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.