46er Considerations and Mother's Day 2012

First, I just wanted to say Happy Mother's day to every single Mother, Stepmother, Grandmother, etc etc. Basically anyone who feels they have been a mother or anyone you consider a mother deserves to be celebrated today. This is my first Mother's Day on Weight Watchers and I've had no problem whatsoever surviving it because I'm sick and I haven't been eating much!
In other news, I've been doing research about becoming a 46er. There's a few problems.

1. Heavy duty overnight hiking backpacks do not come in plus sizes
2. A lot of hiking clothing does not come in plus sizes
3. My feet have shrunk since I've lost weight and I have more than 100 pounds left so I don't want to invest in a pair of hiking boots or shoes quite yet. 
4. I know I can wear jeans and sneakers but I think since I am going to try and hike the high peaks I'm gonna need more than that because it will be heavy duty hiking and overnight hikes. 
5. It is going to be expensive getting all this gear.

I've done some research and there are ways around the packs and I'm barely small enough for plus sized hiking clothes. Well, at least the pants I was looking at on a major hiking supply retail site. I'm also sure there are ways of getting inexpensive gear that is good quality. So I'm good there. I probably won't need those things until I get to the higher peaks, the 10 or more hour hikes, which I don't expect to do for a few years so I'm ok for now.
I want to try for my first high peak this fall. The shortest high peak on the 46er list, hiking distance wise, is 4.8 miles round trip and that is Cascade Mountain. That will be my first. I did want to do do the same mountains my paternal Grandmother did first and last and on the anniversaries but that is just not gonna happen. Gotta work my way up. I'm sure she'd understand. Although she was a bit of a bad ass when it came to hiking.
I will be doing Marcy Dam later this summer and that's seven miles round trip. Looking forward to testing myself! However, I will be doing smaller hikes before I go to Marcy Dam. Really looking forward to getting back to nature and my roots in the Adirondacks.
Now that I think about it I don't think I've been on a hike in the Adirondacks since my paternal Grandmother died in the early 90's. I look forward to honoring my Grandmother's memory on those hikes.
And a correction...
Last post I mentioned my Father is a 46er. Well, he's not. I thought for sure he was, but we'll have to do something about that. I'm pretty sure I will do a lot of hiking with him in the high peaks. After all it's his mother who is the 46er!
Happy Mother's Day!