Road to Fitness- Checking In!

When my doctor gave me the go ahead to start exercising after my 6 week check up, I didn't hesitate to get started. I was anxious to get MOVING again! This was my sixth pregancy though! I didn't even know where to BEGIN! I cried out to God asking Him to help me get motivated to get moving again. His answer came in the most unexpected ways!
I was sitting at my lovely Moms group when this mom I didn't know really well boldy stood up and shared her testimony of this dvd exercise program she had started. It was called Prayfit. I decided to order it at Amazon.

It arrived in about four days and I began the video with my kids!


Here I am before starting the video:

And here is my progress so far:

January 5, 2012 Delivery Day! 196 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh! The biggest I've ever been in my life!!!!!


February 15, 2012 6 week post-partum check-up  174 lbs!!!! Down 22 lbs!!! Just dropping the baby's weight, fluids, and breastfeeding

March 6th, 2012 Started Prayfit

After 3 weeks (around day 21) I began to feel stronger and was getting a little bored with the video, quite honestly. So when my husband invited my son to go along with him running and he refused, I said, "yes". So I began running. You can read my journey here.

I began adding running a mile and a half in between using my ellipitical in addition to keeping up with the Pray fit dvd.

After only 3 weeks I had dropped 6 lbs and was gaining so much energy!

On April 1, 2012 I weighed in at 168.

By the end of April, on April 28th, 2012 I checked in at 163.

At the end of May, on May 27, 2012 I checked in at my lowest weight so far, 158!!! ****

I am pretty well near where I started when I got pregnant with little Super Wy. You can read about his story here

And here I am now! Down 38 lbs!!!!!


My husband and I are working toward doing some sort of physical activity each day, whether it is the PrayFit dvd or going for a run. It is a lot of fun to do this together! By the way, he has also lost about 13 pounds himself!
We give all the praise and glory to God for our health, and our fitness, for the very breath in our lungs!

As Jimmy Pena says, "In Jesus' name, we train!"

Thoughts on Memorial Day

War is real. Today we set aside this day called, "Memorial Day" to pause and remember and HONOR all those who have gone before us, who proudly served our country and paid the highest price.

It was originally called, "Decoration Day", as a way of honoring those brave souls who laid down their lives in service for our country. In 1873, New York became the first state to recognize this as a National holiday. Soon other states followed. Eventually Congress enacted a law, The National Holiday Act of 1971, which placed this holiday on the last Monday in May.

Here is my own hero. I got to pin his new badge on his uniform. We were so young. This was taken in 1995 I believe. I'm so proud of my Marine. God has truly blessed me with a great man to walk out this life with.

(We have six kids now,--giggle and giddy smile here--I can hardly believe it!)

So many of the fallen heroes we honor today were so young. Many left behind wives and small children while still many others never got a chance to get married and have children. Their lives were cut short. So young. What a great sacrifice! Freedom for our country! 

But Freedom isn't FREE.

It comes at a price.

It takes hard work and dedication and sacrifice.

Here are my guys at Parris Island watching recruits learn how to march.

As we raise these sons, who are we putting before them to look to? As mothers of sons, we need to do the hard things, stay dedicated to our families, and sacrifice our time and lives for our families.

Let's not live lives defeated. Let's live in Victory Lane!

There is a man who went before us, a God man. He came to not only show us how to live in relationship with others, he came to set us FREE.

Freedom from all that drags us down, torments our souls, and wages war in our hearts! Freedom from depression, anxiety, wrong teachings, addictions, powerlessness, shame, hurt, FEAR, rejection, sickness, unforgiveness, torment...

You name it, Jesus came to claim it...

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and set our hearts and souls free!

For there is a war raging in every one of us. A war for our hearts and souls. 

War is real.

 The enemy doesn't create, he plagiarizes. He uses all the fancy stuff, maybe some grand, flashing lights. I know you've seen him. He is never far away. Pleasure Island is always ready to entice us to a life of fun, fancy, and fullfillment. Acts so seemingly innocent at first but enticing us away to commit larger offences, all in the face of no recrimination. Pinocchio knew this place. 

Where are we allowing our boys to wander today?

Russell Moore wrote a great article on this very topic. Titled, "Fake Love, Fake War" he gives his thoughts on the book, The Demise of Guys and lays hold of the truths of the war that our enemy is really waging. 

God calls us to do His will. What is His will concerning our sanctification?

 Paul writes to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, "It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b] The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit."

I urge all you mothers of sons to learn more about these areas that are being put before our sons. Be watchful, be ever on guard. Remember that the enemy is out to destroy all of us. He is not your friend.

