An Update

Hello Everyone!

Quite a lot has happened since my last post.  I'm trying to balance life with a toddler while also being a wife and homemaker.  I don't know how ya'll do it with more than one child.  We'd very much like to have more children but I keep wondering if I'm crazy because I can barely tackle life with one. Hahaha

We're trying to finish up our vegetable garden out back. The weather here has been pretty cold and we're still not through the freezing temps in the morning.  We did manage to get the hardier plants in the ground but are falling behind on getting the other half of the garden up and tilled.  Oh how I hope everything comes up come harvest time!

Sadly, we had to put our beloved pekingese dog Sasha down.  It broke our hearts.  It was unexpected but she was extremely sick with mouth cancer and in the end, just 2 days after she was diagnosed, she just couldn't eat and she was in SO MUCH pain that we couldn't bare to keep her alive anymore just for the sake that we wanted her with us.  It was bitter-sweet for both of us. Sasha was with me at my side when I was grieving the loss of our son Jackson.  It hit me like a ton of bricks when I knew we had to let her go.  At the time we took her to the Vets, we sang to her and told her to go run in the garden with Jackson until we meet again.  She was a good little dog and blessed us beyond measure.

What we DIDN'T expect was to ever want another dog again.  We still have our old Jack Russell Terror...erm Terrior, but after that, we just were unsure. Losing Sasha like that...ugh...it just tears your heart right out.  Shortly after though, a friend of my husbands asked if we'd be interested in taking a rescue pekingese in.  Lo and behold we now have another sweet little pekingese dog.  Talk about God fulfilling matters of the heart!  She has been REALLY good for us all. Max lost his beloved friend in Sasha, our daughter lost her pal that she spent time with in her little book nook and we lost a loyal companion as well.  Bella, while she's different in color and personality seemed to fit right in.  WE needed her just as much as SHE needed us!  She's made us laugh and she's SO GOOD with our little tot!  God just knew!

My husband is still eating plant based and after an appointment with his Dr. last month, was told if patients followed a plant based diet...he'd be out of a job!  Doug lowered his BP and his cholesterol as well as his weight.  He's feeling great and looking great too!

I am going to start working my way there!  I'll be honest, I miss dairy. I miss eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt.  Oh how I LOVE cheese!  However, I'm willing to try this new lifestyle to see if it will work in lowering my weight and getting me off meds for diabetes. I look at our beautiful daughter and want to be around to see her get married and have children of her own.  I think of God and just want this vessel that he created to be in the best shape I can be in to give HIM the glory. 

So, I've decided for the summer that every week I'm going to add something plant based to my diet and slowly weed out the junk.  I don't eat a whole lot of red meat.  I do like the occasional chicken and/or fish.  

We'll see how this goes.  

I'm also working on a goal for exercise throughout the summer.  I really would like to lose this weight.  We're talking 100lbs. For obvious reasons I know this takes time and we're looking at 3 years or so with food changes and regular exercise WITHOUT quitting.  Nothing comes off quickly.  So hopefully I'm going into this with my eyes WIDE open and a good attitude.  

How are all of you doing??

A Season Of Plenty

I am getting SO excited for this new season in our lives.  I cannot tell you how much I love being a wife, mother and housewife.  Don't let the word "housewife" change the way you see me. The work of a housewife is anything BUT luxurious. In fact, I rarely see myself wearing heels and high end clothes to run outside and sun myself. Nor have I ever flipped a table over because I was mad or punched someone because they didn't do things my way (I must admit there "may" have been times I've wanted to with certain people).

Baby Bear

We're in such a fun season right now. I'm FINALLY coming into my own with having a child.  I was so cautious and scared in the beginning. Dr.'s never made it any easier with their scare tactics about normal, everyday issues pertaining to newborns.

Baby bear is coming into her own as well. She loves music, dancing and might I add talking to the list too?! She's picking up new things, is captivated by her 5 senses and LOVES books. She is laughing most of the time and has brought so much fun and love to people we meet in public. Totally worth the 10 year wait for her.

The House

There is also the fun we're having in our OWN home. If you could see me dancing the Irish Jig right now you'd know I'm excited! While I know this is material and FAR from importance, it IS important for us to live in a quiet and SAFE neighborhood.  What a change from the city!  Love our neighbors, love our fenced in backyard and I LOVE making this house our own.  We have painted, put up some doors, taken off backboards, pulled up carpet, changed faucet fixtures and the list goes on.

