Better than a tape measure

I love children.
You have to love their innocence.
You have to love their honesty.
Most of the time.
I remember when my daughter was three. I was tucking her in one night, and she told me that I needed to be "fin not fat". Her little hands demonstrated what she meant.
Wow, that hurt.
I remember swallowing the lump in my throat and trying to mask the pain in my eyes, because she didn't know she'd just cut me to the quick.
Fast forward.
My daughter is a second grader, now. How time flies! Also, that's a telling timeline of my fight to get healthy.
It's so hard to change, isn't it? But I look at my daughter, and I know that change is a must.
I have to keep diabetes under control.
I have to make sure my heart doesn't give out too soon.
I don't want to have a stroke.
My daughter is my daily motivation, these days.
Seeing her grow and change every day.
Being there every day.
And I need to be a good example for her.
I'm not saying it's not a struggle because it is!
One thing that I would say to anyone out there who is fighting to get healthy: tell people what you're doing. Let them know that you are up against an Ugly Monster, and you need them to be supportive. They will be. I'm seeing it.
Share what you're doing with your family and your extended family.
Help them learn as you learn.
I'm already seeing my daughter make healthier choices in her own daily life.
We're doing this together. But that doesn't mean deprivation. It just means making better decisions and willingness to try something new.
So how am I doing with this?
I can see big changes in little ways.
Pants are looser.
Shirts are looser.
Dresses are looser.
Shoes are bigger.
I even see a collar bone when I look in the mirror.
Overall, I feel better.
But the best measure of how I'm doing came at bedtime, last week.
I was tucking in my daughter, and she hugged me goodnight.
And when she backed up, she had a surprised smile on her face.
"Mom! I can put my arms around you!"
Whoa...
Gulp.
Now, that's a lump in my throat I can live with.