A Little Random Joy...

I have loved this video clip since the moment I first saw/heard it. Since music is a huge part of what brings me joy in life, I thought I'd put it out there to share with those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure... Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3d6SFcDys

For My Aunt Shelley

Last weekend I watched as some of my family members did a 5K for Breast Cancer. Since I hadn't know about it in time, I wasn't able to participate. So... this morning I got up and thought I should do one on my own, in honor of my Aunt Shelley. I forgot to clarify how long a 5K is, in terms of miles, before getting on my treadmill, so I figured if I did 3.5 miles, that ought to more than cover it. (I now know that it's actually 3.125 miles, so I exceeded what I had set out to do.)

I have struggled a bit with committing myself to a regular exercise plan since having my surgery. I always want, and intend, to do more than I actually end up doing. Ever since I was much younger, I've never really found that "love" for being active, but I am slowly coming around, and have had many reasons to be inspired lately. All of my previous efforts at walking on my treadmill usually end after 2 miles and about 35+ minutes. Between my lower back, knees and hips hurting after much more, I generally just call it quits at that point. I decided to try using the sports compression shirt and capri pants that I got just before Orlando (but had not used yet). I got these because of all the extra skin I have that kind of gets in the way, making exercise a bit more of an ordeal than your average person. I had also gotten some new running shoes recently, that needed to be broken in. It was amazing to me how much more endurance I had this time around by having some better "gear" to keep me going. All-in-all, I completed 3.5 miles in 56 minutes at a 1% incline and 3.8 miles an hour. This isn't exactly "terrific" by anyone else's standards, but for me, it was a huge victory. In the end, that is what counts, because I'm really only competing against myself.

Eleven months ago at 353.6 pounds, there is not a chance in this world that I could have ever accomplished this, and I really am proud of myself. Although my hips are pretty sore right now, I feel energized, and want to do this again and again, and I know in time, it will eventually get easier. I may not always have a full hour to dedicate every day, but I'm pretty sure it's worth the adjustment in my schedule to feel healthy like this as often as I can. I know that if I can keep this up, there is no stopping me from achieving my ultimate weight loss goals. If all goes well, and I continue to drop my last 40 pounds or so, I'm hoping to have a bit of plastic surgery this Fall to get rid of the "bat wings" underneath my arms. That alone will make a huge difference in the way my clothes fit, and will also get me one step closer to looking on the outside like the way I'm beginning to feel on the inside... What a great journey this has been!!!

This is my most recent picture at 140 lbs. lost...


A Little Bit of Inspiration:
If ever you feel like giving up when life or challenges seem insurmountable, check this out for a bit of perspective... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QbgOGnbxDo

A Great Weekend With the Family... (June 12th - 14th)

Last weekend was amazing! My Mom flew in, and other members of my extended family (Uncle Lorin) drove to Utah from Oregon - all in anticipation of my cousin Scott's return from Omaha, Nebraska, after serving a two-year mission for our church. I took a few days off of work to spend time with the family and participate in the festivities. Scott has such a great sense of humor, and adds so much fun to all of our family events. We've really missed having him around, but would not have wanted him to be anywhere else than where he was, serving the Lord.

Friday (June 12th) we congregated at the airport for his arrival. Unfortunately for me, Scott's plane arrived 15 minutes early, and I was running late - my stomach decided to "act up" just as we were getting ready to leave, as it does every now and then since having my RNY surgery. (Thankfully, the more time that passes, the fewer and further in between that this happens.) What a bummer with the timing, though, because we missed him coming down the escalator to greet everyone, along with all of those incredible emotions that come along with such an event. I had stayed up really late the night before, making some fun posters to greet him with at the airport. So... we re-enacted the big event and took some pictures anyway - they turned out pretty funny! (Notice Scott behind my Uncle Lorin!) I just love my family :)

The next event on Saturday was a 5K run for Breast Cancer. I didn't know about it soon enough to register, so I decided to go along and cheer everyone else on, along with my Aunt Shelley. What she didn't know is that my Uncle Matt had t-shirts made for everyone on the "Miller Team" in honor of her 3-time victory over this devastating disease. She actually just finished her last radiation treatment (for the 3rd time) the week before Scott came home. Being there brought back such amazing memories of my brothers' Half Ironman, and I wanted to be there to support this cause. Next time, I will be the one participating as well...

