Fitness Update

I know this isn't a fitness blog, but I've really been trying hard to stay on track this week and I've been pretty successful! And since I started a fitness Instagram account (follow me @katinas.fitness.journey) I decided it might be fun to incorporate my journey into the blog a little bit more. Plus there are no rules saying that I can't blog about fitness! I have had success a few times with losing substantial amounts of weight and staying fit for a good period of time afterwards, so I thought I would share some of my ideas. Maybe I'll share more about those experiences later. One of them I blogged about here.

So this week I've counted calories every day and at least gone on a short walk every day and some days did a lot of walking. I have not been successful with fitting Sean T in every day, however I am not giving up. I will figure out a way to fit it in or find another way of doing strength training. 

I feel like I could have made better food choices, but as I said before, counting calories is a science and it usually works for me. This week I lost three pounds despite the fact that I ate quite a few fattening foods. I was focused on making sure to just limit the amount of food that I ate and that partnered with light exercise already seems to be working! That doesn't mean I'll continue to make bad choices, I'm just getting started, and often as I start to see results I become motivated to do better. 

Maybe some of it was water weight, but hopefully at least one pound of it was fat that I needed to lose and that is what one pound looks like. Yuck! I need to lose more of those! 

So here I go into another week! Wish me luck over the weekend! I'll leave you with this thought.

Embracing Minimalism

I wrote a few months back about aspiring to be a minimalist and I finally got my chance at applying it to my living space since we returned back to our apartment in Central Asia about a month ago. It's been a process since we got home to everything in boxes. Not to mention the suitcases we brought with us and then with decorating for Christmas.

We started the process naturally as we took our things out of boxes. I probably got rid of more than half of my clothes and shoes. One of the rules of minimalism (according to Joshua Becker) is to just keep what you LOVE and what you use a lot. The first purge is the easiest, but after that if you still have too much stuff in your drawers, you know you need to go a step further and really identify the things that you use the most.

So far I have done this in two steps. I went through my clothes and everything else once when we arrived here and removed things from boxes, but as we started to use things we were able to identify the things that we used the most and the things that we didn't use at all and that helped us get rid of a second round of things.

One of the main differences in our home now is in our living space. We decided to remove the television, which was on a table in the corner, to make room for Ruthie's toys, but also just to de-clutter things. We decided that the majority of our movie watching happens on our computers anyhow and this has proved to be a good decision, especially since I am home all day so many days during the winter months.

The other place that I have been really working to narrow things down in is cupboards and drawers. My clothes are something that I always struggle parting with. But the concept of keeping only the things that I love has really helped me to narrow it down. I've also just adopted the mindset that I can always buy another pair of jeans if I feel like I don't have enough, but in reality, I know that two to three pairs is enough. It has felt so freeing to open my drawers and only see a few shirts and pairs of yoga pants to choose from. It can be cause for more frequent loads of laundry, but it's so nice to be able to fit everything in so easily when the laundry is clean :)

The kitchen cupboards also needed help. I was tired of having mugs stacked on each other. How often do we even use these mugs? Some of them, never! Some of them were left by the people who used to own our apartment, but I kept them because they looked nice and I thought maybe we would have parties sometimes where we would need extras. That didn't really happen, we rarely have more than 8 guests in our home at once, so I decided only to keep the mugs that I really liked and ended up with a lot less clutter in my cupboards!

I feel like we are just starting to scratch the surface of having a minimalist home. We are definitely trying. With an apartment this small it can be difficult, but it's even more necessary in some ways. If you are interested in the minimalist lifestyle, check out Joshua Becker's blog "becoming minimalist." I follow him on Facebook and get inspiration for this lifestyle every day from his posts.

It's more than just having less in our homes, but I feel like this is where it starts for most people. Parting with possessions can be hard, especially as we begin to narrow it down to only what we really use and love in our homes. We often believe the lie that maybe we'll use it or need it someday, but lately I have been reminding myself that if it can bring someone else joy or provide them with something that they need, then it's not worth keeping it in my home "just in case." So if you're inspired, find a worthy cause and begin your journey to minimalism today!

A year ago today

I started writing this post yesterday, but was not able to finish it. So I'm finishing it today and still looking back with just as much sentiment on the day that this happened...

