Your future plans sound amazing and I wish you all the best in accomplishing them. Maybe we will catch up sometime on this side of the Atlantic! Cheers!!!

Best wishes on your future adventures.

You will be greatly missed on the forum - that much is obvious! But as someone whose life direction has also taken me away from participating much in the forum for the past year, I can certainly understand. Best wishes to you and your dad. You are an amazing daughter to recognize and truly seize this time you have with him to create lasting memories. Hope you'll check in periodically. I love seeing your creative take on fun with fashion.

I will miss your posts and comments, but your reasons for leaving are so sound that I can't argue with them. I hope you pop back in occasionally and I might look you up on Facebook (I'll certainly enjoy reading your posts but you probably won't get much out of pictures of my kids playing soccer). Best of luck and safe travels!

All the travel sounds really exciting. I took time off to spend with my dad after he had the big stroke and I don't regret a minute of it. Enjoy this time to the fullest. You will be missed.

I echo everyone else's sentiments: you are a true inspiration and we will miss you. Big Time. But you are making the right choice. Bravo, safe travels.

I've only joined the forum in the last 6 months, but had to say how much I've enjoyed your writing, your outfits, and the part of yourself that you share here. Thank you for pushing the envelope, for being brave in your self expression, for asking the disruptive questions. You've helped me to see my style differently and to take bigger (for me) risks. I admire your unique combination of tenderness, boldness, and flair.

In my experience, we must listen to those longings and answer the call to a new life. May you have the journey of a lifetime with your father, and deepen the bond between you. May you be lifted and transformed by all of the adventures to come. Life is taking you in an exciting new direction and I wish you all the blessings you deserve!

Like everyone else I will miss your posts and your comments but I'm glad for you that you will be able to focus on your Dad and travelling. One of these days I will make it over to Seattle for a fun weekend and hopefully you can teach me to like oysters.

Your amazing outfits and insights will be missed. Good luck and best wishes!

Jen

Anna, you've been so generous in letting me into your life even during seasons (like most of the past 2 years) when life took me to places where it wasn't possible (or my interest waned) in participating in YLF. I'm so glad for your online and offline friendship, and that this won't be a goodbye.

I very much understand needing to prioritize your life, as I've done the same thing; formerly during frustrating periods, YLF and creative personal style were what helped me hold it together. Then I've had busy periods more recently where I simply don't have time to do more than browse occasionally and comment once in a while-I'm writing this standing on a bus, which seems appropriate for you since we share our bus stories so often! I've also said goodbye to other activities and hobbies that no longer fit my life, some of which I hope to return to when it's fun again for me rather than feeling like a chore that I'm failing at.

Bottom line is you are going out on a high note after being an incredible hostess and organizer this weekend, and I hope you know how much we all appreciated your efforts. I am glad you are going to be spending time with your dad, and hope that what you do fill your time with is uplifting and reviving for you. I look forward to spending more time with you in real life!

anna--so sorry to read that you will not be posting and commenting anymore. i will miss your passion for fashion and your envelope pushing outfits. i hope the next chapter of your life is everything you want and deserve.

I understand the need to put your focus elsewhere and I wish you all the best going forward. I'm going to miss your posts...

We'll miss you here, but your priorities are in the right spot. I hope this next phase of your life is completely wonderful in every way.

Anna, I will miss seeing your creative outfits when I have minute to check online! alas, I have yet to be involved much more than commenting on the blog, but know your adventurous spirit with fashion has been a great inspiration! I came to ylf 3 years ago & shortly after life hit us hard. There were times when nothing was better than just looking at the great fashions here for a little life break.

I'm glad you were able to attend out party in "real" life & will keep in touch with fb! I too have tried to spend more time with my aging parents, and took my first solo trip with my dad a couple of years ago that I will always remember. I know that the time spent with our parents while they are still here, is time that will never be regretted. Bon Voyage!

ciao! RR

I absolutely loved meeting you in person, you are even cooler than I had imagined. I hope I didn't get too personal at the Sunday night cocktail party -- I guess I felt comfortable. Thank you for taking us to the Bell neighborhood in Seattle where I had the best coffee ever and met your friend at the consignment store. She told me how much she adores you for being a kind person and for having the best things to consign.

I understand needing to take a break from Fashion and wanting to spend your resources -- time and money -- elsewhere. However you will be deeply missed on the forum, your style and your comments which have helped me develop a better fashion eye over the years.

