of healing over Sarah. Full-Fast-recovery!! AND prayers for Ryan, Casey and baby Jack as they start their life together so far away from home.

Have faith today.

Prayers

Today I would like to ask for your prayers.

Today a beautiful young lady is having surgery.

Sarah, Casey (Sarah's-Sister-In-Law), and I forever again!

Her beautiful self, and her boyfriend Jarrod!

Just a few short days ago this beautiful, smart, amazing girl got sick. Ms. Sarah-Such-A-Joy-Shelton was taken to the ER on Sunday night for a severe headache. The Doctors did a CAT scan and they unfortunately found a tumor on her brain stem.

The mass is composed of three types of tumors: one is calcified and the other two appear to be active. They are close to the surface and are on the right side of the medulla. The area that they will separating it from controls balance, facial control, and breathing.

Please pray for my sweet friend and her wonderful family today.

**On a lighter note, check out another great give-a-way that is happening over here**

6 Month Update: Mission-Get-My-Body-Back

It can't be November 17th already, can it?

Well, despite my dis-belief today is the day. My 6 month update on Mission-Get-My-Body-Back. For you that don't know on April 4th the best thing happened to me. I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl Alivia Nicole. Walking into labor and delivery I weighed 201lbs. You see, I gained 60 plus pounds during my pregnancy.  

60-pounds-people.

To say the least seeing that number {201} rocked-my-world.

I would be lying if I said I didn't a few "chunky years" as a kid. In the 5th grade I remember getting picked on like any other kid. Something happened that I don't even remember telling my parents. One day some boys in my class passed me a "note". I opened it and on the inside they had drawn a picture of a cow. The words above the picture said "Megan Hefer". My maiden name is Hefner, and this wasn't the first joke I had received about it, but this one broke my heart. I remember it like it was yesterday.

I wasn't an athlete either. I played softball in the second grade, got hit in the head with the ball one day in practice and decided it wasn't for me. In 6th grade {still in the "chunky years"} I played basketball one season where I made one free throw and was kindly asked if I wanted to be the manager the following year. I tried out for cheerleading twice. In 7th grade 9 girls tried out for the squad and I am pretty sure there were 8 cheerleaders that year, me not being one of them.

It all changed though. Freshman year I grew up-instead-of-out and I remember feeling pretty for the first time. Long legs, short skirts, and boys noticing me for the first time. Never a good thing, but that is a total different story...

What I am trying to get at is I have struggled with my self-esteem for many years now, and I'll be honest looking in the mirror this morning I am still not happy with some of the things I see {I probably never will be}. I see a belly that pooches way-too-much. Jiggly arms... and the list goes on.

BUT I also see a woman that has come so far in six-short-months. I see a woman that works hard, maybe not everyday, but tries. I see a woman that has set goals, accomplished those goals, and is a better athlete than she has ever been. I see a wife, a mother, and a marathoner. A powerful woman that is not done.

6 weeks after our little girl arrived on May 17th I laced up my running shoes and made a life-style-change. I wanted my body back. That morning I became a woman on a mission: Mission-Get-My-Body-Back! That morning I topped the scales at 169lbs.

So, here we go:

The day I went into labor, April 3rd: 201lbs

The first day of Mission-Get-My-Body-Back, May 17th (Day ONE): 169lbs

June 17th: 160lbs

July 17th: 155lbs

August 17th: 146lbs

September 17th: 143lbs

October 17th: 140lbs

November 17th: 137lbs!!!!

I just couldn't belive it this morning when I stepped on the scale!! I needed some motivation, and the hard work paid off, it can for you too. Don't give up! To read all of my Mission-Get-My-Body-Back updates click here.

Look at Megan Hefer now, boys!

Be proud today.

Not Today.

Today my little brown-haired-brown-eyed-curly-q-of-a-girl are spending much needed time sleeping in together, eating breakfast together, playing on the floor together, and sharing sweet smiles.

Some days the need to clean the kitchen, dust the bookcase, and check things off my to-do-list over take our lives. A 7-month-old doesn't really understand why Momma has the vacuum out for second time in one day or why Momma can't read her a book because dinner from the night before is still sitting on the stove, and obviously that is the highest priority.

No. Not today.

She is only 7-months-old once right? SO,

Today is going to be full of giggles, crawling practice, bouncing, singing, and loving. No vacuum. No rush. No to-do-list.

Just me and mylittle girl.

**Tomorrow is my 6 month update for Mission-Get-My-Body-Back! I am nervous about the big weigh-in! Make sure to come check it out tomorrow!**

5 Thoughts

{one} My little girl just ate bananas for the first time, we have officially made it through most of the veggies and are moving onto fruits. Where does time go? Seriously, yesterday I am pretty sure I was holding an 8lb 1oz baby girl, and now she is a real food eating, sitting up, on the verge of crawling human... oh goodness.

{two} After today you will be reading the words of the newest Perry YMCA member. I am so excited, I can barley stand it. Running on the treadmill and working out on the elliptical has never sounded so exciting! Mission-Get-My-Body-Back is going to be on a whole-new-level.

{three} Brandon got a new Christmas CD for his birthday and we have been listening to it ever since= This girl is so ready to put the tree up! We always put it up the Monday after Thanksgiving, just 2 weeks from today!!

