Live Your Bumper Sticker

What a wonderful time of year!  What a blessing to celebrate the gift of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ who is called- Wonderful, Counselor , the Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Now we settle down for another season, a New Year of resolutions and solutions, of commitments to recommit, to renew, and refocus, from good to better to best.

All of us are at the starting line somewhere in our lives.  The opportunities for change are endless.  For some of us, change can be difficult, for others, it is a way of life.

Last fall I had an opportunity to observe this change in action. I was parked waiting for my son to finish play practice and noticed a vehicle a distance off in the parking lot with this bumper sticker:  “Love God, Love Others, No Regrets.” I thought about those words, contemplating the nature of the owner of the vehicle. Sisters, do we live our bumper stickers?  I imagined sisters I know that are in constant motion of putting their Father in Heaven in first position in their lives and automatically loving others with no strings attached-no regrets.  Shortly thereafter, I saw the owner of the vehicle.  As she was getting into her car, a stranger approached her in need of help to jump start his vehicle.   Without a second thought, the woman got out of her car, rummaged in her trunk, retrieved the cables and moved her vehicle to align it with the troubled vehicle.  I love how this woman was immediately present in her actions.

Love God, Love Others, No Regrets.  No looking back. No lost time. Love is the answer.  That scene was love in action.

A gift we can ‘give-back’ to our Savior, showing our great appreciation for Him as this New Year ensues is the gift of being present. When we are “present”, we are accountable; it is as if we are among one of the Lord’s ninety nine.  I find comfort in that!  

How can we be more present as sisters, daughters, wives, mothers and friends?

Here are a few ideas and areas where we can be present-

• ·         In our Prayers-  by truly showing gratitude, asking specifically for our needs and then patiently and faithfully waiting for answers.
• ·         Our Family-by really seeking for quality (not always quantity) one on one time- a phone call, face to face time, weekly date nights. Being fully present in our relationships blesses the relationship.
• ·         Our Church responsibilities-  attending meetings, partaking each week of the holy sacrament, attending the temple, visiting teaching our sisters in the gospel, and magnifying our callings with pure intent. 

While I know that for the most part our lives do have meaning, purpose and direction, sometimes we can get lackadaisical in our intent.  All I know is when I personally put this principle to practice, I know that I am accomplishing more and feeling the Holy Ghost more present in return.  I know that the concept of being more present will place us in a holier place.  It will help us receive more spiritual promptings, and help us feel closer to our Heavenly Father.

Former LDS church President, Gordon B Hinckley stated in the October 1997 LDS General Conference: “I see a wonderful future in a very uncertain world.  If we will cling to our values, if we will build on our inheritance, if we will walk in obedience before the Lord, if we will simply live the gospel, we will be blessed in a magnificent and wonderful way.  We will be looked upon as a peculiar people who have found the key to a peculiar happiness.  Great has been our past, wonderful is our present, glorious can be our future.”

Now a charge:  Go live your Bumper Sticker!

Best to all of you in 2014~

I'M ALIVE!

This will be a long post.  I have felt impressed for a while now to give an update and assure all of you readers that my absence has been because I AM ALIVE.  That means I am BACK! I love being back.
I can finally be a complete mom, wife, friend and functioning part of society.

Since that day 2 1/2 years ago when I did the "happy-dance" in my kitchen, shouting, "I feel good-na na na na na na naa", I have only had 2 minor setbacks requiring treatment.

I've been in "remission" from Late Stage Disseminated Lyme Disease now and various co-infections and disorders for about a year and a half.  What that means is symptom free for 1 1/2 years...

Don't be fooled by the face of Lyme Disease!  If you'll recall, the picture I first posted of me when I had full-on Lyme symptoms is for all intense purposes the picture of health (from the outside).  Lyme disease victims often look well, but are dying on the inside.

The last symptom to leave me was eye pain. You might be thinking- okay.. I could deal with that.  Eye pain with Lyme is the feeling of having your thumbs pushed firmly on your eye balls.  Try it for 10 seconds and then live it 24/7.  Not fun.

Symptoms I still get now and again:
Fleeting numbness on my face and pelvic floor, occasional numbness in my legs, arms and hands and  headaches.  My diagnosis of  Lyme was Neurological- so even though I know the bugs are still around, I expect them to show up where they left off.

