Thankful For... Size 10!

First, if you haven't read my posts about shopping for jeans before- go read The Magic Jeans and then come back. All done? Did I make it clear how miserable jeans shopping was before? How much I hated that day of trying on jeans and finding nothing that fit? Stretchy fabric was my nemesis, I couldn't fit into some 16's but some 18's were too big. I even tried on men's jeans to see if that would be better. Then I started losing weight on my Healthier Me quest and my friend Ashli gave me clothes that she was shrinking out of and I found a pair of magic jeans- that fit like they were made for me and looked fantastic. And they eventually started to wear through so I begrdugingly decided to try on jeans at Target one day, found a style I loved, bought the size 14, realized it was too big after 1 day of wearing them, went back and bought the size 12 and have been pleased as punch ever since. Today I am thankful for size 12 magic jeans that are starting to get a bit loose in the comfort fit, no gap waistband. Yep. Loose. Loose enough that I jokingly hid a bottle of wine in them at a friend's house one night. Loose enough that I sometimes break down and wear a belt. Not loose enough to actually be too big- but loose enough that I can feel the continued progress that I'm making. Yesterday, Christy spent the entire day with our family. She and I took the kids to the Indy International Festival (which was awesome!). Swung by a park on the way home so I could meet a new friend (Hi, Missy!!) and take some pics for her. Came home and met up with Jeff and his friend Brian. The guys took the kids out to dinner. Christy and I headed to Target- I had an itch to try on the next size down in pants. I grabbed the size 12 in the casual work pants I buy for work. I currently have a pair of khakis and a pair of black- both size 14. Loose. Last time I tried on the 12's, they didn't quite fit. I could button them but they were a smidge tight and uncomfortable. I grabbed a 10 in the magic jeans. I head for the dressing room. I take the jeans from the hanger. I look them over... seriously doubting I'm actually going to fit into a size 10, no matter how stretchy any part of the fabric or waistband is. I slip out of my size 12's. I put one leg in the 10's, the other leg in and I pull up. I twist and hop a little... ...and then I button them. And I can still breathe. And I look in the mirror and I'm wearing a size 10. Size 10. A size I haven't seen since at least college. Size 10. And I am so thankful. Thankful for my legs, my workout partner, my running, my hard work, my dedication, my pushing through. Thankful for support from my husband in more ways than I can list. Thankful for size 10 magic jeans.

I didn't buy them. I'm not quite there yet- they were a little tight in the butt and thighs. But I'll be there by the New Year, if not sooner. Size 10. Today, I am thankful for being healthier, stronger, faster, more enduring... and for fitting into... Size 10.