Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Confession: I HATE vomiting...morning sickness turned morning suckness
No, that's not a typo and no, you didn't read that wrong. I have had a case of "morning suckness" with this third pregnancy. It's been awful. To give you an idea, it hasn't been just the regular 'ol nausea and vomiting, I have felt possessed! It was like having an exorcism every time I ate. Fun times! With the boys I had nausea and a handful of trips to the bathroom (well, with Owen I had a stomach bug that landed me in the ER, but that only lasted 48 hours). And with the boys I was working with nurses, which was a wonderful support because nurses have this innate ability to look at someone and say "sit down, you're looking too green." My boys, well, they don't quite understand what "looking green" indicates. To Cole, the color green means it's our turn to go through a light or the color of a crayon or the grass. But they don't understand it means mommy is sick! There was one morning I was in the bathroom, Owen cheering me on (he got a kick out of it!), Cole was SCREAMING at me in the hallway (wanted milk or something, who knows, I was too busy performing my daily exorcism), and Zoe was scratching incessantly at the backdoor (I was just praying my geriatric dog could hold her bladder until I could get to her). Again, fun times! I just had to laugh! And let me say, even though I have been sick as a dog, I have been H-U-N-G-R-Y! Imagine living with a very hungry pregnant woman who can't eat. My poor husband! Lived off of popsicles and sherbet for a few weeks. I never want to eat either of those again, or at least for a very long time. I seem to be past the worst part of it, still have some nausea which I expect to hang around for another month if it's anything like with the boys. But, I can handle that as long as I'm not feeling possessed any longer!
And to my real confession: at times I've been angry at God, asking why me? Why am I one of the "special" ones who gets to enjoy morning suckness? But, I've realized it's not very helpful to ask 'why me?' And when I made myself take a step back and listen to my supporters, I heard wonderful messages that have encouraged me to get through this. I do understand that morning sickness is maybe not so great for me but really good for the baby and that in the grander scheme of things, it lasts only a short time in a long lifetime. Ok, so now that I have my head straight (for the time-being!), I hope I haven't caused you to toss your cookies, well, pancakes since it's still morning :) And hooray for our "bonus baby!"
Friday, August 19, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Confession
James 5:16 NIV "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
Confession. It's a powerful thing. And important. And necessary. For our souls to be fulfilled. To feel free. To walk on our path towards everlasting life. It's a beautiful thing! Therefore, I have to confess something...lately I've been a slacker, a procrastinator, and lazy. I haven't kept up with house chores, paying bills, yard work...the list goes on, but it's embarrassing to share. It's because I haven't felt well in weeks (we'll get to that another day), but that's no excuse. I do not like admitting that about myself. I've always been a hard worker. It's killing me to feel this way about myself. To feel like a hermit. To feel like a failure as a mom even though I know I'm not. But it's hard to not feel yourself and you don't feel like you're taking care of your kids to what you know is the best of your ability. However, confessing it and confessing it out loud gives me hope for a turning point for me to change my attitude. To get me started towards a more positive outlook regardless of things I cannot control. So, step one here is for me to start blogging again. It's been a long long time! But there is something therapeutic about writing and sharing and hearing other people's experiences (so please share anything anytime!). When I logged into my blogger, I didn't realize just how much I had been writing! I have a list of posts I've written over the last year (one was from when Owen was 3 weeks old). So, I hope you enjoy what I have to say! And for my far-away friends, I hope you enjoy seeing the boys even if just online!
