Just got in from WW. I was excited to go, knowing everyone would help me get through another week, but wasn’t sure what the scale would say, as I had 2 amazing weeks of doing everything right, yet only had a 1 pound loss. As I wrote before, I went into the week holding onto everything I had learned so far, along with holding onto the promises from everyone who had been where I was now,… assurances that if I kept doing the right things, the scale would catch up.

I stepped on the scale, the man who weighed me in said, “I’m proud of you, you did a good job”, then as he was writing, he said,”you lost 3.2 pounds” (46.2 total now). The woman next to him, Jennifer, is the woman who usually weighs me in, and she has been the one who keeps telling me to hang tough, and the scale will catch up. Well, I shouted out, “The scale finally caught up!”, jumped off the scale and ran over to give her a high five! It was a great moment this morning. A few of the other members who were in the same predicament last week, also saw the scale move. And yes, there were some who didn’t, but they came in and stayed, and it was time to encourage them this week, as they did for me last week.

The theme this week was exercising, and all the excuses we make to avoid it. I’m really happy and proud that I am now at a place where I am committing to exercise at least 5 times a week. When they talked about the benefits of it today…more energy, less  stress, better numbers at your doctor visits…I really was thankful that I had experienced all of that in the last few weeks. It’s not always easy to make the effort and go, and there are classes I am still afraid of…but Elyse shared another very profound statement today with all of us….”you will NEVER regret exercising…you will regret not exercising”. It is so true. Even when I am afraid to go, or fearful of not being able to do something, or even not sure if I can complete a class or do another extra mile on the treadmill…when I press through and complete it and it’s over…I feel absolutely great every single time! Sweaty, gross, tired, exhausted…yet always along with it…empowered and proud of the accomplishment. It definitely sets the tone for my day now.

This past week has been filled with the most amazing “God-incidences” that I can’t wait to write about. A close friend lost 2 pounds at a family resort that had plenty of incredible food, but she held onto the fact that I had lost 6 pounds on the Disney Cruise on Thanksgiving weekend, and we are celebrating her amazing success of losing weight during that vacation week….I met a few girls at the gym who were new, and when they found out that I was in Dr. Oz’s challenge, they actually got me a ticket to go to the show with them THIS Wednesday!!….  A dear friend, who is an amazing artist (you can see his work at http://www.lalinstudio.com) came out to Long Island to help me create business cards to share this blog and my journey with others, he also helped me create an amazing shirt to wear to the Dr. Oz show. I will post pictures in the coming days after I pick it up….Yesterday, my business cards arrived in the mail ( I have never had a business card in my life), and last night I went to a ladies night out of shopping to raise money for a school. I ended up talking to a woman who made beautiful leather pocket books. We chatted for a bit, and as we got on my Dr. Oz story, she told me wonderful stories about him as she use to be a phlebotomist at the same hospital and worked with him. She said he was as wonderful and special in real life, as he is on the show. She, along with the wonderful man she was with, both asked for my cards and told me that they believed in me and would vote for me when it was time.

We talked a bit more, and then she said, “I really want to bless you, and would like to give you one of my business card holders that I made”. She pointed to the end of the table where all of the beautiful holders were. I said that she didn’t have to do that, I would buy one. She sweetly said, “are you raising your voice at me while I am trying to bless you?” I smiled, and the moment left me speechless. All I could think was, “wow Lord, this journey is so much bigger than I could have ever imagined!” Really… what is the chance that on the day that I receive business cards for the first time ever in my life, that I would then be out at night at a school I have never been to, meeting a woman I have never met, who worked with Dr. Oz, and now wants to “bless me” with a business card holder that she made with her own hands?  WOW! I told her to pick one out for me that she loved making. I stood there, and I put my business cards in one section, and in the outside pocket, I put her business card so that I would forever remember this woman, Winnie, who never met me before, and chose to bless me with this beautiful gift this night. As I walked out of the auditorium she said loudly in her kind, sweet voice, “ I love you!”, and without hesitation I responded, “I love you, too!” (and I did)…and I walked out into the rainy night to my car, with tears in my eyes, smiling…goosebumps all over, in total awe of what happened, looking up into the dark cloudy sky just thanking God for what He was continuing to orchestrate in such an awesome way. I couldn’t wait to get in the car and call my husband, to try to put into words what just happened.

I have been sharing last night’s story with my family, friend’s and children all day, and  now with all of you…. I am excited to keep writing and sharing all that is happening, and look forward to what continues to unfold, day after day. Thank you, again and again… for joining in this with me…. For all of your encouragement and powerful words that keep me going and persevering. I am blessed beyond words!