Cheerleaders vs. Naysayers

Happy Saturday!  Today is National No Housework Day!

I think THAT alone is a reason to celebrate!  I've learned to not mind cooking, but laundry and housework - UGGH!   But I really need to clean and today is the day, so I'll celebrate next week!

It's been a little while since I posted anything here.  News Flash!  I started a new blog.

Roaring Whispers is a blog addressing women's issues.  It is a place to talk about all things that affect women.  Health and wellness, spiritual, emotional, family and career.  As well as those issues to which we have long been silenced.  It's time to be bold and candid about what matters to us.  It's something I've been thinking about starting for a long time, but didn't want to add one more thing to my list of "to-do's."  Last week, I did a three part-series entitled, "On Forgiveness...and Death."  A friend of mine lost her father last month and it stirred up a lot of things from the past with her, which got me to thinking about how lost / severed relationships pretty much boil down to unresolved conflict and unforgiveness.  Roaring Whispers was inspired from topics like this, where I really wanted to talk about the issues, but Tracey's Getting Fit didn't seem to be the appropriate place to do so.  I hope you'll check out my new blog.  Spread the word to your friends and family, too!  Having faithful readers is what keeps me writing.

Back to Tracey's Getting Fit and the topic of today.

Cheerleaders vs. Naysayers

On my journey to lose weight, I had more cheerleaders than I can count.  Brian, Dmitriy, Erica and Maria were my number one cheerleaders.  Can you have more than one #1?  Each of them stood by me through thick and thin, listening,  pushing, and refusing to put up with my bullsh--.  When I became obsessed, one would step in and say, "Ummm, that's enough of that."  When I felt like quitting, they ALL said, "No way, I won't hear it!"  When I accomplished something big, they were the first people I told.  You'll never believe what I did!

Far too often, when you embark on a journey to lose weight or get in shape, you will be surprised at the number of people who get in your way, quite literally.  They block your path to reach your goals.

It can be as simple as your partner or friends refusing to support your new nutritional needs.  Like when your partner serves you bagels with cream cheese and eggs fried in butter for breakfast.  Or when the office knows you're trying to lose weight, but they put a plateful of pizza in front of you and give you a hard time for not eating it.

But sometimes it's more of a slap in the face.

Why are you even trying to lose weight?  You try again and again and you always fail.  Just give up.

OR

You've lost 20 lbs. and your friend / partner says something like, "I don't see a difference.  You still look fat."

Unfortunately, it's often the people closest to you who are your biggest naysayers.  There are a few possibilities for this.  You pick...

They may be fearful for you.  Your success may literally scare them. 

OR

They may be jealous of your success or possible success.  They don't have the courage themselves to get on board, so it's more comfortable to do / say things to bring you down.  

OR

They think their negativity is a way to be supportive so that if you do fail, there is some satisfaction in pointing that out to you.

OR

They are sadistic, narcissistic ego maniacs who just don't know how to be supportive.

Whatever, or whoever they may be (your partner/spouse, your best friend, your parent, or the person you eat lunch with every day at work) it's YOUR choice to be successful.  YOU do the work.  YOU have to figure out how to work through the negativity.  

Here are a few recommendations. 

1)  Talk to the people who you feel are bringing you down and tell them.  "When you say things like this, it's not helping me.  This is important to me and I want to be successful.  I need your support.  Please believe in me and encourage me."  At first, make sure you are kind to them.  They may not even realize what they are doing.  But be firm!

2)  Separate yourself from the people who bring you down.  It hurts to do this, but it may be necessary.  If you have a goal to accomplish and people are getting in your way, learn to be okay with spending less time with them.

3)  Don't internalize their negative comments.  Develop an internal dialogue that you say to yourself when someone says something to bring you down.  For example, if they say, "You still look fat."

You say, "The scale doesn't lie.  I can see that I've lost     X number of    pounds.  My clothes don't fit right anymore.  I have a long way to go, but I'm getting there."

Say it to them.  Definitely.  But say it to yourself.  OVER and OVER again.

4)  Be in charge of your own meals  and nutrition. 

If your partner has been making your meals, put  an end to that.  You take over the cooking and meal prep.  Teach your partner how to cook with cooking spray instead of butter.  Teach your partner about the value of lean protein and LOTS of veggies.  Find healthy recipes you like and prepare them together.  Subscribe to MyFitnessPal and send the email blogs about nutrition or recipes to your partner with the subject "Let's try this." 