A Belated Update from Last Weekend in Orlando…

On Thursday, May 14th, I left on a bright and early 7:10 am flight from Salt Lake City to Orlando. I had a layover in Phoenix, where my brother, Jeff, joined me for the remainder of the flight. The last time I was on an airplane, I had no problem getting the seatbelt buckled, but there wasn’t much extra left over. This time, I felt victorious – there was an extra 6 – 8 inches of extra seatbelt left after pulling it tight. Never again will I have to ask for an extender belt or worry about the person sitting next to me being annoyed because I was spilling over into their space!!!

Jeff and I were greeted with pouring rain, heat, and intense humidity when we arrived in Orlando. Jeff was just a little nervous that it would continue through the day of the race. Fortunately, it eased up later that evening, so we ventured out and bought a few groceries to stock the refrigerator at the hotel. Our brother, Dan, was scheduled to arrive the following afternoon from Fort Worth, Texas. Being on an airplane most of the day left me pretty tired, but I had decided to get up early and make the most of my unexpired Disney World Park Hopper Pass from 10 years earlier. A year ago, if you had asked me if I would ever do something like that by myself, I would have said you were crazy. Today, 10 months after surgery, I have a completely different mindset, and have no problem at all feeling comfortable in my own skin. I am certainly not at my ideal goal weight, but I have matured in so many ways emotionally, that I love where I am in this journey. I now feel like I blend in more with others I would consider to be a more “normal” weight, and I don’t feel self-conscious, or that anyone is staring at me. I can just be “me”.

The next morning, I had Jeff drop me off at one of the Disney resorts, and took the Monorail to the Transportation & Ticket Center, where I boarded a ferry to the Magic Kingdom. I was so excited just to be there! I spent about 5 hours there, then took a bus over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where I spent the next several hours. The lines were short, and I went on every single ride I had wanted to go on – some even several times! It was such an amazing feeling not to worry about fitting on any of the rides – it just wasn’t even an issue!!! By the end of the day, I was pretty exhausted. Just for kicks, I had decided to wear my pedometer to count the number of steps I took that day. The goal is to try for 10,000 steps – that day, I had over 24,000! I guess I burned a few calories between the walking and the heat…

While I was at Disney World, my brother Dan arrived, and was with Jeff to greet me when he picked me up after my adventures of the day. It was so good to see him! He and Jeff had already been to pick up their race packets for Sunday and had done shopping for supplies they needed to fine-tune their bikes. The next morning, they had to take their bikes to the race site, so they would be ready to go the following day. We got up early and parked at the Magic Kingdom, where we parted ways. They headed to the Fort Wilderness Campground (the race site), and I headed back over to the parks. This time, I took a bus to the Animal Kingdom and spent several hours there, then headed over to Epcot for the rest of the evening. Again, the lines were short, and I was able to do everything I had wanted to do. I put some serious miles on those Disney Passes and definitely got my money’s worth! Jeff and Dan picked me up that evening, and we headed back to the hotel. They had so much nervous energy, since the race was the next morning. I don’t think one of us got more than 2 hours of sleep, since we had to leave the hotel at 3:30 AM to get them to the race site and ready to go in time.

The sun was barely coming up when the National Anthem was sung and a cannon was fired to start the race with the first wave of professional athletes. Altogether, there were 24 waves, each starting 3 minutes apart with the swim. Jeff was in the 21st wave at 7:04, and Dan was in the last wave at 7:20. There was such a feeling of excitement among the family and friends of the athletes who were there to cheer them on – it was truly an amazing thing that I had never experienced before. One of the things that inspired me the most was a group of disabled athletes that were in the 3rd or 4th wave. Many were missing limbs and were assisted into the water without their prostheses. It really started me thinking about my level of commitment to being more physically fit. For so many years, I have made excuses for myself because my back would hurt after exerting very little energy. What excuse do I really have, if people with far more challenges than I can do something so much more intense than I would ever dream of doing?

The day continued on with the end of the swim and the beginning of the bike ride. I watched as each of my brothers came out of the water and headed to the transition area to get ready, and as they finished their ride and headed in to the transition again to get ready for the run. I was so proud just to be there and to cheer them on. It was nothing like I’ve ever experienced before, and I was so thankful that they had invited me to be there.

