24 Day Challenge

I am SO pumped about this! I haven't been this excited and motivated in a long, long time!

On Friday, February 24, 2012, Brandon and I began our Advocare 24 Day Challenge. This challenge consists of a 10 day herbal cleanse, followed by 14 days of nutritional supplements that will help us to reset our bodies and jump start our weight loss. We all know that I have struggled with weight for a lifetime, and that I have tried everything out there. However, I truly believe in the power of these products. It is now day 4, and we both have significantly more energy than we have had in a long, long time. We feel better overall. Brandon was down 3 pounds after the first 2 days! I can't wait until day 25 to see how much better I feel then! We are also looking forward to an amazing business opportunity with this company. You're probably skeptical, which is ok. I was too!

We first learned about Advocare from our friend, Alison. Alison began her journey over a year ago. To date, she has lost over 110 pounds! She is also making a significant income. Alison has tried to get me on board since she started, but I was so very skeptical. Then, we found out that some dear folks from our church were also using these products. For us, that added a LOT of credibility. Our friend Kara is down 19 pounds since January and is just radiant! We are completely convinced that these products are wonderful, and want to share it with everyone. If we already feel so amazing after only 4 days, I can't imagine how we will feel in a few months, or a year from now! This is by far the best decision we have ever made for ourselves and our future.

Whether you are interested in losing weight, having more energy, looking more toned and lean, just overall wellness, or making some income, feel free to ask me about it! I can't wait to have an "Alison" type story to share, but we have seen the success first hand in so many people that we know personally, that I completely believe in these products! :-)

If you want to know more, you can email me at swindellk@hotmail.com, or message me on Facebook. I would be happy to share with you what we are so excited about!

Round and Round

Sometimes I feel like I'm on a Merry-Go-Round, doing nothing but going in circles, always seeing the same places over and over again, but never really making any progress. I REALLY feel that way when it comes to my weight. I've struggled with weight since I was a kid, and at some point I just kind of gave up. Ok, not kind of. I did. I lost all hope that I COULD lose weight, and absolutely lost every shred of confidence that I could keep it off even if I did lose it.

I started counting calories again last week. It's ok to roll your eyes at me. I do the same thing. I did really, really well last week and was very proud of myself. I messed up a couple of times when we went out. Thursday we went to Logan's and I got a grilled chicken salad (which has more calories than a steak, baked potato, and side salad combined), and I admit, I may have eaten too many rolls. Friday night I went out with a girlfriend to Cheddar's. Not pretty. And last night...well, let's not talk about last night. However, in the big scheme of things 3 meals out of an entire week is a LOT better than the weeks before that. I had maybe 2 diet cokes and 1 glass of sweet tea ALL WEEK. So instead of beating myself up for the boo-boo's, I'll just smile at the wins :)

There are 2 people who have really inspired me lately to lose weight. One of them is this guy:

If you don't know him, that's Shaycarl, and his family. On Youtube they are the Shaytards and I LOVE them! I can't even tell you how much I love them! Anyway, Shay recently lost over 100 pounds and he has documented it all on their family's daily vlogs, and it has been so neat to watch! He is proof that even if you mess up, if you pick it back up and keep going, you will get there. If you haven't seen them, check out their videos. Again I say, I LOVE them!

The other is a dear, precious friend of mine who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. This woman took very good care of herself, yet she couldn't escape it. And now she is fighting to survive this awful disease. So, this Fall I want to start a team to walk in the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in her honor. I would love to be able to run it, even though that's not really my focus. I've just simply realized that she is fighting for her health and would give ANYTHING to have it, but I am being irresponsible by taking for granted the body that I have. So, it's time to change that! When I do that 5K this fall, I want to be a different person!

Holiday Weekends

I love holiday weekends. That one extra day makes such an enormous difference. I'm able to get so much more done and still feel somewhat human when I return to work (even though I'd rather not have to return to work...we can always use "one more day"). This weekend was...somewhat productive. I didn't finish all I wanted to, but I did get some cleaning done, cooked a lot, completed an awesome pinterest project, reorganized our bedroom closet (well, cleaned it up), and worked on a special project. That one's a secret though ;)

Here's the Pinterest project I made:

It's 2 16x20 canvases (on sale at Hobby Lobby for $7.99 for the 2 pack), photos that I had printed in black and white, cut down to 4x4's, and mod podge. I swear mod podge is the best invention. Ever. I just might be making some of these for Christmas gifts this year. I think my goal for this Christmas is to make most of the Christmas gifts. Frugal Christmas! I know, it's early...but that's a lot of gifts to make!

One of my goals this year is for spiritual growth. I admit, I have never been good at reading the Bible every day....I'm not even good at praying regularly. I know, that is terrible. But, I want to work on that. I bought a women's devotional this weekend, and I already love it. It only takes about 5 minutes, so I don't feel overwhelmed trying to find an hour a day for it. But it gives me a little boost. I'm also keeping a journal about my spiritual journey.

Have a Happy Tuesday!

The Self Pity Monster

So, here's the truth about adoption. It isn't always pretty. Sometimes it downright sucks. I know that the entire picture of adoption is a beautiful one...one full of grace, love, and mercy. But along the road, there are bumps and potholes, and sometimes you just want to put it in park and break down. This is one of those times.

The longer we wait, the harder the waiting gets. And most of the time, I feel completely and utterly alone. In my mind, not one soul on the face of the earth understands how I feel. I know, that's stretching it...there are plenty of people who have gone down this road before me, and they DO know. But at the same time, those people are no longer waiting...they are at home with their beautiful babies, and they now know the feeling that I want to know so badly; the feeling of completion, of seeing this journey come full circle. Most of the time I feel like I have been left behind, as if we are the only ones left waiting. And then I start questioning myself. I find myself looking through our profile and asking myself "if I were a bmom, what would I think? What is it about us that's wrong? Have I given off a poor image or said something that comes across incorrectly that is making these mothers push us aside?"

