What's the story behind your profile picture?

Mine is of me at two different points in my life the one on the left was taken at Dunn's Falls Jamaica in Sept 2010 at 248 pounds the other is of me taken on Saturday 11 Jun at 185 pounds, Just something to show my progress so far. I still have another 25-35 pounds that I want to lose and hope to lose that by Jan 24 2012.

Mine is at my best friend's wedding in October- I didn't realize how much I had been avoiding full length pictures and this was the closest I had to document my progress--I don't have enough guts to do the swimsuit comparison shots that a lot of people do!!

Me and my hubby had planned a night out, so I done my make up and hair and plans changed and we didn't get to go, was sitting at the computer and thought why should I let my hr of getting ready go to waist, so why I was sitting here on MFP I decided to snap a pic, being I work from home and usually do not ware make up and have my hair in a messy bun!!

Good for you I hope you continue to enjoy it. I think the best part about life is enjoying it.

Mine is a nice day out with my two boys ..... my daughter was on a school residential trip and my son was missing her so we went to the local animal centre to make one less day he had to wait for her return.

I have also (for 2011) started 'Project 365' which is taking a photo every day of the year so you can look back at what you did. This was my 365 photo for the day and I decided it was so lovely I needed to show the world!

My picture was taken in 2004. As I was getting ready for work one morning, my then 5 year old daughter happened along and told me she thought I looked beautiful. I took that as an absolute complement because in her 5 year old mind I was being compared to all of the Disney Princesses. She asked if she could take my picture with my cell phone and I let her. Then she said something that took my breath away...she said I looked "happy from the skin" ... and said she was glad I was over with being sad about her dad. In early 2004 I had asked my husband for a divorce. I wanted it. And even though it was the right thing for my family and I initiated it, I wasn't happy about it although I thought I had been putting on a brave face for the sake of my kids. But I guess they could see through me. When this picture was taken I guess I was finally starting to feel more secure about the decision I had made that affected so many of us. It's 7 years later and we've all adjusted. I took a stand in '04 and changed the ending of what will one day be 'my story' and I have no regrets.

My picture is a logo in remeberance of the "Charleston 9" firefighters who were killed in the line of duty on June 18, 2007. I personally knew 2 of these guys and I knew several of the firefighters that were there.

From Wikkipedia (more information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_Sofa_Super_Store_fire)

The fire occurred at the Sofa Super Store, which was composed of a 42,000 ft² (3,902 m²) single-story steel trussed showroom building with a 17,000 ft² (1,579 m²) warehouse building located behind the retail space,[1] located at 1807 Savannah Highway in the West Ashley area of Charleston. The building had no fire sprinkler system , due in part to the exorbitant cost for the service, provided by the City of Charleston Commissioners of Public Works. Soon after this fire the cost was dramatically reduced. The fire started at approximately 7:00 p.m. in a covered loading dock area built between the showroom and warehouse buildings which was attached to both buildings.[2] At the time, the business was still open and employees were present. Charleston firefighters arrived on the scene just three minutes after the alarm, followed soon after by firefighters from the St. Andrews Public Service District.

The initial attack focused on extinguishing the fire in the loading dock area, with a secondary effort to search for and evacuate civilians, and to prevent the fire from spreading to the showroom and warehouse. Crews entering the showroom reportedly initially encountered clear visibility with only very light puffs of smoke visible near the ceiling at the back of the showroom. Shortly thereafter, an exterior door was opened near where the fire was raging. Efforts to close the door failed, allowing the fire to enter the showroom. Firefighters were ordered to stretch two hose lines into the showroom to attack the spreading fire, however the pre-connected hose line from one of the units was too short, requiring some firefighters to again exit the building to add additional sections of hose and leaving only one small handline to hold back the growing fire. At about this time, fire dispatchers advised the crews on-scene that they had received a 9-1-1 call from an employee who was trapped in the warehouse, which required some firefighters to direct their attention to the rescue. The trapped employee was eventually rescued by firefighters who breached an exterior wall to reach him.[3]

Despite efforts to confine and extinguish the fire, it continued to spread into the structure and ignited furniture in the showroom, growing more quickly than the few operating hose lines could control before additional water could be applied to the fire, however efforts to stretch and begin operating additional hose lines continued.[3][4] At 7:41 p.m. the showroom area of the store experienced a flashover while at least sixteen firefighters were still working inside. The flashover contributed to the rapid deterioration of the structural integrity of the building, leading to a near-complete collapse of the roof just minutes later. Many of the firefighters caught in the flashover were unable to escape and were trapped under the collapsed roof and shelving weakened by the fast-spreading fire. Several calls for help were made by trapped firefighters and efforts to rescue them were commenced. These efforts proved unsuccessful. By the time the fire was brought under control, nine Charleston firefighters had lost their lives.

The fire started during waning rush hour traffic, and the Sofa Super Store site was on a major business and commuter artery feeding the suburbs and shopping centers of Charleston. Car traffic continued unabated for many critical minutes in the initial stages of the fire, driving over water supply lines and contributing to severe water supply problems, as the supply lines snaked from surrounding blocks up to a half-mile away from the center of the fire. Eventually automobile traffic on Savannah Highway was stopped so that water pressure would be more consistent, the traffic diversion causing the surrounding neighborhoods to fill with stranded commuters and onlookers. As the fire diminished and appeared contained, nearing 11:00 p.m., surrounding neighborhoods began to clear and onlookers went home, most unaware of the loss of life during the blaze.

According to Charleston County Coroner Rae Wooten, the firefighters died of a combination of smoke inhalation and burns, but not from injuries sustained from the collapse itself.[5] It was the greatest single loss of firefighters in the United States since 343 firefighters were lost in the collapse of the World Trade Center which resulted from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. It was also the deadliest fire in the state of South Carolina since 11 people died in a blaze at the Lancaster County jail in 1979.[6]

Those answering their last alarm:
Captain Louis Mulkey
Captain Mike Benke
Firefighter Melven Champaign
Captain William "Billy" Hutchinson
Engineer Bradford "Brad" Baity
Firefighter James "Earl" Drayton
Engineer Mark Kelsey
Engineer Michael French
Firefighter Brandon Thompson

My original was Wile E Coyote holding up a sign that reads "help" which is what I felt like when I started to take care of myself. My current one is Wile E Coyote doing what Charlie Sheen would call winning since I've lost 29 lbs since starting taking care of myself and I feel a whole let better about myself physically and mentally.

I'm jealous! I wish my profile picture story was that whimsical. It sounds like you were in a beautiful place and having a wonderful experience.

In my current profile picture I had just come back from video taping a big event. I hadn't been out in the field shooting for a couple weeks. I felt strong that day. I was able to move the camera more freely and easily and carry it around for longer periods of time. When I walked around the event I was shooting I didn't feel like the fat girl holding the camera. I didn't feel like all eyes were on me because I was struggling to get shots. I felt like all the hard work I ha put in up to that point was really paying off in my strength and endurance alone. And on that day- it showed.

When I got back to the office to unpack the equipment I took a picture because- I FELT GOOD!

smoking a sheesha pipe in Egypt, getting bit by mosquitos