Taking charge of what/ when you eat will take work, but this is YOUR journey, so you can't sit back and allow others to drive your food train for you.

5)  Find your cheerleaders and rely on them!!! 

If you don't have a cheerleader, join some online groups.  Join some fitness clubs / classes.  Start riding your bike with the local club.  You will make lots of new friends who will be your cheerleaders.

I remember the first year I was training for the Ride to Remember, a lot of people told me how dangerous bike riding is.  I heard about every person who died in a cycling accident in the past 10 years.  People posted links to stories about cycling accidents on my Facebook wall.  I had to overcome all of that in order to attain my goal of being able to train for the ride.  I was so afraid all on my own that I did not need their fearful warnings.

Unfortunately, I lost some of my closest friends when I was losing weight.  While my focus was on working out, riding my bike and eating healthy, it meant I wasn't available to sit around, drink wine and eat crap with them anymore.  Not only did we not have the same goals, mine were completely divergent from the way things had been.  I had to learn to be okay with that.  I made new friends.

Here's a new song with a great beat for your playlist...

New Rules by Dua Lipa

I got new rules, I count 'em

I gotta tell them to myself...

Practice makes perfect

I'm still tryna learn it by heart.

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)

Who is your biggest cheerleader?  What do you do about naysayers?  

My new mantra:  Be the Champion of Today!

Have a great weekend!  Go get 'em!

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STRESSED

Do you know?  I'm sure you have heard...

S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D spelled backwards is DESSERTS.

Yep, this is definitely how I became obese in the first place.  

This post is all about how stress affects weight loss efforts and three tips on how to address it.  We all have and deal with stress differently.  Sometimes stress comes in mega doses, like having a baby who won't let you sleep, struggling with relationship problems, caring for an aging parent, coping with health problems, dealing with overwhelming work demands, or being in the middle of any major life change.  How we manage the stress has a direct effect on our health and well being.  

According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress has a negative effect on most major body systems.  The hypothalamus signals the production of epinephrine and cortisol, which are commonly referred to as "stress hormones."  Too much cortisol causes all kinds of disruptions to your body, including increased hunger and spikes and dips in your blood sugar level.  

It actually becomes a vicious cycle:

This graphic is just the tip of the iceberg.  Excess cortisol causes migraines, affects your mood, and your ability to sleep, just to name a few.  Okay, so now that you know stress is bad for you, what are you supposed to do about it?

Hearing that stress is bad for you and knowing you're stressed does NOT in and of itself help.  I remember how hard it was when my kids were little.  The last thing I wanted to hear was that I needed to reduce the stress in my life.  No kidding!!  

So, what do you do about stress?  If you have small children, you can't just give them away.  If you have a super stressful job, it's probably not likely you will just give that up.  The stress doesn't go away because you wish it. There are things you can do to manage your stress and even alleviate it.

Here are a few tips.  I have TRIED all of these and there are not quick fixes.  In fact, some of them directly contradict what you WANT to do when you are stressed.

One:  Exercise

Exercise daily.  Yes, it may seem counter intuitive to add one more thing to your to do list, but it works.

• Taking 30-60 minutes per day to focus on only you, gives you time to yourself.  Knowing you are doing something to help yourself feel / be healthier eases your stress.  
• Exercise produces endorphins which helps you to sleep and reduces stress.  
• Furthermore, exercise provides all kinds of other benefits, such as reducing fatigue, improving concentration and cognitive functioning.  
• Even on a busy day, I put my headphones in and take a walk.

Two:  Sleep

You need sleep to recover.  It allows both your body and brain to function better.  Most of us who are stressed struggle with being able to sleep.  Insomnia only adds to our ability to handle the stress, so it can become a vicious cycle.

Here is what works for me:

Nap when you can.  If you have a young child, nap when they nap.  It seriously is okay!!!  You can do whatever chores need to be done at another time.  If you are sleep deprived, a nap will help you recover some of the rest you needed.  And for whatever reason, napping does not prevent me from sleeping through the night later.  I LOVE naps!

Have a regular bed time.  Go to bed consistently at the same time.  It helps.  I swear by it.

Unplug.  Put your cell phone down and leave it alone for at least an hour before going to bed.  You seriously do not need to check social media, or play Words With Friends one more time before you go to bed.  My son told me this week that the blue light from my cell phone actually disturbs your sleep.  I checked it out and a study from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston supports that. (Why your cell phone causes sleep problems.)

