Yes-sy, Mama! Here comes a long one:
(EeeEee...sounds like I'm gonna fart)

So we got our family portraits back. The one where I look like a big bloated hippo. The one where the photographer wouldn't let me wear black. The one where the photographer wouldn't let me stand in the middle so that people in front will cover up my blubber. The one where I just look FAT in.

A big 16 X 20 print in a wooden carved frame. My parents actually brought it to the Mother's Day dinner yesterday night to show everyone. I got a "Dang Hollie, you look fat." Not only from my aunts and uncles, but from my parents, from my Aunty and Uncle. The silence from favorite grandma after she finished ranting and raving about how good my brother looks didn't go unnoticed either. She said I looked okay. My aunt actually told me to use a black permanent marker and color in my thighs so it would looked thinner. Stuart told me, "Don't worry Hollie. The camara adds 10 pounds." Like Chandler would say, "Exactly how many camaras were on you?"

And now this portrait is hanging on the living room wall. It's hard not to notice it first thing you walk in. A constant reminder hanging above the piano reminding me of just exactly how big I am. I actually got up earlier today, so that I could be ready before Helen came over and she wouldn't have to come in my house and see the portrait.

I thought I was over this weight issue back in high school, but I guess it came back to pay a visit. Having to live in a house full of skinny people doesn't help. Having a nickname telling me that I am is just loads of fun.

I don't need to hear "You're not fat" sympathy phrases. Lord has made what I am. I am what I am (DB) and I know it. I guess I'm lucky I can't go hungry for very long. If I was, I would have been anorexic a long time ago. I tried it once when I was in high school. I skipped breakfast, but by lunchtime, I was starving, so I ate. Didn't exactly get there, did I?

I know this is a trivial thing to worry about when there's so much more important things to worry about. It's just something on my mind and I thought I'd share. Thanks for listening, beautiful people.