Then I remember that the agency warned us of this, and that it's completely normal to wonder those things, but that we must remember that when the right mom sees our profile, God will draw her to us. It still doesn't make me feel any better, but I keep reminding myself anway.

There are days, such as today, when I just want to crawl back into my bed and pull the covers over my head and drift between sleeping and crying. Wow. That really sounds pathetic reading that backwards. But, I believe it's important for me to be completely honest, so that anyone reading this who is going through it will know they aren't alone.

Truth is, there are days when I get really angry with God (and I'm thankful that he forgives me for that). Sometimes I feel like he's just withholding it from me for kicks. Again, I know this isn't the truth, but in my moment of sadness and frustration, the thought comes across.

I think the worst part about this is, if you know me at all, you know I am 100% a type A personality. Waiting is NOT one of my strengths, and this situation is completely out of my control. I have no influence whatsoever over when or how this happens, or how it will play out. We are at the mercy of some poor woman who is faced with the hardest decision of her life. Which brings me to another sad subject: guilt. When I start feeling so sad and just want so badly to be chosen, I feel guilty because we are, in a way, hoping that a woman will be put in such a dire, sad circumstance, and that she will sacrifice everything and hand her baby to us. What kind of person am I for wanting anyone to go through that?

Well, how's that for a pick-me-up?

Goals for 2012

And because I am a Type A Personality, I'm going to do this in list format (in no particular order):

1. Lose 50 lbs. Slow and steady, with small changes. Not focusing on the number, but simply making changes that make me feel good about me.

2. Organize my house! I want to take one area at a time...whether it be a closet, drawer, or space, and re-organize it, ending the year with an organized home!

3. Complete the baby's room.

4. Dig into my Bible more. I desperately need growth in that area.

5. Keep up with my personal journal.

Worst Blogger Award!

I think I deserve the Worst Blogger Award! :(

Maybe that should be one of my goals for this year- to get back into the blogging world. Anywho, here's what's been going on recently.

Christmas was alright. "Santa" was very good to us this year, and we are appreciative. I feel like a grinch for saying it, but I was glad to see it go. Christmas just isn't as fun as it used to be. I'm hoping that fun will return when we have little ones to live vicariously through.

Brandon and I had a week off of work (well, I had 11 days) together, and it was fabulous. We ripped all of the carpet out of our livingroom/entryway/hallway. We had the intention of laying laminate flooring- ourselves. We very QUICKLY learned that laying laminate is nowhere near as easy as everyone makes it sound! Long story short, we ended up having to call a contractor to install them. But, in the end, I am glad we did. He did a beautiful job! We are hoping and praying this will end Katy's little peeing problem.

Yes, I realize the cat likes to sit on the coffee table. Sheesh.

Let's see....OH! My mom finally decided to get a dog! We've been after her for a couple of years to get a pet. They haven't had any pets since our 16-year-old dog, Brandy, had to be put down 7 years ago. Since mom and Dad are both retired now, they needed a companion. So while on Christmas vacation, my sis and I went with mom to the humane society to adopt a dog. Meet Maggie! She is a 3 year old Beagle mix who was found pregnant on the side of the road. Someone had apparently found out she was pregnant and just dumped her. She is an extremely loving dog and LOVES to play. She gets really excited, but she is so sweet! We adore her :-)

On a sad note, my Aunt Jeannie lost her battle with colon cancer just before Christmas. It was such a difficult time, and surely didn't help with my holiday sadness, but I know she is much happier and healthier now. We sure miss her though.

Adoption wise, no news to share. Still no word whatsoever from the agency, and I get really frustrated about it sometimes. It seems as though they could care less about us, only about our money. I hope that isn't the case, but it definitely doesn't make me want to consider this agency for future adoptions. We are praying diligently that 2012 is our year!

A Quick Update

Life has been pretty fast paced lately, but I'll take it! I have been staying super busy between work and my church duties. I'm teaching 2-year-olds on both Wednesday nights as well as Sunday mornings now. I love it, but boy is it keeping me busy! I put in several hours a week preparing crafts and activities. But I love every bit of it! I'm so glad God is using me to teach tiny minds about His love for them. My kids are able to tell their parents what they are learning, which makes my heart smile! :)

Brandon and I have been getting over the Fall crud. We caught it in Gatlinburg, and everyone I know has had it I think. Yuck! Luckily I think we are on the mend!

We've been so blessed lately in so many aspects. We've had the priveledge of getting to know some new friends, who we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with. It is so wonderful to have friends that we can just hang out and watch a movie or play a game with. They have been true blessings to us! I think God knew how badly I needed that.

We are really looking forward to the next couple of weeks. This weekend, we are heading to the Haunted Woods in Hendersonville with the aforementioned friends. I can't tell you how excited I am! We haven't been to a haunted house in a couple of years, but we love them! Halloween is one of our favorite holidays! Our friends were also able to get us all a really great deal on Predators tickets for next week's game! Brandon and I have never been to a Predators game, so we are super excited about that!

I am loving every moment of Fall this year, but I am already dreading the holidays. I can't believe the "Holidays" will start in just over a month :( I am NOT ready for it! I am dreading the stress of trying to fit everyone in around our schedules, and I'm dreading Christmas, as usual. I try to keep focused on the true meaning of Christmas, but it's just plain depressing. Yet another Christmas with no little ones to shop for. It is incredibly difficult to just have to walk right past the toy section, something most parents take for granted.

I've also been busy on some crafts. I've started making my Christmas cards and some other crafts. I'll make a post about them later.