Small Business Saturday..

Growing up in a small town, I feel like I have a real understanding of the importance of Small Business Saturday. My parents also have several small businesses that many of my friends "back home" support. Thank you for supporting our family whether it be through storing junk at the storage unit (A-1 Storage), washing your car at the car wash (Splash) or getting gas or snack The Corner Convenience Store.

Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. 

I feel like I need to give a special shout of to one of my favorite small businesses in Cabot.  If you live in a small town it's easy to distinguish the corporate from the local. One of my favorite places in Cabot is Christie's Consignment Shoppe. I sell lots of stuff there and buy lots of stuff there. Lots of my clothes during my transition through clothing have come from there. 

I encourage you to give a shout out to your favorite small business today. They depend on YOU! 

A time to be thankful!

The holidays have arrived! Like so many I have so much to be thankful this year. I bring to you.. 

10.  Remembering last year's Thanksgiving.. Maddie had been to the ER twice and already had one hospitalization. The one in November was related to strep that moved in to her mouth. We were in the hospital for several days over that. We thought that was the worst thing ever. As most of you know, through many more ER visits and hospitalizations and our time in ICU that we learned that truly each day with Maddie is a gift.  We continue to be thankful for Arkansas Pediatric Facility, our doctors at Arkansas Children's Hospital and our for Maddie's extra time on life.  (I should also be thankful that God put my friend Angie in my life. She introduced us to APF! She has been an incredible for to me.)


9.  I spend many hours of my day at Aftercare Express. I have a great staff that I work with each day. I have a really supportive board that I report on a regular basis. We are also blessed to have so many awesome families in our program. Each day, 70 kids come to AfterCare Express (after school program) and we hope that each child feels loved, inspired, maybe learns something and experience Jesus. What a super cool thing God is doing at ACE. Glad he has me there. There is a saying "A chain in only as strong as its weakest link".. I am thankful for a team of people who work together and help us especially in our times of weakness.   They also keep me feeling young and hip. 


8. I am so thankful for each of the 89 pounds I have lost this year. I am thankful for each of those pesky 14 BMI points I have lost along the way too. 

7. Speaking of, I can be thankful without mentioning my supportive friends, family and medical people. I hear stories of people who have weight loss surgery and their family doesn't support them. I am blessed beyond belief. My family is cheering loud and clear and my husband is awesome. I am not sure that I would be successful without support of each of you! Each step- the therapy, working out, learning to eat again has been vital in me becoming a healthier person. 

6.  My husband. John is an incredible man- I think he is crazy but, I am grateful God placed him and his family in my life. 


5.  Lauren Emma-Claire. This child teaches me so much about life. I didn't ever know much about "children with autism" but, I have learned a lot from this kiddo. She has taught me the meaning of "unconditional love". If you work or know someone with Autism please check out the book called The Reason I Jump.  “The Chicago Tribune says this "Please don’t assume that The Reason I Jump is just another book for the crowded autism shelf. . . . This is an intimate book, one that brings readers right into an autistic mind—what it’s like without boundaries of time, why cues and prompts are necessary, and why it’s so impossible to hold someone else’s hand. Of course, there’s a wide range of behavior here; that’s why ‘on the spectrum’ has become such a popular phrase. But by listening to this voice, we can understand its echoes."  If you have a nook I would be happy to "loan" it to you. Your local library should have it to. It's a short read! 


4.  Our whole family is so thankful for Camp Aldersgate and Camp Barnabas! Lauren loves camp and the friends she has met there have been such a blessing!!!!!! Thank you to each of my friends who support these great organizations. Both of these camps are geared toward special needs kiddos. 

3. This is hard to admit. I am thankful for my aware of my brokenness.  My brokenness continues to humble me. A lot of days I feel like I am in a battle with the “I have it all together” mentality.  This insane thought that I might actually have all my ducks in a row- You guys all know through my blogging that is not true.  A friend/pastor one time asked me what I needed during some difficult times. I told the friend I was sick and tired of "Christian" people saying: God won’t give you more than you can handle. She says that is such a stupid cliché!  Anyways, I went on to read this blog and thought it was so helpful for those of you might be tired of the cliché. Anyways, I went on to read this blog and thought is was so helpful for those of you might be tired of the cliche. I know people mean well.....  Click here to read it. 