January 13th, 2014

One year ago today I stared down in awe at two little red lines. Was it really finally happening to me?! Was I going to have a baby for real?! I had never seen those lines before. Three years of one red line. I didn't even want to take the test even though I was two weeks late. The thought of another disappointment killed me. So I just convinced myself that it would be negative. I did a good job convincing Curtis too because for the first time he didn't wake up and wonder what the result would be while I took the test.

That was the day that I started this amazing journey. Of course it was different once she was actually born, but the worrying started right away. I wondered if my body would actually accept a pregnancy or if this would just be the beginning of more disappointment. 

Looking back, I really wish I wouldn't have worried so much. To think that God would take this precious gift away from me. He kept reminding me of a scripture that a friend shared with me at the very beginning of my journey with infertility.

"The LORD of hosts has sworn: 

“As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand."

Isaiah 14:24

The disappointment that I encountered before getting pregnant and seeing others around me lose what was theirs kept me from trusting Him. Sometimes I just look around at all the hurt in the world and wonder "how could I not worry?" And clearly, there are disappointments and there are times when He allows things to happen. But the fa!thfulness that he has shown in my life lately, leads me to believe that the wisest thing to do is just trust him no matter what. 

There will be hurt and loss and difficulty. Every day there is a letting go of some sort with babies. They change so much and are always challenging us to be less self absorbed. This of course is a beautiful part of life and can't be compared with other losses that we face. Everything in life can be a teacher if we let it. 

I guess if I came away with one thing this past year, it would be to Trust Him in all circumstances. Because the outcome can only be peace and his perfect peace is exactly what we need, especially in the midst of a storm. 

Find the blessing in everything

The past few days have been rough.

My baby has been screaming a lot.
But praise God that she is healthy and has the strength to scream, even when I just want to cry. 

I could look back at the past few days and choose to see a lot of negative, but instead I look back and I see good things. I see a four month old who has been crying for unanswered reasons, but yet she has a smile that melts my heart and despite what she is going through, she smiles more than ever before. 

I see moments where she falls asleep in my arms while the snow gently falls outside. I see strong arms holding up her head and chest while she does tummy time. 

I see a warm cozy apartment, coffee in the mornings and delicious meals at night. 

I see a husband who loves his baby girl, plays with her daily and takes her on walks to give her mama time to do the things she would like to do. 

I see people who love her all around her even though she is thousands of miles away from her loving grandparents, aunts and uncles. People who are just thrilled to have her in their lives and totally aware of what a miracle her little life is! 

And just one short year ago I would have given so much to have all of that, difficulties included, and just like that it is mine. 

New Year, Naked Baby...

I'm sitting in my living room with my naked baby rolling around happily making noises on the floor. It's amazing to think that one short year ago I was pregnant with her, the size of a lentil, and I had absolutely no idea. Now here she is rolling around. Chubby little legs, perfect soft skin, long beautiful fingers, full lips. I love every bit of her! 

So I really want to write more on my blog, even if it is only a few short sentences every few days. Mostly because it inspires me and these days I'm a little short on inspiration...

I know this baby should give me all kinds of amazing inspiration, but I think most moms would agree, staying home with a baby all day makes you feel kind of brain dead sometimes. I'm not complaining, just stating a fact. I knew that being a mom would be hard. Even when it frustrated me to hear my friends talk about it being hard, I definitely imagined it to be difficult. And, well, it is! 

But the rewards far outweigh the difficulty of it. In fact, I have told Curtis several times that I didn't really know how badly I wanted a baby the three years that I couldn't have one, because it's so much more amazing than I could have ever imagined! 

Right now the rewards are her huge smile when I lean down to look at her while she is playing and even sometimes in the middle of the night when she should be eating, but all she wants to do is coo and smile at me. I can't help but just smile back, so very in love with this precious girl! The other major reward right now is holding her when she sleeps. Sometimes I just look at that beautiful face of hers and can't help but cry. It can be oh so overwhelming. 

Anyhow, I can't promise you that I will write a lot, or even that I will write about anything else besides my daughter or being a mom. I would like to continue to think of more interesting things to write about. Things that will inspire others as well as myself. But for now, this is all I have in me and it's a step in the right direction for me.

So, here is to hoping that you will hear from me soon!

Those who can't DO, teach...

Or so they say! I believe that this is true. But hear me out, please!

When we teach someone something, we are really teaching ourselves. I found this out when I taught a high school photography class with very little training myself. I learned so much more from teaching that class than I ever did as a student! In many ways it enabled me to DO. This isn't always the case, but for ME, it usually is.

