George’s birthday was yesterday. Can you believe that the baby in this photo is already five?! I can’t.
We celebrated quietly, as a family, with fish sticks & cake (eaten separately) and later, a monkey pinata in the backyard. I didn’t take a single photo (because I can’t find my memory card) but because I am working on a New Improved Attitude, I didn’t sweat the small stuff and made real life memories instead.
I did ask Cate to snap some pix and take some videos. Maybe I’ll post the pinata one later ’cause it’s really cute watching Toddler Francis at bat. Also, when you ask George how old he is, he says “I’m hize!” because he can’t pronounce five.
We probably ought to get that fixed but for now, cuteness! Freshly minted 5-year-old cuteness!!
Also, I hope I never forget how George sweetly informed me: “If you don’t have enough money for a present, Mommy, you can just get me a card.” Are you swooning? I swooned. I love this kid.
In the end we didn’t get him a card; we got him a Star Wars Lego set to complete with his big brothers. (Indeed, I can hear the 16-year-old rummaging through the pieces as I type.) We sent them upstairs to work on it while the rest of us watched the new Hobbit movie.
Okay, what the heck did they do with the book?! (Other than that, we liked it.)
The toddler, being hopped up on ice cream and pinata candy, was climbing all over me like a little puppy. Seriously, that’s what I get for lying on the floor. I get pummeled, is what, and I get belly blows galore. At one point, Francis climbed up and lay splayed on my gut. “He likes it,” I said, “because I’m warm & squishy.
“Plus I’ve got two soft pillows.”
Cate laughed and went back to watching the beautiful (but not in the book!) elf on the screen.
This brings me to my blog announcement. I will be discontinuing my Weigh-In Wednesday series as of Right Now because I’ve been thinking–and praying–about what my focus should be, and I don’t think it’s healthy to obsess about the numbers. It’s true that I struggle with stress eating and gluttony, and it’s true that I have a soft, squishy mid-section. You know what? My husband loves my body, (especially the extra pounds on top), and I’m pretty sure your husband loves yours too.
Plus if your husband’s anything like mine, it’s the sparkle in your eyes he loves the most.
So. I apologize sincerely for all the scale shots and am rethinking my focus for the blog. Yes, I struggle with stress-eating and gluttony, (Wait a minute! I already said that) and yes, I’ve watched my weight roller coaster for a good many years. (I’ve been quite heavy in my day…and then lost so much after the birth of Angela that my husband told me stop, I looked skeletal!)
And yet…
Yesterday I was out buying stuff for the party, and I crossed paths with a woman in the dairy aisle at Walmart. “I love that color on you,” I told her, and I did. The soft turquoise t-shirt complemented her black skin beautifully. “Thanks!” she beamed, and a conversation ensued…about buying t-shirts and parenting teens and, well, LIFE. As we talked, I noticed her deep brown eyes and a thin scar that ran along her upper cheek. I noticed the sparkle in her eyes and her enthusiasm…
And yes, I noticed that she was overweight…
But she was beautiful! My goodness, I noticed that the most.
So. Bottom line is, I think you’re beautiful too. I know I do, because the scales are falling from my eyes in a way I didn’t expect and God is sending me a message that it’s the whole person that matters. More on this later but for now…
Take care. Take excellent care of yourself. I love you in Him and hope to love me, too.
I am in the same place as you….I lost 35 pounds last year and got down to 159 which is still considered "overweight" for my 5'6" frame. Over our minnesota winter, I gained 15 back. I do feel squishy, but am at a place where….I've had 5 kids…..I'm okay with some squish. I'm a size 14. Some days, I feel icky, but I LIKE food! Life is too short…if I'm okay with myself and not unhealthily overweight….I feel like I need to let it go. We're okay just the way we are.
I LIKE food too, Nicole! I do need to cut back on some types of food–maybe eliminate them for awhile to get the allergies in check–but you're right, life is too short to obsess the way that I was obsessing.
Beautiful! Did you know turquoise is the universal color?? It's great on everyone!! Happy birthday to the five year old!
Huh, would've thought? Maybe I need to get a turquoise t-shirt!
And thank you for the sweet birthday wishes. : )
I LOVED this post, Margaret! Beautifully, thoughtfully said…Thank you! š Have a BLESSED Sunday resting in HIM.
Thank you, too. ā„
I am so glad to read this, you are beautiful and it is always a joy when someone is liberated from the evil campaign out there to get women to hate themselves, hate their bodies. I believe when we love ourselves, we eat better and are more healthy – whatever healthy looks like for our particular body. Some of the most beautiful women I know (inside and out) are voluptuous. When I look at what you have created with your body, the lovely, loving family you have – that's the truest beauty of all. Sorry to go on! Thank you for the blessing this post is to all women. Thank you for your gorgeous honesty.
Sweet Sarah, I would have been disappointed if you didn't chime in on this one! Plus it's your writing (especially the "You're Beautiful" post) that started me re-thinking things.
Another gem, Margaret, just like you. You are such a dear woman who always remains true and beautiful here. I've long admired you for so many reasons, but mostly because you are Margaret in MN. We've all loved you from whatever beginning our blogging journey got us here to you.
Might I say that even as a 35 yr old who has now achieved the physical physique/weight I so longed for, it's still never enough. I still hop on the scale disappointed when I gain a couple lbs and get all frustrated/anxious over it. Even at a healthy weight and physical fitness, I still find that there is no 'perfect'. While I have achieved an amount of happiness, there's still the temptation of just 'a few more pounds', 'one more size'. I have had to change my thought process and that takes a lot of work. Thanks again for the honest post and sharing it with us. I needed the reminder to keep on praying about this area of my life (happiness) that seems to linger in the shadows.
Keep up the good work and being a beautiful, wonderful Margaret.
Sarah, you are such a lovely lady. Thank you for this and for YOUR honesty. You're right; there is no perfect. Perfect happiness, though? We're trying!
What a wonderful, thought provoking post. Thanks, Margaret.
You're welcome, Cathy. God's greatest blessings. : )
I commented briefly on FB, but wanted to say more here (and I have a magical free moment…not often!). I was SO incredibly happy to read this post. Truly. I got teary. It was tears of happiness for you because reading your other posts on Weigh In Wednesday, I could sense the unhappiness in you, and I just so wanted to reach through the monitor and hug you, and tell you, 'who cares about the pounds! See what I see! You are so beautiful!" But, I get it too. I still have 40 pounds to lose to be at the weight I should for my frame (another shorty here). And I'll get there. Eventually. Because I can't let the scale rule my life. And this "fatty" can workout five times a week, run 15 miles a week, weight lift some of the "skinny" ladies in my gym (while I'm still breastfeeding a 13 month old), and had six babies…all by csection. I kinda like my body š Perspective! LOVE YOU GORGEOUS! Inside and out! Mwah!
I thought I commented on this, I swear I thought I did. I agree fully with what Jen said. That is how I felt with your weigh in posts. I have 60 lbs to lose, and who cares? Probably no one except me.
Acceptance, perfection…we all desire it for some reason. With God we find both.
Love you so much Maggie…if you could see what we see.
Yeah to a sparkle eyed, happy, glowing mature woman!
I am so relieved. Even overweight people are whole people, more than just their weight. For some, excess weight is a sign of weakness or emptiness inside. For others it's just the way things are after many pregnancies, genetics, and priorities.