A Walk from Obesity

Many of you know that for the past several months I have been on Weight Watchers in hopes of losing weight to be able to try to get pregnant. The past 12 weeks have been very successful and I really enjoy the program. I have even met my Labor Day goal 4 days ahead of schedule. I've worked hard to eat healthy and exercise. And the hard work has paid off.

What some of you may not know, is that I have battled obesity for a very very long time. I have struggled with being overweight for as long as I can remember. I've tried to keep it hidden under baggy clothes and tried to live the lifestyle of someone who is care-free and can participate in the same activities that all of my friends and family do. But what many of those friends and family don't know is that, I am tormented with the fear everyday of not being able to do all that I want to.

I have anxiety when I meet new people or go to a place I've never been. "What will they think?," "Are they staring at me?," "What if I'm put in an embarrassing position?" These thoughts creep into everyone every once in awhile, I know. But, in my case, it's an all day - every day affair. It's exhausting trying to play out in my head every scenario or situation in my head beforehand trying to think of anything that could go wrong or could potentially mortify me.

I'm revealing all of this, not because I want your sympathy or because I'm feeling extremely confident this evening. I'm writing this because I need your help. I don't want one more little girl growing up thinking that she will always be overweight and there's nothing she can do about it. I don't want one more teenager feeling isolated because all of her friends can eat pizza and candy-bars while she starves to fit in that prom dress. I don't want one more woman to sit in a class and feel like she is the only one that will never find that special someone that can see past her XL shirt and love the person underneath. I don't want one more person that is scared to try a new restaurant for fear that they may not fit in the booth. Our nation has a problem. A BIG one. Obesity kills over 300,000 people per year. I think obesity actually kills more than that if you include all of the lives of men and women who stop living like "normal" people and become trapped by their weight, either physically or mentally. I want to stop these deaths.

Nathan and I have signed up for this year's Walk from Obesity. I'm going to walk not only for me, but also for all of those that I know can't walk. I'm going to walk to celebrate my freedom from letting my weight control my life. I'm going to walk with my husband to show him that he is worth me fighting to stay healthy for our 50th wedding anniversary. I'm going to walk to celebrate my mom's own conquer with obesity. I'm going to walk to raise money for the education, the research, and the treatment of obesity for me and so many others.

On September 29th, Nathan, my mom and I are going to walk away from obesity. Together, we have formed The Blais Belly Busters to walk around the OKC Zoo and are accepting sponsors to help raise money to fight this epidemic. Our goal is to raise $332. Why this amount? Because, that was my starting weight when I began this journey a few months ago. I haven't admitted my weight to anyone, including my husband, in I don't know how long. But, at least for tonight, at this moment, I don't care who knows. Because, I will NEVER be that weight again.

So now, I ask that you pick your jaw off of the floor and click the link to sponsor or join Nathan and I in our journey. Not just a walk at the Zoo for one day; but on the journey of the rest of our lives fighting the disease, MY disease, of obesity.

For more information on the Walk from Obesity click HERE!!

To join Nathan and I, or to support us in meeting our personal fundraising goal, click HERE!!!!!!

Hey, if you donate, you can have your name in blinking lights on our Team Page Honor Roll. And, I'm pretty near positive that you could have a very cool and very wordy (I'll write it) blog entry all about You and how wonderful and caring you are. AND, If you get other people to support us too, I'll make you some WW brownies. Nathan eats 'em so they can't be that bad.

Caught between a porcupine and a very hungry goat!

Have you ever wondered if anything good can come from those MySpace spam messages that pop up from time to time? The answer is yes! I won't go into the long story of how I know, err should I say my husband knows, but those scammy memos can bring something positive to your life AND your ears.

Nathan and I have discovered a band that we kinda like and we think you all should check it out. They have some catchy beats and some interesting word-play much like our beloved Ladies...Barenaked ones that is. We downloaded the 18 song-cd and enjoyed it most of Saturday. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Maybe I can get my work-buddy from Salad Days Music to give me props on a good find. We'll see! One of my faves is #7: "It's Strange" Here are the beginning lines:

***********

Caught between a porcupine and a very hungry goat

Left out in a boggy marsh with a paper mache boat

That's the way I feel when I'm alone here with you

I know it seems strange but every word I say is true

Weekend Update!

This weekend was a great ending to a not so fabulous week. On Friday, Nathan and I saved money and ate dinner at home and then went to see Live Free or Die Hard at the dollar movies. The movie was great and the price was right. After the movie, we came home and watched a lightning show on our patio for about 2 minutes until we were attacked by mosquitoes.