I made my way over to the edge of the course for the run, so I could get some pictures when Jeff and Dan came around from the first of 3 laps.

By that time of the day, it was about 89 degrees and 90% humidity. I was miserable just standing there, and couldn’t imagine what those athletes were feeling, after so many miles of hard work! While I waited, I was again struck with awe as the athletes with physical challenges would pass by, wearing their prosthetic limb, and giving all that they had to complete that race. What I really loved was that the crowd showed so much support – even when they didn’t know that person from anyone else. There was such a feeling of camaraderie that’s hard to explain without being there. By the time I thought Dan should be heading toward the finish line, I made my way over, to make sure I didn’t miss that moment. He finished in 6:15, and was physically exhausted and in pain. His knee had decided to give him trouble during the run, and he had finished 45 minutes later than he had anticipated. No matter – just finishing the race is an amazing accomplishment, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. Having lost 200 lbs in just over a year, and now being an amazing athlete in that amount of time, should be an inspiration to anyone.

Once Dan collected his finisher’s medal and got something to eat and drink, we sat down and talked for a while. He told me that he had met up with Jeff on the run. Jeff was discouraged with his progress, and was in a tremendous amount of pain, as he had sprained his ankle 5 days prior. Dan had spent some time with him, rather than racing ahead, and had given him some encouragement and support that he had needed. He could have easily given up, but instead, walked a good majority of the run until he finally finished. His time was about 7:45, and was physically spent. Even so, they are both tremendous athletes, and I can’t wait to hear about their training and results when they both do a full Ironman in Louisville, Kentucky in August.

Shortly before Jeff finished the race, there was a single athlete that came through. The announcer stated that he was a 6-time cancer survivor, and that it was his 70th birthday that day. I couldn’t believe it! I have not yet committed myself to training for such an extreme sport, but just being there and witnessing that event made me more determined to get fit. If people with disabilities, missing limbs, and cancer survivors can do it, I can certainly challenge myself to do something more…

Jeff and I set a goal of losing our last 45 lbs. by the time he competes in the Ironman at the end of August. If I increase my exercise to even a fraction of what he is doing, and commit to eating what I know works for me, there is no reason I can’t accomplish that goal. So… Here’s to recommitting myself and testing my limits to get physically fit!

One last thought: Between myself, Jeff and Dan, we’ve lost a combined total of 500 pounds. Here’s to keeping the success going and inspiring the rest of our family to be healthy...

Please take a moment to watch the video clip below - it will give you a small glimpse into the experience I was fortunate enough to witness.

I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!

I'm so excited! I got a call earlier this week from my brother, Jeff. He and my brother, Dan, are scheduled to compete in the Ford Ironman 70.3 (Half Ironman) in Orlando, Florida, next Sunday (May 17th). They were planning to take their wives and young babies, but with the recent Swine Flu scare, they decided it was better that they stay home. Sooooo... that left them with no one to come along and take pictures of them during the race. Jeff had some frequent flyer miles and an extra hotel room already booked, so he offered to cover those expenses, if I'd like to come. Ummmm, hmmmm - let me think about it... OF COURSE!!! I'm leaving this Thursday morning (May 14th), and coming home Monday evening (May 18th). It's a quick trip, but I couldn't be more thrilled to go...

Jeff and Dan were worried about me being bored, since I'd have to spend most of the time there by myself, while they were gearing up for the race. The funny thing is, I couldn't be more excited! With my new found confidence and greater spirit of adventure (in my smaller body), I have so many things planned to do on my own! I have one day left on a 7-day park hopper pass from 10 years ago, when Erwin and I took a vacation to Disney World. I fully intend to use it!...

The best part of the whole trip, though, is the chance I will have to see both of my younger brothers compete in the same event, and to just spend some quality time with them. Since Jeff lives in Arizona, and Dan lives in Texas, I never really thought I'd have an opportunity to see either one of them race, let alone BOTH of them at the same time! I'm really looking forward to that the most, because they have worked so hard to get to this point (and so have I). I don't know that I will ever develop the kind of drive to exercise that they have, but you never know... I just might find myself completely inspired, and change my mind. I'll keep you all posted... :)

FYI - A Half Ironman Consists of the Following:

• 1.2 mile swim
• 56 mile bike ride
• 1/2 marathon (13.1 mile run)

9 1/2 Months Out & Down 136 lbs... (written on 04/28/09)

Every day I continue to be amazed at how drastically my life has changed in such a short period of time. While Gastric Bypass Surgery has not solved every challenge in my life, it has truly given me my life back in so many ways. If I had to sum up in one word why I’m grateful to have gone through this experience, it would be HOPE.

