There's a lot of happy stuff right now, and I want to write it down.  I need to remember!  
I'm happy, of course, that I can wear normal sized clothes now.  I was up to like a 30/32 jeans at Avenue before surgery.  Now I have some jeans that are size 10.  I seriously love that.  I have not got a perfect body, by any means, but when it's covered with clothes it looks pretty okay.  If I can get my excess tummy skin removed it'll look SO much better.  Smaller jeans, then, too.

I love my friends, too.  I have some girls who I hang out at various times with at Starbucks.  We have always gone to SB after our monthly support group, but we try to catch each other not busy and meet up there at random times during the week, too.  It is so lovely to see their beautiful, smiling faces when I arrive, and to plop down beside them in a comfy club chair, and drink my favorite drink (skinny cinnamon dolce latte with extra vanilla syrup, extra hot!) while we talk over what's going on in our lives.  Sometimes nothing major or new, but sometimes something wonderful.  Sometimes something hard!  I can call on them anytime, and they can do the same.
I also have some other new friends this year, who are fun to get to know and are going through the same things that I am regarding homeschooling teenagers/preadolescents, etc.  It's wonderful to be able to laugh about things or vent or whatever we need to do. My "old" friends are still there, too, and are amazing women! 
I'm also loving my teaching this year.  I'm teaching a small sophomore English class, and we have had the most fun this year.  We have studied Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc. so far, and of course we do writing, vocabulary, and grammar.  It's been a blast.  They are teenagers, and teenagers have a bad reputation, but these teenagers are great people and I'm happy to know them.
I love that my relationship with my sister has grown this year; it has been because of some difficulties in her life, and with our father, unfortunately, but growth is growth and I'm glad it's there.  We've always had a great relationship, it's just stronger now, in my opinion.  She's awesome!  We can literally talk on the phone for four hours and it seems like maybe an hour to both of us!  It's cool
I love that my sons are getting older.  I am not wishing away their childhood, by any means, I'm just saying that even though teenagers are a challenge, I think they're more fun, too.  We like a lot of the same music, we like to go to concerts, they're involved in youth group, they have interesting friends, etc.  I feel more myself now, with teenagers, than I did with little bitty kids.  I adored all those hugs and kisses, though, and you def. don't get as many of those out of these big boys!  I have to sneak them sometimes! 
I'm just grateful.  I've got a lot to be thankful for.  God gave me an awesome husband 17 years ago.  We still like and love each other!  Amazing.  
God gave me this WLS and mercifully has used it to heal my disease of morbid obesity, and I'm safe!  Thank you, Lord!  I am blessed beyond belief.

Today I was taken to lunch by my mother-in-law, aunt, and sister-in-law.  It was my "belated birthday lunch."  We had mexican food, which was great.  I had a steak quesadilla.  Yum.  Brought leftovers home, of course, and two of my sons finished it off (of course).  LOL

My gift from them was some shopping money in  birthday cards, which was so sweet.  Then they took me to TJ Maxx, which is an hour away so I never get to go there, but I love that place.  It was FUN!  I tried on clothes, of course, and found two things that I really loved.  One was a pair of jeans on clearance for $12.99.  Original retail was $89.  Cool.  They were a size 10, so I'm able to wear tens in different brands, which still shocks me.  I really can't let myself believe it for some reason!  It seems to be too good to be true!  I also got a cute red shirt for $12 that I love.

Then I went to Ross, and found a pair of adorable red flats for $8.99, and a great shirt that I loved (made the girls look great!) for $12.99.  So I got those and still have a little money left.  I'll call that my Starbucks fund!  

Tomorrow is my consult with Dr. Harrison regarding my tummy and the girls.  I look forward to hearing what he has to say, but I don't want to get my hopes up as to whether I can have surgery in the near future.  It may be a long time before we can afford it.  We'll see. I'll update on that tomorrow night.