On Saturday, I went to WW as usual and then came home and did a new workout video while Nathan sat on the couch and ate a Totinos pizza (it's 18 WW points btw, for anyone counting) and then a bowl of cereal for dessert. Go figure! He's the one with a good one. I finished the video and my husband proceeded to state, "That made me tired." Sheesh!

After we both got cleaned up, we went on a hunt to find foam egg-crate mattresses for us to use in the tent next weekend. We find they are more comfortable to sleep on than an air mattress, plus you can stand on them when your trying to carefully slip out of a wet swim-suit into clean clothes while crouching down in a 4 foot tall 110 degree tent without stubbing your toe. After the 3rd stop and the 2nd phone call to directory assistance we found a good substitute at Wal-Mart.

I would like it noted that I had to cancel my reservations at the motel near the lake because my very own weather fanatic said it would not rain. I would also like it noted that we are in agreement that if it does rain (which there is a 100% it will, since we are staying in a tent), I have free reign to gripe the entire three hours back home. PLUS, I do not have to help re-pitch the tent in our backyard to dry out when this "rain-free weekend" does not go as forecasted.

Fun with friends proceeded our shopping extravaganza. We had dinner with Jessica while her husband was out of town and then we had dessert at Starbucks with Renee and Zach. We have the best friends. I learn so much from all of them. Sometimes, I learn that I need to spend a little less time watching Big Brother and a little more time reading interesting books and keeping up to date on the upcoming football season or the latest headlines. That Jessica has way too much time spent in lay-overs and delays while on her way to fancy-schmancy hotels.

Today, we went to Mass and then had a quick lunch with a now back-in-town and wifeless John. Then Nathan and I came home and took a nap. Exciting! Even more exciting, I took a walk after dinner and was ecstatic over the fact that my normal two-mile walk had to be extended a little further because I was ahead of pace. I had to continue because you can't just leave Justin hangin'. All workouts MUST end with "Sexy Back". Oh, I'm gonna bring sexy back all right! YEAH! ! There's gonna be so much sexy that the person reading a hurricane book beside me right now might turn out to be a different someone who might have a little interest in hurricanes too. I can pick 'em can't I! And yes, I will refer to my AT post any chance I get. He even commented back! It's love at first phone call and mutual. I'm sure of it!

If you've read this far, Thanks! I've discovered I tend to ramble and I'm not as consise and talented at writing like some of my friends. They can say everything I've said but in a better and shorter way. But, they love me still the same.

That's our weekend in a nutshell. Hope yours was a good one too.

A Little Perspective

I overheard a familiar song coming from a friend's cubicle at work yesterday. I wandered over to see what she was watching. Somehow, God always knows exactly what you need at exactly the time you need it. I needed a little perspective on my life and a little awakening to some of my choices for awhile now.

Life throws so many "distractions" at us that try to tear us from the really important things in life. These distractions also try to tempt us away from the truth and who we really want to be close too. This video reminded me of what I think is important and who I want to be close too. Sometimes we just need a good smack in the face and then a good cry to realize what's really been missing. This video was my smack in the face:

Find Me Here

Speak To Me

I want to feel you

I need to hear you

You are the light

That's leading me

To the place where I find peace again.

You are the strength, that keeps me walking.

You are the hope, that keeps me trusting.

You are the light to my soul.

You are my purpose...you're everything.

Zoned Out and Tuned In

I think I've had an out-of-body experience...for two weeks. I feel as though for the past two weeks I have been completely disconnected from the world around me. I've reached the point of complacency about everything. I don't care what we're having for dinner. I don't care that I haven't done laundry all week. I don't care that every pair of shoes I've worn for the past 4 days have piled up in my dining room. And I don't care that I don't care about having any intention of picking them up anytime soon.

I think a stressful and disappointing time at work combined with lots of other random thoughts going through my brain have finally taken their toll. I don't particularly like this feeling. I don't particularly like this post as I'm writing it. But, we all can't be happy-go-lucky all the time. So, I'm coming out of the closet now and letting you all know that this is me sometimes. This is me ... on bummed.

I have, however, been able to use this time of brain-fuzziness to catch up on some TV shows that I have missed. I would agree that multiple episodes of The Hills and My Super Sweet 16 are probably not the most positive content-filled viewing opportunities. But, I would agree that they do require NO brain power whatsoever to watch. Nothing like spoiled brats seeking stardom to provide a good coma-inducing evening to bide time until you can go to bed.