Consider that since the end of 2006 I was chasing daily infections like a wildfire throughout my body- UTI's, ear infections, headaches, severe exhaustion (after a full nights sleep and 3 hour nap), stuttering, unable to sustain my weight, unable to walk without holding on, confusion, dizziness, no appetite, numbness. With no diagnosis, I was left to continuing chasing and chasing bugs.

How do I know I have turned a corner?
While there are no guarantees with a disease like Lyme, last weekend, I was on my feet for 8 hours making and serving 20 batches of homemade soup for a large function of 200!  No nap. No rest time. No symptoms.  I did this two weeks in a row for 2 separate functions!  Although I had wonderful helpers at the functions, two years ago, I couldn't have made even a small meal for my family of 6.  I couldn't walk to the edge of my driveway to get the mail.  I was just too tired and weak to do it.  I have also been walking again. I am up to about 15 miles a week or 3-4 miles every other day.

What have I done now that works? 
My regimen now consists of a "small" pile of supplements in the morning including:
Thyroid-prescription
2000mg Vitamin C
5000mg Vitamin D
probiotic
Max Gxl-product I distribute:  www.max.com/255092
Cellgevity-product I distribute
ADR- Pure Encapsulations
Eating healthier
Sleeping better
Taking a personal inventory daily

At bedtime I take an even smaller "pile" of supplements:
Calcium
1000mg Vitamin C
HRT
primrose oil

What I wish I had done and sooner:  
I have an amazing doctor!  Dr. Dee is patient and listens to her patients.  So much so that stubborn me got away with "doing it my way" until symptoms I had spun almost out of control. The number one thing I wish I would have done: start Lyme treatment sooner. I could have been better sooner and avoided a lot of cost and time.

What has contributed to my wellness:

• Sleep:  I finally allowed myself adequate rest- daily.  I slept in as long as my body needed it and took an afternoon nap for as long as my body needed it.  Sleep is key to wellness from Chronic Fatigue, EBV, Adrenal issues and of course Lyme.
• Daily Hydro-therapy: Hot showers followed by cold compresses, hydrogen peroxide baths, Epsom salt baths, saunas. CAUTION: DO NOT USE THIS THERAPY unless you have consulted with your physician.  Hydrotherapy is a fantastic detoxification method- so much so that you may not be prepared for the "die-off".
• Supplements: take what your body needs, but be reminded that Lyme is a tricky and will suddenly and without warning disregard what "has always worked".  Be flexible.  the 2 supplements that I continue to take that WORK are Max Gxl and ADR.
• IV Therapy:  Had I not started IV therapy at the aggressive rate, when I did, I can't say that I would be alive today.  My body was just not responding to the supplements that I was taking.  I wasn't getting better.  IV therapy- 4 days a week worked.  I did this for 6 months.  I was also taking 6 oral antibiotics at the same time.You really have to flood those bugs!   AGAIN-  YOU MUST CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR before trying any of these therapy methods.  

While in IV therapy, 2 of my dear IV- friends passed away.  Lyme disease is destructive.  It kills a person from the inside out.  Cells have no power because Lyme takes them over in populations that flood the body.

I am alive!  I love my Life!  I love my family for believing in my ability to recover when I had lost all faith.  

I love them for supporting me when I didn't "look" sick, but couldn't get dressed for the day or brush my hair because it took too much energy.  ( I used to sit on the edge of the bathtub to dry my hair because standing took the breath out of me!)

When your body and mind are sick, my advice to you:

1. Get a doctor: One you can trust.  One that will listen to you.  Do what they say. Don't be stubborn.  Be patient and get on the path to wellness.
2. Patient means: willing to drop everything from your plate of "to-do" to get well.  I mean everything!  YOU are your first priority. (Ya- try telling that to a type A person!) That's why I didn't get better sooner!
3. Find a support group- if you have the strength to attend.  
4. Keep up with friends and  family. You will be well again, my friend.  You will need them again, and they will need you.
5. Accept help- housecleaning, meals, running errands, taking care of kids.  This is no time to be a martyr.
6. Be True to yourself and recognize your limitations.  That's all I need to say about that.
7. Pray- Keep up your faith.  God will help you .  Trust in Him.

I have my life back.  Not sure how long it will last, but I am back.  I am full of gratitude.  I can honestly say, I did not anticipate ever recovering to the extent that I have.  It is a miracle to me.

Lyme Disease is mysterious.  It affects people differently and there is no 100% guarantee that any methods will cure you.  I know that I still have residual Lyme Disease, but I am so on it.  

