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| Clay and Kimberly Hooker |
When Clay and I met three+ years ago, I was a size 8 and could even get into some sixes (depending on how it was made- of course). Today I'm in denial that a size 12 is too snug which means I'm about a size 14, and I'm carrying about 35 more pounds. Needless to say - the clothes that lay on the bed were mostly eights. I couldn't help but sigh and shake my head as I stared at several suits and dresses that I could no longer wear. Insert sad face here because for me, that was nothing to smile about. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked if I was pregnant in the past year. Well actually I can (those people have been dropped from my friends list! LOL)
Anyway . . . instead of putting these garments back in the closet, I decided to remove them from the hangers, fold them up and donate them to The Samaritian House, an organization that provides shelter for battered women, who'd just happened to drop a donation bag off a few days ago for pick up - coincidently TODAY. While I folded and bagged, with twisted lips I thought to myself - what have I done in the last three years, or two years, or even a year that made it so I could no longer fit my favorite clothes??? I mean, I preferred a salad over any other meal and absolutely LOVE Grandstands Grill's Chicken Greek Salad, and Dino's House Salad with turkey, and Olive Garden's salad, and Chick-Fila's Chick'n Strip Salad, and Panera Bread's Fugi Apple Chicken salad, and even had my own special salad that I frequently prepared and ate. I was a self-proclaimed salad connoisseur! So what in the world!?
As I filled the donation bag - Clay, the same size today as the day I met him, waltzed by me, picking up a few of his suits to return to the closet. He didn't see me but I narrowed my eyes at him. I thought about all the wining and dining he bestowed upon me, and still does. Regular date nights at Carrabba's and Macaroni Grill circled in my head. Afternoons spent right outside of Coldstone's filling our bellies with ice cream also trailed by. I remembered quite a few times waking up to the sound of my doorbell ringing, where he stood holding a Panera Bread bag filled with Spinach-Artichoke Quiches, cheese Danishes, fresh fruit and orange juice, so we could have breakfast together. There were teddy bears holding candy bars just because it was Tuesday, and Sunday night offerings of Pepperidge Farm's Bordeaux cookies - because he knew they were my favorites. Popcorn, Junior Mints and a shared drink at the movies wasn't unusual, and oh let me not forget about our many mini dates to Chick Fila, which we'd sometimes take to the park to enjoy. Then we had our Friday Nights dates, which was when I'd prepare a meal especially for him. Good meals too y'all - that country stuff that we love to concoct when we got a deserving man!
As I drug the full bag into the hallway, I mentioned to Clay:
"Man, I used to look so good in this dress and now I just look ridiculous!"
Clay said, "The wrong person is doing the judging."
I rolled my eyes at him, but you know it made me smile at least a little bit.
Without even realizing it, I'd gone from eating mostly salads to fully enjoying Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice! (Well maybe not so nice, but y'all know what I mean!) Many times, women experience sudden weight gain when they are depressed or emotionally going through - but I got all this (glancing at my belly, hips and thighs) the happy way!
Now with that said - let me put on my Body Magic and get myself to the gym. And it's salad for dinner tonight, for sure!