1) Take Shape for Life-- I started this weight loss plan the end of October and by the middle of January I had lost 20 pounds. I LOVE it! It is sooooo great for my busy life style-- no counting points, carbs or calories. I am so happy with my weight loss and feel so great that I have decided to "pay it forward" and am now a Health Coach. I even have my own website! www.Ifeelgood.tsfl.com Several of my friends have started on program the past month and I'm loving watching them get healthy!!
2) Empowered to Connect -- I went to the Empowered to Connect conference in Orlando in February and it was incredible. I have read lots of parenting books and watched parenting videos but this was by far my favorite. It is for kids 'from hard places." Well I don't think my kids are from hard places but they even talked about babies adopted from birth having higher Seratonin (fight-flight responders) because of thes stress their birth mothers were under while they were pregnant and making their adoption plans. Honestly, the course was best for my 2nd son Zack. He came in this world 12 weeks early and spent his first 9 weeks of life in the NICU. He is my "spirited child." The techniques from this course have helped me dramatically with him. Honestly, it is hands down the best parenting course ever. One of the best things I love about it is that it is also Faith Based. Love that. For more info check out: http://empoweredtoconnect.org/resources
3) Created for Care -- I went to this retreat that was created for moms who share the spirit of adoption last year and it was wonderful! This year I recruited several local friends to join me and we even went a day earlier to be able to relax and connect. It was awesome once again. I love being with 450 Christian moms who have adopted children or are waiting for their child to be matched or come home. We all "get it." The passion for adoption and the love of God in the conference room and small workshops is just incredible. This year's theme was "LOVE BIG." I LOVE that! Especially after coming off of the Empowered to connect conference just a few weeks earlier which focuses on Trust Based parenting. The thing that stuck in my head the most was when Andrea (the driving force behind these conferences) said "We gotta pour the love in-- pour the love in-- pour the love in..." and when she said "He's got this." God does have this. He sure does. Trust Him. He's got this.
Yep.
4) Desperate- Hope for the Mom who needs to Breathe: This book is one I am reading with my Girls Prayer Group and with my Sister-in-laws. It is fantastic to affirm that motherhood is challenging and tiring and tough and awesome and rewarding and incredible. This book was written for women to read and share with each other so that we don't do motherhood alone. So we call on God and trust Him (I'm sensing a theme here). So that we reach out to one another for support and help hold each other up. I've only read the first four chapters but so far its awesome.
So that's what I've been most passionate about this past 6 weeks... Phew. I love being a mom. I love God. I love my husband. I love my kids. I love my family. I love my friends. I am one blessed girl.
Have a Blessed Easter!
