Before & After

seat belt WOW moment October 2009

During a recent flight, I didn't have to ask for a seat belt extension, but had plenty left over...YEAH!

January 2009 Snow Day

Snow is rare in Wilmington, NC, but today we had the pleasure of a full day of the while fluffy stuff. It snowed from around 10 am til dark. We only had an inch or so, but it was beautiful. I kept Gavin for a little while in the afternoon while mommy ran a few errands. We bundled him all up and "MeMe" taught him how to catch snowflakes on his tongue. What fun is that!

January 2009 Snow Day

In The Pumpkin Patch

Gavin and MeMe, October 30, 2008

Gavin is so cute in his little cowboy hat and boots. Today we went to get a pumpkin, Gavin had fun trying to sit on them and he discovered that when he pushed them, they would roll around. At first he just pointed and called them "balls". He is just too cute!

Gavin and MeMe

I am officially known now as "MeMe" to Gavin and he says it quite well. Photo taken on "a day at Grandma-MeMe's house", October 27, 2008. Weight 145.

beach Sept 2008

A day at the beach, end of summer 2008, 2 1/2 years out from weight loss surgery

August Wedding

August 2, 2008

Richard and I attended a wedding in Greenville, NC.

Pool time!

August 16th 2008. Grandma and Gavin having fun at the pool while Millie tries out her new underwater camera housing!

The new Julia...

Compared to the last photo that was taken of me in a bathing suit... this is quite the difference!

gavin and grandma - June 2008

This photo was taken of me in June 2008 with my first grandson, Gavin.

June 2008

Richard and Julia, taken at a wedding we attended in June 2008.

Gavin and Grandma at the Beach

Gavin came for a visit around May 2008.

Richard and Julia, April 16, 2008

Richard and Julia at a wedding. April 2008.

April 12, 2008

My two year gastric bypass surgery anniversary, April 2008. 165 pounds lost at this point.

Gavin and Grandma, March 2008

This photo was taken a week or two after returning home from Iowa City, Iowa, where I had plastic surgery - excess skin removed from my arms and a face lift, hence the turtle neck. Face surgery was done on March 12.

Gavin, Grandma and Grandpa

Taken one or two weeks after face lift, still recovering.

November 2007

Taken a couple of months after belt lipectomy, body lift. Surgery done in Iowa City, Iowa, September 13, 2007. 10 pounds of skin removed! went from a size 12 to a size 8 at first then by Christmas, to a size 6.

fall 2007

November 2007

fall/ November 2007

taken two months after plastic surgery, circumferential body lift.

November 2007

November 2007 - I had lost 155.5 pounds.

December 24, 2006

During transition. I had lost 117 pounds by Christmas, I was so pleased. We had some family shots made for Christmas cards.

My weight here was about 188-185.

July 2006

Taken about three months after having gastric bypass surgery in April. I had lost 75 pounds.

Weight here around 227- 230.

May 2004

This was taken on a trip to a Beth Moore video taping in Baltimore in 2004. We just happened to arrive at the church at the same time as Beth Moore and got the opportunity to take photos and exchanges hugs, the day before the video taping began. I am the one taking the photo, in case you can't tell.

Christmas 2005

Taken in December 2005, I had reached my highest weight of 302. Had just made the decision to have gastric bypass surgery.

My children tell me now that they don't remember me at this weight, thank goodness, which is really unbelievable because I was overweight ever since they were born.

March 2003

March 2003, after looking at this photo, I immediately joined LA Weight Loss. I still to this day, don't think I looked quite this bad, but photos and scales don't lie! I think my weight was 277. I did lose 15 pounds on LA Weight Loss, but then gained 5 back, while still on the program, I actually think it was due to the cholesterol meds I was taking at the time.

Taken with my two friends, Kathy and Vicki.

April 1996

This gorgeous shot was taken at a wedding we attended in April 1996. OH MY GRACIOUS...how awful...This is why I don't like to look at old photos. I don't think I looked that bad...I guess I thought I looked pretty good, all dressed up for a wedding...oh, well.