My munchkins...they love to eat, but really I think they just love feeding our dog :) Forgive us for eating lunch in our jammies...it's Friday and well, just one of those days! Cole is now 2.5 years old and talking like crazy! He says some of the funniest things and we really have to watch what we say. He repeats it all! He loves playing outside and pretending to be like daddy with mowing the lawn, etc. Owen is 14 months old and walking full-time now. He eats. All. The. Time. Seriously, he can eat a whole meal and still eat a snack afterwards. And he's into EVERYthing, a very curious little tot! He's my little snuggler too :)
Confession. It's a powerful thing. And important. And necessary. For our souls to be fulfilled. To feel free. To walk on our path towards everlasting life. It's a beautiful thing! Therefore, I have to confess something...lately I've been a slacker, a procrastinator, and lazy. I haven't kept up with house chores, paying bills, yard work...the list goes on, but it's embarrassing to share. It's because I haven't felt well in weeks (we'll get to that another day), but that's no excuse. I do not like admitting that about myself. I've always been a hard worker. It's killing me to feel this way about myself. To feel like a hermit. To feel like a failure as a mom even though I know I'm not. But it's hard to not feel yourself and you don't feel like you're taking care of your kids to what you know is the best of your ability. However, confessing it and confessing it out loud gives me hope for a turning point for me to change my attitude. To get me started towards a more positive outlook regardless of things I cannot control. So, step one here is for me to start blogging again. It's been a long long time! But there is something therapeutic about writing and sharing and hearing other people's experiences (so please share anything anytime!). When I logged into my blogger, I didn't realize just how much I had been writing! I have a list of posts I've written over the last year (one was from when Owen was 3 weeks old). So, I hope you enjoy what I have to say! And for my far-away friends, I hope you enjoy seeing the boys even if just online!
My munchkins...they love to eat, but really I think they just love feeding our dog :) Forgive us for eating lunch in our jammies...it's Friday and well, just one of those days! Cole is now 2.5 years old and talking like crazy! He says some of the funniest things and we really have to watch what we say. He repeats it all! He loves playing outside and pretending to be like daddy with mowing the lawn, etc. Owen is 14 months old and walking full-time now. He eats. All. The. Time. Seriously, he can eat a whole meal and still eat a snack afterwards. And he's into EVERYthing, a very curious little tot! He's my little snuggler too :)
Monday, May 23, 2011
Couponing
So, I know I haven't posted in my blog in forever, but thought this would be an easy way to answer some questions about couponing. I've never really shared my coupon secrets because I really didn't think anyone would be interested! Every time I used coupons in the store, people behind me groaned & the checkers just seemed annoyed. After seeing some friends get really interested, I'm realizing maybe I need to share my secrets! I first started using coupons in high school when I took over our family's grocery shopping. My mom had introduced them to me & I thought it was fun saving money! I used coupons off & on throughout the years & thanks to the help from some friends & family (Amanda Torres, Kristy Morrison, Jessi Mayfield) and other mom's across the US, I've been able to step up my game now that I've become a full-time SAHM. Also, I very rarely pay full-price for clothing (only when it's something I'm in dire need of or absolutely can't live without). Here are my "secrets:"
1. ALWAYS work from a list when shopping. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've gone grocery shopping without a list. It saves lots of money when you know what you need & you're not buying off the cuff. Plus, you won't end up with a mish mash of stuff when you get home & then wondering what concoction you can make out of what you purchased! HOWEVER, if you come across an item that you KNOW you would use or use often & it's on sale, I buy it. Yes, you may spend a little more than what you planned, but then it saves on future purchase(s), so in the end, really you are saving money!
2. Get organized. I've had my faithful purple coupon wallet for 10+ years & I had my mom's before that. Getting organized at the beginning makes it easier to stay organized. It means you can find what you're looking for in a fraction of the time. Recently, I upgraded to a 2" binder. I used dividers with labels (beverages, breakfast, fridge & freezer, etc.) and baseball card holders. I upgraded because my coupon stash was getting so big I couldn't fit them in my wallet anymore! I got my wallet at HEB (grocery store in Texas) but I'm sure you can find them at Walmart or probably any grocery store (mine was plastic & about the size of a checkbook wallet and had dividers in it). And of course the binder, dividers & baseball card holders can be found about anywhere. I sort my coupons by category & then put them in date order so that I use the ones that will expire earliest first.
