Le-Vel's Thrive and an Announcement

So I was doing the Le-Vel 8 week Thrive challenge and I was loving every minute of it! 

 I had tons of energy.  

I woke up happy and ready to live my crazy life.

 I wanted to workout and continue to workout once I already was.  

I had lost 10 pounds in 14 days.  

I was making better eating choices.

I was in love with my Thrive.

Change of Subject.... to some girly stuff :)

I don't ever get my period.  I have PCOS.  So since I had my last daughter 20 months ago, I had one period that I induced with an essential oil called Sclaressence.  I used it just like you would use birth control to regulate your period.  That was in November.  I was pretty sure that month I ovulated.  I also gained 7 pounds in the 8 days I used it so I didn't do it again until February, which according to my first ultrasound was when I conceived! 

So, because I don't get my period, I randomly take pregnancy tests because I feel like it's the responsible thing to do.  I need to know so I can put better, more, less, etc of certain things in my body.  

The Wednesday before last I took a test.  You know when you take tests every month or so and you think there might be a little chance you get so crushed when it's negative.  Devastated.  This time, I really, truly thought there was no way, but I was ok with that.  I knew I was getting in better shape and I knew that our time would come again in a couple months.  

Wellll.... I'm sure you can guess.... POSITIVE!!  

And I always think I'm going to hold it in and announce things so wonderfully creative and fun to my family, but I can rarely keep it in.  The closest I got was with Paisley where I made Kassidy a shirt that said Big Sister and showed it to her and Mike. 

Back to Thrive....

I need to check with my dr about taking it.  There's not really anything in it that worries me so I'm pretty sure I'll be cleared just like I've heard other women are.  

My biggest pregnancy symptom is complete exhaustion.... like the world could be on fire and all I want is to take a nap!!  But, guess what?!  I didn't have any of that exhaustion until I stopped taking my Thrive.  So I am really, really, really hoping that I can start to take the pills again.... after all it is just a vitamin and probiotic.  (all natural, non-gmo in case you were wondering :)

Book Review: Halo Found Hope

Halo Found Hope (December 2014)

Machines beeping, the blur of medical staff running, a crash cart whizzing into an ICU room—was there any hope?

A young woman lay, packed in ice, as doctors attempted to somehow stop the swelling in her brain that threatened to take her life… and her family waited.

Six days turned into eight weeks. She awoke to discover that she was not the same. She saw two of everything, couldn’t feel half of her face, couldn’t hear from one ear, and could not speak. She couldn’t even tell anyone that she felt hopeless… or could she?

Halo Found Hope is the story of a beautiful, busy wife, and mother of three whose life changes instantly with the diagnosis of a rare brain tumor. An exceptional ENT, a brilliant neurosurgeon and a dedicated medical team tackle the tumor, setting off a series of unbelievable miracles. Helo’s story is not one of survival, or of salvaging a life through a broken body. It is not about endurance through pain, but victory because of it. While the family heard her silence, God heard her prayer. Helo’s story is simply this: Wherever you are and whatever you are going through, God is right there. He doesn’t need to be re cognized by you, to be there for you. He can replace fear with courage and discouragement with determination, if you let Him. Helo did, and that is how she found hope.

My Review:

I can often be paranoid about certain things, one of which is having a crazy tumor somewhere and dying while my kids still "need me".  Of course, God knows what they need infinitely more than what I can even imagine.  He has a plan.  So I try to talk myself down from my paranoia.  Helo's story hit me quite hard.  She is a mother.  She is a wife.  Her kids "needed" her.  Helo's story is amazing.  It is the first dramatic book I've read in a long time and I really enjoyed it.  It was so hard to put down as you feel like you are living through her and that her fragile life is yours.  The hope and encouragement gained throughout this book is wonderful.  I recommend this book very much as long as you can have some tissue nearby.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.