If you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep, try this:

After 30 minutes of sleeplessness, give in and just get up for a little while.  DO NOT go on the computer and try to stay away from your cell phone.  Have a drink of water and lay down in another area of the house.  If you have night sweats or are cold, try to take care of that by changing your clothes or using an extra blanket.  Lay still for a little until your body is able to acclimate and fall back to sleep.

I watch reruns of Law & Order.  After about an hour, I turn it off and fall back to sleep.  Even though my sleep was interrupted, I almost always am able to get through the day.  If I can't fall back to sleep, I am at least resting and have kept my cognitive activity to a minimum, so my brain is able to rest, even if I am awake.  Most people will tell you to not watch TV, but this is what works for me.

Three:  Be Good to Yourself

• Get a massage.
• Get your nails done.
• Meditate and pray.
• Get up a little earlier than you normally do and try stretching with quiet music for 20 - 30 minutes.
• Eat healthy - plan your meals.
• Don't beat yourself up when things go wrong.
• Talk to your friends.  

I am amazed at how many people tell me they don't have friends, or at least not friends they can talk to.  Making friends is so hard and I totally get it.  I lost a best friend last year and the thought of trusting someone else causes me so much anxiety.  But I could not get through life's challenges without having a confidant or two to help me.  

If you struggle with not having friends, you have to make a conscious effort to expand your circle, even if it's only by adding one or two people to your friend list.  Go to church and join a small group.  Have lunch with someone whose company you enjoy and make a point to do it more often.  Pray and ask God to meet your need and to give you courage to branch out and make a new friend.  These ladies are the backbone to my support system.  I can't imagine how I would get through without them.

The Bottom Line

When you are stressed, the most important thing you can do is try to alleviate your stress.  If it's a short term problem, recognize that you will get through it.  It may be hell for a week or a month, but it will eventually pass.  

If you are dealing with a more long term stressful situation, implement some of the things I mentioned above.  Even if it's small measures, a little can go a long way to help you manage whatever is in front of you.

Instrumental music is so soothing.  Some of my favorite artists are Jim Brickman, Kenny G and Yanni.  Just listen to the notes and let them cover you with peace and serenity.

Everyone's needs are uniquely individual, and I know finding time for it is often what interferes with being able to reduce your stress.  Often the feeling of "There's not enough of me to go around" is the one thing that stresses us out.  It is amazing the time you find when you prioritize it.  Knock out some of the things you feel like you absolutely "have to do" and wait until the weekend to do them.  If you have plans every weekend and just can't, then cut out some of the plans.  I'm serious.  Your kids will survive if they don't participate in a season of sports or if you take turns with another parent to bring them to practice.  Some of the things you think are so important probably are not deal breakers.  Housework can wait.  The earth will not end if there are fingerprints on the fridge and a pile of mail on the counter.

Take care of you.  Make yourself a priority so you can better take care of those who need you.  If you are stressed and unhappy, your family feels it.  You end up being someone you don't want to be.

Take care of you first

Tracey's  Getting Fit is celebrating it's two year anniversary!

Happy Birthday to My Little Blog!

Question for you: (answer in the comment section below)

What is one thing you do to help manage your stress?

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How do you like your eggs?

What did you have for breakfast today?  I had an egg white frittata with spinach and tomatoes and some Kashi oatmeal with almond milk.  It was delicious and satisfying!  I love eggs!

This morning's frittata was spinach and tomato.  This is one has steamed broccoli.

When I first started dieting in the 1980s, I remember eggs were "bad for you." They are high in fat and cholesterol.  I liked them well enough, all kinds of ways: egg salad, hard-boiled eggs, scrambled, soft boiled, poached, fried, deviled eggs, and omelettes.  Whether I was trying to lose weight, I've always thought of them as fattening, so I avoided them.

Since I've been on this journey, I realize that they are actually quite healthy:  full of nutrients and protein. Contrary to what we once believed, the cholesterol in eggs does not affect the blood cholesterol of most people*.  Eating two-three eggs a few times a week is definitely reasonable. 

So, how do you like your eggs? Me? I like them over easy and I don't really mind if the yolks crack. I kinda even like them broken sometimes.  If I want to be truthful, it doesn't even bother me if they're a little overcooked.

Anything at all but sunny side up.

Look at sunny side up eggs, they are too pretty to eat.   I know people like them, but they are too neat and clean for me.

You probably are thinking that this post is all about eggs, don't you?

