About Me
So, what’s my story? I feel like I am just now learning to live. Is it possible to start life at 38? They say it’s never too late. By sharing my story, my experiences, and my journey I hope to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest, 5 minutes of joy at a time. Someday, I hope to look back at this blog and be proud of how far I have come. I will continue making videos of my epic adventures and my dear diary moments but here I get to share a little more.
The Short story: I am a passionate but novice writer. I am a terrible speller, and I have never really done anything like this… probably not how I should start my bio, but hey, it’s honest.
A little more about me and my story
Recently, I lost 170 pounds, over half of my original weight. The weight loss has changed me physically but it has compelled me to change on the inside as well. I am on a journey of self-reflection and self-discovery.
Did I mention that I am also a stay-at-home mom to three lovable kiddos? This school year, we as a family have decided to homeschool our three children (ages 13, 11, and 5). As a result, the whole house is in a state of upheaval. Well mostly. We are getting there. We are looking forward to all of the fun things we will learn and explore together. Because we are homeschooling, we will have more flexibility in our schedules too! I really can’t wait to travel with them and am ready to take a hands-on approach to “school”. Can I tell you a little something about me… I am super excited! But, it also terrifies me!
My History
You see, when I was little I actually had a lot of trauma. Most of which I tried to forget or, at least, ignore. When I lost all of my excess weight, I inadvertently unmasked a lot of things, some of them not so pleasant. Unfortunately, because it was ongoing though out most of my life, I pretty much just lived in survival mode. It’s complex PTSD, and it feels woven so deeply into the fibers of my being. Honestly, I didn’t even really know that it was there. I just blamed myself for being “weird” about certain things like crowds, new people, etc. (more on that in future blog posts.) I didn’t know that that I had existed most of my life burying emotions and hiding (figuratively). Well, no more. I have nothing to be embarrassed about! Don’t get me wrong, I am still working on convincing myself!
The Catalyst
Just a few months ago, I was told I had cancer. After a month of additional testing, waiting and more testing; we found out that the doctor was wrong! Can you believe it? Honestly, it was one of the best things that could have happened to me. Even though I was told that the cancer I “had” was the “good” kind of cancer… it was still CANCER. I immediately set out on a quest to do all of the fun things that I never did growing up or as an adult because I was overweight and have very little self-esteem. It was so much fun. I finally let go of the past and was really LIVING. When I woke up from surgery and found out I didn’t have cancer, after all, I looked at my husband and said “can we still do fun stuff?”
So, now what?
Today, I am happy to report that my story is not over, we have and will continue to “do fun stuff”! I have been covering from my surgeries (thyroidectomy and mastectomy) and COVID has certainly added additional challenges but we are fortunate that we have still been able to do a few adventures.
Why am I so scared to share my story?
I have been MIA from social media. In hindsight, I think I was stuck because I wanted to share more. I wanted to stop being ashamed, but I was (and still am) a little terrified. Sometimes I feel like my story is a little much. Sometimes I just want to get it over with and shout it from the rooftops. This is the 2020 version… I started a blog and put it in my bio. #Metoo
All of my adventures have been about facing my fears, taking on new challenges, and overcoming obstacles. So, this is going to be the new face of my channel, vlog, and blog. Sharing our latest adventures; things that we discover through our learning journey and me, emotionally honest. Like, subscribe, and share. At the very least, it should be interesting.