3. Take baby steps. I've always used the Sunday paper coupons. Those are pretty straight-forward & easy to use. Just make sure to read the fine print (ie buy the appropriate quantity, item size & follow the rules per the manufacturer like 'only 1 coupon per item'). Once you've got that down you can start taking more baby steps :)
4. Start clipping, printing, texting & trading coupons. The Sunday paper is a staple in my house. And now with the internet, you can print coupons online! I use scrap paper from my husband's company so I don't have to buy paper, just refill my ink! BTW, if you go to Cartridge World (or someplace similar) you can get your ink refilled for WAY cheaper than buying new! They usually offer frequent buyer cards too & you can even earn your way to a free refill. And yes, they work just the same (unless you ahve a high-tech printer with computer chips in the ink cartridges, they aren't able to replace those so your printer may tell you your ink is always out when it's really not, a small price to pay for cheap ink IMO). Plus, you will be recycling (which anyone who knows me well knows I'm a freak about recycling). Here are the websites I use weekly to print coupons from:
www.coupons.com
www.redplum.com
www.smartsource.com
www.allyou.com
www.target.com
Also, if I find a coupon on one of these sites that I would like more of, I either google it to find another site that will allow me to print or I print from someone else's computer. Many times, the coupon sites limit how many you can print based on your IP address. Coupons are also going mobile if you have a smartphone. Target offers them & texts you approx. once a week. Just make sure to take your phone with you & remember to have them scan the barcode! I tend to forget this one :P One last suggestion, find a friend or two who coupon & agree to trade! I clip every coupon in the paper (I don't really print extras online) & give them away. I also get some in return & keep passing along the ones I don't use.
5. Find a website or blog that can be your guide. The one that helped me get started was www.couponsavinggame.com Also, I've used www.thekrazycouponlady.com and I've heard fabulous things about www.coupondivas.com It can be overwhelming trying to navigate more than one when you first begin. I say pick one website & get to know it before adding another. Or if you find that one website works, then stick with it! What I liked about them is they show you how to get the deals. Keep in mind though that sales & coupons vary by geographic area so although it may describe a 'deal' it doesn't always mean that your store will offer the same. I've also come across many of my own "finds" that weren't advertised. Now that I know how to get the deals, I don't rely on the websites so much. This past week, I only scanned them to see if I missed any deals while planning my shopping trip & came across a couple extra coupons I wouldn't have known about (they were on the product's websites).
6. Learn the rules. Each store has their own coupon policy & the websites above should have them listed on there & the stores themselves should have them online. For instance, Target allows you to use 1 manufacturer coupon plus 1 Target coupon per item! If you find something on sale & have coupons for it, it's usually a great deal!
7. Know your unit cost per item. I started figuring this out some 10 years ago when we debated purchasing a Sams or Costco membership. I always heard buying in bulk could save money but I wanted to know if it was true. It may be if you don't use coupons, but when you use coupons & break down the cost to unit, you find buying in bulk does not always save money. I started a spreadsheet (yes, I'm a nerd) that lists common items I purchase, the quantity (like with diapers & wipes) & the store. It then computes the price per unit rather than item (for example, even though the store brand diapers are cheaper than Pampers, if you use a Pampers coupon & figure how much you pay PER DIAPER rather than per box, you find that Pampers is cheaper!). I've found this to be very common among store brand versus name brand. But coupons are the key to saving money! Also, you'll find that price can vary greatly depending on where you buy it. Sometimes Target is cheaper than WalMart (this surprises a lot of people!).
8. Stock up. And I'm not saying you have to be the extreme people on TV with a garage full of stuff. But start a stockpile of items that won't spoil. When toothpaste, toilet paper, kleenex, canned goods & the like are on sale, buy a few! Not only will you have enough Kleenex for when everyone in your house catches that cold, you'll have stuff to donate when you get that Reasors bag in the mail to feed the needy :)
If you have any questions, please ask! Happy shopping!
1. ALWAYS work from a list when shopping. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've gone grocery shopping without a list. It saves lots of money when you know what you need & you're not buying off the cuff. Plus, you won't end up with a mish mash of stuff when you get home & then wondering what concoction you can make out of what you purchased! HOWEVER, if you come across an item that you KNOW you would use or use often & it's on sale, I buy it. Yes, you may spend a little more than what you planned, but then it saves on future purchase(s), so in the end, really you are saving money!
2. Get organized. I've had my faithful purple coupon wallet for 10+ years & I had my mom's before that. Getting organized at the beginning makes it easier to stay organized. It means you can find what you're looking for in a fraction of the time. Recently, I upgraded to a 2" binder. I used dividers with labels (beverages, breakfast, fridge & freezer, etc.) and baseball card holders. I upgraded because my coupon stash was getting so big I couldn't fit them in my wallet anymore! I got my wallet at HEB (grocery store in Texas) but I'm sure you can find them at Walmart or probably any grocery store (mine was plastic & about the size of a checkbook wallet and had dividers in it). And of course the binder, dividers & baseball card holders can be found about anywhere. I sort my coupons by category & then put them in date order so that I use the ones that will expire earliest first.
