The Trifecta Is No More

Hey friends!

Ok, so I know you're probably wondering what the heck is going on with my blog(s). And even if you're not wondering or weren't even aware that I had other blogs, Imma tell  you.

For some crazed reason, I thought it would be a good idea to write, maintain and regularly update 3 different blogs-1 for my personal life, 1 for my weight loss journey & 1 for my organization business. So after all of about 3 days of that, I figured out that wasn't the best idea. Talk about time consuming!

So I've combined all 3 into 1-the way I figure it, this title makes the most sense for me (in this season of life) and it will work best for if/when I officially start my organizing business.

For the "meat" of today's post, hear me out about my title.

A Place for Everything was born a loooooong time ago. I was in college & was seriously considering starting this small business then-I've been dreaming of organizing for a living for over 10 years. At the time, the phrase was one of my favorites when it came to cleaning and organizing. I mean, who hasn't heard it said "A place for everything and everything in it's place"? Though things didn't materialize then, I kept the name tucked away in my mind (& heart) for a later time.

Enter said time. I've really started to believe that this could become a reality for me. Sure, I may never operate a huge, full scale business but with a bit more time, I could probably drum up enough business to help pay for vacation or other little luxuries Z & I like to afford from time to time.

As life moves forward, I've also started to realize that this title is more than just a title. It's a theme. For me & my life, there is a place for everything. Not just tangible objects but emotions, job obligations, times of relaxation, etc. Most everything in my life has a place & it is important for me to operate as such-in the right time for each thing.

I hope that makes sense to you. It's hard to find words to explain it adequately but I hope you will take a step back from your life to realize too that there is a place for everything-good, bad & otherwise. God has a divine place for it all if we will just follow.

Thanks for continuing to follow. I am thankful for this sweet life I get to live!

Blessings!

It's the Freakin' Weekend Baby I'm About to Have Me Some Fun

Heyo!

How'd you like that old school R. Kelly reference in the title? Especially since I didn't even know there was remix until I was looking for that link on Youtube. Oops!

Just checking in to see what weekend plans everyone has. I'm excited about this weekend because this little guy comes to spend the night with Aunt B (yes, similar to this lady) tonight.

Most adorable 1 year old EVER!

Nope, no bias here.

So I'll be spending my evening stealing kisses, enjoying his belly laugh when Oscar comes around and taking a stroll through the neighborhood since he is never happier than when he's outside.

In the morning we'll make a stop by the farmer's market to buy beef from the amazing people at Big Oak Farm and then head on to the spray and play park at the local library. After some fun there we'll take him home so he can see his daddy who's been out in CA on a guy's baseball trip for the last week. And while we're in town, we'll make a stop at Trader Joe's & Whole Foods to pick up a few things I've been researching. (Side note: is anyone as upset as me that Whole foods is now planning to coexist with Monsanto???)

Sunday marks Mom & Dad's 40th wedding anniversary but unfortunately they'll be celebrating the day after-since my anniversary brunch got cancelled because of Dad's church duties. That evening after a covered dish dinner, I'm singing at their church service which will be followed by an ice cream social. Yeah, that church loves to eat-but what church doesn't???

Looking forward to a great weekend with some new memories! Anyone have any memories of their own planned?

Blessings,

My Journey - Part 2

Read My Journey - Part 1 here.
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The first couple years of our marriage weren't so kind to me either. People say you tend to let yourself go and boy, did I ever. Poor Z-he probably never expected me to get to 309 lbs. Neither did I. We have what I consider a "normal" marriage-its ebbs and flows are comforting to me especially since in almost 4 years we have yet to have a major, end all, be all argument. Unfortunately, a very stressful job working 50-60 hour weeks for over 3 years led to some VERY bad choices regarding food and exercise.

2011 - At a friend's wedding - I had all but given up hope on ever being a healthy weight

Sure we had our glimmers of hope-joining a gym, walking the trails together, using the gyms in our apartment complexes. But each faded with time as my workload continued to grow, Z left his job & started working at the school where I was employed, and my constant stress over finances continued even though we easily afforded all of our needs and many wants.

One of the last pictures ever taken of me weighing 300+ lbs.

Late in 2012, we had our defining moment. The one that changed our lives. Z had been struggling with staying at his job at our shared place of employment due to personality conflicts with our boss. I was struggling with keeping my sanity thanks to continued growth of our organization which lead to additional job responsibilities and even longer work hours. At the same time, in May of 2012 my 1st nephew was born but he lived in North Carolina where I am from & where my parents, brother, and sister-in-law all live. (Shout out to my Cali brother JP & his girl, Toni! Get back to NC ASAP!) My feelings were those of longing to be with my nephew to watch him grow as well as being closer to my parents who may not need any looking after, but who I realized weren't getting any younger. A baby really does change everything.

HOP & Me on his birth day 05.11.2012

1 day old

So after much talk & consideration with each other, my parents, the good Lord & a few close friends-we took the plunge. We both resigned from our jobs, with no prospects in sight, packed up our entire life and moved from east Texas to western North Carolina. Since the move in December, we've been living with my parents in their upstairs loft & everything we own (with the exception of our clothes and a few personal things) is in a 10'x20' storage building. Although we both had hesitation about living with my parents-mainly because we didn't want to ruin a good relationship-things are going, as (I think) they say in London, swimmingly.

