Whelp. It's Been a Minute.

Has it really been almost three years since I've posted anything here? 

Not to be dramatic, but A LOT HAS CHANGED. 

Mostly, me. 

When I last wrote something for the blog, this was me. 

I'm the one in the middle.

Fast forward three years. This is me now. 

25 pounds lighter. More confident. Happier!

I have been on more than just a weight journey. I have evolved. I have become someone who enjoys wearing cute, dare I say, even sexy clothes. My wardrobe has exploded. My shoes are out of control. My jewelry boxes overflow. This isn't a brag because almost everything comes from discount stores like Temu and Shein. It's a testament to how fundamentally different I am from the mom/wife who used to wear the same thing day after day and, more often than not, appeared frumpy. I hid in baggy sweatshirts and overly large sweaters. I did not feel cute or sexy back then for a variety of reasons that are more fit for a private journal than this blog. 

Those days are done. 

I wear what I like when I like, and I don't care what anyone thinks. Don't approve of my wardrobe choices? Think I'm too old or too heavy or too whatever? That's on you. I feel good when I think I look good. 

I have learned the hard way that my overall well-being is really a combination of the physical, emotional, and mental states I find myself in. So I have learned to do things that make me feel better. Being active, whether through exercise at the local gym or taking dance lessons, has made a major difference in how I feel about my physical appearance. Getting dressed up and doing my hair makes me feel more confident and helps me move with boldness. Continual mental health practices like reading, writing, and journaling keep my mind nimble. 

These changes did not happen overnight. Everything is a process, and nothing is linear. I lost almost 40 pounds and have gained about fifteen pounds back in the last year. So, I am back to more gym days and watching my diet again. 

Mentally and emotionally, though? I am so much better!

I credit my mental and emotional well-being not only to my newfound confidence, but to the fact that I am in a safe, loving relationship with the most amazing man. That my journey to a better me led me to him is the biggest flex. 

I was tired of sitting at home being bored, feeling fat, and waiting for dating apps to work some kind of relationship magic. I kept seeing West Coast Swing routines on my social media feeds. They looked fun. They looked like something I wanted to learn, and since there was no one to tell me I couldn't spend the money on lessons, I started researching studios. I signed up for an intro and dragged my sisters along. 

And there was Andrew. Little did I know then that he would become the light in my darkest moments, the smile I would adore, the laugh that would warm me. I had no idea this man would become my best friend and so much more over the next couple of years. 

He had no idea either. It would be almost a year before his mom would make him realize I was someone he talked about all the time, someone he couldn't get out of his head. He realized before he even started pursuing me that he had already fallen in love with me. He said he had an "ah ha" moment, and I believe him. 

Me and Andrew in St. Johns at Trunk Bay

We danced for a year before anything started to unfold. Then came the texts where we started to reveal more and more of ourselves to each other. Then a first date. Then a year of adventures amid quiet days at home. We have vacationed together - twice. We plan on buying a home together. We've talked about wedding plans. 

This man makes me so incredibly happy. 

He is the most remarkable part of my story over the last three years. He is the change I never saw coming but am so eternally grateful to have embraced.