What's your greatest achievement?

LauraMax

LauraMax

Cathlete
Other than your kids of course--if I let you say kids this thread would be very boring. ;)

I just hit a major milestone. My dad got seriously sick last spring & when he was discharged from the hospital in April he weighed 102 lbs (he's 5'10"). The doc told him he might never get beyond 120 lbs. Now, I'd been nagging him about his diet (Stouffers & Big Macs) for years, but he refused my help until it almost killed him.

So he had to be completely re-educated re. food. At first I'd spend the w/e w/him & do his food shopping b/c he wasn't really mobile. Then when he could get around he came w/me, & I taught him all about reading labels, what was healthy, what would help him gain weight (god knows, if I know anything at all it's how to gain weight! :D). I even had to teach him how to use his oven! Seriously, he didn't even know where the on/off switch was! :eek: Eventually he started shopping & "cooking" on his own.

Well, last week he weighed in at 121 lbs! WHOO HOOOOOOOO! We proved the docs wrong! I'm hoping to get him over 130, maybe even 140 which used to be his normal weight, by April 2009.

Forget my various college degrees, forget my 2 decades of exercise, forget my career, forget my fab house--this has got to be the greatest thing I've ever accomplished in my life! :)

Tell us about your greatest achievement!
 
Laura, that's fabulous! I don't know that I have anything of that scale! Something I'll have to think about, but I just wanted to congratulate you on such a great achievement -- one that matters so much!

Maybe I'll be back later with something other than my kids..... :)

-Beth
 
Laura, that's fantastic! You are such a good daughter.

I know I'm not supposed to mention kids, but honestly, that's pretty much been my whole adult life (married at 23, pregnant at 24). I'd have to say my greatest achievement so far is ongoing ~ the education and raising of my two daughters. From teaching them to read, write and do basic math (and beyond...yikes!) to showing them how to be kind, compassionate people, I've given them everything I have physically, mentally, and emotionally. Parenting alone is a 24/7 job. Homeschooling and parenting is...well...some say it's crazy. :eek:

I suppose I could condense it down to this: I have a 13 year old girl who's pretty intelligent, very kind, practical, friendly, and who doesn't care about a person's race, religion, or economic status. Her sister is on the same track. Here's hoping I can keep it together and turn out a couple of cool adult women (you know...the kind who would do something like nurse their sick father back to health ;) ). *fingers crossed*
 
Laura,

I just wanted to say I am very impressed with you in previous post I've read about you but this one put you over the top! :) So many people forget what is really important in life. Even though we never met your personality sure comes threw loud and clear!! ;)

High Five Lady!
Therese
 
Laura - how totally awesome you are! That is an incredible gift for your dad, and congrats to the both of you!

Hmmmm, let's see. Halle, of course, ranks #1.

I have several things that I am proud of:

1) 4.0 on my PhD
2) Starting my own business and running it successfully for years (I was a petsitter).
3) Well, those are the two major ones that come to mind -the others are not so big!
 
Getting ready for and competing in the Emerald Cup bodybuilding competition in Seattle...back in the late 90's.
 
Hey Tneah- I remember seeing a pic of you when I first joined this forum! You SHOULD be proud of that accomplishment!!
 
Well this morning it was not thumping DH when he crabbed at me for making de-caf instead of regular.
thsadbanana.gif


In general though I would say it being willing to change my life when it wasn't working for me. Around the time I turned 30, my dreams started to come true. I was hired to write some stuff for television and it looked as if I were on my way. But after doing three projects for Disney I found that I wasn't really all that happy with my success or my life in general. I was overweight, burned-out and stressed to the sky. So of course the first thing I did was get involved with the most completely wrong guy, who proceeded to break my heart. It was awful; I was at my lowest point ever. Low low low. Man. But, within that, I was able to recognize that I needed some help. I hated the thought of therapy, because I'm a fairly private person. But I forced myself to call and get an appointment. And then, once a week for a year, I pointed myself in the direction of her office and showed up,and that sat and talked, and explored things I'd never wanted to look at or touch. That year opened the door to courage, and wisdom, and better choices, and being able to make a success of my marriage and life. That is my greatest achievement. And I am eternally grateful to the SOB who broke my heart. Best thing that ever happened to me.

Sorry for the novel.

