Circling Back, Week 35, Day 2

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or at least they seem to circle back to a very similar place. Fourteen years ago today my two sons and I arrived in Baltimore. No job. No place to live. Just a firm belief that we had arrived where we were supposed to be. Even then, I cried fear-filled tears as we hit the city limits. So much pain, struggle, and uncertainty lay ahead as we fought to save, reconstruct, and lengthen Adam's leg. Now here I am fourteen years later, no more certain of my future, far worse off financially, and officially making my way down the twilight side of the mountain. The good news is that instead of 100 pounds heavier, I am only 20 pounds heavier than when we arrived in Baltimore. Now all I've got to do is find a way to pick up the rest of the pieces of my life that somehow fell apart last year. I've made my way through the dark before - I did it fourteen years ago. Now I've just got to do it again.

I mentioned yesterday about the possibility of my going to ITT Tech. I spoke to their financial aid department today. After the massive wave of nausea passed, I determined that it is definitely not the school for me. There is no way I'm going to sign papers for a $33,000 student loan for an associates degree from a tech school. Soooo...I have an appointment set up for Friday to speak to an advisor at our local community college. Maybe not the prestige I seek, but considering I'm looking at IT, it's not so much the degree as the certifications I'll be getting on the side anyway. And from what I can see on their website, a Pell grant will take care of everything and I won't have to get a huge loan. So it should all work out. At least maybe this option won't make me want to puke. Think good thoughts for me. These decisions all seemed so much easier to make when I was younger! Oddly, fourteen years ago, I was taking college courses too. Again...that whole circling back thing.

I walked a bit more last night. We had to go out to Walmart and buy a new headlight to install on our new poor little adopted car. The automotive department is in the far back corner. And parking was pretty far away. So a good chunk of walking on top of what I had done earlier. Not much today, though. It's been raining all day, and there has been far too much to do. I have done some leg lifts, though, and some work on my arms with weights. So it hasn't been a total loss.

I'm still not eating much. I would think no more than I've been eating, the weight would have been dropping off me. But it has tenaciously held on. That's okay. I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing and trust that when the stress is gone, the weight will come off eventually. I'm exercising, I'm not eating excessively. So sooner or later the weight has to disappear.

Today's Tip:
I read in Prevention.com today that yogurt helps create an unfriendly environment in the mouth for bad bacteria. So it helps fight gum disease and bad breath. And it helps with weight loss! Bonus!