I am beginning to notice some positive changes.  With the weight gain, over the last couple of years I was beginning to have health issues that were increasinly troublesome at best and definitely becoming detrimental to my health.  In additon to my clothes becoming extremely uncomfortable and most not fitting anymore, I also noticed an increase in digestive problems.  I had begun to think that maybe I had irritable bowel or colitis.  I also was having increasing problems with acid indigestion and acid reflux.  If I bent over to tie my shoes, the acid would burn my esophagus.  I could feel it come up that quick.   So it has been 2 1/2 weeks and 5 lbs lighter and exercising and eating better.  I really wanted to lose the weight before I went to the doctor's and spoke about my health issues as I was confident that a lot of it was just coming from being overweight and out of shape.  I also quit smoking on 1/12/08 (was having some scary issues with that as well- shortness of breath, spot on lung thank God turned out to be nothing, pains, etc.)   I have to say it has been over 1 week since I have had an acid reflux episode.  So now I am fairly confident that that problem was directly related to my weight.  Also, I used to get the sugar shakes all of the time when I was hungry.  I would feel a lot like I was going to pass out.  Since I have changed my diet, have not gotten the sugar shakes once in over a week.  So overall I am feeling better.  My jeans now fit normal.  (I can now drive for hours in the car without being in dire pain!)   David turned 12 yesterday.  In my anger on Sunday I blurted out to David about his sister and brother and showed him the pictures I had of his brother.  This I guess broke the ice and made me realize how horrible I was and how sorry I felt.  We ended up hugging and I told him over and over how much I loved him.  Now out of something bad has come some good.  We got a Christmas card in the mail today from his sister!  So cool!  Pictures and all!  And now I have her address.  David wrote a cute letter to his little brother sent a picture.  Now he can also send one to his sister.  I will have to work on getting the kids together.  I think he is now excited to have a little brother and is relieved to know that his sister is no longer with his bio mom and dad.  It did hurt tonight when I heard him refer to his bio mom as his "real" mom.  I know he didn't mean anything by it.  He just doesn't know different.  But it still hurt just a little.   Quiet in the house without Sneakers.  But I thank God everyday for Kona!  She just looks at me with those beautiful puppy eyes and wags that tail and slurps my face and I just can't stay mad or even sad.  She is just really helping me get through some rough times.  Paul's depression is pretty bad.  He even admitted as much tonight to me.  But she helps him too.  I am trying to convince him to take her for a walk now and again.  I think the exercise would do him some good.  He is even more of a couch potato then me.  And he is 51.