Sparrow
 
Laura~

That is wonderful!! Your dad is very lucky to have you as his daughter;)

My first choice would be my kids. Secondly, I haven't accomplished it yet but I am not giving up on getting my black belt. Two years ago, I was a week away from testing when I tore my rotator cuff while sparring. A year later I went back and tore my hamstring a month before the exam. Another year has gone by and now I'm preparing to go back and when I tie that black belt around my waist, I will have my second greatest achievement fulfilled!!

JJ
 
Sorry, it's my kids

LauraMax said:
Other than your kids of course--if I let you say kids this thread would be very boring. ;)

I just hit a major milestone. My dad got seriously sick last spring & when he was discharged from the hospital in April he weighed 102 lbs (he's 5'10"). The doc told him he might never get beyond 120 lbs. Now, I'd been nagging him about his diet (Stouffers & Big Macs) for years, but he refused my help until it almost killed him.

So he had to be completely re-educated re. food. At first I'd spend the w/e w/him & do his food shopping b/c he wasn't really mobile. Then when he could get around he came w/me, & I taught him all about reading labels, what was healthy, what would help him gain weight (god knows, if I know anything at all it's how to gain weight! :D). I even had to teach him how to use his oven! Seriously, he didn't even know where the on/off switch was! :eek: Eventually he started shopping & "cooking" on his own.

Well, last week he weighed in at 121 lbs! WHOO HOOOOOOOO! We proved the docs wrong! I'm hoping to get him over 130, maybe even 140 which used to be his normal weight, by April 2009.

Forget my various college degrees, forget my 2 decades of exercise, forget my career, forget my fab house--this has got to be the greatest thing I've ever accomplished in my life! :)

Tell us about your greatest achievement!
Click to expand...

In this day & age to have 2 kids in their 30's who are gainfully employed, are good family guys who are raising good kids, AND who are still talking to me, IS my greatest achievement. They both got degrees, too. They are the way they are in spite of my mothering skills - they had childhoods that were very much less than ideal, but they turned out great, and are each a much better person than I could ever hope to be. That's NOT boring!
 
Well, I can't answer kids because I don't have any.

I think my greatest accomplishment would be accepting myself for who I am. I went through a terrible time in high school where I hated myself and wanted to commit suicide. I had a couple other times since then when I struggled very hard through my insecurities. I really worked hard on myself and am happy with the person I am today.

The others would be losing 40 pounds and setting a goal of running in a 5K and 10K this year. I am not a goal person but I did it and now I love running!
 
Oooh Jane & Sparrow, love your answers! :)

You guys are so sweet, but I must say I have the best dad in the world & not that I wouldn't have done it anyway, but I owed it to him. :) Actually it was rather humorous at times--we had some serious knock-down drag-out fights in Whole Foods. Mostly about his refusal to eat anything green. :D And the oven thing was hilarious--first I had to convince him to BUY something that had to be HEATED in the oven, then I had to show him how to preheat. Men are so clueless, especially when they're old & live alone! :p
 
Wish I could say friends, but I don't have any. I'm working on it though.

Other than that, sharing my experiences with people.

Janie
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Bravo, Laura! You are hired to teach my DH how to eat properly. Goodness knows, I've tried but he is sooooooo set in his ways. :confused: Believe me, I understand the magnitude of what you've accomplished! Way to go!! :)
 
janiejoey, i move to california about a year ago, and do not have any friends out here so i know how that feels....we can be friends, and then that is one more to add to your list.

reading everyone's accomplishments makes me realize i need to get on the ball. i guess my biggest accomplishment was when i stopped trying to please other people, and decided to live my life the way i wanted. i got a divorce which has been the climax to a 35 year run of unhappiness. i now love the person that i am, feel much more at peace with myself, and know what i want in life.....i guess this is a mental accomplishment.

a physical accomplishment for me was to step into a pair of skis for the first time in march of 07 (at 38 years old!) and moving from barely able to stand up to skiing black diamonds by day 20 on skis. i am now working on double blacks so that i have absolutely no limitations.....skiing ties into my mental accomplishment above because that is when i am the most at peace.....
 
Well done, Laura! That's fabulous. Now, can you help me weigh 121 lbs? We'd be going the other way though ;)

Kudos to all of you, actually.

Frankly, I haven't accomplished or achieved anything at all in my life, with the exception of raising my child, and sometimes I'm really not sure I'm doing such a great job of that.:confused:
 
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