Drum roll, please...

Last night as I was sitting in the tub with my girls, we could hear the wind and the rain pounding against the window.  Amelia got more and more panicky about the storm.  She is very afraid of the dark so knowing that the power could go out at any minute is one of her most frightening scenarios. 

"Oh no!  Mommy!!  What is the power goes out? What'll we DO?"

I made the fatal mistake of a parent and promised something I couldn't deliver on:

"Amelia, don't be silly!  The power isn't going to..." and then we were sitting in the bathtub in complete blackness. 

"Mommy!  You said it wasn't going to happen!"

After making sure that everyone stayed calm, I stood up, felt my way through the darkness, and found my iPhone.  Luckily, I have a flashlight app so we could all get dried off and get out of the tub.  With two little ones clinging to my leg, I walked through the house collecting pull-ups, panties,jammies, candles, and a lighter.  I lit candles that filled the living room with light, got the girls snug in their jammies and then sat down to try and calm my neurotic five-year-old.

"Isn't this so cool, Amelia?"

"NO!  What are you talking about?  We can't see anything!  We had to cut bath short!  And the TV doesn't work!"

While this conversation was happening, Emerson was walking around the house in the dark flipping switches on and exclaiming, "Mommy!  This one no work too!  Better call Pa!"  She did not understand that this was bigger than Pa.

I explained to Amelia that this would be fun!  That we could pretend we were like Laura Ingalls.  She asked who that was and I went on explaining the premise behind my favorite books in the world.  As I'm talking about Laura growing up with no electricity and no cars, I suddenly hear the Dora theme song in the background.  Amelia yells, "Nevermind, mommy!  Emerson got Netflix to work on the iPad.  We're SAVED!"  So much for living like pioneers.

Our little situation last night kept me awake most of the night (I'm sure there will be a post someday on my sleeping situation, or lack of sleeping rather.) All I could do is think about our situation the last few years.  The hard times that we have fallen on.  The loss and sadness.  The turmoil and angst and difficulties.  And then I thought about the blessings that we have.  I have two of the most beautiful little girls in the universe.  I have a house that I love.  I have two vehicles and a good job.  We are never lacking for food.  I can pay most of my bills on time. :) I have amazing friends and family who have helped me through hell and back.  I am blessed.  We are blessed.  And it's sort of like the power being off.  The power was cut to our lives.  The stuffing knocked out of us.  Our perfect lives crumbled and fell apart.  And we were in the dark.  And I know that if my children hadn't been there for me, I'm not sure that we would have made it out of the dark.  But, with the blessings that I have, we have fought our way back.  We found our comfort, our "Netflix" let's say, and we are riding out the storm.  We have each other, we're holding each other, and we will make it out of the darkness.  We may stub our toes, or have to pick up lawn furniture, but together we stand strong and we will prevail.  I know that there are days that I will seem like the darkness will overwhelm me and I will be afraid of the deepness of the dark, but I have hope and comfort in knowing that I am strong, and I have two strong little girls.  2013 is my year, in case you all forgot.  And this year I am quietly looking for the lessons in the little things.  I'm trying to relate the day to day scenarios to my big picture and trying to see if I can learn from those and apply those.  And so far, this plan is working beautifully.

I wish you all light and brightness, but for those days when your power goes out, remember to lean on the comfort of each other.  And pause to ride out the storm.  Because it always ends eventually!  And after you have survived the storm, there is just something amazing about the calm after the storm!  Now, to just listen to and apply my own words...LOL!

So, for the big news of the day!  Today was my one week weigh in!  To remind you, last week I weighed in at 271.6.  Tonight, I weighed in at 263.6!  8.0 pounds down.  So, that was a great start for me.  It's always nice when you get a big loss in your first week back to get the momentum going!  So, yay for continuing on the plan and yay for not having the gnaw my arm off to do it!!

FOOD FOR TODAY:

Breakfast: Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich

Lunch: Pulled pork leftovers, two oranges, celery, blackberries

Dinner: Two Whopper Junior Sandwiches, small onion ring (Wednesday after WeightWatchers is my out to dinner reward for the week where I dip into my weekly points a bit.  Whopper Juniors are 9 points a piece without cheese, so at 18 points for two, I still stay within my points!  I went one over for my dailies because I lost a point by losing so much weight.  Yup...you're rewarded for losing weight with WW by getting points taken away from your daily total.  It's a good moment, and a bad moment all rolled into one!  But, here's to losing more points...and pounds!)