July 18th, 1981 my delicious man was born.  He wasn't always delicious...and wasn't always my ideal man...but he definitely grew into a dream boat!  

I wanted to dedicate this blog post to him.  I am unable to be with him today as he is serving the in United States Air Force currently stationed for 365 days in Honduras.  BUT that doesn't mean we can't celebrate him.  

The Top Ten Things I Love About Jason D Haden:
1.  His smile.
2.  He makes me laugh.
3.  His tendency to stutter when he is thoroughly excited I find totally cute.
4.  His genuine nature.
5.  His confidence.
6.  His principles regarding family and his faith.
7.  He is my best-est friend ever.
8.  He is a better father than I could have envisioned.
9.  He is totally HOTTTT!
10.  He married me!  

Ok one more...
11. He provides for his family in the utmost selfless way imaginable!

The best part about today and his birthday weekend....he gets to come home Sunday and visit for 20 days!  We haven't seen him since February 9th and we are beyond over the moon to be reunited even if for just a few weeks.  I pray for his safe travels and I thank God for this chance for our children to erupt in joy from seeing daddy again!  Thank you Yvonne Stubbs and Chalky Haden  (and God) for bringing this beautiful man into this world.  He is changing it a day at a time and I couldn't be more proud!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO~The Queen

P.S.  Congrats on making Tech Sgt babe!!!!  You are so deserving and you are becoming a superior leader!

You haven't seen a friend in a long time: you go out to eat.
You are finally going on a date with your arm candy: you go out to eat.
You are headed on a girls only adventure: you go out to eat.
Your family is in town: you go out to eat.
You are miffed at your kids for embarrassing you in public: you go out to eat (drive through of course).

The cycle goes on and on.  Why do we choose this activity to spend time with one another?  Is there something else we could be doing?  I have been on vacation in Montana for 11 days.  Can you guess how many times I have been out to eat?  The funny thing is...I cannot even remember!  Probably 8-10 times.  It's gross!  (The food was great, the calorie intake is outright frightening!)  Good thing I carry my carb blockers!

This totally came to me because I had dinner with my grandparents this evening (which was refreshing and fun) but then I reflected on the past week and all my "reconnecting" I have done with family and friends. We never said "come by for coffee." It was more like "we can go grab breakfast/lunch/dinner."   Which you cannot blame me...in my defense, this is my hometown and there are a few spots I MUST EAT AT every summer I drive home.  I do honestly believe it was and is sometimes the easiest solution when we are cramped for time and when my three kids are involved.  

But it makes me remember why I was fat to begin with!!!  The people who are trapped here (I say trapped because they have never left, have left and come back, or cannot leave due to financial or family obligations) all battle with weight!  We plan our days by what we will be eating next.  OOOh that sounds good, oh lets go get _______, ice cream anyone?  We are enablers!  We need to stop this!  Unless we are working out and burning the calories we are in-taking----this will obviously lead to obesity!  It makes me so happy to know that I escaped this epidemic.  Barely.  

But it makes me think about why I ate the way I did.  I had an addiction to food.  You read that correctly.  And I often find myself battling with it today.  Many people do but don't have the guts to admit it.  I can tell you why I know I did.  
1. Drive past your favorite drive-thru and you aren't even hungry-but you still swing through there.
2. You walk into the kitchen headed to do something on your mind, and you find yourself standing in front of the fridge trying to remember what you came in there for in the first place.  
3.  You watch TV and see characters eating or drinking something and you found yourself craving it and telling yourself "I must have that!"
4.  You remember how good it feels to sit on the couch eating your favorite fast food, watching your favorite reality TV show, and then suddenly you must have it to recreate that moment.
5.  You buy junk food "for just in case." 
6.  You eat every hour or when you are bored.

Seriously this list could go on for a long time.  But the crazy thing is...once we realize its a problem, an addiction...we have nothing but enablers surrounding us.  People who want to go out to eat but not alone so they ask you because they know you won't say no.   People who know you are the "you fly and I'll buy" friend.  And because you are happy together chowing out on pizza and candy every Saturday night.  If you are the enabler and you are reading this....STOP IT!  Acknowledge that your friend or family member has a problem and speak up!  If you are the addict....there are options!  Your weight will NEVER magically go away.  You have to change intentionally.   You want a future with your family, your kids, your BFFs?  It will never exist unless you make the decision for yourself.  

Be the example for your children  They are looking to you as an example of how their future will look.  Is your life and your bad habit and addiction what you wish for in your children's lives?  Fix it and show them a new you before it is too late.  My children don't remember when I hated to even move from the couch to the kitchen, when I wanted to sleep all of the time, when mommy wouldn't play outside with them.  You cannot imagine how grateful I am that my kids have the NEW me to know and remember.  

There are solutions!  But please don't assume surgery is the best option for you.  Meet with your physician and discuss options.  Be open minded.  After-all, addictions begin in the brain and if you don't fix what is wrong in there it will still be wrong after you have a weight loss surgery.  Hence, the reason so many of these patients gain their weight back.   My solution was to get over myself, my embarrassment, my past full of people calling me "hippo Hill, fatso, chubs, biggs."  I had me a sexy husband, healthy kids, and I was gonna get myself to the real me that had been hiding underneath all the flesh for so many years.  Portion control, a gym routine, and motivation.  That's how this chunky chick did it!

What's next for you?  What do you choose?  Food to control you or you to control your own damn self for once?!!? You got this!