The First Day of the Rest of My Life!

Well folks the day is here-Surgery Day! I thought that I would have butterflies but to the contrary, I have such peace. Yesterday I was like a five year old on Christmas Eve, I wanted to hurry up and get to sleep so I could wake up. It's just so exciting! I stayed up pretty late last night getting the last minute things together for my family to be able to function without me. I'm sure I've forgot something but hubby is more than able to handle it.

I can't even explain how refreshing it is to have the support that everyone is giving. From prayers, to warm wishes, to asking if they can help out, I've really felt God's love through His people. Just think, I thought about doing this in silence. Just letting my inner circle know. I don't really know why either. There's no reason I should feel ashamed, yet I know that there are so many that do. I don't know how bariatric surgery is frowned upon by so many. Do I think it should be a last resort? Absolutely and once a person makes that decision I don't think they should feel like they are "cheating" at weight-loss. It's as if bariatric surgery is somehow a lesser form of weight loss. I don't think so. It takes the same will power and determination to stay at it.

I digress...it's about that time. Hubby and I are headed to the hospital. The procedure is from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. If you think about me during that time, pray for me. Thanks! Below I've attached some before pictures. Feel free to take your time and say 'Good-bye' to the old Syree.
 

                                                        Before-Front                                                                                    Before-Side

A few days later...

So it's been a few days since my "big announcement" and honesty I am overwhelmed by the support. I went to an event the day after my last blog with many people that I knew had read it. At first I felt incredibly vulnerable, but I was greeted with such love and acceptance that, that original feeling soon faded. My hope is that in me sharing my journey, someone will be helped. This is not just for those considering bariatric surgery, but to motivate others to share their story. The bible says in Revelation 12:11 that they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony... Him being satan. It is our witness that motivates others to get through what they are going through. Inside of all of us lies what each of us needs. We just have to be willing to release it.

...and the journey begins!

I've always been successful at anything I've put my mind to. If I decide I want to do something, I work hard and I get it done. I want a great marriage. I work hard and am super intentional, therefore I have a great marriage. When I was working, I worked hard and would knock it out of the park. I work really hard to raise respectful children with good manners. My kids are great kids.  I wanted to be a homeowner, so I saved, got really disciplined and bought a house. Now I'm not saying all of this to be boastful. I know that I could not have done any of these things without Christ being the center of my life, but had I not done my part I wouldn't have gotten far at all.

With all of this success, I still struggle with my weight. It's the one thing that no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get control over.  I can't even count how many journal entries I have that start with "This is it." Shortly lived, I get back into my old habits of eating the wrong things and not exercising. Now on top of all that I deal with several diagnosis: fibromyalgia, bursitis and arthritis. These things keeping me in terrible pain almost always. I fight through and go to spin class at 5 am and eat all the right things for the rest of the day. Then I wake up the following day and my body is angry with me. None of the pain meds work that will allow me to function throughout the day and I refuse to lay in the bed all day. So I push past it. This works for awhile until it gets unbearable and I have to lay in the bed. Feeling like a failure I almost always turn to food. My comfort.

This has become my pattern. So about 2 years ago I started to research bariatric surgery. At first I wasn't interested, thinking that this was just the easy way out. After my research I realized that it wasn't the easy way out at all. In fact, the only easy part was the surgery itself. After the surgery, was the hardest work ever! So I prayed and I asked God if he was cool with this (I mean I was reorganizing my piping). After I got His okay, my husband and I talked about it at length. He was also in full support. I went to therapy to change my thinking about food. Before I decided to do this I needed to get my mind ready for such a dramatic change. So after all of this I started the process of approval for the surgery 9 months ago. Fast-forward to today and I have been approved.

On October 27, (6 days) I will be having gastric-bypass surgery. I don't want it to be a secret, so what better way to get the word out then through a blog. I know some of you will say, "I don't think you should get it. Your so tall, you don't look like you need it. When I think of gastric bypass, I think of those really heavy people." Well, I have become one of those really heavy people. No matter what your shape is and how you appear to look to others, there is nothing like the sting of getting on a scale and it saying...320 lbs. That's my reality people and I've decided to do something about it...and the journey begins!!!!!

Oh Lawd, Carnival is gone!

No, I'm not talking about the actual carnival. I'm talking about the fish that we won at the carnival a little less than a month ago. You know the drill, throw the ping-pong ball into the little fish bowl and win a fish.  The kids were so excited about their first pet. We got a glass fish bowl, rocks, and even a little toy for the inside. They decided that their fish was a boy and his name would be Carnival. 