3. Take baby steps. I've always used the Sunday paper coupons. Those are pretty straight-forward & easy to use. Just make sure to read the fine print (ie buy the appropriate quantity, item size & follow the rules per the manufacturer like 'only 1 coupon per item'). Once you've got that down you can start taking more baby steps :)
4. Start clipping, printing, texting & trading coupons. The Sunday paper is a staple in my house. And now with the internet, you can print coupons online! I use scrap paper from my husband's company so I don't have to buy paper, just refill my ink! BTW, if you go to Cartridge World (or someplace similar) you can get your ink refilled for WAY cheaper than buying new! They usually offer frequent buyer cards too & you can even earn your way to a free refill. And yes, they work just the same (unless you ahve a high-tech printer with computer chips in the ink cartridges, they aren't able to replace those so your printer may tell you your ink is always out when it's really not, a small price to pay for cheap ink IMO). Plus, you will be recycling (which anyone who knows me well knows I'm a freak about recycling). Here are the websites I use weekly to print coupons from:
www.coupons.com
www.redplum.com
www.smartsource.com
www.allyou.com
www.target.com
Also, if I find a coupon on one of these sites that I would like more of, I either google it to find another site that will allow me to print or I print from someone else's computer. Many times, the coupon sites limit how many you can print based on your IP address. Coupons are also going mobile if you have a smartphone. Target offers them & texts you approx. once a week. Just make sure to take your phone with you & remember to have them scan the barcode! I tend to forget this one :P One last suggestion, find a friend or two who coupon & agree to trade! I clip every coupon in the paper (I don't really print extras online) & give them away. I also get some in return & keep passing along the ones I don't use.
5. Find a website or blog that can be your guide. The one that helped me get started was www.couponsavinggame.com Also, I've used www.thekrazycouponlady.com and I've heard fabulous things about www.coupondivas.com It can be overwhelming trying to navigate more than one when you first begin. I say pick one website & get to know it before adding another. Or if you find that one website works, then stick with it! What I liked about them is they show you how to get the deals. Keep in mind though that sales & coupons vary by geographic area so although it may describe a 'deal' it doesn't always mean that your store will offer the same. I've also come across many of my own "finds" that weren't advertised. Now that I know how to get the deals, I don't rely on the websites so much. This past week, I only scanned them to see if I missed any deals while planning my shopping trip & came across a couple extra coupons I wouldn't have known about (they were on the product's websites).
6. Learn the rules. Each store has their own coupon policy & the websites above should have them listed on there & the stores themselves should have them online. For instance, Target allows you to use 1 manufacturer coupon plus 1 Target coupon per item! If you find something on sale & have coupons for it, it's usually a great deal!
7. Know your unit cost per item. I started figuring this out some 10 years ago when we debated purchasing a Sams or Costco membership. I always heard buying in bulk could save money but I wanted to know if it was true. It may be if you don't use coupons, but when you use coupons & break down the cost to unit, you find buying in bulk does not always save money. I started a spreadsheet (yes, I'm a nerd) that lists common items I purchase, the quantity (like with diapers & wipes) & the store. It then computes the price per unit rather than item (for example, even though the store brand diapers are cheaper than Pampers, if you use a Pampers coupon & figure how much you pay PER DIAPER rather than per box, you find that Pampers is cheaper!). I've found this to be very common among store brand versus name brand. But coupons are the key to saving money! Also, you'll find that price can vary greatly depending on where you buy it. Sometimes Target is cheaper than WalMart (this surprises a lot of people!).
8. Stock up. And I'm not saying you have to be the extreme people on TV with a garage full of stuff. But start a stockpile of items that won't spoil. When toothpaste, toilet paper, kleenex, canned goods & the like are on sale, buy a few! Not only will you have enough Kleenex for when everyone in your house catches that cold, you'll have stuff to donate when you get that Reasors bag in the mail to feed the needy :)
If you have any questions, please ask! Happy shopping!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
and the winner is...