I was talking to Curtis about my blog the other day and saying that before I write about being thankful all the time, I need to start being thankful all the time and practicing what I preach. He reminded me that it actually usually works the other way around. Not always, but often times for me, this IS the case.

When I challenge others to do something and get into the practice of trying to inspire others, I often inspire myself in the process and it can be a beautiful thing. Have you ever experienced this? You are challenged to lead a study group and you end up getting way more out of it than the people that you are teaching.

The past few weeks with a new baby have been hard. She is the most beautiful gift I have ever received, yet it is very difficult to figure out what she needs sometimes and to be certain that what I am giving her is the right thing, usually it has to do with feeding.

But if I take a step back and remember where I was at just a year ago. Three years into the infertility journey, wondering if I would ever have the privilege of mothering a baby, let alone, birthing our baby girl! I had no idea! When I remember that, it is amazing the peace that settles over me. Often this happens when she is finally sleeping and I actually have a moment of peace to reflect.. But HEY! It happens and the more I practice it, the more it will happen.

In the past I set the bar high on challenges to be grateful, but this time I am bringing it back to the basics. 10 things every day. That's all, 10 simple every day things that I am grateful for. I have a cute little notepad to write them in and I'm starting over.

If you're with me, that's great, if not, that's okay too. I just need this so bad right now. The reminder that everyday there are things to be grateful for, I just need to keep my eyes open to them. It's not wrong to struggle through the tough stuff, but it's so helpful to remind myself through it all that there is so much beauty in life.

Looking for some inspiration...

I really don't have much today. I just need some and usually writing inspires me. So I figured I would give it a try...

Most of the time lately I feel like I am just waiting for my baby girl to make her appearance. It feels like a bit of a pathetic existence. I try to fill my time with meaningful activities, such as reading, swimming, birth prep exercises, any last minute baby prep that I can think of and working on keeping my blog active. But I just feel so uninspired today and lost. 

I keep trying to tell myself that this baby will come, but the uncertainty is killing me! I find it funny that I am complaining about this after years of waiting for her. But these last few days... There is something about them. Four years in the making. the wanting. the waiting. the tears and frustration of it all. It all comes down to these hours, days, weeks? (I hope not) of waiting. 

So much of life is waiting. It's true. A few people told me that as I waited for a positive pregnancy test those three years. I held onto that advice at times and at times I despised it. But it is absolutely true. Life comes in seasons. I cannot just let each one slip away as I wait for the next. I must enjoy the here and now. 

Okay. I guess I consider myself inspired. Inspired to wait. Inspired to love the journey I'm on, no matter how stuck I feel at the time. I'm headed somewhere. And something tells me, it's gonna be amazing! 

The Clutter Free Home

This inspired me today. 

I just read 15 clutter busting routines for any family on the blog that I was telling you about and I am pretty excited to put some of these things into practice. What really stood out to me as something that I want and need to do is halving our decorations. 

I love what he says about this one "Grab a box and walk through your living room. Remove decorations from shelves, tables, and walls that aren’t absolutely beautiful or meaningful. You may like it better than you think. If not, you can always put them back. But I’d bet my wife’s old high school yearbooks that you won’t return all of them."

I hope you are inspired to halve your decorations today, making your home easier on the eyes and even easier to clean. I mean imagine dusting those tables with half as many knick knacks on them :) Sounds good to me! 

Another great post he wrote that pertains to this topic is The Pictures we hang on our walls. A simple, but worthwhile reminder. 

Aspiring Minimalist

It's really been too long. But I was inspired today at my parent's church. A friend of theirs spoke about minimalism. I am challenged and inspired to live my life as simply as possible and to share with you about it here on the blog.

Part of becoming a minimalist is freeing up time and energy for passions that you have. I have always really enjoyed putting energy into this blog and rarely feel like I have the time and energy to do so, especially in a concentrated and organized way. I absolutely want that to change and I think that this change of focus might help. Having a baby WILL take up time, but life takes up time no matter what, and there are plenty of moms out there who have thriving and wonderful blogs. So one of my goals is to figure out how to do that, not with the goal of it having a certain amount of followers or anything like that, but more about being a place where I can share my passions and ideas and encourage and inspire some people out there.

So, I should share more about this guy. His name is Joshua Becker, and he has a blog called "Becoming Minimalist." Click on the link to view his blog. Don't do it unless you want to be challenged and inspired though!