Bye bye Lyme.  I hope I never see you again.

Rants, Raves and Things of Import

• On Rants...........

I am a Conservative Republican. Now, don't be too quick to press the delete button or 'unfriend' me.  I happen to like that label.   A lot.  I am a news junkie and a political follower... on BOTH sides of the line.  Strictly speaking of the Conservative side, however, my rant today is with my fellow Conservative Republican party.  Sheesh.  It's like this folks... Remember 9-11?  Remember Todd Beamer? What an incredible man he was! We didn't know much about him until after he died, but when push came to shove in that airplane, well, he did the right thing.  Well, we have a Todd Beamer right now running for the office of the president that is in the cabin of the plane trying to do his best to keep the plane from plowing into the ground.  He's a nice guy. Honorable and integral as much as we know.  Lives a clean life.  Married for 40 some years.  Raised a great family. And He LOVES America!  He is leading in the polls. He has won primaries in 2 states,  so why not rally behind him and stop this nonsense of nit-picking, and raise him to the top!  We need a candidate that will stand up to our president and defeat him.  Romney will.

• On Raves.......

Last weekend my hubby and I dropped our oldest daughter off to college.  Okay, that was the HARDEST thing I have ever done.  BUT she is in the best hands ever!  She is studying at BYU-Idaho. The feeling there is purely celestial. While listening to the President of the University the spirit was penetrable.  The campus is smallish, but sits up on the hillside with an amazing view of the valley.  My favorite building is the Spori building! When I hugged my daughter goodbye, the lump in my throat got tighter and the tears wet my cheeks.  Bye bye my sweet girl until Spring.

• On Things of Import.....

Raves and things of import kind of flow into each other.  When I was a young woman a hundred years ago it seems, on the night before having my first baby, I sat on the bed and cried.  I was ending an era in my life.  My life with my husband all to myself.  It was super painful and selfish and I remember it feeling like standing behind a page in a chapter book not knowing what the rest of the story would look like. In some ways, it was the hardest thing I had ever done!  Fast forward 18 1/2 chapter years, and saying goodbye to the baby that became is now the hardest thing I've ever done.  I started thinking about difficult passages and realized that there will be a time that my baby girl that is all grown up will be a momma someday.  She will have the same semi-selfish thing happen to her, and I will tell her it's okay-- "Someday you will have to do something even harder, and that is to let your baby go."  Before my daughter left for school, I wrote her a letter.  In the letter I told her:   

No one ever told me when you were born how it would feel to say goodbye when it was time.  No one told me that no matter what, you have to hold your head up high with grace and let it happen, because it’s the right thing to do.  No one told me how it would feel like being socked in the stomach, that your heart would break in half and that your eyes would sting for hours from crying.  No one told me. I should’ve known it would feel this way.  I’ve been psyching myself out the past couple months thinking that I would be okay.  It would be okay.  And, really, it is- okay.  It’s what it’s supposed to be like.  If it didn’t feel painful and miserable and sad, there would be something wrong for sure.  But it’s the right thing, and it feels good, even though it feels awful. 

So for now, these are things of import:  Love your babies, because soon they will grow up and leave you, and it's okay.  That's the way it's suppose to be.

The end.

12 More Reasons to Love My Husband

Over the Christmas break I watched one of my all time favorite movies: You've Got Mail.  I love the scene when Kathleen Kelly (Shopgirl) and Joe Fox (NY152) are at the outdoor market shooting off  ideas for the meaning of the NY152 email handle...  

He comes up with, " ..He's a hundred and fifty-two years old. He's had one hundred and fifty-two moles removed, so now he's got one hundred fifty-two pock marks on his... on his face... Mr. 152 Felony indictments. "

Her thoughts are, " ...The number of people who think he looks like Clark Gable. Mr. 152 insights into my soul." 

I especially love the ending scene after the two have spent the afternoon together as Joe and Kathleen and she is preparing to meet NY152 for the 'first' time.  It is a struggle because Shopgirl can't imagine wanting to meet anyone other than Joe Fox, with whom she has spent the last week with as a result of NY152's 'Tweeking'. Anyway, there are at least 152 more reasons that I think it is a lovely story.