I can remember a time in my life while I was suffering with tremendous back pain, as well as obesity, when I literally felt I had no hope for my future. It was all I could do to just make it through the day, let alone dream of what the future might hold... I truly could not see a light at the end of the tunnel when I would be able to go through a day without significant pain, without feeling low self worth because I couldn’t seem to lose weight and keep it off, or even consider the possibility of having the children that both my husband and I desperately wanted. When you get into this cycle of hurting, depression, and inability to exercise to make the first two better, life sometimes does feel hopeless. It has taken many years, a back surgery, gallbladder surgery, therapy, and gastric bypass surgery, for me to get to the place I am now, but I truly am grateful for these experiences, because I have been slowly refined and conquered obstacles that I once thought to be insurmountable.

When I stop and think about all of the positive changes that have taken place since beginning this journey, it compounds my gratitude for life, and increases my hope for a better, richer future. This is just a small sample of the many lessons I’ve learned, and milestones I’ve achieved, over the past 9+ months:

• I have confidence that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to
• I truly appreciate what feeling healthy means
• I no longer feel hungry all the time
• I want to experience life to the fullest
• I now have the ability to exercise, where I physically could not before losing this weight
• I feel more mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy
• I live relatively pain free now, which was something I once only dreamed of
• I am no longer ashamed of my appearance
• I’m not afraid to be photographed anymore – in fact, I kind of enjoy it!
• I no longer worry that I won’t fit into a booth at a restaurant, or that I’ll break a chair because of my weight
• I no longer have to use the handicapped stall in a public restroom because I can now fit in a “normal” stall
• I no longer have to ask for a seat belt extender on an airplane, or worry that I won’t fit into my seat without infringing upon the space of the person next to me
• I can fit on amusement park rides without fear that I will be asked to exit the ride, as other guests watch my humiliation
• I can sleep at night without a CPAP machine
• I can cross my legs again
• I can sing better. My lung capacity has increased, and I’m able to support my breathing better.
• I can sit on the ground or get back up without my knees and legs being in excruciating pain
• I can go shopping and not be so concerned about getting the closest parking spot, because I can now make the walk more easily
• I no longer have to take medication for acid reflux, PCOS, or chronic pain
• I can now walk a flight (or more) of stairs and not think twice about being out of breath
• I now have a slender neck, only one chin, and can see my collar bone!
• I am now able to buy clothes in more of the normal size clothing stores. I currently wear a 14/16, rather than a 34/36 or a 5X.
• I have severed all ties with my larger sized clothes, because I know I will never need them again! (No more hanging on to them “just in case”…)
• I can walk with my head held high because I have more confidence and self-worth. I deserve to be healthy, happy and successful, and there is no one who can make me feel otherwise.

If there is anyone reading this who wonders if weight loss surgery is right for them, I would offer the following advice:

• Make sure that you are willing and ready to make both the physical and emotional changes that are necessary for your long-term success. This is not a decision to be made lightly.
• Follow your doctor’s advice implicitly, and invest the time in learning everything you can before having surgery. Do your homework!
• Never stay too far away from personal accountability. Go to regular support group meetings, and surround yourself with people who are willing to walk along-side you through this journey. It is not an easy one, but it is definitely worth the investment in yourself.
• Know that you will likely need to participate in more than just monthly support group meetings. Going to counseling does not make you “less than” anyone else – It just means you need a little more refining to become the person you know you were always meant to be.
• This surgery is a tool – not a cure. Be willing to use this tool to attain your long term health goals, then work hard to maintain your success.

Why Weight Loss Surgery is Not the Easy Way Out... (written on 04/14/09)

I decided to write this, because I know there are many critics out there who would strongly argue that a person who undergoes weight loss surgery is taking the easy way out. I ABSOLUTELY beg to differ...