Since our move I've often reflected back over the sequence of events and while it definitely hasn't been the easiest journey (we both went without paychecks from December to May), I have become stronger, less stressed, and 1,000,000 times healthier along this path. Since November when I was at my highest stress level and January when I was at my highest weight, I have lost 50 lbs. 

June 2013

(Obvi I really need to work on taking progress pics since I have exactly 0.)

And that's what I mean when I say that this move changed my life. Actually, I truly believe that it saved my life. Last year at this time, I felt so hopeless and defeated-like I was destined to be the token fat girl forever. I worked 60+ hours a week, was mentally exhausted at the end of every day and felt like I had no choice but to make unhealthy decisions all. the. time. I was on a path of such unhealthy eating and little movement that I'm almost certain would have led to heart problems, diabetes (since both of my parents have been diagnosed), complicated pregnancies (if I were even able to conceive), and an early death. Moving to NC with no immediate plans allowed me time to work on me; to quit worrying about everybody else and worry about myself for a change.

After I did my 1st 5K on 06.08.2013-about 40 lbs. gone

I don't say any of this to brag about my success or complain about my continued unemployment. More importantly, I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to clean myself up a bit. Since February when I just decided to start making better choices, I have seen a dramatic change in myself. My lifestyle is completely different than it was even just 6 months ago shortly after we moved. I have more energy, make much better decisions and actually look forward to being outdoors and enjoying a good sweat session. I also have increased confidence and a new passion for sharing information I learn with others who are walking this road with me.

My hope is that you'll join me as I continue my weight loss journey and work toward my goals of getting fit and being able to wear that bikini I've always dreamed of-maybe even to the family beach trip next year. Whether you're just starting your own journey, are already maintaining that loss or are just looking for tips & info, I want this to be a safe place for the freedom of sharing our struggles, celebrating our victories & nurturing healthy relationships with others who can identify with us as we each mark our own course in this crazy life!

Hi everyone & welcome to A Place For Everything!

I know what you're thinking: "Great, exactly what we need. Another blog about organizing." And then you roll your eyes.

Believe me, I know there are (and have read) SOOO many bloggers who are contributing to the world of organization & home decor. And while I love to read their posts and gain new insight, I know that my perspective is a bit different from those I've read. I'm all about purging, sorting, and organizing on a budget-either using a bare bones structure or the most extravagant pieces I can find. One thing is for certain though, I live by the rule that there should be "a place for everything"-if not, it shouldn't be in your space!

Have you ever felt like every closet you open looks like this?

Here in my corner of blogland I hope to share my tips, tricks, before & afters, processes, and more while creating a safe place for others to come ask questions, get help or share organizing successes. Through developing simple, efficient systems for organization, I believe everyone can carve out their own way of having things in place so there is more time to spend doing things they love. I look forward to sharing with you as we work together to find A Place For Everything!

Thanks for stopping by & please come again!

My Journey - Part 1

When I first started writing this, I had no idea that it would be such a long post. So to save you from having to read a novel in 1 day, I've broken my journey into 2 posts: pre-wedding & post-wedding. Check out Part 1 of my story here & be sure to come back tomorrow for the dramatic conclusion.
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My journey really began when I entered middle school & was noticeably larger than my classmates. Though I was sure to be tall, my weight was destined to be a 'thorn in my (extra-large) flesh' for most of my life. 

So I saw in a magazine how to make a skirt out of men's neckties. I conned my Grandmother into helping me make it & then I wore that thing like it was Versace. Now I look back on it and think: "Wow."














High school wasn't any kinder to me-rather, I wasn't any kinder to myself. I mean, really? Name one overweight female celebrity who looks better with boy-short hair. C'mon....still thinking??? Yeah, me too.

This is the token memento I have to remember some of the most awkward years of my life.







College years were just an excuse to keep packin' on the pounds. So I did. Late night meals, very few fruits & veggies, and the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet I started in high school meant that I turned to the world's most beloved side dish to fill that empty entree void: potatoes. Any way you could cook them, I would eat them-and lots of them. Of course now I know they just turned from starch to sugar & went straight to my growing belly but at the time, they filled me up since I was never consistently eating enough protein.

Ah, the college life. 5 years, 5 majors & 5 different schools. Indecisive much?

Liivng on my own after college gave me a great feeling of success but it was not so successful for my weight loss. Sure, there were plenty of Sundays when I would tell myself that I had to start my diet-of-the-week on Monday but there were just as many Tuesdays that followed when I would just as quickly fall off the bandwagon due to lack of preparation.

In 2007 I moved to Texas to help friends at a church they were pastoring although my mother claims I was "chasing a pair of pants"-which may be partially true. I had lost some weight at that time and though I gained some upon moving, after the breakup with said "pair of pants" I was able to lose that much and more thanks to the city's greenway walking trail. I walked that trail often & by the time I met my now husband "Z" in July of 2008, I was at my lowest adult weight.