{four} The past 2 nights I have maybe gotten 8 hours of sleep, Miss Alivia doesn't want to sleep these days. I am one exhausted Momma Bear.

{five} Will all the moms out there reassure me that one day I will feel normal again? Or is this post-pregnancy, hair loosing, exhausted, belly pooch here to stay? Is this our new normal? I wouldn't trade this normal for anything... although I am pretty sure I offered to pay Brandon $1,000 last night for him to Liv for just-ten-short-minutes-of-sleep.

Happy Monday All.

Enjoy your normal today.

Oh Joy

Riding in my husband's bouncing coffee truck makes me:

A. Smile ear to ear.

B. Want to pee my pants {this post-baby bladder is pretty awesome}

C. Take a 30 minute shower to get the coffee smell off of me. OR

D. All of the above?

With that being said Alivia and I went to work with Papa yesterday and it was a-mazing. Long, but amazing. I have to admit I miss spending a couple days a week working with Brandon even at my huge-pregnant-size it made my heart skip a beat knowing I got to spend the whole day with the love-of-my-life.

Today is a different story. Kissed papa good-bye and little princess and I have to gear up for the fun-filled-busy-weekend. Oh joy...

TGIF today.

P.S. Click here and head over to one-of-my-daily-reads, become a follower and enter into the give-a-way! It's a beautiful necklace and I have my-fingers-crossed that it is sent to me via snail mail! :)

27

Today join me in celebrating Mr. Armstrong. 

This man:

 The handsome man I married.

 The amazing athlete.

 The world's best father.

 The one with a travelers heart.

 My one true love.

 The hard worker.

 The one that makes me laugh.

 The perfect example for our princess.

 My best friend forever.

 My dream come true.

 The one helping me get that body back!!!

 The one who always wears v-neck t-shirts.

 The one who is going to run 26.2 miles with me in a few months. 

This man. The one whose birthday is today is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I still can't believe that he is mine and only mine.

I can't wait to celebrate the next 50plus birthday's with you, Brandon Robertson Armstrong.

Thank goodness you were born.

Happy Birthday Bear.

His Lunch

Each night I get to make a turkey and cheddar sandwich with lettuce mustard, ranch, or mayo. {He likes to change things up: Even though he eats the same thing for lunch every-single-day}. Each night I get to fill water bottles, grab an apple and orange, and make sure my handsome husband's lunch is ready for the next day.

I'll be honest. I love making Brandon's lunch. I feel like it is the one thing I can do to influence his day. With each spread of the mustard I am praying over my husband. With each cheese stick, peanut butter and chocolate chip bagel, and granola bar I poor love into his lunch. I hope everyday when he opens his lunch box that my face is what he sees.

About a month ago I started writing Brandon a note to put in his lunch. Sometimes it is short-and-sweet. Sometimes it is way-too-long, and who knows if he actually takes the time to read the whole thing, but each day I end it by declaring my love for him: "I love you more than candy corn", "I love you more than a frozen chai", "I love you more than ice cream"....etc: You get the point. Simple, corny, silly, but sweet.

Today find someone to encourage.

Husband, parent, child, friend.

Make them feel special.

Write them a note.

Hello Weekend

With cinnamon rolls cooling on the oven, laundry in the wash, a handsome man standing in the kitchen, and Christmas music playing in the back ground: it must be the weekend. We have every intention of tackling our to-do list, but we'll see. Laying around and loving on each other sounds-way-more-appealing.

Hello Weekend, you have been dearly missed around the Armstrong house. Feel free to stay as long as you wish. XOXO

Enjoy your weekend today.

Check

If you have followed the blog for some time you might remember this post. You know.. the one where were I talked about our financial goals for 2011? The one where I predicted that God was going to move in our finances this year? The one where I threw out a crazy goal of paying our car off this year?

Well, yesterday Brandon and I wrote our last check to the Nissan Motors Acceptance Corporation.

Can I get a what-what?

In 15-20 days we will be receiving the title to our car. Paid off. Done.

Not only that: but last month we paid off one of my student loans. {one-of being the key words}

We did it! Over $10,00 of debt paid off in LESS than a year. To say God moved in our fiances in an under statement.

God, has taken our lives and rocked-our-world.

He supplies all of our needs.

He listens to the desires of our hearts.

He is our provider.

Trust him today.

My Pumpkin Pie

Alivia Nicole Armstrong's First Halloween

Alivia's best friend: Hannah Jo

Alivia's first Halloween was a-mazing! She wore her pumpkin suit like a champ. Every time I looked down and saw my little-ball-of-orange my heart grew happier.

It is amazing to me how fun life is with a little human by our side! Don't get me wrong... Hanging with Mr. Armstrong last Halloween with a baby bump and a huge school project was both fun and terrifying at the same time. Nothing said Halloween more than doing homework and being interrupted by little knocks on the door, a dog barking, and opening it to hand Woody, Buzz, and the cutest OSU cheerleader in town a few pieces of candy... Until now that is.

But now we are those parents... You know them. The ones that push their almost-7-month-old around the town Halloween event to get candy for themselves. Shameless.

I might be partial, but we were pushing the cutest-pumpkin-in-town! Thanks for the Reece's my sweet-little-pumpkin-pie!

Make memeories today.