Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Yesterday...

Yesterday my husband, Jeff, successfully defended his thesis and now has his Masters of Science in Public Health - woohoo! The tradition at his university, when presenting a thesis defense, is to provide food to everyone in attendance. I joked that is sounds like bribery, but whatever - I got a little lunch spread together and set it up all pretty. That, along with proofreading his thesis over and over (and over and over) was my part in all of this.

Sandwiches, chips, pickles, homemade chocolate cookies, sodas and water - plus flowers to match the plates and napkins (and yes, I do get a kick out of doing things like that!)
Um...I may have taken the lime theme a little too far?

Yesterday I liked my outfit and felt really great in it until I saw this picture - then I felt, I don't know...short. And yes, I know I'm short, but I guess I was feeling so confident that maybe in my mind I was tall? Or else the pants are getting too big.

Yesterday after the head of the thesis committee congratulated Jeff, everyone ate lunch - including me. I had a sandwich, and some bbq chips and a couple of pickles. And then I had another sandwich (to be fair, they were small) and opened a bag of jalapeno chips and had some of those. It has been so long - I'm talking more than a year - since I've had chips, and these (Mrs. Vickie's) used to be my favorite. But you know what? They weren't that good. And then I had a chocolate chip cookie - the same cookies that I made Sunday night and worked so hard (and succeeded) not to eat. They didn't taste very good, and although I made the same recipe I always do (the Tollhouse recipe from the bag of chocolate chips), I wasn't impressed. I had a second one to double check...nope, still not good. I mentioned this to Jeff later and he thought they were great; does this mean that my tastes have changed that much? Basically, what I came away with is that I haven't been missing much by not eating chips and cookies. Good to know.

Yesterday, even though it was a crazy morning with setting everything up for the defense, I still went to my workout. Because that's what I do.

Yesterday, when we finally came home and unloaded the leftovers I discovered that I had been pretty tense about this day. Defending a thesis is a big deal, and I think that living with someone who was stressed out spilled over to me, and I didn't realize it until it was done. I ended up vegging on the couch with a good book (Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls - I highly recommend it) and eventually I took a nap. Had another sandwich for dinner and finally got to read some blogs.

Yesterday is over. Whew!
Posted by Shelley at 5:00 AM

22 comments:

  1. You look so cute and tiny in that picture!
    Congratulations to your husband on his acomplishment that is great and much to be proud of.

    Your taste in food has changed for the better so yah for you!!
    ReplyDelete
  2. GO JEFF!!!!

    Ive been with my husband through masters, PhD and JD.
    it IS stressful on us wives as well.
    ReplyDelete
  3. YAY! Jeff. YAY! Shelley. What a great thing for your family and you look great in the picture.

    Minnie Driver has this great line in "Good Will Hunting" where she talks about being a basketball star. Damon's character tells her she's short or somesuch, but she says she "plays bigger". I love that line.

    I'm sure it was a relief. Sometimes we are under stressors that we don't even realize.
    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh my gosh, I looked at the photo before I read the text, and honestly my first thought was, "Wow, Shelley looks SO pretty, trim, and put-together! Love that whole outfit." Then I read that you felt short in it, and my heart sank. You should feel like you look AMAZING in that, because you do.

    And I know what I am talking about, here! :)
    ReplyDelete
  5. What an amazing day for your hubby! And you did such a great job helping to make sure it was perfect! I love the lime theme - it looks good on you!
    ReplyDelete
  6. Congrats to Jeff and to you! And you look amazing! The top is adorable, but it is rather blunt cut, and up against black pants, I'm sure that must be the reason you feel you look so short. But it's an adorable outfit, and you look absolutely awesome, so please focus on that! Glad both of you have this long road of stress in your rear-view mirror now!
    ReplyDelete
  7. Congrats to Jeff! That is a fantastic achievement!

    I like your outfit - you look very trim it it. I think a cropped jacket would look very good on you.

    I think that helps us shorties look taller with the illusion of long legs (we can try, right??)

