Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Well Christmas is upon us...a time to share with family and friends....a time to be grateful and thankful for all God has given and bestowed on us this year. We are cooking our annual chicken and sausage okra gumbo today....the S/F pecan pies and S/F cherry cheesecake are baked and ready for tomorrow. We'll make a large pork roast tomorrow to enjoy the day with my family and a couple of friends that will join us and celebrate the birth of Christ. A tradition in our home is to wake up Christmas morning and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, then the kids will destroy my house ripping into all the presents they've gotten (way to many I might add). Then the day is free to enjoy with each other. Wishing all of you a Very Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2006. I love all of you....you all have definitely inspired me this year....I'll NEVER forget yall. May God continue to bless each of you. Dana

Dana wishing you, your family and all out Feb friends a very blessed holiday and new year. It's been an very eventful year for my family an we are happy to be starting a new year. This year my son in law was diagnosed with bladder cancer, my 23 mon old grandson a week later was diagnosed Autisic and last week my grand daughter had her adenoids and tonsils out where she scared us all when a bloodclotting disorder (which I have) showed up...she is fine now and we are all looking forward to a new year and I have left behind 85 lbs and am back to a normal BMI as of this morning after 4 years of being overweight...oh okay hate to admit this but I was morbidly obese 3 out of 4 of those years...awesome Christmas gift for Jesus for us to have this new start. I promise to make the best pf it and be the best and healthiest I can for the rest of my life. Happy Holidays. I love you all as well...you have been my rock even times I have not posted but I always know you are all there if I need help.

Merry Christmas to you too...and to all our fellow Febbers. This year has brought many changes to my life...the first and most obvious being the 126 pounds I have lost. I am grateful to God for me being able to have this surgery, coming through it OK and doing so well afterwards. I checked my BMI yesterday, and I am ~N~O~R~M~A~L~ Another change for me this year is the start of a new job, which I love. I have been separated from my husband for most of this year, and I have filed for divorce, but we are still friends, and we happily co-parent Mason. I am thankful for my kids, for their health and happiness, and for all they have done to help me this year. They are a great bunch of kids, and I love them dearly. I am also SO thankful that my sister, after 5 years of trying, FINALLY had her gastric bypass on Wednesday, Dec. 21...and she is doing great so far. I can't wait for her to catch up with me on the weight loss! Well...I probably could go on and on with more stuff...but I won't bore you any longer! Even though I don't post that often, I do regulary read this board and I am thankful for all the input and encouragement that is found here. You guys are great! So....Merry Christmas to all and I hope and pray for a Happy 2006, with God's blessings on you all. Your friend, Sheila

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you too Dana You look wonderful. I'm so happy to see that you hit your goal and even past it. I wish I could say the same, sad to say I haven't seen my weight move as fast as most people here on the board. But atleast I'm losing. God Bless you and I hope you have a wonderful blessful New Year. Maria

Hello to all, I don't post often here, but stop by and read once in a while. I feel at home on the "Over Fifty Forum" and spend a lot of time there. I do feel so mu*****ommon with you all and wish you the best in 2006. What a year of changes 2005 has brought to my life. First and foremost I've lost over 160 lbs. I still have a ways to go. My high was 377 I now weigh 216. By this time next year I hope to be at goal or close to it. If I never lose another lb I'm so much healthier and happier than I was at this time last year. I can walk 4.5 miles at one time with a smile on my face! I completed at 5K walk with my son! I can tie my shoes, wipe my rear (!), pull my car seat up close enough for my short legs, use the seat belt without an extension, sit in any booth or seat in a movie theatre or concert hall, fit through a turnstile. . . I could go on and on at the things that those who are not obese take for granted. This coming year I look forward to plane travel without worrying about crowding the person next to me. I have a lot of work yet to do, I'm working on rebuilding relationships in my life that need honest, open, hard work. I feel strong enough to do that now. I wish you all a joyous 2006. We deserve all the good that we can find in this life. Let's go out there and actively pursue it! Karen