Freedom is at hand. We know who wins the battle. Go and live today and remember all those who sacrificed their lives for our country. Remember too HE who sacrificed his own Life and Blood for our souls.

Grab your kids, find a parade. Clap and be thankful for those who march today in memory of the fallen. My son will be among the marching feet. He is a good boy. 

with a long history of family who served our country before him.

Here is his great-grandfather on my husband's side.

Here is his great-grandfather on my father's side.

Here is his great-grandfather on my mother's side.

Here is his grandfather on my husband's side

Here is his grandfather on my side

Here is his father-my husband

We thank them all for their service!

But even he, my son, is at war. I pray a mother's prayer that my son would never have to fight in battle for our country, even knowing he was born into a war that was started in a beautiful Garden. We will be victorious!

Happy Memorial Day! Thank a Veteran today!

Baby Boy is Here! The Birth of Little Warrior, Our 6th Baby

Here we are on delivery day, January 5th, 2012!
Our 6th baby (3rd tubal reversal baby) was born by my 6th c-section weighing in at 5 lbs. 10 oz., 19 inches long. Just a little peanut! Welcome Wyatt James!

I had been having a lot of contractions this pregnancy. My doctor suggested some medication to control the contractions and help my uterus relax a little. She said my uterus was probably "irritated" from having carried so many babies. The medicine definitely slowed the contractions and I tried to stay off my feet. Easier said than done when you're homeschooling three children while chasing a toddler and preschooler!
The last two months of my pregnancy my doctor monitored my uterus closely around my prior incision sites. The uterus appeared to be very thin in places and since I was carrying this baby so LOW it put extra pressure on my scar tissues. There were very real concerns for a uterine rupture. Through lots of prayer and rest along with a medication to slow contractions, I was able to deliver a healthy baby boy on my scheduled c-section date, just 11 days after Christmas!

My birth story wouldn't be complete without mentioning that my doctor was trying to convince me to have yet ANOTHER tubal ligation before delivering! She feared for this baby and for future pregnancies. I verbally consented that after my doctor opened me up and saw a very thin uterus I would consent to the tubal ligation and not have to worry about risking my own health for a future pregnancy. My nurse whom we had gotten to know quite well while we were waiting for my surgery stepped in at the last second and cautioned me to NOT sign anything until my doctor put it into WRITING what we had verbally consented to. My nurse could sense I was unsure about the tubal ligation option and she wanted it in writing. As my doctor came in we discussed the written instructions and I did consent to a tubal ligation if and ONLY IF there appeared to be minimal amount of uterus lining and putting my health and a future pregnancy at risk.
As my doctor began opening me up and before she had even delivered little Wyatt into my arms, she stopped, looked over the curtain, and told me that my insides were beautiful (again, she told me this last time too). She said there appeared to be plenty of uterus with only minimal scarring and whatever was seen on ultrasound was not evident at delivery! (Miracle?) I lay there and settled back into my "happy place" (where I let my mind wander over to the things of God and Heaven and Jesus dying on the cross for my own life as I lay there arms out stretched offering my life for the life of my infant son.) My door of fertility remains open, to whatever God has planned for our family!
"He blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and increased their families like flocks." Psalm 107: 38,41

Here he is getting his first finger prints by his Daddy. My husband finger prints people as part of his job as a police officer and he said that this was his smallest finger print detail yet!

Here are a few of his biggest fans!

Our oldest son holding our youngest son! (He was born breech and started this whole process of being born by c-section!)

Our second oldest son (He was born by emergency c-section after going into distress from a failed version-he was breech too!)

Our third son. (He was born head down, but we opted for a c-section with tubal ligation with his birth).

Our first daughter AFTER our tubal reversal! She is in awe of her new baby brother! (I went to a high risk doctor but noone was willing to let me risk a v-back delivery, so I had c-section number 4!)

Our youngest daughter, second tubal reversal baby, holding Wyatt. She loves him "sooo much"! (also born by c-section)

Here is little Wyatt so happy to be home! He clasped his fingers together and thanked the Lord he could be home with his family! But that was short lived...his bilirubin levels skyrocketed...

And back to the hospital we went! It was very emotional for me after working so hard to come home from the hospital to have to go back in. This time we went to a smaller hospital and one of my friends was working on shift that day. She stayed late to get our room set up and settle us in for the evening. She really put me at ease and took such great care of Wyatt and me!

We are so in love with this new little life!

We all couldn't be happier that Wyatt is finally  here!

Love Lives Here

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        It's Tuesday, and that means "trash day". As I hear the rumblings of the "Trash Man" making his way down our dirt road it reminds me of how Jesus came to take away our trash.