Today I just ordered the custom cushions for our kitchen Buffet Seating. It came with the house and I wasn't sure I would keep it. In fact, I hated it!  My intention is to knock down that wall anyways and expand the kitchen to where our back deck is with a more open floor plan. It will have the look of a sun porch.  With it will be an expanded bathroom and kids room. Right now though, it needs a new look. The expansion part of the process won't be happening for AT LEAST a decade. We need to pay down the house and save for this big idea of mine.  I am quite content with what we have right this minute and am enjoying the redesign projects I have.

Doug has learned new skills as well. With the kitchen I asked he change the drabby white (and pretty banged up I may add) hanging light for a new FRESH chandelier. The chandelier is more of an Americana dated look. I like it with the 18th century paint we used. I then got sick of  the counters being so crowded, so I took an old hanging shelf my aunt gave me and turned it into an herb/spice rack by putting all the spices in little canning containers that I marked in red. The very top has an antique kettle, some cinnamon sticks and a picture of family.

Later I'll go and add some hardware to the bland cupboards. I already have an idea of what I want but need to find a good price.

Pictures will come in a few weeks when it all comes together. I'll show a before and after pic. I chose a POP of color for the seating cushions I had custom made AND the door. Wait till you see it!

                          Tiny replica of the gardening plans I'd like for our own home this year.

The Garden

Help me Rhonda! Both my husband and I are really excited about this one. I DO think we went overboard on the seeds, however it's our first home and nobody is here to say we can't anymore. SO, we WILL have a BIG garden. Lessons will be learned I'm sure but we've already had our hands wet over the past decade so this will be a fun project for us.

The Birds And The Bee's

Finally, we're trying for another one.  Kid that is! It's  been so much fun parenting that we'd LOVE to have more. I think it's the last child through fertility route. I'd say my own body but if the Lords will is a surprise pregnancy then I won't argue.  Fertility hormones REALLY take it's toll on the physical, emotional and spiritual well being of a woman AND a man. Can't leave out our men. My husband is right there along side me and when momma's not happy, neither is he. lol  Honestly I've been so at peace throughout this cycle. It's hard to believe that I'm on hormones. At least it's hard for ME to believe it. Doug may beg to differ a little.

He's been VERY excited over all this.  He's had to encourage me several times because I've been hesitant to get back into all this because it REALLY takes a toll on a marriage.  So many couples struggle with infertility and it's not just about the heartache but the emotional well-being of both parties as well as the financial well-being. It's NOT cheap. If you don't have insurance that covers fertility treatment your in for a rude awakening! Luckily God has blessed us with good insurance. We go as far as we can to exhaust the coverage with exception to IVF. While our insurance covers IVF, we have decided it isn't for us for many reasons. Now this doesn't mean I'm against it for anyone else. I have several friends who exhausted every aspect and tried it. Some with excellent outcomes, others went on to adopt.  It's okay. I find this to be an issue between husband, wife and God.  God reveals to us what our convictions are. Not everyone has those same convictions. Not everyone is created the same either. So I leave that decision down to God and the couple.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what God does in our lives.  We hope to expand our family beyond children born of our own bodies. Our hope is that God will also give us favor to raise funds to adopt in the future and bring home the children born in our hearts. He knows we've been praying for over 10 years for their safety and well-being as well as their birth family.

A New Church

We have been looking for awhile. Not that I've wanted to, but my husbands schedule has made it hard for us to get to a regular service. We've had to research alternative hours of service and have found only a small handful. Not all churches have the same ideals that we believe in so it's made it hard. We "think" we've found one but it's a church plant and only gets together in our immediate area once a month. Not all monthly services meet on my husbands day off either so this is a concern for us. It's important that Amelia is brought up in the church. To know God, to fellowship with like-minded family and to find growth through Christ.  So we continue to pray for Gods plan on this front. Out of anything THIS is the most important. We are created by God and put here for HIS glory for HIS kingdom.  He's blessed us with much but "to whom MUCH is given, MUCH is required".

So lots going on. I'm loving it! To God be the glory and may He give us wisdom and guidance as well as good health and protection in Jesus name...Amen!

Raw Food Plant Based Diet

Hi There Friends!

I pray this finds you all well.  Today I thought I would jot down a little bit about what we've been doing lately.

Last February my husband changed his diet to a plant based diet after hearing about his dad's 8th stent in order to clear the plaque from his arteries.   Cardiac related issues seem to be genetic in his fathers family where his grandfather died before his 40th birthday.  A series of medical issues related to high blood pressure and high cholesterol which put my husband in the hospital several times finally drew him to the understanding that if he didn't change his eating habits, he would not be here for his family.  We both will be turning forty years old in two years.

