Beginnings

Several years ago, when I was about 20 years old, I was sitting in my aunt's living room for a holiday gathering. The family was reminiscing about when my cousins and I were younger. And then memory lane took a drastic turn.

"Remember when Heather was little? She was SO skinny!" 

I don't think my uncle meant any harm by it. We're not particularly close, but he's not a mean guy. When you're a girl, weight is always a sensitive topic. When you're a fat girl, it's a devastating topic.

Besides, it's true. My prepubescent body was thin and wispy. And what he didn't say--but that I felt throughout my entire body--was also true. At 20 years old, I was SO NOT skinny. What a great Christmas present, huh?

It really wasn't until late elementary and middle school that I started to put on weight. I put a lot of blame on puberty, but I was also lazy and drank a lot of soda. Since then, my weight's fluctuated a lot. No, no never anywhere close to skinny, but I would go through phases of losing 20-30 pounds, before putting it--and more--back on. I wish I could tell you that his words were the motivation I needed to become a size 2, marathon runner, but it's not. Body image and self confidence are a daily battle for this girl.

So here I am at 28 years old. Married to the man of my dreams, mother to a Jack Russell/Cattle Dog mix named Penny, trying to make a difference in a middle school. And on a journey to strong. <3