Candy, Candy, Everywhere....Halloween is the gateway to hardest season of the WLS journey!

We will start this off with the usual!

Pounds Lost This Week: 1 Pound
Pounds Lost Since Surgery: 107 Pounds
Pounds Lost Overall: 149 Pounds

Pounds to GO until GOAL: 46 Pounds


So, again it's only one pound, but it's one pound that is gone. Today, I had my 9 month appointment and I'll elaborate more on that; however, they did remind me that these last 50 pounds are the hardest to lose. But, I'm working on it and slowly, getting to where I need to be :)

So, it's been a crazy whirlwind week! Wednesday, we had Tricky Ricky come to our church for our Fall Festival. I've known Tricky Ricky since I was 11 years old at the first time we went to Indian Falls Creek. He's been over children's church at IFC for 37 years. He is an amazing man of God and does wonders on kids and youth to get the message of Christ across in a fun and unique way. What's different from now and when I was a kid in his service, is now I'm the adult trying to get things done. We got to church two hours early and cooked 124 hot dogs, 24 italian sausages, 2 gallons of chili and set up the chips, cheese, condiments and cake. Working in the children's ministry really puts into perspective all the men and women who worked at our churches while I sat back and got to enjoy. Thank you Harper's Valley, Kiowa First Baptist and Pine Grove Baptist Church for all the hard work and love you shown me throughout the years.

Thursday, was trick or treat in McAlester. We went with Michael Andrew and Megan to take Rylee out. Did you know that in the WLS universe, Halloween is the gateway to the weight gain season. I'm using all of my willpower to no fall into the sugar rabbit hole. But it's hard. Candy is everywhere. And if it's not candy it's brownies or cake or pumpkin flavored anything. Reese's pumpkins....you have NO idea how badly I want one. No idea. Anyways, we took her around town to get her some goodies. It was a great, family night.

Friday, we went to my old stomping grounds and did some trick or treating around Kiowa. I have some very fond memories of trick or treating in Kiowa and even remember the haunted out at the old American Legion building. I love being able to go with the family as a large group (Aunt Nae, Uncle Stephen, Maryah, Beth, Rylee, Johnathan, Michael Andrew, Megan) and share those memories.

After we got home, I baked two sugar free, grain free, coconut custard pies. I've decided not to share this recipe. I think this will be one of my secret ones because I may write a book one day. If I give every recipe away, I'll not sell any books :)

Saturday, I got up and made taco soup (recipe below) and got ready to head to Martha, OK. Each year, the Mullers put on a Fall Festival at the Muller Farms in Martha, OK. We love to go. Any time you get a bunch of Mullers together, it's always a great time. It's God filled and love filled and it makes me smile. That is a long drive ya'll and besides OKC and Lawton, there is NADA to look at. Rylee had the iPad to keep her distracted. But it's well worth the drive. We got to Martha at about 4:00. We got there just in time for the Farm Hand Olympics. I did not compete but Johnathan and Rylee did. Their team got 2nd place. Then there was an egg toss and then dinner. There was so much food. There were several types of chili and all the fixins plus some soups. Great food. And it was COLD!!! After dinner, we went on a hayride. I froze the entire time and I had on boot socks, jeans, 3 shirts and a hoodie. It was a blast and it wore us completely out. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a Saturday night.

Sunday morning, we got up and joined the Mullers at Martha Road Baptist Church. We enjoyed that time visiting that church. We love worshipping with family. I am defintely a believer in "The family that Prays together, Stays together." It was a great service and the pastor spoke about family and how no matter where the world is, we should always remember "As for me and My house, we shall serve the Lord." This rang true to me especially during this election season. No matter where I think the world is heading, it's up to Johnathan and I to be leaders in our family and do what God would have us do and go where God would have us go. It was a great service.

After church, we joined Matt and Kellie for lunch. It was a great day. We had such a great time visiting with their family. I am so thankful for the welcoming that I recieve from them and the rest of the Mullers. I have always felt welcome and a part of the family from the very beginning. That means a lot. Thank you Matt, Kellie, Taylor, Levi, Luke and Lincoln for a great afternoon on Sunday. After lunch, Matt took Rylee on some rides in the farm equipment. I'm sure he made her day. She even came back with a pocket full of cotton complete with cotton seeds so she could tell her friends and teachers at school what cotton looks like, feels like and that we eat cotton in our chips. It was the highlight of her weekend.

