10 things to do besides social media!

Social media can just take over your life. It has a way of sucking you in to scrolling and scrolling...wait...there went an hour or more. Instagram stories can be a time suck for me. 

I have actually unfollowed people because some bloggers are always telling us what we need to buy. I would think oh I neeeeeed that shirt or shoes. I felt I HAD to have it. I have a closet full of stuff that and I honestly don't need anything...well I honestly could use a new navy and white striped tee because mine is worn out. lol

Here is my list of things you can do besides spending it on social media.

1. Write in a gratitude journal

I really try to write in a journal each morning. I write down 10 things I am grateful for and 10 things I will make happen. My grateful things can be as simple as no one woke up last night, coffee, our home, snuggling with my boys, tacos. I just write down simple things that I am grateful for in that moment. 

I have a ongoing list of things I write that I will make happen. I try not to put a time limit on these things. As the past year has gone on some of those things have happened and they have been removed from the list. I write down each day I am a good mom. I feel it's important to start off the day thinking I am a good mom. It helps keep my intention good to take time to be a good mom. Work on my keeping my cool when I am frustrated. 

I love looking back over the past year of things I have wrote down. 

2. Read a book or listen to an audio book

I got on a roll after I finished watching all 16 seasons of Grey's Anatomy of listening to audio books. I listened to like 15 books in a few months. Our local library has an app called OverDrive where you can borrow audio books for FREE! A lot of popular books you have to go on a waiting list for, but if you have to wait a few weeks who cares again they are FREE! 

3. Go on a walk 

I have started walking again. When I worked in San Francisco I walked almost every single day on my lunch break. I would walk to AT&T Park and back to the office. It was close to a 2 mile round trip walk. I looked forward to that walk every day. I even went when it was raining. 

I like to listen to an audio book or a podcast while I walk. I always find if I am enjoying to what I am listening to it helps the walk go by so much faster. Walking is so much easier on my body than doing cardio. My fatigue gets much worse when I do a very strenuous exercise. 

4. Do a brain dump!

Have you ever tried doing a brain dump in a journal or notebook? When Covid first started I was so anxious. My brain was going 100 MPH. One day I just started writing in a notebook everything that was on my mind. Getting it put on paper helped me relax and be able to sort out my thoughts. It's a great way to make lists of things you want to do, goals, get things off your chest. 

5. Do Yoga or stretching

Chris Freytag has some 10 minute yoga and stretching exercises on her website www.gethealthyutv.com that are FREE! I love Chris! I just find her to be a very motivation trainer. I also like that she does the workouts with you. It drives me up the wall when trainers are always working on showing you how to do moves and don't do the workout. How about you show us how to do the workouts by DOING THEM!!!! 

Yoga or stretching will not only help your body, but it will help your brain too! If you want to try some of the 10 minute workouts you can find them HERE. 

6. Go play with your kids or dog 

My kids absolutely LOVE it when I play with them. If I take 10 minutes to wrestle with them they are ecstatic. I spent some time with Cash wrestling around and he was giggling the whole time. He likes to punch people in the face while you wrestle. This was a good time to teach him to punch me in the arm not my face. lol

G loves to play games. Taking the time to play a game with him completely changes his mood. My boys are the ones who will remember when I have taken time to play with them not the influencers on social media posting crap. Those people won't care that I watched their stories 5 years from now, but my boys will sure remember! 

7. Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee

Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee! Even if your kids are running around, your at work, or whatever is going on take a few minutes to just enjoy the moment with a cup of tea. I have been enjoying a cup of tea at night after the boys are in bed. I will sit in bed drinking the tea and relax. 

8. Go declutter that cabinet or drawer

Take the 15-20 minutes to go organize that cabinet or drawer that has been driving you crazy! Organizing a space will help you feel so much better each time you see it!

