If Home Is Where Your Heart Is. . . .

So, a year ago today I was driving home from work praying about this new health and wellness company I was involved in.  I had been using the products for about 6 months, I had lost 40 pounds and I was feeling great.  Financially things were difficult at camp and I felt like I needed a financial back up for my family.  God really laid it on my heart to give MLM a go.  So, I prayed about it and I asked Him to send me the right people and to guide my steps. When I walked in the door from my commute, I got a call from a number I didn't recognize.  It was one of my sorority sisters (my big actually) who needed a change.  She needed some weight loss, she needed health, but what she was desperate for at that time was to be able and make her car payment.  Her testimony is below.  In the past 52 weeks she has gotten so much more from this company than a few pounds off and a car payment made monthly! And so have I!  I have friendships that I would have never had.  Kirsten is one of

God has me in an interesting (and really) hard place emotionally right now.  It is interesting because I am running all over the country hanging out with great people, working hard and having a great time, but on the inside He really is doing  number on my heart as He turns my world sideways.  You don't need to know all of the details, but there are things that I am struggling with and that I have been struggling with for five years now--but really they date back as far as I can remember. I'm really trying to work on my self development in many areas as I cry out to God to show me the me I need to become.  I'm realizing that in many situations as I deal with certain people (Tiki and Andy for example) that I am the one who needs to change.  Period.  I have been working so hard to get others to change and God has made it painfully and exceedingly clear to me that I need to work on me--mostly because I can only control me. When I went back to my Gran'ma's home thi

This past week I got to travel to Philadelphia for the first time.  Oh my.  I really like that city!  There is so much to see and do--I felt like I was in a European city.  I didn't get much time to explore because I was there for work (our Gap Year kids are there), but I had a great time for the few days I was there working!  I got to meet with our Gap Year kids and their parents and I got to eat with old staff and two of my professors from Eastern.  It was jam packed and even included a spontaneous trip to a jazz club where our Uber driver was a big star!!! A "Sorry" game piece in honor of my family because that is one of our favorite board games! One of my professors, Beth. My accounting (for dummies) professor, JoAnne. My Uber driver who happened to be IT at the local jazz club! They asked him to play a song or two.  So fun!

Last weekend I got to spend a super weekend in LA with my new Xyng Friends.  It was a great three days!  We were in training for the majority of the time and I learned so much. My very favorite part about the weekend was on Saturday morning when I walked into the green room and the entire executive team was circled up holding hands and praying.  That blew me away.  I knew that I loved this company (and the products), but the face that our executives were praying before the training floored me.  But it only got better from there!  During the training at one point we all stood up and held hands at first just to show that we are all a part of one vision and one goal.  Then one of the members read an amazing quote from his quiet time that morning and it was followed by one of the highest earners in the company praying that as we were all learning these new training methods that we would retain all the things we needed to and that our motives would be pure.  Wow!  I don't care what

So, I was cruising Facebook just now (because I have a paper due and I am in no mood to write it) and I saw this picture on a friend's wall (thanks, Tiff).  The quote is by a friend from Baylor (okay, not a friend, but the brother of a friend--he would recognize me if he saw me, but he'd have no idea what my name is and out of context the same would apply in reverse probably).  He has a book coming out in a couple of weeks and I'm sure it will be great. I'm not doing a book promo right now, I just want to write about this quote.  It's funny how hard it struck me when I read it.  It is so true so often--I'm not sure how Scott is meaning it, but for me it hit home that it is so much easier for me to believe the lies that I tell myself (thanks to how loudly the devil whispers into my ears) rather than the truth that I know to be true deep down somewhere hidden.  The lies about how I look and about how good of a mom or wife I am are the biggies I struggle with.

As moms (and maybe dads, I'm not one), don't we feel tons of pressure (from ourselves) to be everything to everyone?  Pressure to bust out of our jammies or work out clothes or work clothes and be Super Mom (with no cellulite showing through our skin tight costume)?  I do!  And sometimes it is EXHAUSTING.  The pressure I put on myself to be amazing for everyone is exhausting.  Why do we do that? So, I was jamming to my music (not a pretty sight) while I was cleaning the kitchen (thank you broken dish washer for the black mold that has infested my kitchen) and this song came on.  I've heard it a zillion times, but I guess I really heard the words for the first time.  It was refreshing.  Somehow it gave me the freedom to just be human and not expect so much out of myself!!! Human by Christina Perri I can hold my breath I can bite my tongue I can stay awake for days If that's what you want Be your number one I can fake a smile I can force a laugh I can da

