Good Morning OFF Sistas.

Not much sleep tonight, again.

Vickie, you and your family are in my thoughts constantly.  Every time I log onto OH, I come directly here to see if there is an update from you, to see if today is "the" day.  We are all praying for you.  You have been a rock through all of this.  You should not feel you have let anyone down in any way because of silly things like not eating healthy foods, or taking a nap, etc.  It amazes me how strong you are.  You have stayed at Butch's side throughout his struggle, sharing his pain.  All of us here wish we could help you and comfort you.  Your family is like family to us, because you have shared so much with us.  I think we all wish we could share your style of writing - you "let us in" and when we read your posts, we experience what you experience.  Thank you for making us members of your family!  Collectively, we all want to give you a hug, and if we could ease your burden in any way, we would.  We hope our words of love and support will bring you some strength and comfort in the days and weeks ahead.  

Know that we are thinking of you and sending love your way.  

Here is a story I read in a pamphlet I received from my Mother's hospice caregiver - it has brought me comfort over the years:

Gone From My Sight

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: “There, she is gone!”

“Gone Where?”

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: “There, she is gone!” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: “Here she comes!”

And that is dying.
-Henry Van Dyke

When I think of this story, I think of my Father waiting for my Mother as she left my brothers and me and went to be with him.   I know she was filled with joy when she reached the other side.  She lives forever in my heart.

Mary

.

Good morning sistas,

i have had to reapply my makeup twice already after catching up with yesterday's posts and Mary's beautiful post above.  What a community we have here. 

Vickie, you're in my heart and you have a lot of love all around you.

oh here I go again, have to go clean myself up and get to my client.

i am working in upstate NY near Albany.  We had a tornado here yesterday afternoon.  Not a lot of fun for those of us who so rarely see them! Plus, I have a huge fear of tornadoes for some reason.  We all went running to the one room in the building without windows and waited for it to pass.  No one was hurt but it took a while to get out if the parking lot due to fallen trees. 

Hanging tough on my eating plan, and getting in my evpxercise.  Brought a few DVDs to exercise with and had a good time with Zumba Gold this morning.  

Ok girls let me fix my face and get to the office. I check from my phone as often as I can - please know I'm thinking of and praying for all of you, and my heart is with Vickie and her family.  

XO

christine

Hello Christine....oh my gosh...a tornado!!!! I am so happy that no one was hurt!! I hope your work went well today!

Glad to know you are doing so great with your eating and exercise....I knew you could do it!!!

The new DVD's sound helpful...enjoy!!!! 

Have a great evening...I am shot and am going to bed very early. Three hours of sleep and I am miserable!!

Love and many hugs to you....connie d

Beautifully put.  I don't post here much, and don't have any grandchildren to chat about.  My daughter is in a happy relationship with a great guy, has been divorced but has to much wanderlust to want children. She is educated but doesn't have a maternal bone in her body, except for the children of her friends. 

I had my sleeve in Sept. 2014 and lost most of the weight.  I still have thirty pounds to go and am taking it slow, having fallen of the high protein low calorie diet now and then.  I don't eat junk carbs like chips or ice cream, sugar makes me get sick now.  I will get there eventually. 

As for Vicki, I think of you constantly, pray for and with you, Butch, the girls and the extended family. I am twice divorced, having been a doormat, so I never had the enduring love you and Butch had.  I cannot even imagine losing the love one one's life. It is heartbreaking but God's will.  Please know that we here love you and yours and are with you in spirit.  I lost my sister a month ago, suddenly at age 68.  She had lived out of state for about thirty years, but we did keep in touch.  We did not see eye to eye on her older children; she had 2 older children who she did not keep in touch with when she left the state of FL, and two younger.  One was her favorite, and that caused friction.  But it did not hurt less to lose her so suddenly. 

Vicki, you are a woman of faith, I am a recovering Catholic who is so guilt ridden because of a. the church upbringing and b. my late aunts who could thrust more guilt on people than any Catholic Priest could do.  That being said, I believe.  I truly believe.  I wish Butch could stay her with you, but that is not in God's will.  You will see him again.  Bless your heart dear. 

Good Morning,

I don't know your name, but sure am glad you posted.  You don't have to have grandchildren to post in our family here.  We bear each others burdens, and provide great shoulders to cry on.

Please jump in whenever you wish, and share the good and bad news with us.

Hugs and Love,

Trish

I am Arlene G.  I am friends with Vicki on FB.  I used to have a profile with my name, and posted to the main boards.  I left because of the rudeness on the part of some.  just a few.  I then used this name.  Will post more often.

Arlene, welcome. I don't have grandchildren either .... don't even have kids. I have a cat and grandnephews. I love this support group ... we are like a big family. 

Trish is right. I have no grandchildren  - heck I have no children! Two step kids but that's all. GHIS Is A Great Group.  Just jump in and let us support you as you achieve your goals!! You're doing just great.  

Hello Arlene....I am so glad to see you posting again!! I will look forward to seeing you here more often!! 

It sounds like you are doing well with your WLS. Hang in there and keep going...you will lose that 30 pounds!!

I need to have some dinner and then off to bed!!

Have a great evening!! I look forward to getting to know you better!!

I will look forward to befriending you here and on Facebook...that is if you want me to.

Love and lots of hugs to you.....connie d

Good morning Mary and everyone.....

Just popping in quickly because I need to leave in a bit. I am taking the grocery bus again. My regular lady took me on Monday. I wanted to wait a couple more days to pick up fresh fruit. Plus I haven't been to Walmart in quite awhile. 

I had to get up and out the door by 6:45 to get my walk in and have time to shower afterward. Rush rush!! 

I love the post you copied on here. Very nice!! We all seem to be keeping Vickie and Butch close to our hearts these days. God Bless them always!

I need to go...I will be back to post after I get back from shopping.

Love and oodles of hugs to you....connie d