Geez, I sound really pathetic. This I know. But, considering my lack of blog participation this past week, I thought you may want to know what the heck is up in our little part of the world. Things will be better next week. I'll jump back to normal. I just hope my understanding husband will have keep his patience and know that I'll be better by Friday. Apparently, we "should do something REALLY fun." If it involves Starbucks and buying a FM transmitter for my Ipod, I'm pretty sure I can be lured back into "Liz normalcy."

Weather Quiz Time

The correct answer to last week's question is......Canada! My wonderful wife changed her correct answer mid-week, but she will still get a point for saying Djibouti......hehe. Derek gets a point for the UK because they actually get more tornadoes relative to land area than any other country in the world. Mark and Pam get a point since Bangladesh has the second highest frequency of violent tornadoes. And in fact the deadliest tornado in recorded history occured there in 1989, killing 1,300 people (thanks Wikipedia).



Derek.................3.5

Liz........................3

Brooke.................2

Mark&Pam...........2

Jessica.................1

John....................1

Crystal...............0.5

The next question is a fun one but an easy one to look up, so see how close you can get by guessing......what are the answers to the following world records:

1) Hottest temperature ever recorded
2) Coldest temperature ever recorded
3) Highest wind speed ever recorded
4) Most rain in one minute (in inches)
5) Most rain in one day
6) Most rain in one year

Remember, these are WORLD records......and you don't have to post the location they occured. Happy guessing!

Move Over Maggie Carlo...There's a New Girl in Town!

First of all let me get this out of the way: OH - MY - GOSH!!!!!!!!!

Monday, August 13th will now go down in my book as one of the all time best nights EVER. I would do dishes every single night if I knew that when I started to clean off the counters, the phone would ring and it would be one of the top five hunks on my list of men that Nathan would have to allow me to run away with without any hard feelings. I never do dishes unless he's out of town, but I may have to start!


The phone rings and the voice on the other line knows my name and asks how I'm doing. I answer politely, "fine"; and get ready for a big long spill about how I've been chosen to receive a discount coupon for a Kraft-Matic Adjustable Bed (I've received the same call every night last week). Instead, I get the wonderful surprise of talking to the number three guy on my list; only to be topped by Tim McGraw and Will Smith. Not too shabby in my opinion. Aaron Tuttle from Eyewitness News 5 is on the other line and talking to me like it's no big deal. I can assure you, it was a VERY big deal. Did I mention that I was talking to AT. Okay, just thought I made need to emphasize that one more time.

So I'm talking on the phone to AARON TUTTLE!!! and thank goodness he keeps the conversation going because at this point I'm pacing the living room and looking out my window to make sure my house is not being surrounded by people about to jump out and say Gothcha!

He mentions that he thought it would be good to call since I was home for a few days while my husband was out of town. Oh yeah, I have a husband. Hmmph. Then we talk about my job and Nate's job. And we talk about how Nathan loves weather. Then I reply with "yeah he's kind of a nerd" and then I quickly realize I just called my husband a weather-nerd to OKC's hottest meteorologist. Smooth, Elizabeth, real smooth.

Then Aaron talks about his wife and how long they've been married and blah blah blah, let's talk a little less about her and a little more about You and Me! hehe... He mentions that he heard about Nathan's Weekly Weather Quizzes and I convince him that he and Rick will have to post a comment on at least one. Although, I wouldn't want my real husband to get too jealous since Aaron and I are definitely on close terms now.

It was the most star-struck and fabulous 7 minutes of my life. I can't even believe it. My friend, Jessica, who knows all the right people, set the whole thing up. She even kept it quiet for three whole weeks. I know for a fact I've mentioned Aaron on at least two occasions since she set it up and she never peeped a word. The girl is a vault. AND my new best friend!

After a good four minutes of jumping around in pure elation, I manage to give her a call and thank her. "Oh but there's more," she says. The she's on my front porch and I open the door and she's there with two pictures of my new boyfriend, err I mean Aaron, signed for both me and what was his name?? Oh yeah, Nathan. I posted my pic below. In case you couldn't read the love message, I typed it out for you.

I can see that this was just a start to a beautiful relationship. And hey, maybe it will make our Weekly Weather Quizzes a little more exciting with some real experts chiming in. You can also check out AT's blog here and his bio here. To see him in all his weather-cuteness just tune into Channel 5. If Nathan and I get the chance of a lifetime to actually go storm chasing, I'm pretty sure Aaron will be the ONLY one on my list...for the rest of my life!

(Dear Liz, Thanks for putting me on the list! Aaron Tuttle)
No prob Aaron...You'll remain on my Advantage Doppler HD for a long, long time!

Gary England WHO?!?!