A couple of things....

Thanks to all for the condolences on the loss of my sister. It was definitely one of the most difficult and saddest weeks of my life. There were, however, some things I would like to note.

First, it was a long road trip and I went solo because we were not sure what was actually happening or how long I would be gone. Before leaving, my husband kindly packed up a cooler for me with good foods (grass fed burgers, brussel sprouts, raw veggies, raw nuts, and coconut flakes) and lots of water. This cooler did me well as I was able to stick with healthy choices on the road as well as for several days while I was with family.

Second, I made plans to go to my brother's gym. These workouts were important as it was a stressful time and without the sweat time, I think it would have been even more stressful. On those days that it didn't make sense to go to the gym, I took long walks. These longs walks proved to be good for the soul as well. It gave me time to reflect on things.

Third, I was not perfect but I made the choice to eat things I would not eat around here because spending time with family was much more important than being "perfect." There were several meals out at local restaurants, where the choices are not always the most healthy. I did make adjustments whenever possible. There was also the luncheon after the funeral that the families of the church my sister attended sponsored. Let's just say that potluck type meals in small town America have not changed much since I was a kid, with lots of jello salads and desserts. I so appreciate the kindness of these families.

Fourth, you never know who you will meet when you are on the road. I had made the decision to drive to Lincoln, Nebraska the first day on my way home. It is approximately 2/3rd of the way. I made a lot of stops and did a short hike along the Mississippi, but I really wanted to sweat. I knew that a good choice for a hotel along the road would be a Holiday Inn Express as they would have a fitness room. I saw a billboard for a Holiday Inn Express in Lincoln and knew it was on the west side of the city so a good choice to miss traffic the next day. When I got to the exit, I considered going on as I thought I could do another hour or so if I really wanted to do so. BUT I had told my husband I would stop in Lincoln and he had already called to see if I was stopping.

So, I stopped. At the check-in desk, I asked about the fitness room. The woman there pointed to it and then proceeded to tell me how she had recently lost 232 pounds. With that, I shared with her the two versions of my driver's license that I have in my wallet to show her the weight I had lost. We shared a bit about what we are both doing to lose weight and how much more we were trying to lose. It was an uplifting moment that I desperately needed at the time. I went to the fitness room and ran/walk on the treadmill for about an hour. It was a good workout. It was also good for me to share like that as it is not something I am used to doing and I tend to need to get to know a person before I trust them with any part of my life.

All in all, I did take care of myself quite well, even though it was such a hard week.