Hi Karen, I agree completely and I can relate to your story too. I gained 30 or so pounds since meeting my DH, 15 of which are already back off... but I was never so grateful that he never NEVER mentioned it. He's happy I'm losing it and gives encouragement, but he always said it was me he wanted to be with, not my body. It was me who had the issue of being overweight. I think Straycat speaks for all women when she says... "...Whether she is fat, skinny, built like a brick house or a bowling ball-she hopes and she prays her husband shes the woman inside the skin and loves every inch of her inside and out. But, when he doesn't she slowly becomes more and more empty and that is when the numbness sets in. It's hard, very hard for that to ever be replaced with love, the trust just isn't there. When that happens it's hard for her to give herself-to the same man." "...You are still in the physical stage of a relationship after all these years. Too bad, and to think...you've been married to the SAME woman all these years and you have never SEEN HER. " "...If you'd seen her through the eyes of love how would she have looked?" WOW~WOW~WOW How many of us have felt invisible/are feeling invisible right now? That Straycat can speak so completely for me, with all of our differences in opinion, says a lot. I think this is one of the core truths. THIS is how a woman (or man) becomes empty. This is the hole through which the love pours to the ground. This is the echo never answered.

Basic Yellow Pound Cake - Anne Byrn, The Cake Doctor A cross between a Twinkie (sans cream filling) and a Sara Lee Pound Cake but better Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan Flour for dusting the pan 1 package (18.25 ozs) plain yellow cake mix 1 package (3.4 ozs) instant vanilla pudding mix 1 cup whole milk 1 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, safflower, corn, soybean or sunflower 4 large eggs 1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325��F. Lightly mist 1 10-inch tube pan with vegetable oil spray then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside. 2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven. 3. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 58 to 60 minutes for a tube pan. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a wire rack, then invert it again onto another rack so that the cake is right side up. Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes or more. Frost. 4. Store this cake, unfrosted, covered in aluminum foil, at room temperature, for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Bump. The deadline passed so we can let this sink in the list now.

I just received the two recipes below in my email. Think they sound interesting. Sara Lee Pound Cake Author: CopyKat Recipes Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Serves: 10 Sara Lee Pound cake was one of my first recipes at CopyKat.com, after reading the ingredients on the package; I set out to re-create this famous pound cake just like the original. 1/4 pound or 1stick unsalted butter 3/4 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 cup cake flour 2 tablespoons dry powdered milk 1 tablespoon corn syrup Juice of half a small lemon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon mace (optional) Allow butter to reach room temperature, if you can try to use unsalted butter. Cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Add in flour, powdered milk, baking powder, and corn syrup. Beat each in well. Add juice of half a lemon, salt, vanilla, nutmeg, and mace. Make sure everything is well blended, and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick and seeing if it comes out clean. You almost want to under bake this. Triple Coconut Pound Cake 2 cups flour 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup evaporated milk or coconut milk 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp coconut extract 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut plus more for garnish for the glaze 1 heaping cup confectioner's sugar milk, cream or coconut milk to thin 1/2 tsp coconut extract Set oven to 350F Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix the evaporated milk with the extracts, and add alternately to the bowl with the dry ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry. Don't over mix the batter. Stir in the shredded coconut and turn into a greased and floured loaf pan. Smooth out the top and bake for about 55 minutes until risen, golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. (Moist crumbs are ok) Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack. let cool completely before glazing. Make the glaze by mixing the confectioner's sugar and extract with enough liquid to make a spreadable glaze. Top the glazed cake with more shredded coconut.