We welcomed our second bundle of joy on May 27 at 4:08pm! He weighed in at 5lb 15ounces & 19 inches long. Very close to the size of Cole when he was born! We named our bambino #2 Owen, but struggled on the middle name. We threw out a few family names and finally settled on Austin as the middle name (hopefully it's obvious to everyone why we chose that)! It is so interesting to add a second baby to the family. Cole was not very happy when he visited us in the hospital, actually he had a bit of a meltdown :( But, now that we're home, he has taken to Owen quite well! He tries to say 'baby brother' and points to him, touches his hair, tries to poke his eyes just like a big brother should LOL! Cole has a few outbursts a day & tests our patience (and discipline), but all-in-all, I think he's handling the transition very well for an 18-month old. Owen is doing great, he eats like a champ & at 2 weeks already weighs 6lb 15ounces! I started to get worried as my due date approached that I wouldn't be able to love both children enough (I think this is a common concern for any mom from what I understand). But it is amazing how much your heart & love grows & changes for your children. It's weird to think that Cole is no longer my 'baby' but now my 'little man'! We are truly blessed!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Life as we know it
I figured I should post one last time before we become parents of two kids! I am being induced on Thursday (although I thought & hoped baby boy #2 would be here before then), and we are incredibly excited! The last 6-8 weeks have been an interesting transition for us as we learn to live with our 'new normal.' Our 'new normal' has introduced us to living with a new diet, living with an ostomy (I'll let you google it if you don't know what it is), and living with a hugely different perspective on life...in a good way. So, I think everyone knows by this point that my husband had a digestive disorder for the past 9.5 years that we could not get under control with conventional medication. Shortly after we moved back to Tulsa, we discovered we were out of options on medications (and quite frankly, did not feel comfortable with the remaining medications offered to us...side effects known to cause cancer). So, surgery was the final option & really the only "cure." So, we've gone through part one of a two-part surgery...part one removes the colon & creates an ostomy. Part two will occur after the small intestine has healed & removes the ostomy (thank goodness...while we are relieved for him to not be dealing with the pain of disease, living with an ostomy is rather challenging at times). We have learned so much through this process & we find it quite amazing that it takes what we feel is was a tragedy to learn to appreciate the right things in life. And to prioritize accordingly. I've mentioned before that one of the many reasons we wanted to move back to Tulsa was to lead healthier lives, but we had NO idea that this was the path we would be sent down. The old adage of 'if you don't have your health, you don't have anything' is incredibly truthful, powerful & not to be underestimated. So, onward we march with hopes for a healthier future, physically, spiritually, emotionally.
As I write this post, Cole is trying to put on his daddy's flip flops...and he put them on correctly! He never fails to impress me on the things he picks up on & what he has learned! Everyday with Cole is truly a treasure...he is so much fun to be around (except for the glimpses of the terrible-twos...haha!). He is walking like a pro & is actually running! When he first learned to walk, you could see in his eyes & in his step that the boy wanted to RUN! Well, after weeks of tripping, bruises & bumps, he finally knows how to run (albeit with the chest & belly stuck forward & on his tip-toes...its super cute!). His vocabulary grows by the week (he now says mama, dada, dog, zoe, milk, wheel, geese and a few others that are unintelligible, but we get the point). I found this cool website for ASL & they have a whole section for babies...it's amazing how much easier it is to communicate with him using sign language. My goal was to teach him one new one each week...well, I failed on that ;) But, we've got the 3 down that we use the most...milk, down & more. Here's the link: http://www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi
Cole has also learned to climb...he is quite the little monkey! But, I figure it's good exercise for him :) He's also learned to dance! If our connection wasn't so slow (I'm cheap & won't purchase the faster connection..haha!), I would upload a video of him dancing...he is quite the entertainer! We're also teaching him body parts & his favorite is his belly (he likes to pull up his shirt, just like every other kid, but he also likes to try & pull mine up too...not so cute!). He also likes to point out eyes, so if you hold him, be sure you don't get a little finger in your eye-he hasn't quite picked up on the 'don't poke other people's eye' lesson even though we go through it on a daily basis!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Change is hard-part 2
I prefer to end on a lighter note, so now, onto happier times! Cole is amazing! He brings so much joy & light to our lives! He is walking like a pro, trying to run (rather humorous to watch because he falls every time!), talking like crazy, brushing his teeth (actually, he mimics everything we do) & is incredibly independent (uh oh!). He is just a TON of fun! I gave him a couple of drawers in the kitchen to keep his straws and burp cloths, however I have found random items in there, like one of my dress shoes and a screwdriver. Then, I found a Matchbox car in the toaster...ha! We have already experienced our fair share of tantrums, but are learning to decipher between 'frustrated tantrum' and 'not getting my way tantrum.' By far, the best developmental book I've seen (I've probably already mentioned it) is by Dr. Brazelton and it's called Touchpoints. It is my user's manual! Cole is still a little peanut (now at 15 months and doesn't weigh 20 pounds!), but his pedi has reassured us that since he's meeting all the developmental milestones, there's nothing to worry about and he's just going to be small. We're hoping for the world's fastest soccer player...ha! Baby boy #2 is currently due around the first of June and is a wild man! He has found my ribs, diaphragm, bladder, stomach...and the acid reflux is unbearable...I think we're having another hairy baby...haha! Here are some pictures of Cole over the last month or so...he wanted to help us move boxes & was very entertaining pushing them around the living room.
