Weightlifting retrospective

So I've been to the gym lifting weights every week this year since I signed up in January except a few weeks around my shoulder surgery. Here are some miscellaneous thoughts about the experience.

I took weighlifting a couple times in college. That was always machine work and nothing much ever came of it. This was very different. I followed the barbell exercises as described in Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and the routine laid out in the back of the book, called "programming".

• Shortly after starting barbell training, carrying my toddler became much less onerous and painful and thus more willing to carry him. That was a plus. 
• Eating is part of the program. As a woman with all the cultural stuff about food and appearance, eating is the hardest part of the program. It's both difficult to eat enough calories and enough protein within those calories. I aim for 2000cal and 200 g of protein a day. Left to my own devices, I eat about 1600-1700 calories of mostly carbs and fat with 70-90 g of protein.
• Progressing in weights is extremely motivating. In the six weeks since I got out of the sling, I started my deadlift at 35lbs and today lifted 195lbs 5 times. Before surgery, I went from a 25lb overhead press to 80lbs. A 45lb squat to 175. 
• This summer before surgery, I had to do a bunch of outdoor work, turning over the garden, fixing a deck. I had a lot more stamina and ability to do that kind of work and very little soreness afterwards. I liked that a lot.
• Body image is very tricky. I weigh more than I ever have while not pregnant. My adult weight has been a steady 140. This year I've been about 155. My jeans are the same size, but I did recently get a different cut that is a bit fuller in the thighs. I have a more hourglass figure now, but I can't say I really know what to do with it.
• Recovery after shoulder surgery was supposed to be quicker for having spent so much time in the gym before hand. Today is 3 months post-op and the shoulder is just about unnoticeable. So I certainly think the training before and after have sped up a process I expected would take much longer. I'm sleeping through the night. I have the flexibility to back squat. I am pressing over 45 lbs which was my 6 month goal. 
• I don't like that my gym is far enough away to add 20-30 min to my "gym time". But it is inexpensive and that includes childcare. That is one reason why I don't think I'll keep this up long term. I just don't want to devote this much time in these blocks of time to "exercise". Workouts are usually 50-70 min long. So another 20-30 minutes of travel really becomes a significant chunk.
• Cardio endurance is rarely necessary in my ordinary life. I have trained for a 5 and 10K in the past couple years. And that's nice. It was a social thing. But there was no carry over to regular life. Strength training has improved my quality of life: better toddler holding, more able to schlepp other stuff around safely, better posture etc. 
• Being able to move around weights greater than my own body weight feels GREAT! and totally assuages any issues I have about my weight being higher than "normal".

All in all, I'm super happy about finding Starting Strength and being able to do it. My mom made exercise my Christmas present by sending me money for it. And I think this year will impact the choices I make in the years to come.