Minimalism is something that I have been aspiring towards for some time, but I feel like my life always continues to get more and more full of stuff, material and otherwise. And Joshua's blog is a great guide in how to change/manage that. I also think this is the perfect time to step back and make sure that I don't continue in this pattern as Curtis and I bring our baby girl into this world. To teach her the principals behind these teachings, which completely make sense to me and always have. I'm really inspired to follow along Joshua's blog and start this journey.

Thanks so much Joshua and Kim for inspiring me! You guys rock!

Nesting?

Our couch that we finally got covered!

A few weeks ago, when I finished work, I went into full nesting mode. Then I realized that we're leaving... I did accomplish a lot during that time, but some of the things that were on my list I realized I shouldn't bother doing till we get back.  I started to realize that we will still return to a home somewhat in shambles.

It's a strange thing. You want things to be perfect for your little girl when she comes home for the first time. But the reality is that's not possible. First of all, her first home, will not be this home. Secondly, when we do get back we're going to have suitcases with lots of things to put away as well as many things stored in closets and cupboards since we have friends renting our apartment while we are away. And of course we will need to decorate for Christmas since we are coming home in December ;)

Storage Cabinets we had installed in the hallway
between bedrooms to make room for baby girl

Nesting is such a natural thing for me. Feeling settled in my "home" is so important to me. But right now I don't feel settled at all. But I don't feel like I am missing out on anything either. I'm thankful that I will be with my mom and dad after the baby is born and that we will have a nice room and my parents will be there to help.

I could focus on the negative. There are a lot of difficult things about the life that Papa has called us to. It changes the whole idea of nesting for us and what it will mean to bring a child into this world and many other things. But I am so happy with this road. It's not always easy and joy is often a choice that I must make.

Baby Girl's future room

But when I look at how truly blessed I am, it's really not that difficult. I could honestly think of a whole list of things to be happy about, including spending time with all of my siblings and their families in the beautiful places that they live. So much has really worked out well with our plans for coming home this summer, and a lot of it has to do with timing.

I can't wait to spend time with my sisters and many other friends and family members without a long list of things to do. Because I will have plenty of time in Arizona with my mom to get things done. That is one huge thing that will make this summer different than other times I have gone back to the states. Plus my mom is always up for a shopping trip and hopefully lots of trips to the pool ;)

Future changing center

It always seems to come back to where my focus is. My focus right now is on how well my Papa knows me and how he has poured an abundance of good gifts on me. 

Surrender

It was sometime in September or October that I met with a good friend of mine and she told me a story similar to other stories I had heard. It was about a woman who had been infertile for some time and when she finally surrendered to Papa's will, she became pregnant.

It honestly didn't strike me much since I had heard stories like it before and I felt like there were times that I had surrendered to him completely and then just let go again because it hurt too bad. But if I am honest, those times were nothing like what ensued. And when I look back at my blog entries from that time (here, here and here), I really see that He was doing something completely different in my heart this time. 

Not long after this conversation I had a dream that I am pretty sure I thought was a direct result of the conversation. I didn't write about it at the time because I didn't really want to read into it, but I remember it clearly. I don't hear G*d speak often or maybe ever in my dreams, but I am sure it was him this time. 

I was under a beautiful shady tree on a small hill, and I heard very clearly 'if you surrender, you will get pregnant.' There was no irony in what was said at all. It was pretty clear. But I really didn't want it to cause me to have false hope. 

What it did do was make me reconsider the idea of surrender. Maybe I hadn't ever really surrendered to the point that he wanted me to? 

I don't remember exactly how it played out after that dream, cause to be honest, I can't remember exactly when it was, I just remember it was sometime this fall. 

All I know is that I asked G*d to help me understand what real surrender looked like if that was what he wanted me to do. And I guess that is what he did. And you were all witnesses of that with what I wrote here. I had no idea what was coming, but what happened in my life right before this was different than anything that happened during the three years before. 

I'm truly amazed to be sitting here typing this. 26 weeks pregnant. Waiting to go back to the states and celebrate with so many of the people that I love the most. I am beyond excited and completely blown away. I don't know why he chose something so amazing for me, but I am truly, truly grateful! 

Lessons from "A Christmas Story"

I know it's may and Christmas is long over, but bear with me on this one. I promise it's good!

