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I used to be thin, not skinny or sickly, but thin- 125 lbs. Five years later, I have two kids, a husband, and I am a stay at home mom. When I started gaining weight, I would look in my mirror and cry. I swore I was ugly and fat, and that no one could love that girl in there. Today, with the love of a good man who thinks my body is beautiful and thinks that the woman I have become is amazing, I can stare in that mirror at 189lbs. and tell you that I am a sexy woman.

I am who I am because of the life I have led. That stretch mark on my hip and the one on my belly is proof of the fabulous children that have grown within me. That scar on my leg is a wake up call that screamed for me to get out of an abusive relationship. The fullness of my hips and breasts are signs of my renewed femininity.Yes, my breasts may not be small and perky as they once were, they are so much more. They are the place where my boys were nourished, where they rested there heads to sleep. They are the first thing my children ever touched in this world. The roundness of belly is that place where my husband stands behind me and places his hands with affection.
I never thought I'd allow myself to be happy unless I could be that thin girl. I thought nobody would love me with a round belly or fleshy hips and a round butt. I found a man that reassured me that everything about me was beautiful and attractive. He assured me that I could be sexy at any weight. My smile reflects the joy in my life. My eyes sparkle with the love that I feel everyday. So I may not be what this country thinks is sexy, but I am what my husband thinks is perfection. I am proud of what I am today and all it took for me to get here. So today when I look in the mirror, I see a woman who loves herself again and loves the life she has rebuilt. My hope is that every woman, regardless or size or shape, or what others have told her she lacks, can learn to love herself and to be happy.

Learn more about this author, Amanda Sims.
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