9. Plan our your outfits for the next week

Wear stuff you that has been hanging in your closet unworn for ages. If you put the item on and don't like it then add it to your donate pile. This is a great way to wear stuff you forgot about, get rid of stuff because you don't like the fit of it and shop your own closet! 

Do you really need that new shirt you found at Target? What accessories could you add to the outfit to make it pop?

10. Put on a charcoal mask and listen to some of your favorite music

Does music ever take you back to a place when you use to listen to that song? The other day a song came on the radio and I remembered instantly where I was driving and how I was feeling when I heard it for the first time. 

I have been listening to the old The Chick's music. Man that first Chick's cd brings back so many memories. I loved it and I still do. I have so many great memories listening to their music. I went to their concert so many times with friends too. 

What are some things you enjoy doing to avoid getting sucked into social media?

What actually is Grace?

I feel this year I have been learning the actual meaning of grace in my life and what the Bible actually teaches. I feel mans teaching has been so wrong over the years. I went to see Jen Hatmaker in February. She talked about the Good Samaritan helping the certain man in Luke 10. One thing that really got to me was how the Bible talked about this certain man. In the Bible it doesn't talk at ALL about what this man had done. It doesn't mention if he was homeless, drug addict, a great man, provoked the thieves etc. It just talks about the people who didn't help him and the one man who did. WOW! To me that was so powerful. There are so many times we don't help people because we don't think they deserve to be helped. I don't think that is what God wants from us. To make a judgment or determination who needs to be helped. Well I helped them one time, they screwed up and they don't deserve to be helped again. Think if God treated us that way? 

God is gracious and loves to give us good gifts. We do not have to strive in life for anything. We do not have to be good enough or do the right thing in order for God to give us grace, the desires of our heart or to be there for us. His grace is undeserving, unwarranted and something we can't earn. His grace is freely given to us. So often I was taught the reasons I went through trials were because I did something to deserve these trials. That I won't see God's grace through trials because I haven't earned his grace. Yikes! This is a horrible teaching and it isn't what the Bible teaches at all. You get to the point you don't want to even try anymore because what's the point. 

Over the years I have been through a lot in my life. I have always seen God take care of me. I have been through a lot of crap in life. There is so much of my life that I have not shared on my blog. I have shared some of the crappy parts here. Growing up my parents didn't shelter us from the trials of life. Instead we all prayed about them as a family and tried to trust God. People can say well children shouldn't experience that stress. I can see that point. I have to say that experiencing the trials life threw at us as a family from a young age has helped me deal with trials as an adult. Some times trials happen because of bad decisions or because there aren't boundaries in place, but that does not mean God's grace isn't there for us!!!!!! Those are lessons you have to learn in life. 

I love the song Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. It really has spoke to me while we have been going through some rough times in life. Sometimes we need to just stop and let God love us. Let Him show us his grace! 

Reckless Love Lyrics

Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me

You have been so, so good to me

Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me

You have been so, so kind to me

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine

I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me

You have been so, so good to me

When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me

You have been so, so kind to me

And oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine

And I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

There's no shadow You won't light up

Mountain You won't climb up

Coming after me

There's no wall You won't kick down

Lie You won't tear down

Coming after me

There's no shadow You won't light up

Mountain You won't climb up

Coming after me

There's no wall You won't kick down

Lie You won't tear down

Coming after me

There's no shadow You won't light up

Mountain You won't climb up

Coming after me

There's no wall You won't kick down

Lie You won't tear down

Coming after me

There's no shadow You won't light up

Mountain You won't climb up

Coming after me

There's no wall You won't kick down

Lie You won't tear down

Coming after me

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine

And I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

Songwriters: Caleb Culver / Cory Asbury / Ran Jackson

Miracle!

Last week I announced on social media that we are expecting a baby in July! We are so very excited! 

This baby is a true miracle and our rainbow baby. I haven't shared on my blog about wanting another child or our struggle. We had been told by numerous doctors G was a miracle and we probably never would be able to have another one. I went through a period of where I was grieving. It was a very difficult time for me. I feel I haven't been able to make very many choices when it comes to my health. They have all been made for me over the past 5 years. 

