A Cinderella moment

It's just a little gold band.  Well, three to be exact.  Placed on my finger by my first love...and removed by my love-to-be.  Meaning...(don't start jumping to wild conclusions here)...when I was pregnant, my whole body swelled.  We are not talking just the belly bump.  I never really had that. Ok, let's be serious.  There is no need to even state the word, "really." I never had that.  I so envy those beautiful women with the gorgeous baby-goddess look. You know what I mean.  

Me?  I had the whale look. Enormous, huge, larger-than-life.  I was very good at growing babies.  Yes, I grew them everywhere.  On the belly, chin, thighs, fingers.  Needless to say, from a claustrophobic perspective, the ring had. to. go.  Or, at least put away in a safe place until I shrunk back to a somewhat recognizable me. 

It's been five years.  Five whole years.  That's a lot of time getting to know my size 9 Target ring that stood in for my golden-boy.  When I came across the ring over the weekend and tried it on again, to my surprise, it slipped over my knuckle with ease.  My golden-boy is back, safe and sound where he belongs.  A symbol of love and commitment  forever and for always.

I do find it a bit ironic the circle this ring traveled.  Or I traveled through the ring.  Like I stated above, it was first put on by Shawn, taken off for my boys, and then placed back on by me.  I've had to work really hard in order to get the baby weight and lose my whale-esque shape.  In essence, I've had to fall back in love with me again.  To love me enough to take care of me.  To lose weight, to get in shape, to get healthy again.  It wasn't about the number on the scale anymore, it was so much larger, fuller, deeper than that.  Honestly, I could care less about the number.  Rather, I realized, that if I didn't love me wholly, than I wouldn't be living life at the fullest of who I was and was created to be (the Holy one that created me as His temple).  Living less than I was created, in turn means that I was also withholding love to Shawn and my boys (and the rest of the world) with all that I am.  

And so, I place this ring on my finger as symbol of love and commitment, not only to the love of my life and the fruit that our relationship produced, but also for me, living fully into the one God created me to be.  

Now let's celebrate...on to the reception (for some cake)!  Just kidding...a run is in my future tonight.