Yesterday, Christopher thought it would be a good idea to feed Carnival by himself. While everyone was in the kitchen, he dumped 3/4 of the fish food in the tank. It was a hot "murky" mess. Luckily, a friend had just bought them a new tank with a filter. We quickly got Carnival out of his old tank and into the new one. Everyone was happy. "Lord please don't let Carnival die," was the short prayer I said.

Well, this morning my children woke up to Carnival stuck behind the filter no longer swimming. Gabrielle, devastated (and probably secretly blaming her brother) laid on the couch crying. Olivia was next to come downstairs an announce to me, "Carnival is dead!" You would have thought hurricane Irene had come back with the flood of tears. Nothing could have made it worse than their little brother proclaiming around the house, "Carnival is dead. He's dead right NOW!" He sounded like a little picketer wanting better wages. Christopher was not fazed at all. He even asked if we were going to Wal-mart to get another fish.

I carefully scooped Carnival out and laid him on a paper towel. I called the girls in to say their last good-bye. It really felt like I was at a wake. The girls were so emotional. After looking at Carnival for a few seconds, Gabrielle (in her best Academy performance) put her hands over her mouth and ran upstairs crying uncontrollably. I taught the kids a short lesson in life and death and flushed Carnival. The kids went on to make their breakfast and life continues at the Williams house. 

R.I.P Carnival. Gone but not forgotten.

What is a "Real" Housewife?

The other day I was watching a popular show called the Real Housewives of New York. After watching it for awhile, I became a little uneasy. Maybe I should say the candid phrase I often use: "I felt some kind of way."

These women called themselves housewives but never did any housework. As a housewife, I take pride in keeping my home, spending time with my children and taking care of my husband. The show leads you to believe that in order to be a "real" housewife you have to be this socialite, gossip with friends about friends and spend a lot of money. Yes, I know it's entertainment. Will I watch again? Yes. I'm just hoping that woman aren't getting caught up in the hype of the lifestyles of the rich and famous.  I hope that there is not a small feeling inside that wishes for that life.

From what is shown on the show, most of their lives are empty. They're really not happy with their life. They are spending their entire existence trying to convince everyone that they are. Everyone is trying to keep up with everyone. When "everyone" really wants everyone to just RELAX!
 
I believe the "Real Housewife" can be found in Proverbs 31. She's a woman that has character. Her husband trusts and believes in her. She doesn't talk badly about him, but on the contrary lifts him up always. She wakes early before her family to set everything in place. She ensures that they have everything they need to start their day off right. She's a business woman that uses her earning to better her family. She gives to the needy. She's a woman that knows what to say and when silence is needed. But most of all she loves the Lord.

Intimidating? I'd say. This chick rocks! But I'd aspire to be her any day. She is the picture of the model housewife. Instead of being highlighted, nowadays she's overlooked. Our current culture has skewed the awesome role of housewife to a subserviant maid and daycare provider. Not so! This is THE BEST job I've ever had and I'm awesome at it because this is what I was made to do. Arrogant? No, I'm a REAL Housewife.

The Nieces Are Here!!!

Last Friday I drove to the Eastern Shore and picked up my 3 nieces. They will be staying with us for the next 2 weeks. Leading up to their visit there was such a buzz in the house. Everyone was anticipating the arrival of "the cousins." Admittedly, I was just as excited as the kids. I love when family gets together.

Having 6 kids instead of 3 is not as difficult as one might expect. Each child has a cousin that is really close in age, so everyone has a buddy. The oldest 2 are really motherly, so they help out a lot. What I am finding is, these little people can eat! One breakfast equals a whole box of waffles gone. My kids are really enjoying the extra help with their chores and my nieces are enjoying helping them.

Today we had a big meal where I had to pull out the extra leafs for the table. The kids excitedly set the table. We had a great dinner while discussing what everyone learned in VBS. These are the moments I live for. Making memories...

Surprise! I got you exactly what you wanted.

Have you ever received something from someone that may have been nice, but really wasn't what you wanted? You gave the normal, "Oh...thank you" while at the same time thinking, "they really don't know me." This gets especially awkward when it's your spouse.