I'm having a great week.  I have chosen positive thoughts and positive actions and I have chosen to be happy.  Weird that those are all choices that one has to get up and make, but I'm finding that to be true more and more often than not.  So, why this post about fear?  Well, I've been thinking about it and even though it doesn't match my mood or my "place" today, I wanted to get it on paper. I feel like I have blogged a lot in the past year about fear and love and the fear that comes with loving.  And I've been hearing a lot about fear because Andy's newest book is about fear.  And there is so much fear all around us (another post for another time) thanks to the news and crazy Facebook rants.  I feel like we are surrounded by fear. One of my girlfriends and I were talking the other day about this fear that is often paralyzing (especially in relationships) and I said something that sounded very well thought out and rehearsed and really it just cam

So, one of my best friends is trying to sell her time share.  It is at the Grand Mayan and they have these beautiful resorts all over Mexico.  It is a 5 star resort (I've been to two of them--it should be 6 stars) and I love it! 3 floating weeks each year (not available on major international holidays) 2/2 lock out which means:  grand master suite with occupancy for 8 in 2 king bedrooms with full baths and couches with a gourmet kitchen, dining room and living room (trundles that sleep 4 more) or 1 kind size bedroom with bathroom lock off. it sleeps up to 11 people 14 years remaining maintenance fee once every 5 years is $997 locations: Rivera Maya (Cancun), Cabo, Acapulco, Nuevo Vallarta, Mazatlan, Puerto Pensaco/Rocky Point and Puerto Vallarta Similar time shares are selling online for up to $21,000 and they are just asking $12,000 (and are very willing to negotiate).  What does that mean?  That means that for $12,000 you get up to 3 weeks of vacation every year and

Maggie's team won the championship today and she played like a rock star!  It was so much fun to watch!  She played so well, she knew what was going on on the court, she was a team leader.  It was awesome!  I loved seeing how excited she got with each point and then ultimately the tournament win!  (I cried.) It was a crazy day of being a mom--Maggie had multiple volleyball games in Durango while Dax and Tiki had a football game in New Mexico.  Maggie's team wasn't expected to go very far, so I didn't make plans for the football game.  When it started looking like they were going to win I had to become a total spaz.  I hopped in the car, drove Dax & Tiki to New Mexico, begged the coaches to bring them home and then peeled out on my way back to Colorado.  (It was a miracle they made it home--actually Dax isn't even back yet.) But volleyball was awesome!!!! I love how excited she gets! Poor Gabby hopping in the car back and forth across st

I've had teenagers for more than three years now, but tonight it just hit me that I really have teenagers.  I'm sitting in a very quiet house that was not so quiet twenty minutes ago. . . . Hays:  he is at the DHS Homecoming game.  He drove himself there and met his friends.  This is his first "night out" with his license and it was weird trying to think on my feet and navigate the evening before it unfolded.  Finding that balance between letting him know I care, reminding him about boundaries and acting trustingly nonchalant since it really isn't that big of a deal--just a football game, mom!  So, he's at the game with his friends and I'm hoping he chooses to come home before ten because I'm exhausted (I'll touch on why at the end). Maggie: tomorrow is her end of the season volleyball tournament so tonight we had the entire team (sixteen girls) and their parents over for dinner.  It was so much fun to have my house full of people again.  I lo

A couple weeks ago was our 8th annual White Family Girls Trip that my mom takes her daughters and daughters-in-law on every Fall.  We went to Denver for a little sight seeing and a lot of shopping.  It was really fun!  We went to Pike's Peak (the top) and ate great food and opened AND closed Park Meadows Mall.  We laughed and talked and just had a nice relaxing time together!  We missed Missy, but she got to move in to her new home that weekend (way better)!!!  Then my mom drove home with me to spend 36 hours with us.  It was so much fun!  The fall colors were amazing!  Hays got his license and she got to see Maggie play volleyball!  We also went house shopping (downtown Durango).  It was a jam packed 36 hours!

Last December I won (or earned) this amazing trip to Sundance and this week Andy and I finally got to go.  It was wonderful!  This is the second all-expense paid trip I have won working for this health and wellness company and they treated Andy and I both like royalty!  It was a great get away.  We had a few hours of training, several amazing meals with the corporate staff and then great free time just to explore Sundance.  The weather was cold and wet--perfect fall mountain weather.  I made some great new friends and got to spend some great time with my mentor in this business, Tami.  I'm thankful that Andy got to hear what this company is all about.  It is fun because he is now completely on board.  He believes in the company and he believes in the products and he is ready! My big take away is that these products are not just for weight loss.  They really are for overall health and everyone I know should be on them all the time.  It is amazing the way these products were eng