As I was sitting and talking to Papa the other day about the journey that I have been on the past three years, I started to realize that there was a lot more to share than what I already have. I started to read my journals and also remember some of what happened in the months before I was pregnant.

I will share the following journal entry, almost exactly as it was written in my journal. I wrote this on December 27th, 2013. According to calculations, I got pregnant somewhere between Christmas and New Years. 

I think most of you know the American Christmas Classic known as "A Christmas Story," if not, either you are not from America or you are a lot younger than me or you missed out on a vital part of the American experience... I wrote this after watching it with Curtis on Christmas day. 

"There is a scene in this movie that I've watched many times before and never really thought much of, but when I watched it this time, it struck a chord and brought me to tears. 

The scene is Christmas morning. The boys have just opened a heap of wonderful gifts and Ralphie sits peacefully with his parents. He didn't get the very thing that he had longed for, hinted at, pined over that season but yet he still has a surprising peace about him. His dad asks him if he got everything he wanted for Christmas and he says 'almost.' 

Then the dad says 'Wait a minute! What's over there in the corner?' Ralphie turns and then he sees it, it had been sitting there all along. He runs over to see a package resembling exactly the gift that he had asked for! 

Then it strikes me. The delight on the father's face when he opened the gift. He waited till the very last minute to give him what he wanted, but he was filled with joy and delight as he watched his son open this gift. He probably even experienced a great deal more joy than even Ralphie did. 

This very obviously flawed earthly father, who seems almost villainous at times during the movie does something so beautiful. He simply delights in giving his child exactly what he wanted. It made me think, doesn't our Father in heaven do the same. But sometimes he waits, he gives us many other good gifts first and sometimes what he gives us isn't exactly what we asked for, but it's always what's best and he always, always, always takes delight in seeing us unwrap them!"

I had no idea that he would soon form in my body the very gift that I had been begging him for. In all honestly I did feel that something good was coming. I really wanted to believe that we would have a child by next Christmas as we had asked of Him so many times this season. But I was afraid to hope. And the hope that I did have was for adoption. I really never expected that in less than a month I would be holding a positive pregnancy test and in less than six months I would be reflecting on this in such a way. 

There isn't much more to say. He gives good gifts. I am so undeserving of this beautiful gift. The kicks, the life I feel blooming inside of me is priceless and a feeling I was not sure would ever be mine. What a precious precious gift it is indeed. 

The icing on the cake! I really really wanted a girl!

THE Story

After three years of asking for a child, we found out that for the first time we were pregnant on January 13th. Since then I have been pretty sick and barely find times when I feel good enough to fulfill my day to day responsibilities, let alone blog about what happened! 

So I want to share our story with you, at least just the part about finding out we were pregnant. Not the whole three years before… 

Since September I had been taking Hormones. The Doctor didn’t really know if they would work because as far as the doctor’s were concerned there was nothing in either one of us that could be pinpointed as the reason for why we were not getting pregnant. The doctor also told us we could only take them for four months. What they didn’t tell us at first was that these hormones could cause my cycles to be irregular. We found that out the hard way in December, after being convinced that “THIS WAS IT.” We were more than let down when my period came 7 days late. 

That seemed like a breaking point for us. Even though we knew we had one more month of the medication, we were not convinced that it was going to make a difference. We started asking Papa about In Vitro. Was it the right option for us? We have always wanted to adopt, but we had already looked into International Adoption and that was not possible for us for several reasons having to do with our life overseas. We had never really looked into Domestic adoption, but really thought it was almost impossible unless we moved back to the states long term.

But the more we asked, the more we felt Papa challenging us to seek out this option. So we gave it over to him. We surrendered the life we love to him and just agreed that we would do whatever it took to get a child through adoption if he didn’t give us one naturally, which we honestly didn't even consider as a possibility at this point… It was a painful letting go process. 

We really started to consider and talk about what life would look like back in the states. It seemed depressing to leave everything from the past five years, leaving our work would be a challenge, but mostly the thought of leaving the relationships behind was excruciatingly painful . 

I remember Sunday January 12th well. I was 9 days late and we were both convinced that the hormones were once again effecting my cycle. I might have had a few passing thoughts of pregnancy but shooed them away with the reality that these hormones did it last month and from what I read it progresses more and more the longer you take them. 

But since I was a whole 9 days late I figured that I should take a test to just completely get the thought out of my mind for good. To know for sure and then just wait for my period to start in peace. Boy was I in for a surprise the next day.