The truth is, it's more about being real. It's hard to trust people who always serve their eggs sunny side up. I want someone who's going to be honest, who will serve things the hard way sometimes (albeit with love).   Over-easy or over-medium...sometimes they come out perfectly and sometimes they're messy.

I really have a hard time with people who always serve their eggs sunny side up.

If we are really friends, then you're going to be honest with me.

From time to time we might even hurt each other's feelings, but we always makeup and share the love after.  We don't just mask over things and pretend nothing ever happened.

I'm going to share your hardships and you're going to share mine.

That's what friendship really is.

Thanks for being my friend...no matter how you serve your eggs, especially if they come out messy sometimes.

*Studies are not conclusive about how eggs effect the cholesterol levels of diabetics.  It's the yolk that contains the cholesterol, so whites are fine.

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comments below.)
What did you have for breakfast today? How do you like your eggs?  

Now:  Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

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What Matters Most: Part Four

This is the final post in my series, "What Matters Most."

For my final entry, I can sum it all up in one word:  friendship.  So with that in mind...here's a photo blog of the people who matter most to me.

My closest friends are the ones I rely on most.  They are my confidants, the few people I trust, who I know "have my back," who are there for me come hell or high water.  They are the ones who don't care if I'm crazy, obsessive or goofy.  They understand the challenge I face being married to a police officer, spending holidays and evenings alone.  Most of them understand what it's like to raise teenage boys.

I could write an entire post about each of them, describing how each has affected my life and supported me in one way or another on my journey towards fitness.  Some are family, but have filled the role of friend.  Each is very dear to my heart.  I value them and their friendship more than words can describe.

Amy

My classmates Cyndi & Abbie

There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.  

Proverbs 18:24 (NLT)

Dmitriy 

He is more than my trainer, he truly is my friend and I don't know what I would do without him.

The Counselors at Work

We are an amazing team!  I rely on them so much.  They have been with me through thick and thin.  Left to Right:  Liz, Tera, Sanyalee, Tami, Joe, Me, Erica & Andrea.  Not pictured:  Pam (now retired), Dawn, Jasmine, and Lisa

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.

Proverbs 27:9

My Cousin Jaime

Katherine

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:  

If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls down and has no one to help them up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

My Aunt Kelly

My Sister-In-Law Maria

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

John 15:13

Michelle

Stacy

I thank God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy. 

Philippians 1:3-4

James Taylor:  You've Got A Friend 

Read the rest of my series on "What Matters Most" here:  Part One,  Part Two,  Part Three

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Psalm 100:4

Questions for you: (Answer in the comment section below.)
What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
What amazing foods do you plan to eat?  Did you eat?  

Now:  Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

Follow me on Instagram:  @tracoleman99

What Matters Most: Part Three

After I did the Ride to Remember in September, I started 100 Days of Gratitude which has helped me reflect on what matters most.  So, in honor of Thanksgiving, I am doing a series of posts on "what matters most."  I wish I could say the posts will be on a specific day of the week, but I'm not accountable when it comes to deadlines.  This is the third post.  
Read Part One here:  What Matters Most
Read Part Two here:  What Matters Most:  Part Two

Above all, my family and friends matter most.  This post is dedicated to the love of my life.

God Gave Me You by Dave Barnes

You stay here right beside me, watch as the storm goes through, and I need you.

God gave me you for the ups and downs.  God gave me you for the days of doubt.  

On my own I'm only half of what I could be.  I can't do without you.

Brian

Brian did the Ride to Remember with me this year.  I was so happy to accomplish this goal with him by my side.  

When I married Brian, nearly 25 years ago, I had no idea what was in store for us.  I was blissfully in love with him.  He is a police officer and had been on the job for a few years already, so I thought I knew what to expect.  When we had the boys, Brian took care of them during the school day while I was at work.  He went into work as soon as I got home.  So, I spent night after night caring for the boys alone.  We only saw each other on the weekends and his nights off.  It made for a very lonely existence for me.

Brian is a wonderful husband and an amazing father.  He loves me and our children more than anything.  I know this is true.  But there was a time when I wanted to throw it away.  I was tired of never being able to make ends meet and the constant loneliness that plagued my existence. We needed to work on our relationship, to remember why we love each other, why we got married in the first place, why we wanted to stay married and raise our family together.  It was several tough years for us.

Brian is my biggest fan, my biggest cheerleader, the love of my life.
Our wedding song was That's What Love Is All About by Michael Bolton.
The lyrics are so true - "As time goes by, we've learned to rediscover, the reason why this dream of ours survives.  Through thick and thin, we're destined for each other."

