Once again, time has gotten away from me.  I guess between work, school, and family, I don't have as much free time as I'd like.  The exciting thing that happened to me this month was that I hit goal on Thanksgiving morning!!!  I, of course, was completely thrilled.  Goal in 9 months, to me, is pretty amazing.  I realize that it is just an arbitrary number on the scales, and I honestly don't feel any different weight 140 than I did when I weighed 145 or even 150...but I guess, to me at least, it just signals success.  I've been dieting pretty much for as long as I can remember, and I *always* set goal weights for myself...and I NEVER once reached my goal weight.  Never.  I seriously did WW for 6 months straight prior to pursuing WLS, never missing a weekly meeting or weigh-in, never missing a day of counting my points...and I couldn't even get below 209.  So yeah, you could say that I feel pretty proud of myself right now.  Proud, and thankful.  I think it was appropriate in a weird, cosmic sort of way that I hit goal on Thanksgiving.  This year, Thanksgiving took on a whole new meaning for me.  I really realized all of the great things I have going on in my life:  the weight loss, the renewed sense of self-worth and self-esteem, returning to school, deciding on getting my MBA, winning a scholarship, my wonderful family and friends, having a good job...just pure happiness and joy - things I never realized before now that were lacking from my life.  I'm just so damn appreciative now of all that I have, and all that I have going for me.  It amazes me on so many levels how much the DS has changed me and my outlook on life.  I always thought of myself as a fairly happy, upbeat kind of person...but now, I don't think I really was.  Now, I think that I was a person who was going through the motions for the benefit of other people, trying to keep up a facade.  I think, deep down, that I was pretty miserable with myself and my life...with the limitations that obesity put on me.  Thank you, DS, for setting me free!