Change is hard-part 1
Since I haven't posted in over 2 months (slap my hand!), I decided to break this into two separate posts to keep it from being too long. Here goes...
So, I thought it was time to change up the blog to signify the recent incredible amount of change we have experienced in our lives. Change is hard. But, just because it's hard doesn't mean that it isn't needed or welcome. As you know, we made the big change to move back to Tulsa late last year. But, what you may not know is that shortly after moving here, we had a health issue arise that changed our plans for when we got here. And, it has put the house search on hold for now. While we dearly appreciated the hospitality of my in-laws, we decided to move into an apartment (and, I must say what a very strange feeling to go from owning your own home, to living with in-laws, to living in an apartment again). But, we are thankful we have a place to live where we feel safe and a space of our own to call "home," even if it's temporary. I don't want to leave you hanging regarding the 'health issue,' but we aren't ready to share with the world all the gory details. It is an issue we have battled for almost 10 years and have simply reached the 'end of the line' for treatment via medications. While I don't really believe in coincidences (I am more the the 'everything happens for a reason no matter how bad it may suck' philosophy), it really is a coincidence that we hit this point in treatment after moving back to be closer with family & friends. Their support, love, prayers, and baby-sitting during doctor's appointments has helped tremendously. Not to say we wouldn't have had similar support in Austin, but calling up family for a favor at the last-minute is less guilt-inducing than calling friends :). We (probably more 'me' than 'we') hope to share our story soon. We have found great inspiration and encouragement to move forward through others online, through their blogs, through their stories. While this experience has been heart-breaking, stressful, frustrating, and at times unfair, we hope that we too can provide support and encouragement to others one day. To encourage others to lead health(ier) lives and to NEVER ever take your health for granted. Because, as the old adage says, 'if you don't have your health, you don't have anything.'
Thank you to my BFF for sending this to us:
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
So, I thought it was time to change up the blog to signify the recent incredible amount of change we have experienced in our lives. Change is hard. But, just because it's hard doesn't mean that it isn't needed or welcome. As you know, we made the big change to move back to Tulsa late last year. But, what you may not know is that shortly after moving here, we had a health issue arise that changed our plans for when we got here. And, it has put the house search on hold for now. While we dearly appreciated the hospitality of my in-laws, we decided to move into an apartment (and, I must say what a very strange feeling to go from owning your own home, to living with in-laws, to living in an apartment again). But, we are thankful we have a place to live where we feel safe and a space of our own to call "home," even if it's temporary. I don't want to leave you hanging regarding the 'health issue,' but we aren't ready to share with the world all the gory details. It is an issue we have battled for almost 10 years and have simply reached the 'end of the line' for treatment via medications. While I don't really believe in coincidences (I am more the the 'everything happens for a reason no matter how bad it may suck' philosophy), it really is a coincidence that we hit this point in treatment after moving back to be closer with family & friends. Their support, love, prayers, and baby-sitting during doctor's appointments has helped tremendously. Not to say we wouldn't have had similar support in Austin, but calling up family for a favor at the last-minute is less guilt-inducing than calling friends :). We (probably more 'me' than 'we') hope to share our story soon. We have found great inspiration and encouragement to move forward through others online, through their blogs, through their stories. While this experience has been heart-breaking, stressful, frustrating, and at times unfair, we hope that we too can provide support and encouragement to others one day. To encourage others to lead health(ier) lives and to NEVER ever take your health for granted. Because, as the old adage says, 'if you don't have your health, you don't have anything.'
Thank you to my BFF for sending this to us:
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
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