New pictuHres -

thank you dearie!! love donna

Donna Mae! Your pictures are wonderful! You've come so far, it is a joy to share this journey with you. I just had to comment, because looking at your pictures brought tears to my eyes, especially the one with your 11 favorite kids. The humongous grins on all their faces, including yours, are just priceless. I think I'd blow that pic up to poster size and hang it on the wall. And your daughters are just beautiful, not to mention that handsome hubby of yours (he doesn't have any single brothers, now does he? gotta ask LOL). It blows my mind that the people who love us never look at us with the critical eye that we give ourselves. We should learn to treat ourselves the same way, to see ourselves through the eyes of our loved ones. Thanks so much for sharing the pictures. Keep up the excellent work! Carole

Hi Carole, it's always so good to hear from you! I miss you. I know you are busy with work, but I enjoy it when you check in. Oh, and the 11 favorite kids (which I did go in and clarify) are my grandkids. I just didn't know if that was clear or not. But they were so cute with me when I was home in February. I'll never forget my 17 year old grandson saying 'wow Grandma, you never looked like this before'. Just made me smile -- really big. And of course my sweet granddaughter wanting to take me to her class so they could see me!! Ha ha like I was a celebrity or something. They are special. thanks again Carole for commenting. Actually as I read these responses, and looked at my post again, I sort of got embarrassed cause it was like 'hey look at me'. I really didn't mean that, more look at my ongoing journey. I hope that is what people got from it!! love donna

Wow Donna Mae...you look marvelous! And seeing several of the familiar faces in the photos was a real treat! I can't wait to get to VA and meet up with you all in person!! You all look so proud of eachother! The profile is really nice too! I love the theme...I have never seen one like that. Though I have to admit in the morning I don't have much time to really read profiles...at night I do...so I will read up on you tonight! He he he! Thanks for posting about your remodeling! Congrats on your wonderful loss!!! Hold your head high! BTW if that is your yard you are taking pictures in I have to say....I LOOOOOVE IT! And your Grandchildren are beautiful! You can really see in the pic that they adore their Grammy! OH YEAH! Also....I go to Bike Week in Daytona pretty often. My last time I was 05...I was 225 then and rode my heart out with all sorts of awesome ppl. You should see some of the sizes of the women on the backs of those bikes. They range from 90 lbs soaking wet to way beyond what most would think would be unsafe to ride. Ohhh I have bike week stories that would spin your head! Hugs! Shele

Hi Shele, by the way, nice to chat with you!! Yeah, I thought it would be fun for people to see some of the other VA people that I have coaxed to get beside me and have my picture taken with. Really awesome and beautiful people!! I love my profile too. The design is by my friend Renea cause she knows I'm a 60s chick!! Not many of us on this board. That is so interesting about your biking adventures. I can see from what every one is telling me that I truly missed a great opportunity. I am not going to do that again!! Yes, that is our yard, which I normally love but in the spring when all the little curlies fall from the tree and get in the pond - and on the ground - and on the dogs - and in my house - ugh. And in the fall when the leaves are all on the ground and need to be 'moved' -- another yuck. But other than that, I love it too!! Thanks again for posting! love donna

Wow Donna looking great. I can't believe you passed up a ride though. Of course you have already been explained aobut the leaning thing. I know I was up around 270 - 280 when I was riding before surgery. I haven't had a chance to ride yet this year (I ride with a friend) but we are making plans for a ride very soon. I heard that a few of the VA Board will be bringing their bikes & extra helmets to Richmond, maybe you can catch a ride then. Courtney

Yup, passed it right up, Courtney. I just thought the guy was trying to give me a hint that I was too fat to get on his bike and didn't want to hurt my feelings by telling me. So I passed!! Hmmm, so maybe someone will give me a ride in Richmond!! That would be wonderful. love donna

Morning Donna, You are absolutely stunning! Your profile looks fabulous! Pictures are amazing reminders of our journey. I am so happy for you and I agree with others here it's because Greg didn't "see" you he felt and nothing but unconditional . Trey is the same with/for me. We were looking at pictures a few nights ago and he started telling me about the first few times we went out when we started dating (we'd known each other several months before then). He told me that he used to think to himself I couldn't possibly want to be seen with him. I was thinking WHAT? Shouldn't that be vice versa? Who'd want to be seen with me? I was 340 lb at my highest weight and I thought for sure HE would be worried about being seen with me. He said that I AM the beauty he sees in a room then and now. I still look in the mirror but for different reasons now. Kathie replied to me and told me to post a sticky note on my mirror a while back that read: Do me (well, ultimately, you!) a small favor? Swap out that 'wanna' with 'am' beautiful - cuz you ARE - and your beautiful buggas reflect that - they came from you! Write it down. Put it on your mirror. Heck, stand your butt in front of that mirror until you find five things you can point at and say, "I like how my ______ is ______" or "I like my ______ because...". Change the language now, and your mind will follow soon after. "If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it." Well, I took it a little further. I took some before pictures and lined them up on one side of my mirror dresser and put the sticky note in the middle of it at the top and then lined the right side of the mirror with NOW pictures. So when I look into the mirror and start to think of who it is looking back. It's me with my long brown hair, it's me the mom of 2 beautiful buggas who more and more look like me and their daddy everyday, it's me who went from the extreme left hand pics to the right hand pics. I remind myself how blessed I am with all that I have and I AM BEAUTIFUL in my own ways. Donna you are too and you should be so proud of yourself. I know I'm proud of you and can't WAIT for your next pic and update. I'm sure it'll be even better than the last ones. You've come so far and are a part of this amazing family here and off the boards. Kat

Hi Miss Kitty, thank you for your very thoughtful post. You gave me lots of good things to think about. And I know the mind is such a powerful thing and can really either help or hinder you, in whatever you do. Thanks again, Kat, love donna

you look wonderful my dear keep it up Judith N