Why Weight Loss Surgery is Not the Easy Way Out…

Many people who have never struggled with morbid obesity cannot know the every-day battle of someone who has lived with this problem their entire life. This decision is not to be made lightly, and is generally the LAST resort after a lifetime of failed dieting attempts. When a person commits to undergoing Gastric Bypass surgery, here is what they are also committing to:

• The possibility of blood clots, following surgery
• The possibility of a stricture, or narrowing of the esophagus, where the smaller stomach pouch is newly attached to it. This would mean that food or water would not go down, causing a number of problems, including severe vomiting and dehydration. The patient would have to be readmitted to the hospital for a procedure to widen the esophagus with a balloon.
• Rapid weight loss often leads to gall stones, which means the gallbladder would likely need to be removed in the future, if it hadn’t been already.
• Extreme hair loss (I lost more than half of my hair within a 3 month period)
• Mal-absorption of food and vitamins. The gastric bypass surgery patient must take extra vitamins and supplements every day for the rest of their life. (They would no longer be able to absorb enough nutrients simply from the foods they eat.) Not doing so would cause osteoporosis and a multitude of other potential long term health risks.
• Portion sizes of 6 – 8 oz. at every meal (maximum) for life. (Right after surgery, this amount is only 2 oz. (4 tablespoons), because the stomach pouch is reduced to the size of an egg.)
• The very food they love the most will literally make them sick. (This includes sugar, fatty/fried foods, or anything with a higher concentration of carbohydrates, like pasta, rice, bread, etc.) "Dumping syndrome" does not occur in every person, but for those it does, this involves about 4 hours of being violently ill, severe stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, dehydration, etc. This can also happen if a person overeats. (Not a pleasant experience!)
• Certain foods may never agree with you again. Dryer meats (usually chicken, turkey or fish) may get “stuck” in the stomach pouch, causing extreme pain or vomiting.
• Chewing every single bite of food until it’s mushy before swallowing. Failure to do so would likely cause food to get “stuck”, causing extreme pain or vomiting.
• NEVER drinking soda or carbonated beverages again. Doing so would stretch out the new stomach pouch and cause increased capacity to overeat again.
• Never again drinking liquid of any kind with meals. To do so would cause dumping syndrome or fill up the stomach pouch too quickly, leaving no room for food. Food and water must always be timed approximately 30 minutes apart.

For a person to get to the point of considering weight loss surgery, here are some of the things they might painfully struggle with (sometimes every day):

• Severe health complications, sometimes including Diabetes, Heart Disease, Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure, poor circulation, painful swelling in the feet, legs and ankles, etc.
• Infertility for many women
• Constant joint and back pain
• No energy or strength to move, let alone exercise…
• Always feeling like they’re out of breath
• Not being able to climb stairs without hyperventilating
• Not being able to fit in an airplane seat
• If they could fit in an airplane seat, they would still have to ask for an “extender belt”, hoping nobody would notice
• Not being able to fit in a booth at a restaurant, or being afraid that any chair they sit on might snap under their extreme weight.
• Not being able to fit in a regular bathroom stall, so they have to use the handicapped stall.
• Being kicked off rides at amusement parks, because they don’t fit
• Having to pay more for larger sized clothing because they can’t shop in a regular clothing store
• Facing constant discrimination from society
• Having difficulty finding employment
• Severe depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, after failure upon failure with dieting
• Feeling less accepted than a “normal” person
• Waking up every day, feeling ugly, worthless, and disgusted with what is staring back at them in the mirror

I challenge anyone who has never lived with these struggles and feelings to ask themselves if they would CHOOSE to live or feel this way…

Food addictions are just as powerful, if not more so, than addictions to drugs, alcohol or cigarettes. Someone who battles with a substance abuse problem can walk away from their drug of choice forever, and never need that substance again to physically survive. Food, on the other hand, is something you cannot live without. How does someone with an addiction of this nature learn to come to terms with it, while still needing the thing that challenges them the most, to survive?

Here are a few thoughts to consider…

• Very few health insurance companies in the state of Utah cover bariatric surgery, yet the rate of obesity continues to climb. I’m encouraged that SelectHealth is now covering a portion of this cost, for those who meet certain criteria.
  
• Individuals who choose to smoke their entire life may eventually suffer from lung cancer. When this happens, will their health insurance company refuse to treat them because of the choices they made that led them to that point?
  
