I'm finally a Queen!

For the past four years, my home has had a princess. Mary Evangeline - our Emme Bear - was born in April of 2003. We thought we were having a boy, but to our surprise at 12:31 a.m. on April 15th - Emme was born. Since that time she has been our princess shadowed within a tomboy persona. But, despite her desire to play PowerRangers, she clearly reminds us that she is a princess. But, our home lacked a queen ... until two weeks ago when I became a queen. Okay - it's a "Jeans Queen" - but, a queen none the less. And these days, amidst the strep throats, sleepless nights, crying fits over Barbie costumes, goldfish crackers in my slippers - I will take what I can get!

So, what is a"Jeans Queen"? Well - it was my first attempt to regain a part of me. The local radio station here, Mix94.5, ran a competition for listeners to write in and tell them why they should be a "Jeans Queen." If selected, you would get the chance to workout with a personal trainer at IPower fitness and win a pair of jeans from Paris' Boutique, if you reached your weight loss/inches goal. I'd heard that the training was tough, but you'd get results. I was also told the jeans are amazing and have a price tag to match.

So - I decided to put in an entry. Why? Well - at first I thought it was to address a deep rooted angst I held against my Mom who never did buy me the pair of Guess jeans when I was in the fifth grade - I can still hear her "you want me to spend how much on blue jeans" - and then I thought it was because for the past six years I have shared my body with another human being for over 50 months and then I thought it was because if I didn't start taking care of my body, when I ran backwards (a cool new thing my 2-year old is into) I may actually start beeping for folks to get out of my way -- but, when I finally hit the submit button - it was because I wanted to do something for me ... something that I didn't have to share with anyone except for three other strangers and one DJ, Sarah, - who can't really qualify as a stranger since my kids think she lives in the "box" on my nightstand. And so, I "won" the chance to get some exercise and a pair of jeans. I was thrilled. And the fact that my doctor didn't laugh when I told him that I was really just undertall, not overweight, as he was giving me my cholesterol results, made me realize I needed to do something.

My first day of training was Monday. Today is Tuesday and I am pleased to report that I do have quad muscles. Apparently, for the past 37 years I have not used them because now all I can do is wince as I walk or try to get up from a chair. I do recall at some point today thinking, "if I had gotten this far in life without quad muscles ..." - but, I am determined to work through this program, which may include getting over my fear that when I go to the washroom and sit on the toliet - I may need to get the jaws of life to help me stand up again. (In case you're concerned, I did carry my cell phone with me today.) Yes, today I was constantly reminded that I was indeed a "queen." My trainer is great and if it weren't for this great pain in my quads, I'm sure I'd remember her name - but, right now I'm thinking it might be associated with a few expletives for all the lunges and squats she made me do - so probably best to wait for another posting to reveal her name. I didn't fashion myself to be that out of shape - but I truly don't think I ever worked this hard so quickly before. But alas, I survived. I'm doing something for me and about me. And, I can still hear my trainer's voice saying "you need to push your butt out towards the window" as I was trying to do a squat while raising a 10 pound weight above my head and all I kept thinking is "honey, I thought I was here because my butt already pushes out towards the window!"