Yesterday, I had a doctor's appointment with my primary care physician. My PCP is Dr. Branam and I would recommend her to anyone. She listens to you and she knows her stuff. I've been complaining for some time about this back pain. It's really gotten bad and even makes me want to skip exercise which doesn't help the situation. She felt on my back and I mean pushed around and really dug her hands in there. Apparently, I have inflammation on my lower back/pelvis region. The thing is women have floating pelvises. The reason it's floating is because we have to have that extra movement because of babies and all that. Aren't our bodies amazing?! It's proof that there is a God. Only He could design something so beautiful. Anyways, my pelvis is inflammed. Why? Because for all these years, my body and my back have been used to carrying around this extra weight and now that I've dropped 149 pounds which is more than the average woman, my body is having to adjust the entire way it carries itself. So, I'm going to have physical therapy to help it because I don't want to stop exercising. I want to keep on this path of being healthy.

Today, was my 9 month appointment. Can you believe it's been 9 months since I had the surgery?! A lot has happened in this 9 months. It's been a great 9 months. I have lost 71% of my excess body weight. 71%!!! That is AMAZING!! I'm down 149 pounds. I've worked hard. My blood pressure was 112/75 compared to 145/90 the first visit with the doctor. My resting heart rate was 58! I'm healthy. I'm happy. I've worked hard for this. First, I met with exercise. I explained the back pain and he agreed with Dr. Branam. It's the readjusting that's causing the pain and it's normal. He said for me to listen to the physical therapists and physicians and not over do it. It also recommended that I try some low impact exercises that will help with the pain. Next, I met with diet. I really do good on this side. My main questions was how is my diet going to change and evolve with pregnancy. The answer was it really will not. I won't add starches back in and I won't just eat eat eat. I will snack a little more often and maybe add in a little fruit (which I don't eat now). Next, I met with the ARNP for Dr. Broussard. She asked me some questions and went over my labs. My B vitamins were a little low so we've added a B complex supplement to my list of daily vitamins. We also talked about my back. I then asked once again about pregnancy. There is no medical reason that I have to wait until a year to start trying. They just want me to be closer to my goal weight and think these things like my back will need a little more time to adjust to these major changes that have happened over the last year. Thinking about it, my body has been through alot.

However, I do have some news. I've been back and forth about whether or not to disclose this to all of you. It's a big decision. I have decided to not refill the birth control. The only thing I ask from all of you is that you NOT ask me constantly, if I'm pregnant. I also ask that you not give me sexual position tips, fertility tips, what foods to eat to get pregnant, etc...etc...etc... I have three physicians that I am working with in this process. I'm not interested in what worked for your or your friends that have been TTC. Each woman is different and I'm already worried enough about this not working that I don't need the added anxiety or to share my tears over it not happening. That's why I started this blog. What I am asking is that you pray for us. That you pray if it is God's will that i get pregnant and that it is a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. That's what I need and encouragment. If it happens, don't fret, you'll hear me celebrating.....after I hit the second trimester, so please pray for us but also be respectful and let us tell you.

This week was also picture week!! It's amazing! Isn't it! I finally have a little confidence and I feel pretty. I've never felt this way before. It's different and warming to my heart.

So, again, I'm petitioning for your prayers. Prayers for strength and prayers that if it's God's will for me to get pregnant and have a healthy pregnancy.

As promised! Recipe of the Week!

Taco Soup
2 Cans of Kidney Beans
1 Can of Black Beans (drained)
2 Cans of Rotel
1 Can of Pinto Beans (drained)
1 Can of Ranch Beans (drained)
2 Cans of Chicken (drained)
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning
1 Packet of Ranch Dressing

Mix all the ingredients above and place in a crockpot and heat until desired temperature. I like it boiling hot. I also sprinkle some 2% cheese on it! Good stuff!!