I woke up groggy the next morning at 6:30am as usual. Knowing that I needed to take the pregnancy test right away, but not really feeling like it was going to be positive, although I had just dreamt twice that I had positive pregnancy tests, and to be honest that had only happened once or twice before, in the very beginning. I didn’t really take the dreams as anything…

I took the test and within seconds I was wide awake! Usually it takes a moment for the first line to appear, but it seemed almost immediate that both lines were bright red!! 

I screamed and ran into the bedroom! “Curtis it’s positive!!” I was amazed! He was so confused! He had completely forgotten I was taking a test! He usually wakes up if I’m gonna take one and worries about it. This time he slept soundly because we were both convinced that it was going to be negative. I cannot stress enough how convinced we were of that! 

So what ensued was an amazing moment with tears and kisses and hugs and disbelief! Unbelievably Curtis fell back asleep, but all I could do was praise God! I was in a daze most of the day. My head was in the clouds. 

The next day the worry started to set in, and thus it began. The journey of parenthood. I know that I don't have a baby yet. But it began that day, with the knowledge of this little life inside of me. I was no longer responsible for only myself. I couldn't be more afraid or excited of what lies ahead.

Start Each Day with a Grateful Heart

I saw this quote on pinterest a few days ago.

http://www.shopdandynow.com/products/start-each-day-with-a-grateful-heart-gold-foil-poster-print

It got me thinking, what helps me start my days with a grateful heart? Not that I always do, but I feel that a good percentage of the days I do more than I used to, because I am intentional about being thankful. So I put this list together of some helpful hints on how to start your day with a grateful heart. Hope it helps or at least inspires you a little bit :) 

Surround yourself with Happy thoughts 

Strategically place posters and photos in places that you will see every morning to remind you that life is good and you have things worth being grateful for. You can purchase the print pictured above here.

Give yourself a few extra minutes to take in the day 
This takes a little planning, but it’s worth it. Don’t just get up and go through your routine and fly out the door. Give yourself an extra ten to fifteen minutes to sit and drink coffee, look out the window (if the sun is out… ) and thank God for the wonderful day he has planned for you. This could very well be the best day of your life! 

Smile 
Seriously. It’s not that hard, but we don’t naturally do it in the morning and it’s scientifically proven that smiling can actually boost your mood. Don’t believe me? Read about it here. 

Think of one good thing that happened the day before 

This can help especially if it’s related to work or wherever it is that you are going after getting ready. It will motivate you as you prepare to go to work if you think of something nice that happened the day before. It won’t always be about work, but it’s nice if you can remember positive things about your job and why you can be grateful for it, even if it’s just the people who you work with :) 

Listen to upbeat music while you get ready
I usually have a more difficult time feeling awake in the morning, especially in the winter months, when I don’t listen to upbeat music. Apart from waking me up, as long as I listen to the right music, it helps me to focus on good things and really sets a good mood for my morning. I usually try to listen to worship music, to remind me to set my eyes on things above. 

And, a little bonus for those of you who are married… 


20 second Morning Hug
I have a confession to make... My husband and I have this little tradition. It might sound lame, but it is wonderful and if we don’t do it, it can effect our whole day, in a negative way. We even yell out “morning hug” every day while we stand in our living room and hug for 20 seconds. So there. It’s out, we are dorks, but happy ones. This is a really nice boost in the morning, it’s comforting and it’s good for your relationship. Just try a morning hug and see how it can revolutionize your life! 

February Gratitude Challenge

I chose Health for January and oddly enough ended up the sickest I have ever been in my life! (I think...) What a reminder of how wonderful my health actually is! Honestly. I couldn't have had a better reminder. I was sick for five solid days, and I mean SICK. I could barely get off of the couch. It was crazy. There were times when I wondered what it would feel like to be healthy again. I watched lots of movies and was thinking it would be amazing to have as much energy as the people in them and to be able to eat the food that they were eating without gagging.

I didn't do much writing in my journal these past five sick days, but I did a lot of things to get myself better including drink some amazing tea made with fresh ginger, honey and lemon juice. You must try it some time, no other ingredients. So simple and so healing. 

So I am writing this post to catch you guys up on the February Gratitude Challenge. Let me tell you, it's super simple. All you need to do is choose someone that you are very close to, preferably who you are closest to, i.e. your spouse, your roommate, your best friend, your sister, your mom... You get the idea. Every day you must write something that they do that makes you thankful for them, it doesn't have to be something that they do FOR you, but it probably will be most of the time. Because if you think about it, we do things for the people we love basically every day.

