So sorry about the loss of your Mom. I lost mine about 5 years ago and nothing can prepare you for it. On the bright side, I am looking forward to meeting you tonight. I hope you will battle the traffic and make it to the meet up. 

I hope you make it. I will be driving to the OC from work in San Bernardino. Traffic sucks from everywhere, but I will make it!

When will you be here in October?  I am about an hour or so from Palm Springs, even closer from work.

It seems that many of us have been having stressful lives and jobs from the posts lately.  I typically have stress, but it is tolerable, but last week was the WEEK.FROM.HELL.  It continued into yesterday, when at 4:59 pm I received an email that they needed help at the other office to do one last review of the exec summary of the budget book.  OK great, I was actually going to leave on time, but no, I'll drive like a salmon swimming upstream to be a team player, so I called to be sure there would still be stuff to do when I got there, sure come on over. Guess what, they were done when I got there.  SUPER irritating.  OK, enough, I must move on and talk about more pleasant things.  

Vacation and travel. I get 3 weeks vacation, plus 2 weeks Admin leave to make up for working extra all the time and not getting paid, plus holidays and sick time.  So yay, it's pretty good. This year was a big travel year with 2 weeks in ****et and Bangkok in January and a South African trip coming in October.  I am surviving in between with weekend trips nearby.  Heading to Napa in a week and a half, Vegas for a country concert weekend in October, and the 3 day cruise for Thanksgiving. I love to travel.

So hungry today for some reason.  I think it is time to have more than a protein drink in the morning. Sitting in the Board meeting today starving to death, plus I think I was thirsty because we can't have beverages in there, even water. Ate shrimp for lunch, so I am feeling much better. I love shrimp!

You look amazing!  And that seamstress did a fabulous job modifying your dress.

OMG!  I have been wondering what the hell that thing was sticking out of my chest!  Thanks for enlightening me.

I just saw my surgeon and expressed my concerns about regain.  He told me that sugar is the real enemy and that I need to focus on not having simple carbohydrates (complex carbs are OK) and watch the sugar content of items.  I plan to continue to focus on protein and really watch the sugar. I am very afraid of regain, but plan to do all that I can to prevent it.

You look awesome.  Cheers. This was definitely a week that needs to be topped off with a glass of wine or a ****tail!

Favorite NSV....There are so many.  I echo many of the thoughts already posted today.  I travel a lot, so airplane seatbelts are a big deal.  I know I posted this before, but here it is again.  I have several trips (both work and personal) coming up in the next few months and just about everything associated with travel is easier now.

Also, the other NSV has been that although I am not technically in the "normal" range yet, I feel relatively normal. I am not the biggest person in the room or the group photo.  I have spent much of my life being the outlier in the group.

For my photo....As we become adults, we don't often get recognized for things, and I haven't shared this anywhere else, so this is probably a good safe place to do it.  But really, this ties to my NSV too.  We had our Award for Excellence ceremony last week and out of 20,000+ employees, they awarded around 40 awards (one per department). I was recognized for my department.  So, while I didn't want to make a big deal about it, it was pretty exciting.  The NSV part of the whole thing is that that they sent me the picture yesterday and I think of our CEO as a very thin person and in the past I would have dwarfed him in the photo. I don't feel that way anymore.  It was kind of shocking (but in a good way) to see in the photo. 

Heading to some weird Caribbean food place for a work birthday lunch.  I perused the menu and it looks like there is chicken and seafood on the menu to choose from, so I'm hopeful there will be a good choice.

It will get better. Trust me on this.  I am one year out and have lost 140 pounds. It will get better.  Just be patient. 

Deanna-So exciting for kids to travel with or without their parents and experience other cultures.  Hope he has a great time and gains an appreciation for the luxuries we have in America.

Cynthia-The Kenya trip sounds awesome.  What an impact travel experiences can make on a person.  Although not quite the same, my daughter studied abroad in Argentina and visited a winery in Mendoza.  She was studying pre-health in college, but is now a winemaker!  You never know how things you do with change your future.  Hoping all goes well with the dress and wedding festivities.  It sounds like the alterations will work great.

I am a traveler, so I have been a lot of places and love to go anywhere.  Probably the most exotic places so far have been Moorea, and most recently, Thailand.  I am looking forward to a 2 week trip to Africa in October!!!  I CANNOT WAIT!

I am heading to my one year check up in a few minutes.  My "surgiversary" was Monday.  I still have a few more pounds I want to lose, but am very happy with my results so far.

I have traveled many places, but never to New York.  Niagra Falls is on my list.  And of course, I want to do the boat that goes right up to the Falls.  Maid of the Mist or something like that.

Cave tubing and ATVs through the jungle sounds awesome. I like to snorkel and scuba dive, so Belize is on my list...and the Cayman Islands.