One weekend shortly after we began dating.












Looking back, I realize I started to gain weight not long after we met. It wasn't a lot but it was enough to notice. I also have to thank birth control for some weight gain which turned me into a total whack job (apparently my body + hormones = a super bad combination). Of course, since I had never been on it before (yes, I was one of 'those' girls who waited for the ring before giving up the bing) I got to experience the crazy mood swings & puff up like the Michelin Man just in time for my wedding.







Ok, that's not me but that's what I felt like.

On our wedding day 08.15.2009

To be continued...

Well, I'm back at it. I've decided to hop back in the blogging game & hopefully keep up. Only time will tell I suppose but I'm excited to get back to writing. I'll not spend hours writing a post catching you up on what's been happening in my life but I will say that I am looking forward to the future.

It may be a bit gloomy but I want to take this moment to pause and thank God for a lady who went to heaven to be with Him 2 years ago today-my dear Grandmother.

I remember it vividly as it was a Monday morning and I was so exhausted and not looking forward to going to work that day. I was awoken from sleep around 4am by a phone call from my mother who was staying in the rehab hospital with her that night. Frantic, all she could manage to say was, "They think she's gone."

I remember my adrenaline kicking into high gear as Z & I rushed around and hopped in the car making our way to the hospital. As we pulled in I could see through the back glass of an ambulance with responders performing CPR on a body I would later find out was her. I found my mother with a hospital staff person who was trying to put her shoes on her as she was crying. We rushed out and both climbed into the back seat and Z drove, following the ambulance to the main hospital less than 3 miles away.

I remember pacing in the ER waiting room and knowing what the doctor was going to say before he said a word. Mom broke down momentarily & then tried to compose herself. We made our way into the room where she was waiting, pale and lifeless. I held her hand one last time. I stroked her face one last time. I kissed her cheek one last time.

And in those moments, I understood the meaning of legacy. I understood the sting of death. But I also understood the victory of death. She was with our Lord & Savior-just waiting for Him to fill up her coffee cup and sit down to chat awhile. She couldn't have been happier....

So today, I honor her by working to complete her one request of me-to lose weight. I started in March and have since lost 52 lbs. I have 103 more to go but I am more motivated than ever to meet the goal and make her proud. I will remember the things she taught me & the generosity she shared with me. Not only will her genes live on with me, so will her faithfulness to the Lord-and her love of sweets!

Tomorrow will be a new day with a new post. I promise they won't all be so sentimental (or somewhat morbid) but I wanted to take the chance to memorialize one of the most influential women in my life-this day only comes once a year and it is befitting for me to do so.

Looking forward to walking the journey together! Thanks for reading!

Blessings,

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Wherever You Go, There You Are

Yeah, this post has been a long time coming. Yeah, this post should have happened over a year ago. Yeah, I'm still ridiculously sporadic in my posting.

And that's me. Love me or leave me.

I'm not even going to offer the routine apology for my another extended absence. If you follow me, you ought to be used to my wanton desire to write but lack of actual writing. All the same, thanks for stopping in again.

Of course I'm posting because I'm back at it again. Back at working hard to lose weight. I've read a lot of success stories by truly inspiring people and I've organized my food/exercise time for (hopefully) optimum success for myself. Another major catalyst is that my life right now is very different than it ever has been before. Let me explain briefly, if mainly to encourage myself a little about why I am where I am...

In October of 2012, Z & I decided that we were going to move closer to my fam. Yes, we both had great jobs & I was on the path of a very successful career but we also both knew that there was more to life than work. At first, he had to convince me but thanks to some revealing events at work (read: a dictator boss) and personal reflection, I was able to accept that the time had come to move on. So on November 30, 2012, we quit our jobs, packed up our things, and made the long drive from TX to NC. (One of the weirdest feelings ever, knowing I was driving that stretch of I-20 but wouldn't be returning within the week-our typical trip.)

So we did what any excited 20-something year old couple seeking adventure would do, we moved in with my parents. Wow, what a difference 10 years makes (it's been that long since I've lived within 100 miles of my parents, much less 100 feet of them). Really though, they've been so gracious & giving toward us as we figure out where we are headed and I can tell you right now, the extra time spent with my nephew, H has more than paid off any personality clashes while living with the 'rents.

And that's where we are right now-'figuring out where we are headed'. I honestly have no clue what that means. We've interviewed for a youth pastor position at a church a couple of hours away but both of us had bad vibes on that so it's a no go. Z met the brother of a family friend at the church we attended last Sunday and we really enjoy it there. They don't have a youth pastor but also don't have the $ to pay one so who knows, we may end up volunteering some there.

What I do know for now is that this is the ONLY period of my life I can remember that I have had enough time (because, you know, working and making money is so overrated) to really work on myself. I want to make the most of this in every way possible-especially since the first 2 months literally flew by and now it's already February. Come join me for this (hopefully) wild, (at times very) sarcastic, but (inevitably) hilarious adventure of life-one step at a time.