Conquered It!!!

Today was the day that I finally surpassed the number of calories that I burned prior to the bleed at the gym!  This morning I worked out for 80 minutes and burned 953 calories.  Yesterday I burned 900 calories.  While I know the number of calories that show us what we burn may not always be accurate it is pretty close if you minus 20% off your total number.  One of goals accomplished and now it is time to work on the next goal!

Life's Journey

At our Church we have a program called visiting and home teaching.  The purpose of this program is to make sure every person has a home teacher and visiting teacher who comes to your home monthly to share a spiritual message, be a good listener, and to see if the family needs any help.  Lately Kirk and I have both reflected about our assignments and have felt humbled and a sense of deep appreciation for our life.  This is one of the many reasons why I love this program is because while you serve others it gives you insight into your own life, and you begin to feel a sense of gratitude for everything which you have.  Though our life has not always been easy our experiences have given us tools to help others in their time of need.  We are all here together to help each other on our personal journeys.  We are our Savior's hands and this is a beautiful program, and I'm thankful that I get to participate and feel a little bit of what our Savior feels when He serves each of us.  My new focus each day is to ask myself what have I done to make someone's burden lighter?  Sometimes it is a simple smile and a warm "hello" and other times it is a sacrifice of our time and talents.  Through each of my experiences I always experience growth, and when I watch my husband participate  and serve others my love for him grows deeper, and I realize I have been given a good man!

Dancin' for My Life!!!

Six years ago I was physically in the best condition and shape in my life, and what I now refer to my brain bleed as My Beautiful Heartbreak happened, and my life changed in ways that I could not have imagined!  It has been a grueling process back, but I can honestly say that the happiness I felt six years ago is filling my soul again and I have been experiencing miracles, and doing things that I had given up on after the bleed!  As many of you know a year ago I experienced more health challenges which resulted into two operations 29 days apart, and I knew that I had months of physical therapy ahead of me, and it felt like my body hated me!  However, a loving God knew what was ahead and recognized that not only would I need the support from my husband, but knew that I strongly yearned and desired to have my physical strength back like I had six years ago so he put a lady from church into my path to help me achieve my goal!  Her name is Marti and by profession she is a certified personal trainer.  Marti came to my home with an eating and exercise plan.  The eating plan I knew that I could do, but some of those exercises I was unsure of and was afraid of hurting myself, but I elected to follow the plan and trust Marti.  I have been amazed of what my body can do such as walk out planks, low lunges and squats, and a variety of other exercises!  I have felt so much stronger, and I feel like the bleed never happened!  I have also recovered very nicely from my back surgery and total hysterectomy and have not regretted having those operations because they needed to happen so I was able to do all of these activities!!  I'm unsure of how many inches or weight that I have lost because my friend and I talked about it and determined that Kirk would weigh me every two weeks, but was never to tell me the number.  The same goes for food I don't count calories or points instead I eat within the guidelines of my eating plan and I eat what my body needs.  This has been so helpful for me because I have gotten to know my body again, and to love how it feels!  It has and continues to be a transformation physically, spiritually, and emotionally.  I'm proud of my work and dedication and my choice to dance again in my life!  I now realize that the past six years has been a gift to me because it has helped me recognize my strength, perseverance, and what an incredible person I am and I can do very hard things!  It has also prepared me to help others and be a source of strength to them in their times of need!  I am blessed!  

Newport Beach, Point Defiance, and Ruston Way Spray Park Memorial Day weekend!

Soon to be 13!!!

Where has the time gone???  In just about 7 weeks Zach will be 13!!!  It has been fun to watch him grow and develop this past year!  This year he is in honor's science and loves it!  He also scored beyond the 9th grade level in math!!!  His writing is getting better week by week and he is enjoying school!!!  In his free time he still loves football, and he has a huge heart for the elderly and loves to serve them!  An 82 year old friend by the name of Juanita came into our lives recently and my heart fills with pride when I watch Zach carry heavy items for her, open doors for her, and takes her hand when they walk!  In the moments, when Kirk and I are frustrated with living the life with a almost teenager we look at this picture and are quickly reminded that he has a huge heart and what a great and wonderful kiddo he is!

A Warrior Princess!

In March our little Isabella woke up one morning and had a difficult time walking.  We thought at first that it was growing pains but a few days later we felt something else was going on.  We took her to the doctor where they ran a bunch of tests and discovered that her inflammation rate was high and she carried some antibodies.  We were then quickly referred to Children's and she saw a Rhematologist.  He discovered that she has rheumatoid arthritis.  It has been a hard journey but she is being effectively treated and we are so grateful for Children's and that Isabella is able to find joy again in activities like going to the beach and finding starfish!