Since that time, my husband has lost 50lbs and has stuck to the lifestyle and lower or getting completely rid of his meds related to cardiac meds.

He still has some tweaking to do. Less carbs and more smaller meals throughout the day since now his metabolism is REALLY working.  We're also researching ways for him to gain the muscle back that he lost.  Since he went full force into plant based eating, he lost so much weight that he also lost some muscle. It's coming back slowly however it IS something we have to watch constantly as we start moving as a family into a healthier lifestyle.

I too have been working on a healthier lifestyle.  It hasn't come as easy as my husbands cold turkey method however.  Since I am on an insulin pump, my body is getting excess insulin and only uses some of the insulin that is given to the body. I am known as SEVERELY insulin resistant.  Which brings me to another frustrating issue.  Any excess insulin NOT used by my body gets stored as FAT.  Ugh! Dreaded fat.

I've been learning what works for my body and what really doesn't. Let's face it. A type II insulin resistant diabetic will react MUCH faster to fruits with higher natural sugar content than those higher in fiber and less sugar. Same thing with vegetable carbs.  Whole grain carbs...whether it be cereal, whole grain pastas, breads, etc....they are lethal.  I'm learning that these just raise my sugars and my body just doesn't digest them very well.  Taken that my body doesn't do well with glutenous grains, think about my addiction to cakes, cookies, pies and chocolate!

So here's where I am today.  I try to stay away from most soy products.  I'll have them once in awhile but given that I have a thyroid condition and hormonal imbalance, soy products aren't something my body needs right now.  When I DO, I try to make sure it's fermented and REALLY organic.  Most (even organic) soy products have been sprayed with MAJOR pesticides, etc.  Soy actually has one of the highest contents of toxic chemicals in it and the least likely to be regulated because much of it is imported.  You REALLY need to know the source of your soy products before ingesting them.

Meat.  I've stopped eating red meat and fish.  On occasion I'll eat chicken but give the fact that it's in the freezer and isn't really a staple anymore I think it's just for "emergencies".

What I struggle with is cheese, milk and eggs. I don't have eggs an awful lot, but I DO like them in the morning. CHEESE. I come from an Italian family on one side...so need I say more??  Milk.  No excuse!  Honestly I started drinking almond milk and liked it. We transitioned our daughter BACK to regular milk for specific reasons and I find myself drinking it while my husband continues to drink the almond milk.  It's something that should and WILL get back into my diet.

Something different from my husband.....I've been REALLY looking at and somewhat eating RAW plant based diet.  I like the foods, I like the taste now and I'm just working into getting everything balanced.  Believe it or not there IS protein in a plant based diet.  So many people ask where we would get our protein. Protein comes from MANY greens you eat. Spinach, Kale, Broccoli.  Can come from Quinoa and lentils, Soy products or fermented Tempeh, and beans such as black beans.  You can even pair beans and rice to make one full protein.

There are plenty of ways to incorporate a healthy lifestyle using no animal protein.  In fact, we're the only creatures on this earth that will feed our babies milk outside mothers breast milk. There is no real need for animal protein. ESPECIALLY since we are a culture that is mostly sedentary compared to those in the past who had to live in cooler climates, work hard and also fight hard to gather their foods.

One of my FAVORITE youtube channels is OKRAW with John Kholer (hope I spelled his last name correctly)  His video's have helped me understand the raw food diet and how to get all the nutrients while having good taste. He teaches where to find quality organic foods at minimal cost, how to garden to get all your nutrients from your OWN products without relying on the grocery stores and has great insight.  I like his site.  My husband does too now.  Check him out if your interested:

Enjoy this video until I come back for another installment of what we've been up to.  In the meantime, I pray you find joy and peace in your day as you walk with God.

Blessings!
P.S., please scroll down to the very bottom of the page to mute the music so you can hear the video.

Engine 2 Hummus Recipe.

Healthy Homemade Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cans chick peas, rinsed and drained

3 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons Bragg Liquid Aminos

1/4 cup water or vegetable broth

Instructions:

I mash the beans together in a bowl, quickly chop up the garlic cloves and throw them in, add the ground cumin and stir.  Throw it in the blender and blend all ingredients into a thick paste adding the lemon juice, liquid aminos and broth to the mixture so it won't clog. 

Variations:

Customize by adding one or more of the following:

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 roasted and chopped red bell pepper

1 cup dark or Kalamata olives

1 bunch fresh mint

1 cup fresh spinach

1 cup cooked eggplant

NOTE: This is the most basic of the spreads. You can find a variation of this recipe in almost any grocery store, but 95 percent of them are made with either olive oil or tahini (sesame paste), which pushes up the fat content. Your best bet is to take three minutes and make a batch on Sunday that will last you for the week.

