pat great t hear from you glad tings are still ok great post thanks lynnexx [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]10/24/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 249 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,735 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �996.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 28 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 56 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24

It's lovely to hear from you. You were one of the people that made me really want to stay quit and stay in touch with this site in the early days when it was all exciting but a bit strange. I liked your post and could understand your references. My 'baby' came out of the blue but was loved immediately despite being difficult at times. Just like the real ones! Thanks Pat. Love Gen [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/28/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 93 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,488 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �465.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 12 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 30 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

Pat, Congratulations on having such a beautiful baby! How inspirational...as are all of your postings. It's so true, it's very much like giving birth to a new person with healthy new habits, nurturing, and yet willing to let others learn from your experience. Well said, my friend. (((hugs))) Nance [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]2/14/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 134 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,020 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $649.90 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 18 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 37

Nice job Pat! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 727 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 14,540 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2,544.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 65 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 38 [B]Seconds:[/B] 57

Hello my friends at SSC, As some of you know, I've been taking a break from SSC lately but I haven't forgoten all my friends here. I've gotten a few emails lately from some of you that made me pause and reflect on just how blessed and happy I am in my new life. Thanks for keeping me in your hearts and congratulations on the good news you've shared with me. Special congratulations to someone going whitewater rafting and someone having a baby! Hearing about an expectant Mom made me want to spend time with my own 2 children. I called them so I could visit with them this week but they only had time to call me back. I was a little disappointed, but I can understand how busy their lives are. I wondered, how will they ever find time to visit me when or if they have babies of their own? I started thinking back on how busy I was raising them. I thought of all the planning and wishing I went through to have them. I thought of the hard work and sleepless nights when they were infants. I remembered the joy of watching them take their first steps, hearing the first words, the first tooth, loosing the first tooth, first day of school�too many first�s to list. Helping with homework, driving to after school activities, having their friends around, all this kept me busy and looking forward to the future. Then they moved out of the house, went off to college, got jobs and are now self-sufficient. As parents, we never really �let go� of our children no matter how old they get and we always worry about their futures. Both of my children were wanted. The first one was planned but the second one was a �surprise�. Suddenly it dawned on me that my quitting smoking is my new �baby�. Do you see the similarities? Quitting Smoking vs Having Children A few individuals know smoking is just bad for them and decide to quit before any serious damage is done, or some have symptoms or wake up calls that make them really want this �baby�. They practice and practice, hoping that sooner or later they�ll have their precious �baby� or just jump right in whole heartedly by immediately adopting their �baby�. Either way, they make plans and count down towards the due/quit date. They rejoice on their delivery/quit day and embrace the newborn with love and acceptance. They nurture their new �babies� listen to, teach and train them and watch them grow and evolve. In return, the �baby� teaches patience, perseverance and allows us to grow and evolve into good �parents�. Some people are not planning on having a �baby� and are shocked to find out they are expecting. Usually the doctor announces they have to have a �baby� or their health will deteriorate. These individuals may decide to raise their �babies� without really wanting them because they want to live with good health. Once the �baby� is born, they fall in love with it and embrace it completely. Some will slowly come to accept the �baby� and grow to appreciate its beauty and learn to really love it. STAGES OF GROWTH Every �baby� and every �parent� are different, but most of us go through similar stages in our quits. I�m looking forward to finally becoming a complete adult though I admit I�ve felt all these stages in no particular order and at different times during my quit. I felt my first taste of real freedom as I gleefully stubbed out my very last cigarette...it was like the relief and calm joy I felt after successfully giving birth. That free feeling has settled deeper into my subconscious as I�ve progressed in my quit. Gradually I am forgetting the painful parts of giving birth to this �baby� and have just enjoyed the process of parenting it. Infancy: It can be frustrating at times and even overwhelming when the new �baby� is screaming at the tops of it�s lungs. Know this won�t last forever and just keep feeding and changing and loving your �baby�. Protect it at all costs because it is totally defenseless. Toddler/Childhood: Now our �baby� learns to walk, talk and begins to explore the world. We have to keep a really close eye on where it is at all times to make sure it�s safe. Sometimes we have to take it out of its comfortable surroundings and insist it get to know the world. Adolescence: Our �baby� must explore and learn how to cope and deal with new situations by itself. Having plans in place to avoid temptations can keep our �baby� on the right track at this time (NOPE). The more practice our baby gets with new situations, the sooner it feels comfortable. Youth: We�ve had time now to teach our youngsters how to deal with what life throws at them. It�s time to explore and try really having some fun as these new people...they�re not really �babies� now but begin to cautiously function as �free� individuals. Adult: The transformation from �baby� to adult is now complete. We stop actively worrying about how our �babies� will behave and start enjoying life and everything that comes our/their way. Our �babies� now become one with us. This is the true freedom we�ve given them/ourselves to live our lives as non-smokers. Now is NOT the time to forget we are addicts (�babies�), it is the time to embrace life as the non-smoking adults we are. :) Pat [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/28/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 151 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,040 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2,114.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 17 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 25