thankfully all is right with the world today. my stress test was completed this morning and they only had to stick me 3 times to find a vein. that was a walk in the park compared to wednesday's fiasco! now i just have to wait for the results.

i have missed all my ck friends and the daily routine that i enjoyed for most of the summer; reading blogs, posting comments, writing my blog, reading some forums, getting to know everyone. i felt so off kilter this week. i have some downtime right now. i still have to pack for my quick trip and i want to get that done today because we have to leave the house by 1:30 pm tomorrow. we won't be back to late tomorrrow night. since i am planning on being on the road before 8:00 am sunday, that doesn't leave me a lot of time to pack.

my birthday was lots of fun, mostly quiet but fun. for those of you who didn't read the birthday thread, ralph took me to a beautiful restaurant on the hudson river. i have wanted to eat there for years so it was a nice surprise. it's called harvest on hudson and it sits at lovely spot along one of the widest areas of the river. it really is a magnificent river and so significant to the history of new york and this country. the food was wonderful and the setting ideal. i couldn't have asked for more.

i am feeling very happy these days, despite the hectic pace of my life. the house is coming along nicely, i love my husband and i am doing so well on my weight loss journey. i don't want to say it too loudly, but i lost another 1.5 pounds. that brings my total loss to 28 pounds. i am giddy with anticipation. i feel so strong and know that i am more determined than ever before to lose this weight (get rid of this albatross) once and for all time. it's almost become an obsession, but a good one and a healthy one, because i think i have everything in perspective and don't have unreasonable expectations of myself.

this state of mind is largely due to my extended ck family. i feel like i have changed during the past few months --from a person wanting to lose weight no matter what to a person who is part of a community dedicated to a healthy lifestyle. sure weight loss is a big part of it, but it is only one piece of the proverbial puzzle. i have always mastered that piece before, but i was missing everything else to sustain the momentum, maintain the weight loss and go the distance. i found those missing pieces here.

so today i write with an extra song in my heart. i hope my words reflect my joy because i want (and wish) everyone else the same good feelings about what they are doing, why they are doing it and more importantly that no one is doing this alone. i am happy to be a part of this with all of you. happy friday, happy weekend and good health to everyone!


i feel like singing
and jumping for joy
i want everyone to know
how happy i am
how good i feel
how sure i am
of the path
i am walking
to a better
healthier me.

i feel like a kid
in a sandbox
surrounded by toys
lots of toys
with not a care
in the world
filling my pail
with complete
abandon
covered in sand
from head to toe
and i am smiling
because
i can stay here all day
and play

life is simple today
no worries
no fears
no doubts
no tears
will get in my way
because i am
dancing on
a wisp of a cloud
carrying me
across the sky
and as i look down
all i see
are streets paved
with positive thoughts
and everyone knows
their future is bright
yes, they do

a bottle
is what i need
to save this lovely feeling
and keep it by my side
so i don't ever forget
how good this feels
and how wonderful
life can be
when you accept it
when you let things be
when you give all you have
and do all you can
just to be
well,
just to be
happy

i am wearing
my rose-colored glasses today
i refuse to let anything
or anyone
get in the way of
my mountain of plenty
my gift of happiness
that i give to myself
and anyone else
who cares to share
the pleasures
that feeling groovy
brings to you
it is just,
well just
the way life
is meant to be

i am thankful
for the healthy
way i live now
with the focus
i have on
staying this course
i am grateful
for my life of
bounty and good fortune
i appreciate the splendor
of a stronger me
a person who i didn't
think existed 4 months ago
and now
here i am
no longer dancing
on the head of a pin
waiting to fall off
but just dancing,
because life is good
and i am living it
to its fullest

yes, today
is a very special day
a turning point
on my journey
to a smaller size,
a taller ego,
a fuller life
one that i often dreamed of
and imagined
many times
just not as much as today
what seemed possible once
is not probable
what i once wished for
i am now working toward
and what i never believed
achievable
will soon be within my grasp
and no one will take that away
especially
on a day
like today.

sometimes happiness
is exactly as you expect it to be
you just forgot how wonderful
it could feel.