My husband's birthday is coming up in August and I know exactly what to get him. It's not because we have been married for 12 years and I know him so well. It's not because I have been paying extra attention to hear what he's wanting. I do not have psychic powers. So how do I know what to get him? He told me and I bought it.

You see we created a book of gifts. Half of the book is mine and the other half is his. When either of us thinks of something that we might want as a gift, we write it in the book. When a special occasion comes around, we look in the book and pick from the items that are listed. All the guess work is gone. Now I love surprises, so one might say "that's no fun," but it is. My list may have 20 items so I have no idea which one he'll choose. What I do know is I will be pleased with what he gets for me.

I've learned that while I get so excited with surprises, my husband is more excited with receiving what he wants. For a while in our marriage, I would strike out in the gift giving department. I would give him things that made me excited. When he got it I would get the "Oh...thanks." This would cause conflict because I wanted him to be as excited as I was. He just wanted to receive what he wanted. So what's the easiest way to know what to get? Ask!

I hear so many women talking about their upcoming occasions and the hope that their spouse will get them what they want. When asked if they told him what they wanted, I get the statement "He should know what I want." This my friends is a set up for failure. A husband getting his wife what she wants because she told him, doesn't make the gift any less special. I get the best gifts and the best surprises because I write it down. My hubby has a map to my happiness.

I hate the word busy!

You've heard it before, "It's been so long since I've seen you." "Oh, you know, I've been so busy." We live in a day in age when every bit of our time is accounted for. We have our iPad and iPhone calendars synchronized so that we don't miss a beat. We're taking the kids from one activity to the next. There are doctor appointments, meetings, church activities and the list goes on. Some days we may not even see our loved ones. At the end of it all we say is, "Whew, I am busy."

Since I've gone back to being a stay-at-home mom, I've realized that it wasn't the word "busy" that I hated. I hated not being able to put my kids to bed every night. I hated not having the energy to read that bed time story. I hated not remembering the last time I had a day with absolutely no plans. I hated the rushed kiss good morning and good-bye to my husband. I hated not seeing my Dad for 6 months. After apologizing for the gap I hated hearing him say, "It's okay. I know you're busy."

So now that I'm home, I'm happy to say that "I am busy." I'm busy painting my daughters' toenails. I'm busy dating my husband. I'm busy building a fort out of sheets with my son. I'm busy making whales out of tuna fish sandwiches. I'm busy krumping and literally making my kids laugh out loud. I'm busy watching the neighborhood kids play with our slip n' slide.

While my decision to refocus brought me to becoming a stay-at-home mom, yours may be an intentional family night once a week. It may be scheduling a lunch with a friend. The point is to be busy with the things that make you smile...oh...oh...oh.

Respect! What He wants, baby you got it!

I am often complimented on how well my husband treats me. Women and men alike tell me how they admire how he openly expresses his love for me. If you ask him, he'll attribute it all to being a respected man. I show him respect and he shows me love. It's that simple.

Wives I urge you to respect your husband at all costs. Yes, even if he's not acting like he "deserves" your respect. If you find it hard to respect him, respect the role of husband. No matter how you look at it, he holds the huge responsibility of answering to God for the entire family. As an example, everyone may not be pleased with the job of the President, but if the President enters the room everyone stands out of respect. You may not agree with the President's decisions, but you respect the office of President.

If you still are having a hard time with that, read Ephesians 5:33 (NIV) and do it because...God said. I guarantee that if you respect your husband no matter what, he will become the man that God designed him to be.

The Fun Has Arrived!!!!!!

Well, after continued urging from my friends, I finally started my blog. I can check something off of my bucket list!  My name is Syree and this blog will be a collection of my thoughts. Some will be very thought provoking, while others will be quite random.

I am a fun-loving, country-girl at heart. I love to laugh and I enjoy people. My approach can be a bit straight-forward at times, but you'll get used to that. It's all in love! I have come to a point in my life where I am okay with being me. That can be weird, quirky and even a bit clumsy but I'm sure to make you smile and have fun while doing it.

I love my husband and children, so you will hear about them often.

I truly have a passion for marriage and family. I believe that marriage shouldn't be ordinary, but one that is full of passion, love and trust. Parenting is also important to me. I count it a privilege to be given the awesome task of guiding these little people into the men and women that God has called them to be.

I am an unashamed Christian. I will be sharing a lot of who Christ is to me.  My hope is that as I open my life up to you, you will gain something that will help you in this journey called life (even if it's only a quick laugh).