My heart explodes!

I can't begin to tell you how overwhelmed I am by the incredible support that has been built up here.  You people motivate me!  You dig me out when I'm in a funk.  It is for that reason that I keep marching forward with health each day.  Because trust me, it would be easier to just give in and give up.  It would be easier to say...'well, it doesn't really matter anymore since I am pregnant and will be gaining weight.'  

But I will not quit.

Maybe you're pregnant.  Maybe you're not.  Maybe you've tried in the past, maybe you haven't.  Wherever you are, times will get tough.  They will!  It will be hard to lose the weight and stay healthy.  There will be times you wonder if it's worth it....if all the food sacrifices, early morning workouts, exhaustion from the workouts, sore muscles...you will wonder if any of it is worth it.

I promise, a million times over it is!

So please, pick yourself up.  Dust yourself off.  Realize that you are capable of conquering the hard and difficult.

I am so impressed by the readers I have on this blog.  By their honesty.  By their comments!  By their sweet personal emails to me!  I am blessed!  I've picked up many new readers this last month thanks to this blog contest over at healthline.com.  There are a lot of amazing blogs in the running for the top spot.  Slowly, my blog has fallen from the first place...down to 6th currently.  And while my children are sad that I won't win, I am beyond empowered by this!  I am so touched!  So honored!

To each and every single person out there who has voted once, who has voted daily, who has prompted others to vote....THANK YOU!  You have no idea how much you mean to me!  I feel like some pretty amazing doors have been opened because of this blog contest.  From the article written about me, to some other pretty incredible things I have lined up to come in the next few weeks....just wait, it's BIG!  :)  I am constantly amazed at the outpouring I've received about my story.  Thank you for helping spread the word.  Thank you for helping spread the message...overcoming hard things in life is beyond difficult, but it's possible!  And that is a message that NEEDS to be shared in these sometimes dark and gloomy times.

Lastly (does it sound like I'm accepting an award?) (My heart is just overflowing!), I would be so ungrateful if I didn't publicly thank my dear friend Denise for nominating me in the contest.  I have never actually met Denise.  (Although I can't wait for the day we do meet in person...)  I found her through a group, and then we connected more personally.  She has always been one of my biggest cheerleaders when what she doesn't realize is how much she motivates me!  (You guys, she's amazing...she's lost like 110 pounds and just finished her very first 1/2 marathon...the woman is INCREDIBLE!)  She has truly been an advocate for me and my story and I hope you know how much that means to me Denise!  Thank you for helping spread the word about my story and for helping so many amazing doors to be opened for this blog!

People, I couldn't have gotten where I'm at without all of you.  In my head I still wonder if what I say even matters.  I consider myself a small-time girl who has lived the life thrown at me.  And along the road to living that life, I've gained the strength to share some of the challenges I've overcome.  If that helps you to know you can do hard things too....I'm honored!  Because the truth is, we do all face a lot in our lives.  We all go through hard times.  We all tend to lose ourselves at some point during the journey.  And it is when we find ourselves and reclaim our life that we can become our best selves!