There came a time when I realized I did not have to be married to Brian, that it was a choice.  I could choose to stay married or not.  I could choose to love him or not.  I could choose to let go or hold on.  If I wanted the marriage to work, I had to repeatedly remind myself about the good qualities in Brian, and remember what made me fall in love with him in the first place.  It took time and hard work for both of us to renew the love we had for each other.

Today, I can honestly say, I can't imagine life without Brian.  He truly is the love of my life.

Photo by K&MPhotography

There are a handful of people who have stood by my side during my fitness journey.  I wrote about them here:  Don't Go It Alone and Shake It Off and Dmitriy Made It Happen.  If I were to describe how Brian has supported my journey... he has bought me things I needed along the way (new earbuds, a gym bag, a lock for my gym locker, a Nutri Ninja blender); yelled at me when I was overdoing it; given me practical advice on riding; and tolerated and supported a lot of my moodiness.  The list could really go on and on.  What I appreciate most, is that he stood by my side even when I was fat and unhealthy.  His love for me does not depend on whether or not I am thin or fat or healthy or whether I wear a size 18 or a size 4.  Obviously, I would be naive to think that he didn't care that I was overweight and unhealthy.  But he loved me anyway.

Family vacation:  Oasis of the Seas, 2012

Now that my focus is on living a healthy lifestyle, everyone benefits.  Our overall family nutrition is better, except I eat a whole lot more chicken and vegetables than the rest of the family.  We do things together as a family that are active:  cycling, rafting, racing and hiking.  In What Matters Most: Part Two, I said that my children are my heart.  Brian is the thread that binds us together.  He is our protector, our provider, our caretaker.

One of our family vacations.  Disney, 2011 

Questions for you: (Answer in the comment section below.)
What are you grateful for?  

Now:  Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

Follow me on Instagram:  @tracoleman99

What Matters Most: Part Two

After I did the Ride to Remember in September, I started 100 Days of Gratitude, which has helped me reflect on what matters most.  So, in honor of Thanksgiving, I am doing a series of posts on "what matters most."  I wish I could say the posts will be on a specific day of the week, but I'm not that accountable when it comes to deadlines.  This is the second post.
Read part one here:  What Matters Most.
Read part three here:  Part Three.

Above all, my family matters most. This post is dedicated to my children.  Tears come to my eyes as I write this because I am so proud of them both.

Always by Seventh Day Slumber

I'll never find the words to say, how beautiful you are, my son...

Even when I'm far away, I will dream of you tonight, I will pray to God to bless your life.  

Always, always.

Left: Joey
Right: Mitch

I was blessed with two sons. They are the light of my world.  As an only child, I never understood their fighting or disagreements. One would drive the other crazy and I would say, "You don't know how lucky you are to have each other."  My husband would chime in, "They're brothers, that's what they do."  I will never understand.

My husband, Joey, Mitch, and my brother-in-law, David.
Brian and Joey are Giants fans.  Mitch and David are Patriots fans.
It just adds to the family feuds!!  Today's game was INTENSE!

Mitch

Mitch getting ready for little league game. Year = 2002 or 2003?

Mitch is now a junior at Worcester State University, majoring in business. He is doing so well. On top of school, he has a part-time job and is an RA so he can help with his college tuition.

When he was a teenager, we were like oil and water. We did not get along. Now, we get along amazingly well.  I so enjoy his company. He is incredibly smart. I love listening to his perspective on issues, even though I don't agree with him on many of them.  Because he is away at college, I miss him. Sometimes I will drive out there just so I can see him. 

Mitch was the President of his class.  It was such a proud moment when he gave his speech during graduation.

Joey

Joey with the cutest smile on my parents' boat.   Year = 2002 or 2003?

Joey is now a senior in high school. He is kind and has a warm heart.  Unlike his brother, he is very quiet and it's often like pulling teeth to get him to talk. But when there is a topic of interest to him, he is a flurry of talkativity.

Last November in Epcot Center

Active in our church's youth group, Joey has been on several missions trips. He's been to Pennsylvania, Washington (the state) and Northern Ireland. He has helped with various fundraising for the team. Each trip has been an opportunity for him to serve others and to see a different world perspective.  

In Northern Ireland, the team provided a lot of service to the community, including cleaning gutters, painting, gardening and hauling gravel to restore this little area into a community garden.

