Rheumatoid Update

I got so many positive comments after I posted about my RA a few months ago. And so many people have asked me about it since, so I know this update is long overdue.
After I posted about the RA a few months ago, it just kept getting worse. I went to see my rheumatologist but just did not have peace about getting on the meds yet. I wanted to try something else first, but I just didn't know what. One day Marc was at the seminary and ran into an old friend. He was updating him on our lives, including my RA. A girl sitting nearby starting telling him that her mother has RA and she has lots of stomach issues, and that they both did a diet and had tremendous results. The diet is called The Maker's Diet. Funny, several years ago I had purchased the book for $3 at Half Price Books just out of curiosity, but had never even opened it.

So I began to read the book and really just pray about whether or not this was what the Lord wanted me to do. And I absolutely had peace that it was. So I have been on this "diet" - really just an incredibly healthy lifestyle - for about 6 weeks and have had some really amazing relief from the rheumatoid. It has been just absolutely amazing to me to see how the Lord is using it to heal me. I am so incredibly thankful for all that He is doing through this new way of eating. He is using it to bring out a lot of things in my heart that need to be dealt with as well.

Lots of people ask what the diet is all about. Basically, I eat nothing processed, organic fruits and vegetables, grass fed beef with no hormones or antibiotics, free-range chicken/eggs, sprouted grains (Ezekiel bread), nuts, raw honey etc. The author's theory is that all of the pesticides, hormones, antibiotics etc that we put into our bodies is one of the main reasons we have so many diseases now compared to 100 yrs ago. And after seeing how much it has affected my health, I am a believer. It has opened up a completely new way of life for me, and it's so exciting. Some days I feel like I would kill for a Dr. Pepper or Chick fil A, but then I remember how much better I am starting to feel and that I don't need RA meds at this point, and it keeps me going. Besides, most of the food tastes so much better than what I was eating before. And as an extra bonus, I have lost 13 lbs so far!

The Lord is so faithful. I don't know if I will ever be completely free of RA, but I am continuing to feel better as I follow this diet. It is an amazing thing to see that He is my healer.

Karis Update

I love this picture of Karis! She's such a happy girl, and one of the best things about these few pics is that she's wearing an outfit my sister, Emily, wore as a baby. I just think that's really special. Karis looks so comfy in her Mimi's arms - completely stretched out - sound asleep.
She's 4 1/2 months old now, but just had her 4 month Dr. visit. Karis weighs in at 13lbs 9 oz, which is the 50th percentile for baby girls her age. It's funny b/c strangers stop me and talk about how they "just love those fat babies", but Caleb definitely had at least 2 lbs on her at this age. Anyway, she's doing great, sleeping pretty well and still fairly laid back. She's just such a smiley girl, which always makes my day when she looks at me and gives me that big, cute grin. The only quirk we're dealing with is that she won't take a bottle lately. Usually Marc could get her to take it, but last night she wouldn't even take it from him. It just makes it hard for me to get away for more than 2-3 hrs, but if that's all we have to deal with, then I'll take it. We are so thankful for this sweet girl. She is such a blessing and adds so much joy to our lives.

I think this is such a sweet picture of Karis and her Grammy.

She sucks her thumb sometimes - I think it's really cute.
Karis is trying to roll over from her back to her tummy, but she's not quite there yet. She's funny - definitely laid back. She tries a few times, and then decides to play with something instead.


I'll work on posting pictures more often. I know Karis' aunts would especially appreciate it! But I can't make any promises :)

Where to begin?! This kid just cracks us up constantly. The pictures are better than words. But here are some of the funny things he says/does lately:
- Caleb has only had about 4 spankings total in his short little life, and it's always something major that merits a spanking. Well, a few weeks ago he got mad at me for telling him to go to time out. In his anger he turned around and kicked Karis in the head (she was playing on the floor). She, of course, was screaming, and he, of course, had a spanking coming his way. So anyhow I took Karis to her bed to lay her down and told Caleb to wait in his room for me. As I walked into his room I saw him laying over his chair swatting his bottom saying "Caleb spank myself". I had to turn and walk back out of the room so he didn't see me laughing.

- When Karis is crying in the car (which thankfully is becoming much less often!) Caleb starts telling her "almost home baby girl, almost home baby girl". It's so sweet.
The other day I set Karis on the couch to run and do something in the kitchen. She started crying and Caleb came over to her and started patting her leg and saying "It's ok. Mommy be right back baby girl." He's such a good big brother!

- Caleb is really into baseball right now, and he can hit and throw really well. The funny part is that he always wants to wear his baseball cap AND his helmet, so this is what we get :)


Is this not the epitomy of summertime?!
We went to visit Marc and his students at the end of the school year. Caleb was such a ham and had lots of fun playing baseball w/the students.