I am so very thankful for little G. He is seriously the brightest miracle in my life! 

I found out I was pregnant right before Thanksgiving. I honestly didn't have much hope this pregnancy would continue.  A lot was going on right then. I had my sister coming to visit. I was going with my mom to Mayo Clinic for some health issues. I just tried to continue with life and I would go to the doctor after to see what was going on with the pregnancy. I didn't tell anyone I was pregnant. I just didn't want people worrying or giving me their opinion on things. This one wasn't planned at all and was a surprise. Yes, Yes, I know where babies come from and how they can happen. lol  I am not going into the details of the 6+ months before, but there wasn't much hope. 

We waited awhile to tell family and even longer to tell our friends. 

G felt he had to tell everyone! He was with us at a doctor appointments when the doctor was talking about the baby and we could hear the heartbeat. G says momma open your mouf let me see that baby? He thinks the baby is the hangy thing in the back of your throat. lol

He then went to school and told everyone he was having a baby sister. He told the people at Sonic when we got our soda water he is having a baby sister. I had my friends little girl with me the day I picked up G from school, so his teachers thought that is who he was talking about. 

He has been so excited. He keeps asking hasn't the baby been in your belly long enough?

At night he will pat my belly. He said I need to pat the baby, so it won't cry and go to sleep. 

What will little Post be? Boy or Girl? We will find out later today!

Answered Prayers

Have you ever prayed for big things for years and wonder why they just aren't getting answered? Then when they do get answered you sit there in a state of shock. That has been me the past couple months. I have prayed for some big things over the past couple years. In my eyes they were big requests. Asking God to answer these prayers the best he could. My pray even changed to if you aren't going to answer them can you help me accept things? 

What I have learned lately is sometimes the timing isn't right. Doors were shut when I wanted things to change. I prayed for a new job for probably close to 5 plus years. I wasn't happy with my job for many reasons. Every time I would look for a new job a door would close. Or I would get the wrong job offer. Or I would have a health issue. I just couldn't understand why in the world God wasn't listening to me. 

Looking back I can see how things were working out in God's time. How he was teaching me lessons. He was listening to me, but instead he was teaching me to be patient. I had to stop pushing for my timing and wait on His.  I LOVE Lauren Daigle song Trust in You. Not only do we need to trust in Him to get us through our trial, but to accept what is handed to us. 

For This Child I Have Prayed!

When we first got married I felt it was important to wait a year before we started a family. We started trying to have a baby right a few months after our first anniversary. I've blogged about our struggles quite a few times. 

It has been a struggle for almost five years. We have an army of children waiting for us in heaven. I always picture getting to heaven & nine little kids jumping up & down excited to see me. Each of those babies I had hopes & dreams for. I prayed for everyone of them. I cried every time we lost one. The hurt I felt over every miscarriage was just so deep. 

There have been times I just couldn't understand why I had to go through so many miscarriages. It was so frustrating to me that women on drugs, abusive parents and teenagers were cranking out kids. Here am I begging God to just give me one baby. 

Then 2013 came along with a whole other set of struggles. There was a time I considered never having children because of cancer. I struggled with is it fair to put a child through this burden? A wonderful doctor at UCSF told me move on with your life, have children & enjoy life to its fullest because something else other than cancer will probably take me. This started a whole conversation between Art & I. We decided to go for it & try to have a baby. 

I have dreamed of the day I would get to make this blog post. I am currently 16 weeks pregnant with a healthy baby BOY. I  due September 17. 

Two reasons I believe I'm pregnant. 

1. God heard my prayers for 5 years. He put me through so many trials. I've really tried to learn through those trials. The miscarriage in October 2010 is what made Art & I start going to church. I'm not sure we ever would have gone to church if we hadn't been through that trial. 