You can find the source at Engine 2. A Vegan site we frequent quite often. I HAD to share this hummus recipe because it's FAT FREE.  Cut the grocery store brand and make it yourself. It's fresh and Yummy!

Happy Valentines Day!

I hope this day finds you well my friends.  We spent the past two weeks celebrating love.  Our anniversary was last week so we spent the weekend celebrating by getting massages, acupuncture and wading in a lovely waterfall hot tub. It was AMAZING. We then moved on to Indian Curry, a trip to the book store then onward to get our daughter.  The next day we went to the mall, which says a lot about LOVE since my husband absolutely HATES mall shopping.  We ended it with Mexican food.

While Today he had to work, we still spent much of the week celebrating with each other.  We've been praying together, the other day we shared a day filled with errands but VERY calming. It was nice to spend the day with baby bear and my husband.

He left for work but not without sacrificing the day with running on an errand with us leading to the french patisserie for chocolate, the store for baby food and home where he managed to send me an e-card.

I must say that I am married to a man who was hand-picked by God to love me.  If it weren't for God I'd probably be single. I'm high maintenance. Not in the way most men would assume. I can live without makeup, high end clothes and such.  He has lived with my medical issues for many years now. Most of which aren't always fun to be around. I get moody, my body doesn't always work the way it should and when most men would be out the door my husband stood his ground and kept to the Covenant with which we took before God.  

He is not perfect, but for ME he comes close. Remembering why I married him is quite easy.  He's Gods Fence Mender. Loving, Kind and Gentle with LOADS of patience. He loves me for who I am and has made me want to be a better person.  I love that He loves the Lord. It blesses my heart and I've come to understand the importance of what a man who loves the Lord provides to his home and family.

Over the years I've understood that love isn't always a fairytale. There are bad times, sometimes downright draughts! It's easy for people to give up or say they just "fell out of love". In order to fall out of love you have to give up on it. You have to stop putting LOVE into your marriage. You have to stop making your marriage of importance and you have to have made God somewhere outside the 1st priority to your household.

When God becomes the sole priority in which you base the very foundation of your house and home on....it is THEN that you find prosperity in your marriage and home life.  God, Husband, children, etc.  This is NOT to say that my life is perfect. In fact, I have much to learn.  We must trust that marriage and love goes beyond what we sometimes FEEL because there are times we must sacrifice or compromise. 

As I speak, my biggest stronghold is patience.  Nothing good comes from losing it.  So God is teaching me in all directions just how important patience is and how it affects so much of our lives. In learning to be patient, we'll find self control. Through both my family and I reap the benefit from Gods teachings.

I leave you with two scriptures that bless my heart today:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 Love never fails. 

Romans 5:1-4

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peacewith God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 

How To Make Fabric Labels by Crafty Gemini.

I've been a fan of Crafty Gemini for a while. She gardens, she sews, she LOVES quilts like I do and I've been able to learn some things from her.  I'm adding this tutorial because it's cheap, easy and a fun way to let others know that someone who loves them made them a gift. Pretty nice! As the video states, not ALL printer ink cartridges are the same. Some WILL run.  I hope mine is not one of them.  I'm going to try this soon and let you know.

At The Cross Road

It's been a while since I've posted in any of my blogs. I seem to be in a fog.  I have to say that I miss Homestead blogger.  The community I had there was pretty close-knit bunch of women and I learned from many of them.   Here on blogger I seem to be a small fish in a bigger pond.  It's harder for me to find those women and/or when I do, I find too many and it becomes WAY too big. It's really hard for me to keep up. ESPECIALLY with a toddler keeping me busy.

This winter, I decided to abandon Facebook.  I've lost interest in it for the most part.  I'm just sick of weeding through the politics, the disrespect and the "statuses" that seem to pop up with a great deal of negative attention.

That said, I'd rather write and I'd rather blog about my life.  Now of course I'm at a cross-road.  "What do I do now?" I think to myself. What do I find interesting?  What in MY life would be important enough to jot down here in the blogosphere?!

Well, I guess I can start with the fact that I'm a wife, mother and of course daughter of the God Most High.  Next I like garden, cook, change my decor around. I plan to be a homeschool mom, I'm new at motherhood and we are trying yet again for another child.   A little bit to think about. I may or may not change the look of the blog to something that more fits me. Again, I'm a little bit lost right now but hope to find my way.

Join me on my journey if you'd like! In the meantime, enjoy the song by Jeremy Riddle "Sweetly Broken".