The GOAL? The goal is very simple, to get you to love them MORE than you already do! I know, How can it BE?! Well, usually when we focus on the good things in a person we tend to like them more. So I dare you! Take this challenge and be wowed by how much you really CAN appreciate your loved ones. 

Don't forget to write all of these things down in your wonderful "Happy Thoughts Journal" or whatever you like to call it :) 

and PLEASE, let me know how it goes! 

15 Simple and cheap things that can turn your bad days around

I guess I have a lot of experience with this. Struggling with infertility these last three years has given me a reason to look to the brighter side and do things that help me from slipping into depression. So since it’s winter and I am sure more people out there also struggle with feeling down, here are 15 things that can help turn your days around. 

1. Make Something Beautiful 

Something for your home, something for a friend, anything! Usually when I am feeling depressed it helps me to change things up a bit in my living space, make life a little brighter, take this book shelf for example :) 

2. Make Yourself a Cup of Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate 

Sit and drink while just relaxing or reading a book. Sitting with a hot drink can feel like quite a luxury, sometimes I am not sure why I don’t do it more often ;) 

3. Bake

There have been so many days when I have come home super down and baking has been so therapeutic. This picture was snapped on a day when a little baking turned my afternoon around. 

4.Do Something Active

Go swimming, hiking, biking or even for a simple walk - doing something active always gives you a boost and it’s a plus if it’s outdoors, unfortunately for many of us this isn't an option. Oh how I miss you Southern California! 

5. Write Down Ten Things That You Are Grateful For in Your Life

Write them down and try to find pictures to match them, it will give you a visual reminder of how good these things really are. Even if you have to search the net to find them, you can always look back at that list on another difficult day to lift your spirits.  

6. Listen to Some Upbeat Music

I know that this sounds like a no brainer, but sometimes we forget the this is even an option and just sit at home feeling depressed with no soundtrack. Putting on some happy music can really make you feel different about life, I even do this when I am at work sometimes just sitting at my desk in a boring office can be depressing, but when you add music... By the way, I can’t recommend this album enough.

7. Go To a Cafe

Sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, just sit and read a book or even take your computer, I can’t stress enough how much it helps to get out of the house when you are feeling down. It’s just important to remind you that there is a world outside of your own mind sometimes. 

8. Look At Pictures 

From your last vacation, the last holiday that you celebrated or just life. If you are anything like me and take lots of photos, flipping through them can be a great visual reminder of how blessed you are with friends, family, food, vacations and the list goes on and on… 

9. Watch a Funny or Uplifting Movie

This is another no brainer, but before I started going through this difficult time, I was very disciplined about very rarely watching movies, when I started watching more movies, it really just helped me to escape. It can obviously be dangerous if we use any of these things to cheer us up too much, but these things in moderation can be really useful to battle depression. This is one that I often go to for cheering up. 

10. Call a Friend 

This one can actually hurt the situation if it’s not the right friend, but it’s good to know who you can call to cheer you up. Some friends just know how to bring our minds out of that dark space. 

11. Do What Excites You

Sometimes you just have to throw responsibility or obligation out the window and let yourself enjoy doing something that you love! If that is writing, do that! If it’s playing the guitar, go for it! Painting! Whatever it is, just do it! 

12. Review What Inspired You on Pinterest

I’m so serious about this one! We pin these things because they inspire or encourage us, why not let them do it again and again! I do this a lot and it really helps! Click here to view my truth board if you need some new inspiration. I also have one with scriptures that inspire me here. I also added a happy thoughts board which is filled with things that just make me smile :) 

13. Do Something for Someone Else 

This isn’t exactly something that you can do if you come home feeling upset, but it is something that you can start doing that will help you get perspective.  I have the wonderful opportunity of visiting the orphanage for disabled children once a month and hanging out with little guys like him :) 

14. Buy Yourself Some Flowers 

Put them on your dining table or in a place that you will see them often. 

15. Read a Book

Not only is it productive and brain food, but its also a source of entertainment, escape and inspiration at times. Just make sure it’s something uplifting or inspiring. Kisses from Katie was one of the most inspiring books that I have ever read.

Hopefully this list helps! Would love your feedback for more ideas :)