I read this verse the first part of 2014 & I just started crying. Elisabeth was considered barren, but God gave her a child. I clung to the second verse when I found out I was pregnant. Nothing is impossible with God. It got me through tough days when doubt would set in. 

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:36, 37 KJV)

Prayer it works!  My parents prayed for me over 33 years ago. Around 28 years ago I started praying for a brother or sister. Four years later we got Lacey. 

For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: (1 Samuel 1:27 KJV)

2. I truly believe my thyroid cancer was causing the miscarriages. The doctors can't confirm or deny it. My gut tells me this played a HUGE part in my struggle. 

The blog has suffered majorly since I've been exhausted and sick. I am not complaining but happy to have these symptoms. 

I will write about telling our family, nursery ideas and weekly pregnancy posts. I have waited my entire life for this moment in time. I couldn't wait to get married as a little girl just so I could have a baby. I've wanted to be a mom since I can remember.

Today we found out we are having a little boy. It was a moment I won't ever forget. I always had little boy dolls and wanted boys. I screamed, clapped and then cried when they said it's a boy. It was worth everything over the past 5 years for this very moment! I would do it all over again if it brought me right here to where I am. God is good! This child is truly a miracle and I thank God for this baby every day.  

Answer to Prayers!!!!

I have spent many hours in prayer over my health. The question hasn't ever been why me it has been help me find doctors who can help me. A couple months ago I asked my doctor for a referral to UCSF. I received a lot of push back. Some said NO, I was referred to another doctor to ask for the referral and one was like good luck it won't happen. 

It is very frustrating to be told well we have a couple patients with your cancer and we will help you the best we can. It is almost like a puzzle. I search for a piece here and there, show it to my doctors and then someone grabs another piece from left field. During my referral request I was referred to an oncologist within my HMO who is marvelous. One of the very few people who actually "get it". Things I have wanted other doctors to do he agrees with me and does it or he finds the best approach.

I have felt maybe the reason I have rare cancer is because God wants me to rely on him. I need to trust him, get a better relationship with him and realize there are some things in life I need help with. There are days I throw my hands up in the air and say God this is for you to handle. I just can't do this and I have to just trust him on my situation. I am a very stubborn person. I like to do things myself and do them right. It has been very hard to let go of things. Let go and Let God is an easy thing to say, but another thing to actually do. 

I was at the point I was ready to give up on my referral request. I had received so much push back that I was tired of fighting. Well the stubborn streak showed itself again at my appointment last week. I told my doctor please put in the referral. I agreed not to cause a big issue if it is denied, but I wanted to try. I have additional spots now that I feel are more serious, so I need someone with more experience to review my case. I thought I would hear from the board in 1-2 months. 

Wednesday night I came home late. The mail was still in the mail box, so I grabbed it. At first I was thinking why didn't Art take the mail inside, but I dismissed that thought when I saw an envelope from my HMO. It said OUTSIDE REFERRAL in the from portion. I looked at the envelope for a long minute thinking why should I open this because it is going to be denied which will result in me bawling. I even said to Art great I don't know if I can handle this tonight. 

Instead I read HMO has approved your request for medical care from the above provider. WHAT IN THE WORLD!!!! I started screaming it was approved, it was approved. I was jumping around and then I started crying. Art said you know what this means? I knew what he meant. Our prayers had been answered. I had my doctor appointment last Tuesday, July 23. The doctor submitted my referral that day. Within a week my referral was approved. Unheard of! Amazing! God is good! Prayer works!

I sat in our room & just cried. I cried because there was hope in sight. God listened to me. Every day I pray my friend TJ and Marissa cancer to be healed and my health. I pray for these things about the same exact place every single day as I make my short walk to work. Earlier this week I was frustrated and asked God are you listening to me? I keep asking for the same things every single day. When are you going to listen to me and answer my prayers? Well he answered 2 things this week. Marissa had scans done and it came back negative. This is HUGE. She has to continue to go through treatments, but God was listening to me. Then my referral came through.