And thus it brings me to the Sweet ending to the 12-Days of Christmas treasure trove of 2011.  12 Drummers Drumming turned out to be a CD with 12 handpicked songs with the titles beginning with You're the Inspiration, Crazy, Best Was Yet to Come, Somewhere Down the Road, The Cello's song, Will You Still Love Me, Faithfully, Somewhere Somehow, Madrona, Who Needs to Dream, After All these Years, and One More Day.  All meaningful to my journey with my husband over the last 25 years. 

All in all, for me,  it was just 12 more reasons to love my husband.  What an amazing Christmas it has been!

Christmas Baking, Lords of Leaping and Piping Hot Tea....

Every year I set aside a whole day with my best college girlfriend, Deanna, and we bake our heads off.  We start at the crack of dawn and by the end of the day we manage to have pumped out about 10 different delectable naughties.  Most of the concoctions consist of  sinful ingredients such as:  chocolate chips, butter, brown sugar, coconut and peanut butter.  This year, I thought I would store my sealed containers on my back deck.  It's about 35 degrees outside and thankfully the raccoon family that used to live in our backyard has vacated for good, so I didn't see any harm.  Last night I slept restless wondering if any critters would bother the treats and woke to find all well on deck.  Just this afternoon however, I heard munching outside the window and sure enough, a mama squirrel had bitten a whole in the side of the Tupperware box!  Talk about invasion of privacy!  Shees!

That got me thinking about the 12 Days of Christmas Surprise that I have been the recipient of.  My husbands incredible goodwill. Some of these gifts are so tender, so personal.  I am humbled by his kindness and the detail and thought he has put to each days treasure.  Last nights treasure epitomized the whole essence of the activity for me.  His twist on the Lords of Leaping was certainly different than mine.  In fact, I hadn't the foggiest idea of what he would come up with.  So, as I opened up my computer last night, out came the index card and then a packet of papers stapled at the corner. For the next hour, I read through my watery eyes, my husband's thoughts on how his testimony of our Lord "Leaps" in his heart,  through 10 of his favorite scriptures. WOW.  Truly amazing.  I am blessed. 

Now I think I will steep me some Piping Hot Tea from my 11 Pipers Piping treasure of today..... (it was a stretch, but it works.) 
Cheers and Merry Christmas~!

With these Treats comes a Price....

It's the price everyone pays during the holidays...  a little more heft around the waistline.  So, needless to say I have gained 5 pounds this week!  Number eight just added to it.  Number 9- helped take it away.... 

Eight Maids a Milking:  I had to wait all day for this one, but it was worth it.  There is a milkshake that I love from Burgerville that comes around in January/February.  Chocolate Hazelnut.  It's the BEST!  Our family has come up with a close rendition of the milkshake using hazelnut syrup, Ferrero Rocher chocolates, chocolate sauce and ice cream.  (Think:... a billion calories).  So for this surprise, I was treated with a Wallis Hazelnut chocolate shake surrounded by 8 Ferrero Rocher chocolates with toothpicks sticking out the center with little princess head stickers.  They looked like little maids with big skirts!  So clever.  So fattening! So delicious!

Nine Ladies Dancing:  I have to say that this has been one of my favorites so far.  I have been so impressed with these surprises, that I am really speechless when they are presented.  Last night I received the traditional index card that states:  On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.... 9 ladies dancing.  There was a card underneath the index card and on the front of the card were miniature pictures of nine ladies dancing.  Above each picture there is a small hole punch circle with a number- so 9 numbers... right?  Inside the card it says:  This is no ordinary card; it is a special "Nine Ladies Dancing" card.  It is good for 9 special dances with your True Love.  Only one dance is redeemable each month, so you can enjoy the dancing throughout the coming months.  After each dance, I will hole punch your dance card until you my lovely lady, have had nine dances.  Awwwww. 

I redeemed the first one right then.  We danced to Michael Buble's- 'Everything'.  The End.

Seven Swans a Swimming in My Bathtub

You might think what I thought seeing 7 paper oragami swans  floating on cardboard pedestals in my bathtub. Ooooh, how absoluted beautiful and sweet. There are 7 Swans of Swimming in my Bathtub.  My husband leaned over my shoulder and asked me to pick one up.  As I reached down to grab the paper swan, I noticed that not just one swan, but all of the swans were made out of gift certificates!  There were 7 gift certificates for Lovely Nails nail salon floating on cardboard pedestals in my bathtub!  Now that takes thought. And Love.  Thank you honey for making my day! grin