The most practical friend in the group sorted out the options: "Look at it this way. You have no time. You're getting divorced. You've got eight kids and you're already crazy busy. You're in your midforties and, even though you're dropping a few pounds, the costumes can be revealing and you're still overweight. I think the answer is perfectly clear. Right?"

A hush fell over all of us sitting at the table.

"You're right," I said. After a long minute of consoling looks from around the table, I stood up. "I'm going to do it."

They all looked stunned. But it only took a moment for them to understand, as only the truest of girlfriends do, that sometimes you've got to prove to yourself that you can still take on a challenge, even against all of the odds.

Almost in unison, all three of them said, "Go for it."

I did. And the universe conspired to make it happen!

Marie Osmond opens up about her lifelong weight battle