    I love this line "Because that's what I do." :D
    ReplyDelete
  8. A BIG HUGE congratulations to Jeff!! That's awesome!!!!!!!! ^5 :)

    And may I just say you looked ever so lovely in the lime & black combo? You really do! You should walk with your head held high because you look fantastic!

    Thanks for the book recommendation. I need to get my head out of the non-fiction section for a while. LOL
    ReplyDelete
  9. A big congrats to your hubs and to you. Sounds like it was your thesis as well. Well done both of you.

    That being said, I don't what I could relate to more. The over confidant feeling leading to "who's that" when you look at pics. Could totally relate. It's when I am feeling really good in an outfit I don't want by pic taken, cause it could possibly spoil "my image".

    Oh well, sounds like you got yourself back on track and learned something about yourself too. Don't you love whe that happens.

    I wanted to say thanks for all your kind support the past couple days. I read Half Broke Horses too. I like it, but it wasn't The Glass Castle. That is a hard book to follow.

    Have a great day!
    ReplyDelete
  10. Shelley--I TOTALLY related to you feeling good in your outfit and then feeling short when you see the picture. I think its funny--I think it is okay because we are 'bigger than life' in our own minds. Sometimes I think about how other people must think of me (I think tiny rather than short). And yes, that was a VERY stressful thing. I loved that you went to work out and I loved that you vegged all evening. Way to take care of yourself!
    ReplyDelete
  11. First, you are looking great! Second, I'm very happy for your hubby..what an accomplishment. Last, it is so great that your tastes have changed and that your body has now started to dislike foods that aren't really all that beneficial to you. I'm looking forward to that day, too.

    Congratulations!
    ReplyDelete
  12. Congrats to Jeff! I have a MSPH as well (epidemiology)..what area is his in? And BTW, your outfit was absolutely awesome. Stacy and Clinton (What Not to Wear) would have put that on a manequin as an example of the "rules" :-)
    ReplyDelete
  14. I love that color! One of my faves!

    Congrats to Jeff! It sounds like a lot of HARD work! I like it when you said I went to the workout cuz that's how you are. That is a big statement in itself. Not the Shelley from before...
    ReplyDelete
  15. Ha, the first thing I do when I read blogs is to scroll through them and then start at the beginning and the first thing that popped into my head was "Shelley matches the plates!"

    That being said - CONGRATS TO JEFF! That is a huge accomplishment and I am sure you are both glad that is behind you!

    Maybe all the greek yogurt and fresh fruit you eat has taken over your once chocolate sweet tooth??

    And I hate being short too. Especially since I have a tall husband - he's over a foot taller than me!
    ReplyDelete
  16. Congratulations to BOTH of you! I know you had a big part in Jeff's success. I immediately thought how pretty you looked and how proud Jeff must have felt when he saw you. I believe our tastes do change so if yours is eliminating chips and cookies then lucky you!
    ReplyDelete
  17. Congratulations to Jeff. What a huge accomplishment!

    And I think you look lovely in that outfit.

    I hope one day I can say that too: I don't miss chips and cookies. But today I'm not at that point.
    ReplyDelete
  18. Congrats to your hubs!! I love the spread you put out with the lime accents, and your outfit is adorable! :)
    ReplyDelete
  19. You look fantastic, and lime is def your color. Congrats to your husband and family. Love the food display. Yum!
    ReplyDelete
  20. Just found your blog and wow you are one inspiring woman! Congratulations on an amazing transformation!

    and congrats to your husband too - that is fantastic!
    ReplyDelete
  21. Your outfit is uber cute and I think it's great you felt tall! :) I'm a shorty myself. So cool that you supported the hubs with the thesis and yes stress transfers!
    ReplyDelete
  22. congratulations to you and your husband! ( I know first hand being the spouse of someone in graduate school that it really takes both of you to get them through it).

    I am the complete opposite when it comes to treats/snacks I haven't had in a long time. I think it is the BEST thing I have ever tasted and I can't believe I hadn't had chips/candy/cookies in so long!
    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)