Anna - I, too, will miss your posts. But I am happy for you for being able to spend time with your Dad and to go on some great adventures. Take care of yourself and him and make wonderful memories.

I will miss you. I am glad I got to know you if only briefly. You're doing the right thing, absolutely. Enjoy your time with your Dad. You are lucky to have each other.

I will miss your posts as they are one of the highlights of this forum! Enjoy time with your dad...as a daddy's girl myself I know where you are coming from. Enjoy your adventures...your frequent presence, fierce fashion, and eye for detail will be missed. All of the best to you!

Take care, Anna. You will be missed.

I'm totally crying right now. I didn't read the responses until tonight.
Thanks for all the understanding. Maybe I'll post a WIW from Uluru.
Off to respond to the PM's.

Anna, I must confess I am shedding a tear as I type:) I will miss you a great deal. I have enjoyed your online friendship immensely. You mention being a little abrasive and direct which makes me smile. Both my husband and one of my best girlfriends are similar to your temperament, and you always remind me of them and I think that's one of the reasons I felt somewhat of a positive connection to you. I appreciate so much how you have shared your knowledge of fashion, designers etc and I have learnt much from you. Your style individuality has been a great inspiration to me to just wear what I want to wear regardless if it's on trend or not.

Please do feel free to keep in touch and I would love to meet up if you come to Melbourne when you do visit Australia.

Your dad is a blessed man to have such a wonderful daughter. This time you plan to spend with him, sharing adventures together will for a very special part of your life.

xxxDeborah

Anna, wow! We are going to miss you! I always look forward to seeing what sort of crazy, awesome outfit you're wearing, and I LOVE your sharpness and wry wit. But I totally get what you're saying. Sometimes you have to re-prioritize and make room for the really important stuff, and it doesn't get more important than family!

But I feel like someone has just taken all the brightly-colored sprinkles and the cherry-hat off of the YLF cake! I will send you a PM with my FB page link, please add me! (since I realized I don't know your name to add you).

Anna, I never had the pleasure of meeting you but I hope someday that may change. Though I've never expressed it I feel like we have a lot in common in both life experiences (weigh loss, parent stuff, being single longer than we'd like, interest in wine) and of course, fashion. I love seeing your whackadoodle outfits and they bring inspiration in my sometimes dare I say boring life. I read this post with a tear in my eye. I am sending a PM now because I don't want to lose the connection to you. Thanks for always inspiring us to push the fashion envelope. I wish you nothing but love and happiness. Xoxo

I will miss you and your outfits here, bien sur. You stay fab. Enjoy your time with your dad... and let's be friends on FB... which admittedly, I'm not much on... but hey!

Oh blast, I wish I'd seen this before Monday so I could've hugged you extra when you dropped me off!! I had to step outside for a few minutes after reading just now. I didn't realize how big of a overarching thing your future Aussie trip was when you were telling me about it, but I should have. I know the two of you will have an amazing time! Do take care of yourself, Anna. You are an awesome woman, person, daughter, and friend. I know we'll see each other around. PMing you <3

PS: You looked smashing at the cocktail party. That head piece is even more fun in person, I'm glad I got to see it!

Say it isn't so. But, I know, even if I added, please, that it is true, because you are a sincere, direct and incredible writer who is sharing your YLF-and-beyond journey with us.

Anna, I loved meeting you more than these simple words can express and I do hope our paths cross again one day. I will look you up on Facebook and would love to read your bus posts. You are an honest, forthright and beautiful soul with a big heart and a world agenda that sounds so amazing. Have fun with your father and your college friend in Paris. You will really be missed.

Awww, but I just joined. I am glad we got a chance to meet in person. Hope we can keep in touch on FB? Sending you a big hug. Safe and fun travels!

Man. How the heck did I miss this announcement? This is big news. Sad for me but good for you.

I've been missing your style and wit and hoping everything was OK. Wishing you the best!

my fashion pedestal is gone... didn't see your earlier post and was wondering what happened but wish you well in you adventures with your dear dad.

I somehow missed this too

Wishing you all the best Anna!
Spending time with your Dad absolutely outweighs spending time elsewhere, and I know you will be looking Fab as you do so!
An Aussie meet-up would be extra special if it unfolds that way, otherwise know that the Fabbers from Oz will be thinking of you whilst you are here, and with fond memories of your presence on YLF