This is it.

I decided to try eating meat.  Saturday, after Philip and I discussed it, I decided that I would eat a little bit on Sunday at our anniversary dinner (P.S. Happy anniversary to us!).  

Philip was supportive, but nervous for me.  He really didn't want me to get sick, and I think he thought I would have a breakdown.  He's so sweet.  :)

I decided that the worst that could happen is that I wouldn't like it or I would get sick.  I can always go back to being vegetarian if I decide that meat just isn't for me.  

So, on Saturday evening, I did some research as to the best method for starting to eat meat again.  I was surprised at the complete lack of help online!  I did manage to find one fairly helpful link: http://hubpages.com/hub/HowtoStopBeingaVegetarian.  

It suggested eating fish or chicken to start off because it's much lighter and easier on the digestive system.  It also suggested eating something that I liked before so that it would not be too traumatic.  Philip and I already had plans to go to the Cheesecake Factory.  I normally get the four cheese pasta (Mmmmm... delicious!), so I just got the four cheese pasta with chicken.  

For the first part of the meal, I just at the pasta and avoided the chicken.  Finally, I picked up the smallest piece of chicken in the dish and cut it in half (ha!).  And then I took a tiny bite of it.  It made me a little queezy.  It was mostly the texture that was the problem.  I haven't had to eat anything like that in a long time.  

After that bite, I went back to eating pasta for a little while.  Then I stuck a slightly larger piece of chicken on my fork.  It sat on the fork for a few minutes before I could get up the nerve to eat it.  It was a little better.  I actually tasted that bite.  Then I ate some more pasta and then ate one more bite of chicken.  

That was about all that I could handle on try one.  

Later that night, I did get a little indigestion, but nothing severe.  It was just a little uncomfortable.  A few hours later, I decided to heat up my leftovers.  I actually ate several bites of chicken.  I was watching some tv at the time, so I didn't think about it as much and it went much smoother.  It still felt odd, but not as much so.  

And, I didn't get sick from it.  :)

I'm supposed to gradually ease into eating meat.  The link I found suggests eating meat flavored things instead of just meat to get me started (things that include meat broths).  It is supposed to get my body slowly adjusted back to it.  However, I don't actually have any broths or anything at my house.  The only meat we have in the house are Philip's Italian sausages and hamburgers for when we grill out (I don't cook meat and the only cooking Philip does is grilling).  

So, this process will probably take a while.  I'm not really in any hurry though.  If I decide that I'm comfortable with this, I'll pick up some meat items when we go grocery shopping next.  I'm taking this one day at a time.  And, if I'm not comfortable with it, I'll just stop and go back to vegetarianism.

For now, here are a few things that I'm really looking forward to:

• Clam chowder
• Poptarts (they contain gelatin)
• Being able to eat something other than sides at veg-unfriendly restaurants
• McDonald's french fries (they put beef flavoring on them)
• Turkey and stuffing on holidays
• Not being a pain in my friends' asses (trying to find veg friendly restaurants can be tricky)
• Extra $$$ (vegetarian food -- fake meats -- can get expensive!)
• Enjoying my wedding meal and our ITALIAN honeymoon!  :)
• Chicken Marsala
• Chicken Stuff (a recipe of my own -- so delicious... even if the name is weird!)
• Taco Bell tacos and burritos.  Mmmmm!

There's so much I am looking forward to!  I guess we'll see if I make to to taste those items again!