He is also my hiking buddy.  He loves to climb to the top of the mountain.  The more dangerous and steep, the more he likes it.  I will be so lost when he is off to college next year.

Last month on Monument Mountain

It may sound cliche to say my family is what matters most to me.  But it's true.  I think in this busy world we live, in our comings and goings, we often lose sight of what matters most.  In my journey to be healthy and fit, I have sometimes become mega focused on my goals, and my family has taken a back seat.  Taking time to step back and breathe has allowed me to reflect on gratitude.  I am grateful for the blessing of my children.  I am so proud of them both.  They are my heart.

On Veteran's Day, we went to Worcester to visit Mitch.  We were going to go hiking, but it rained all day.  Yesterday, Joey went on a college visit to Worcester State because he's interested in their Computer Science program.  He really liked it.  It will be both awesome and weird if they both go to the same college next year.  I'll probably get a room at a bed and breakfast so I can see them all the time.  (Just kidding!)

Question for you: (Answer in the comment section below.)
What fun things did you do this weekend?

New:  Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

Follow me on Instagram:  @tracoleman99

What Matters Most

After I did the Ride to Remember in September, I started 100 Days of Gratitude, which has helped me reflect on what matters most.  So, in honor of Thanksgiving, I want to do a series of posts on "what matters most."  I wish I could say the posts will be on a specific day of the week, but I'm not that accountable when it comes to deadlines.  

Family Photo - taken in Spain.  I was probably four or five months old here.

Above all, my family and friends matter most to me. This post is dedicated to my parents.

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12

As an only child, I am very close to my parents. I treasure them with my whole heart. They recently celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary. 47 years! That's a LONG time. Through the good times and bad, they have stuck it out. Their love and dedication for each other is truly a blessing.

My parents on their wedding day.  They were so young!

This was taken on the rooftop of their apartment in Rota, Spain.  My father reminds me of Opie from the Andy Griffith Show.  My mother was so beautiful!  (She still is.)

I've written previously about my father. He has instilled in me a desire to achieve, to push myself, to work hard, to be all that I can be, to NEVER give up. 

My father was in the Navy.  He worked to make sure the optical equipment on the submarines was in working order.  This is a picture of him studying, something he always encouraged me to do.

 I have not talked about my mother.  My mother taught me how to stand up for myself and to fight for what I want. She pushed me to be a strong woman at a time when women were discouraged from pursuing education or a career.  She sacrificed, so I could have.

Me and my mom.  I love her so much!

My mother taught me important skills to be successful in life. These are just a few: hospitality, thoughtfulness, generosity, organizational skills, how to trust the Lord, how to be a good mother, how to get things done.

My mother loves to entertain!  She used to make and decorate my birthday cake and always taught me how to be a good hostess.  I think these pictures are really cute, with her cutting the cake and me right next to her.

When you are an only child, you are the center of your parents' universe. I always knew I was loved.  I never lacked for anything. 

My parents were so young when they had me.  This was taken the day of my senior prom.  Look how young my parents are!!  My mother's face is priceless here, she's giving "the look."  She'd probably be like, "Tracey, take that picture down.  It's awful."  But I love it.  It so captures her.  Words can't begin to describe how much I love my parents.  I think it's different when you're an only child.

On my journey towards fitness, my parents have championed my successes. Dad joined the gym and goes with his buddy almost every morning. He was at the starting line when I did the Ride To Remember in September.  When I told my mother that I wanted a Go-Pro, she gave me money for my birthday to go towards it. Since my old clothes didn't fit, Mom bought me some new ones.  When we come to their house for dinner, Mom makes sure there is food I will eat, conscious of my new healthy lifestyle.

Dad sent me and Brian off before the Ride to Remember.

My mom and I.  This was taken after my hair was cut, so I was probably six.  We had coordinating clothes on.  She said my dress was red with navy blue and white stripes and her outfit was navy blue and she had the red and white stripes.  I did the same thing with my kids when we had family pictures - we had to coordinate colors!  

The material things...I do appreciate them. But far more than that, I appreciate the love and dedication my parents have for each other and for  and their family. The example they have set to love and honor the Lord, to trust in Him for all things. 



Both of my parents walked me down the aisle when I got married.  This was unusual, but it's what I wanted.

Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Proverbs 1:8-9 ESV

Update:  Read
What Matters Most:  Part Two
What Matters Most:  Part Three

Question for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)
For what are you most grateful?

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