• Individuals who choose to abuse alcohol their entire life may eventually need a liver transplant. When this happens, will their health insurance company refuse to consider them for a transplant because of the choices they made that led them to that point?
  
• Gastric bypass surgery is almost an instant cure for Diabetes, and drastically reduces the devastating effects of so many other co-morbidities in a very short period of time. By covering the cost of this one procedure, the lifetime savings for treating Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke, and many others, including several forms of cancer, would seem very minimal in comparison. (The total cost out-of-pocket for my surgery was $18,475.) Why, then, should someone who struggles with Obesity, who has tried and failed time and time again to lose weight, be denied this medically necessary treatment?

Easter With My Family

This "lamby cake" is a family tradition.

I inherited this cake mold after my grandmother passed away 3 years ago, and tried to carry on the family tradition. Unfortunately, it later became the "sacrificial lamb", as you'll see in the next picture, when we went to cut it! It isn't so much that it's fun to eat, but it brings back wonderful memories of my "Memaw" just to have it there. It's a great feeling to be in control of a situation where food could easily be a huge problem, but be able to exercise moderation. This is one of the greatest lessons I've learned on my journey so far. Our social gatherings still revolve around food, as do many other families, but it's nice to be able to enjoy the company and conversations more than I ever used to.

April 8, 2009 Support Group Meeting Notes

Speaker: Jessica Wolfinger, LCSW (specializes in food and cross additions)

"What Causes Compulsive Overeating?"

Discussion Points

• At some point in your life, you discovered that food did something for you (like you hit the “JACKPOT”).
• After weight loss surgery, your old brain can no longer determine what is a positive or negative jackpot (the old brain and new brain don’t communicate well).
• This is the very nature of addiction – Once that jackpot is in your brain, it is very difficult to get rid of. (There has to be something EXTREMELY compelling to change it.)
• Every time you experience something in your “Quality World” that makes you feel good, it erases the pain and negative self image momentarily.
• 90% of people fail with overcoming both food and drug additions.
• It takes a very long time for reality to set in – for you to recognize the true nature of a problem. Jessica related this to the battered wife who takes somewhere between 12 – 18 incidents to actually leave.
• Support groups work because when you take away one thing, you have to replace it with something else that is positive. Remember that you are ALWAYS going to be in recovery.
• Book – “Intuitive Eating” offers a radical perspective on weight loss.
• We have to figure out how to master our food addiction while still having to eat.
• Learn to take judgement away from food. Do not shame yourself when you slip up – this will cause more harm than good.
• Allow yourself permission to enjoy some of your favorites once in a while
• WEIGHT DOES NOT EQUAL WORTH

Why do we naturally tend to gravitate toward sugar and carbs?

• Your body is constantly trying to be in a state of homeostasis. Higher amounts of sugar and carbs are naturally the way your body gets there. This is a type of built-in survival mechanism.
• Sugar and carbs are NOT terrible for you in small amounts.

Plateaus

• These are normal, and a very necessary part of the weight loss process.
• Sometimes your body just needs to sit and take a break for a while!

Something to Think About…

• Define what it meant to be the fat girl.
• Define what “thin” is to you.
• Do you want to be defined by your weight?
• Figure out how you want to be defined as a person, and allow it to happen.

At some point, you are going to have to become "at peace" with food.

• The easiest way to change a behavior is to change the stimulus. (Find something to relieve the stress.)
  o Physiology
  o Thoughts
  o Feelings
  o Actions
• Most cravings only last 3 – 5 minutes. Choose something simple to distract your attention for those few minutes, until the craving subsides.
• If you can change the action, you can change the behavior.
• Learn how to get out of your mind and into your body (distract the thought by physically doing something).

Why people are resistant to change…

Change Cycle

The biggest predictor for failure is the feeling of hopelessness. Be very cautious that you never allow yourself to get there.

My 8 Month "Surgiversary" Pictures & Erwin's Birthday (3/28)

8 Months Post-Op & Down 132 lbs. Things are slowing way down, which means I really need to start exercising more. I'm grateful that Spring is on its way, and I can get outside again and go walking with Cody...

We went to Erwin's favorite local Salvadoran restaurant for his 38th birthday. You can tell he really enjoys his pupusas and tamales! (They really are delicious, but I enjoy just a couple of bites, and that's enough.)