Beautifully Inspired Marie

I can hardly believe it has been a year since returning home from my mission. Technically it is tomorrow the 29th but today a year ago I said my testimony for the last time as a full time missionary. A year ago on Christmas I officially met my husband Cody. He apparently saw something in me that when I got home to my family in Georgia he messaged me on Facebook and we started to talk. :) I never saw what has happened in that year coming. I have done a lot of things in one year that have been challenging but have made me grow as a better person and I wouldn't change them. My mother says I didn't just change my life I leaped and bounded into it. And I did and have no regrets :) I couldn't have imagined my life any better. I loved my mission and I do occasionally find myself missing aspects of it but I am happy to be living in what used to be my mission a place I fell in love with too. I am so grateful that the Lord inspired me to go on a mission. If I hadn't I w...

So it's the holiday season :) I love Christmas time. At first the beginning of this month didn't feel like December yet because I was in the hospital with Austin. We are now home and I've been getting stuff for Christmas so it feels like it now. Last week was our ward Christmas party and Santa made a special visit :) it was cute watching Des wait her turn to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas. Here are some pics   So I decided I would make a wreath for Christmas since Cody doesn't really have decorations and I've always wanted to try my hand at it. So today was my first time and I think it turned out great :)

So I didn't post a pre surgery but I'll at least do a post surgery. On Friday this week it will have been a month since I donated my kidney to my stepson, Austin. I can't believe it has only been a month. Austin is doing great! On Tuesday he got his staples out and is doing better than ever. He is happier than I've ever seen him and it is fantastic! His incision is looking good so far.So here is some news on his progress since surgery. He used to be fed through his J-port but now he is being fed through his G which is straight to his stomach. He is starting to taste food more. We found he likes salty better than sweet. Since the staples are out we are going to start putting him on his stomach so he can learn to crawl. :) We can't wait until he can start going on his own. He is also starting to say different sounds he has a new one and it is the letter "B". It is just great to see him progress when before he really couldn't. Here is what it looks li...

Holidays a time usually spent with family and friends.  I've got to say I am a bit nervous about the Holidays. Nothing bad just trying to figure out how we can combine what my family did while I was growing up and adding Cody's family stuff too. For Thanksgiving I think we've got it figured out. Since my family is back in GA and just going through surgery for Austin and I we aren't going. Next year we will hopefully go for Thanksgiving or Christmas. But for Cody's big family Thanksgiving dinner I've made my moms sweet potato casserole, homemade pumpkin pie and my pecan pie. But nonetheless it will be interesting spending the Holidays with my new family. I've got to say I don't think I ever realized how much work goes into doing the Holidays lol. I am just glad I am not doing the Turkey that just seems daunting. One day I'll do it but not anytime soon. I can cook simple things, I'm still learning how to cook meals constantly for my family a...

It has been 2 months since I married my Husband and got two wonderful kids in the mix. Austin- July as some people have seen was eventful with Austin being in the hospital constantly. Finally went home the beginning of August. And started a new adventure of him being on peritoneal dialysis. Was Austin's 2nd birthday in the middle of August. And at the end of August sadly Austin got a UTI. Right now we are in the hospital for Austin who has a Fungus in is peritoneal area which is a little scary. We are finding out the options and figuring out what to do. Destanee- I haven't been a mom long or anything but can't believe my daughter Destanee starts Preschool next week! When I first met Destanee while I was on my mission she had just turned 2 and she is now 3 1/2! Right now she is eating me out of my house lol she is having a growth spurt. Just the other day for lunch she had 3 hot dogs, a pb&j sandwich and some applesauce!  It is crazy it has only been 2 mon...

So my last post Pace yourself make a plan  I epically failed. Lol I was trying to do something new and get myself excising but that way didn't work. But this last weekend I was doing something new with my diet and I felt great! I ate only natural raw food. I did the Raw Food Diet . I am still learning about it. It was a little hard but I felt great afterwords. I drank lots of water more than I usually do which I need to change. I was preparing for a Glucose test I was taking on Monday. One weekend wouldn't have changed the results of that test it was over a period of 3 months it tested (that is what I was told). But it was good to do it anyways. The reason I had to take that test and I have been trying to get healthier (everyone should try to be healthier anyways) was I am trying to be my sons kidney donor. I had taken a blood test (not sure what it was called anymore have taken too many) and it was a little too high and was showing I could be at risk for being pre-diabetic. ...

So I have been thinking of how I want to get healthier and stuff. I wanted to become a runner but I know over time it is terrible for your legs (so I've heard and somewhat experienced). And I kind of don't like running anyways lol. But I have tried I have done a 5K the color run. Which was a blast but I didn't run it but it is a start. I have to pace myself.  So I need to make a plan and stick to it. So I am telling you all my goal :) they say if you tell someone you are more likely to stick to it. On my mission I gained a bit of weight that doesn't put me in the most healthy range but it isn't terrible just isn't where I'd like to be health wise. So my goal is to be in a healthy range. I have a gym membership but being a mother of two doesn't always mean you get to go all the time. So my plan for the gym is going at least once a week when my husband is off. When my life settles down a bit. (For those who don't know my son has been in and out of t...

So how does one start to eat healthier?????! I don't really know so I googled it. First thing I am finding is of course more fruits and vegetables! I love fruit and some vegetables I'll have to get better at that. And my daughter loves fruit and she eats her vegetables very well for a 3 year old. My husband who I am going to call Mr. Mom cuz that was what he was before I came around, doesn't eat fruit but loves vegetables. So some of this will but wont be a challenge lol. Second thing was Eat Real Food! I looked at that and was so confused by it at first but after I thought about it those packaged things we buy, the fast food we eat, and junk food aren't real food! Makes sense. And last thing was Drop the Liquid Calories! I was happy to see this one. I don't drink soda anyways! But it is more than just soda it is the juice and sugary water and energy drinks. I love juice but most of the time juice isn't real juice either. So here is the start of a journe...

Hey :) it has been a long time since I've posted. Since the last time a lot has happened for me. I got home in Dec from my 18 month mission in Ogden, UT I started dating I got married! Now I'm a mom That wasn't really a whole lot since Dec 2014 but it was to me. :) So let me tell my story: In June of 2013 I left my friends and family to serve my church for 18 months. During that time I had met my current husband but I only saw him twice and wasn't interested at the time. The second time I saw him was Christmas and it was four days before I went home. During the time I hadn't seen him every once in awhile his mother would talk about him to me and me to him. Also during that time I got to get to know his two kids. He had been previously married and they had a girl and a boy, Destanee (3 years old) and Austin (23 months). Austin has had kidney disease since he was born so he is a very sick little boy but he is such a fighter. During Christmas we interacted...