2. I am thankful that I live in a country where people get upset that people are shopping on Thanksgiving or people think you have to eat massive meals to have a real thanksgiving or as I call those first world problems. I get both sides of the great shopping debate. People love a good bargain whether it be through coupon(ing) or holiday sales.. Where do you draw the line????? I don't know and frankly, not sure I care. I care more about helping those who didn't have food on Thanksgiving. I love Cabot Community Thanksgiving (Click here to read about it). What does the bible say about helping the less fortunate? Actually, a lot- check out some verses here. 

1.  I am thankful for the verse Jeremiah 29:11. God understood his plan for me long before I did. Thank goodness! 






I hope you had a nice thanksgiving with those who you love. Whether it be eating yourself into gluttony, shopping for bargains, playing games with your siblings or going to the movies or whatever you did.. I hope you don't forget to be thankful for blessings in your life! 

Thank you for reading my blog!

Mama Rho

the workout journey at D1

87 days ago I made a choice to go work out. A choice I had not really committed to in a long time and now looking back I have never really worked out like I have while at D1. I average 2-3 times a week. It started out as a competition to win some money but, very quickly I realized that it was not a competition with anyone except myself. Was it worth it? Will I continue? What did I learn?

If you read my first blog about working out (click here to read it) - it was a day I will likely remember for a long. I was 6 weeks post gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. My coach was the Tish and as you know my dear friend Andrew who encouraged me to visit D1. The synopsis of day 1: I made it 30 minutes. I cried. I hurt. I felt so out of shape and fat. Even though since I began the journey I had lost over 45 pounds. I remember thinking okay, I can choose to not return and feel out of shape or be the change I want to see in myself. One of the folks who was in my class encouraged me to come back. I thought at first he was being snarky I mean I only made it 30 minutes. I later learned that he was sincere about his encouragement.  That person is Clint Stoerner. He was a quarterback for the Razorbacks and played several seasons for the NFL. I would go on to meet other Athletes at D1 who are former razorbacks and professional athletes. Someone else who told me she was proud of me for coming and to come back was my coach Tish- she was friendly and so genuine.  I feel like sometimes women forget that we should encourage each other at the gym..  Another important person at D1 was my Physical Therapist, Josh. Josh and I work out twice a week. He is a great guy who pushes me and encourages me often! I am also so thankful Andrew reached out to me- it possible changed my life. Andrew is heading to South Africa to work as a youth minister next year. (You can see a video about that by clicking here.)  It's only fitting that today in the workout room there was one of the owners (of D1), Cliff Lee. Cliff is a MLB pitcher and his family has donated generously to many great organizations  including  Miracle League of Arkansas. 

Was it worth it? Yes!!! I am stronger and my endurance has greatly improved. Is it challenging? Always. That is what is awesome at working out- you always have room to improve and there is room to grow. I also think it's helping me with my loose skin concerns. Since joining D1 I have lost over 35 pounds. That's not too bad! I have also lost some inches. I have lost over 3 inches in my bust, hips and thighs.  I have lost over 4 inches in my arms and chest. 

Will I continue? I plan to continue working out 2 days a week with Josh. As you know, it's a 45 minute drive from my house. I do enjoy it and see the results. 

What did I learn?  I learned that majority of people's negativity about the gym is because you are doing something they choose not to do. I haven't met anyone who regretted working out.  This is a good article on lifting weights.. Lifting weights is so good for you! I never thought I would say that. I learned that even if you are a lover of working out or if you are in great shape- there will be days when you do not want to work out or you are tired. That's ok. Just don't give it up. I learned that no matter how fat you are you can work out. I learned that even if you don't practice your running that working out and lifting weights will build endurance and you will run better and faster!!!!  