                "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you",
                                              1 Peter 5:7

                  So I throw open the front door and sweep the dirt from my home,

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                        I cast my cares on Jesus. He really does care for me.
              The door wide open, sunshine on my face, this is the day
              that the Lord has made! Let's rejoice!

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                  As I sweep away the dirt, I smell something NASTY!

                  It is my older sons' shoes! Outside they go! Phew!

                   I turn to go back inside now that I have outed the culprit of the nasty stench,
                                  and I notice the smudge marks.

       These are leftover from a day of painting on the front porch with my girls.

                 My daughter's beautiful impromptu art class.

                           This is my world, Welcome!

                                 Enter at your own risk!

             Our floors are a reflection of our lives, marked and scarred...

                Our ceilings are covered in smudges left from boys growing too tall too fast...

                            There is hidden talent everywhere...

                           And marks that never seem to end...

                          But LOVE lives here.

             "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
           that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
                                          John 3:16

                      Be nearer to us this day Jesus, and He said, I AM :)

The Wind Beneath My Wings

I used to run in track in high school.



Jumping hurdles was one of my favorite events.

I also used to be a cheerleader. Both of those activities came to a halt when I was 15. I finally went in to see the doctor for my knee. My left knee was swollen and "locking" on me. It was difficult to walk . Fuzzy x-rays lead my doctor to believe I may have a tumor, but he couldn't say for sure it wasn't cancerous.

Off I went to Mass General for a biopsy. It turned out I did NOT have a tumor PTL, but was diagnosed with Osteo Chondritis Dissecans. Part of my left upper leg bone had been injured some time during my childhood and had lost its blood supply at the knee. A piece of bone was floating around and caused those fuzzy x-rays. The doctors drilled the bone and had me on crutches, non-weight-bearing, for four months. I also had to wear a full-leg, plastic, bendable leg brace for the duration. It fit over a thin pair of pants and slipped into my shoe to stabilize my knee, hoping new bone would regrow.
It didn't really work. After four months of not seeing much regrowth the doctor let me walk on  the leg. Just two years later I was still having knee trouble so I went back in for more surgery. I was 17 and a senior in high school. I ended up spending 6 months of my senior year on crutches. People were probably pretty tired of seeing me on crutches. I never seemed to get off them! I finally did as my doctor wasn't seeing anymore healing and I had already been kind of walking on the leg anyway, trying it out. I wanted to run, I wanted to live!

Six years later, I went in for more knee surgery since the knee was still bothering me. By this time I had gotten married and had two little boys. The youngest was just 5 months old. My sister's wedding was just a week away. My doctor let me use crutches for a week and then gave the go ahead to walk down the aisle for my sister's wedding. The knee was still swollen but I made it down the aisle!




That was 14 years ago. I've never been a runner because of this knee. It probably kept me out of trouble I suppose too. I was interested in joining the military in high school for its GI bill, but my knee held me back. But I still find ways to be active. I love to ride bikes, go hiking, swimming, take walks. I used to take a step class and Pilates class too. My knee is usally there to tell me to slow down.

We have been working out every day for the last month using a DVD called PrayFit. I wanted to add more cardio. Last week I decided to run again. My husband often runs a mile and a half to stay fit for his job as a police officer. He asked our oldest son if he wanted to go running with him. He said, "no". I turned to my husband and said, "I'll go with you!" So began my journey of learning to run!
The first mile and a half was painful and pretty much "sucked". It felt like I was going to die in about three different places along the route! A sharp cramp in my side didn't help much either. But after a day of rest, I actually WANTED to run again!
The first week I ran three times, each 1 1/2 miles. That makes for a total of 4 1/2 miles for Week 1.

Week two of learning to run I found two new running partners since my husband has been sick most of the week. My dog and my nine year-old son like to run with me. Two days at 1 1/2 miles makes 3 miles plus TODAY I decided to extend my run and ummm DOUBLE it and run 3 miles! Yep, I ran 3 miles today! So I still have to stop and walk in a couple of places but I almost entirely ran the 3 miles. So that makes 6 miles run this week, Week 2!
Did I mention that I broke my toe yesterday? Yeah, I stubbed it on one of the baby's infant seats and it hurts like heck! It turned purple and probably is broken. But I can still fit it into my shoe and it stops hurting after the first half mile of the run. No kidding!

So as I pushed through the running this morning, my knee didn't bother me at all, nor the toe. I looked up to the heavens and saw a beautiful blue sky and thought of my dear Grammie who went to be with Jesus just two days ago. She used to walk these same roads. Today I run for her.
Love you Grammie. You are the wind beneath my wings.