Hello 2012!

Here it is, the first day of a brand new year. Twenty-twelve. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

All in all, last year went well. We had some losses - two pets. My son moved back for a short time so that I could help in the care of his dog, Colby. It was a trying time and finally, in the end, my son had to take him and have him put down (I hate that term, but can't think of any other way to say it). He took him by himself, that's how he rolls. He had that dog for 15 years. They were a great team and Colby will be missed for a very long time.

Colby

Our cat, Flower, also died last year. She was old and had always enjoyed living outdoors. She would only come in for a few minutes to get a little love and then be on her way. She was 17 years old. I still find myself looking for her when I drive up the driveway.

Flower

In September, I started using Medifast to get some weight off. I'd tried everything - low carb, southbeach, low-fat, low-cal, protein shakes. You name it, I think I tried it all. I just couldn't seem to get my head in the right place to seriously make a difference. Lots of yo-yoing. So, in my terms, I needed to do something drastic. A couple of women at work were going to a medifast clinic and losing weight regularly. I knew the clinic was too expensive for me but found out you could order it online. So, I ordered a couple of weeks worth. It was easy, I didn't have to think about what to eat. It is pre-measured, and portable. Now, 48 lbs later, I think I made the right choice. I'm moving more and feeling good about myself again. I'm learning that a gluten free diet is much better for me and that I don't have to eat large servings of food to be satisfied. This may not work for everyone, but it's what works for me. So, combined with what I've lost so far on Medifast and what I lost while struggling on my own the past couple of years, I've lost 83 pounds and counting!

I spent a lot of last year waiting. Waiting to do things "when I've lost more weight." Waiting for my son to get his stuff out of his old room. Waiting for my mother while she reads every label in the store while we are shopping. Waiting for co-workers to step up and do their own job. Waiting for death to come for our dear sweet dog and cat. Waiting...for a creative mood to strike.

Enough of the waiting, already. This year, and I don't have word for it yet, but there will be no more waiting. There will be living. Lots of living!

I wish you the best of all that makes you happy and bright in the new year! I hope blessings follow you everywhere you go. Thanks for being here and I hope we get to know each other even better this year.