Michael Jordan said it best: "I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come." That's truth. No regrets on working out from me.  

I didn't win the challenge but, I did win the war with myself. I met a lot of people who are the journey to be healthy and stronger. I also have met several people whom I am proud to call my friends- so thankful for their friendship and support.

I am stronger, healthier and happier person. Now, it's time to continue with what I started at D1.  Happy Friday, friends! Make every day count!! 

Make 2014 count!

Surgery Day

Here we are on the my weight loss journey.. On July 8, 2013, I had the  Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery.  I have been overweight majority of my life.  The summer of 1991, I was put on a medication that has a side effect of weight gain at the age of 12. That year I gained over 40 pounds and my weight continue to increase as I grew up. As a teenager, I was steadily at a size 18. In college, I lost some weight (to a size 16) but, it was short lived and I increased my intake of dorm food and sodas. My weight continued to rise to around the 280 mark by 2004. At some point I remembering weighting around 260 and wearing a size 22 while living in Colorado (around 2005)-I was not convenient to fast food and worked out by swimming. After moving to Little Rock in 2009, I was steady at around 290 varying in sizes from 22/24 to size 26/28. After meeting my husband John,  I decided to switch my form of birth control and over 6 months I gained 60 pounds and was solidly in a 26/28 and way over 300 pounds.  And over the holidays, I typically gained 10 pounds and would lose 10 pounds each year. So my history with being fat was over a span of 20 years. 

My highest weight on record was around 353 (January 2013). I am so thankful for a supportive husband who loved me unconditionally at 353 pounds.   So here is my track record (I keep a diary of it in my phone by using the app called "Monitor Your Weight".)

On June 20th I weighted 342.6.  Keep it mind, I had to do a supervised diet for 6 months from October to March. Clearly, I failed that.  We believe that I weight around 320 on my surgery day.  Today, four months post surgery, I weight 268.5. 

I have no regrets about my weight loss surgery. I feel better than I can I ever remember. A year ago, my health was declining rapidly and my weight was taking a toll on my body. Lots of people assume that perhaps I should have tried working out before I had surgery and I wouldn't had to have a drastic surgery. But, I will say this I didn't have the energy nor was I physically able to just work out and have the possibly of fail. I also over the course of 15 years worked out doing various activities and still never consistently lost weight. I also believe that going through mental health therapy was a very important part of my success. So, if you are worried that weight loss surgery was the easy way out for me- I assure it is not. 

I tell you this story because I want to share with others that no matter what your story is - being healthy can happen for you.  There is lots of changes happening with the new affordable health care act. I have been told that insurances changes from year to year regarding this coverage. You should call now and then call in January. So here is my advice:

 If you want to have weight loss surgery then here is what you should do:

 I encourage you to call your insurance and ask if they cover bariatric surgery. (If they say no call again in January). You can also check your spouse's insurance and maybe switch insurances if that is an option.   I have AETNA insurance (they do NOT pay for my daughter's autism treatment/therapies- so I was shocked to find out did in fact cover part of the surgery) but, they did have a policy on paying for surgery. I called my insurance and had them find me this document online.   (the policy can be read by clicking here- it's 35 pages long!!)  Then I started a binder with notebook paper. When I called my insurance and asked them something I documented it.  Do not expect your doctor's office to do this for you. Be informed.  Attend a seminar and find a surgeon.  If your PCP is not interested in supporting you with weight loss surgery then find one that does! Also, every time you visit a doctor (Ob/Gyn, chiropractor et el) ask them to write you a letter in support of your surgery and send you a copy and the weight loss surgeon. By the time you do all your appointments- you might meet your deductible.

I have several friends who paid cash for their surgery. I also have several friends who also went to Mexico for their surgery. It's top quality service and much better price. I can give you some information if you are interested.  Don't believe everything you hear.   As scary as weight loss surgery may sound- you staying fat is much more scary!!!!! There is lots of bad information out there.  Be informed. Be prepared for a hard journey but for me very worthwhile!