Since everyone asks anyways...

Everyone always asks how I'm feeling and to tell you the truth I have to stop and think about my answer. Not in a bad way, just a "wait, I have to remember I was so sick" kind of way because, really, I'm feeling

AWESOME!!!! 

So I'll do a lil update for you with a VERY exciting bit of news in a closing paragraph (well, it's exciting to me anyway). 

9 months out of major surgery. 12 months ago I was dying, with no hope. My diseases had snowballed to an extreme and I couldn't stay well, I could hardly get out of bed most days, I had no strength, and pretty much everything in my body was beginning to fail me in one way or another. 

TODAY

My Thyroid blood test levels are as low/high (depends on which level you're looking at) as they can get without me being at any risk. My meds are right where they need to be. 

My vitamin and Iron levels are still a bit low but we're working on that. My adrenal glands are functioning right below normal and my pituitary is secreting some growth hormone (these are the few not good things), and we'll look at what to do about that in the future if need be. 

But mostly: I feel better than I have in 10 years!!!!

I'm starting to lose weight, and I actually CAN now (woot). I have energy. I am gaining strength (lil by lil). I am gaining more confidence and trust and putting some of my fear to rest (again, lil by lil). I am so blessed and SOOO thankful for this new lease on life. AND I'm so thankful for being sick because God really taught my family and I some very valuable lessons through that and while I was. Of course I'm thankful for the healing, but I'm also thankful for the past painful, sick 8 years and what it taught us. 

I have ups and downs, of course. Some days it is hard to get out of bed. Sleep is sometimes a rarity, especially when they first adjust meds again. Certain times of the month I feel like I've been ran over for a few days (I'm serious ya'll, it's EXTREME. I think I'm getting sick every time for those few days). I still get tired easily and that can be frustrating. My memory only came back a lil, I still struggle with fog brain. I hate this body I'm now in (although I try to be thankful for it, too) and hope to continue to be able to work on it and make it thinner and healthier Deo Valinte. 

But you know what? 

I'm more thankful than I've ever been. I smile ALOT more. I laugh alot more. I enjoy being around people and friends I'm given. I feel better, and therefore I act better. :0) 

I'll take the lil frustrating things because they come with ALOT of good things, especially the way I feel most days now which is sooooo much better! 

And the most recent discovery.....

I HAVE AN IMMUNE SYSTEM AGAIN!!! 

I"m not kidding either. For the past 8 years I've gotten sick ANYTIME I was even close to a sick person, and everytime it came near me or in my household. I was getting close to having to be hospitalized because it always took MONTHS to get over what started as a cold because it always went to my lungs and turned bronchitus or pneumonia. I would have to practically hide from society just to stay sort of well. 

But. 

And I feel like there should be a drumroll here.....

in the past two weeks TWO of my guys (Kung Fu Roo and Daddy) have had a cold (diagnosed by the Dr)........AND.....

.................................
I DID NOT GET IT!!!! 

Thank you Lord, you've blessed me more than I deserve with new health and a new life while here on earth the time you've allowed! 

It's the first of June....really?!

My these last few months have been crazy. We've been on vacation to Branson, MO and had a blast. We really enjoyed our time there and learned several interesting things.
-Branson is kind of for old ppl.
-The food is bland, and EXPENSIVE, doesn't matter where you go
-Downtown has THE BEST lil fudge and chocolate shop, it's really worth the drive alone
-The Ducks have lasting effects that make you lose your mind (They let you keep the quackers...no really, thanks I appreciate being quacked at by two separate boys for hours on end).
-Silver Dollar City is AWESOME, BEAUTIFUL, and soooo much fun! Way expensive but way cool!
-Oh, and that "light sales presentation" by the resort that hooks you up? Yeah, not so light...points for effort guys, too bad we're not suckas!!! ;)

We have been doing therapy again for Charlie Brown finding out that he is also SEVERE Dyslexic...seriously..can this kid get a break?! Therapy has been OK, I'm not really sure where it's heading but we're hanging in there and sticking it out. MUCH cheaper than Visual therapy I must say.

We aren't done with school for the year, we'll be doing very light schooling thru the summer. I'm talking reading, math, science, BOOM...we're done. I'm looking into Unit studies as I think they would be really fun but I"m not sure I have the wherewithall to do them and continue the "rabbit trails" every day. It's alot of effort on Momma's!

Kung Fu Roo is good, silly as ever and I post his funny sayings regularly on my facebook. We've discovered he's COMPLETELY terrified of Tornadoes.

Speaking of, we've had one go right over our house and 2 within 5 miles this spring, not to mention the HORRIBLE ones we've had in state causing major destruction......but I don't have to tell you that, it's all over the news and even People Magazine.
However, we've also had a very wet spring and we are hoping that's the end of the drought up here for a long time. Everything is SOOOO green and beautiful. I don't appreciate the cotton wood trees due to severe allergies while in bloom but that's about it. I'm currently trying to make all the Tulsa Urban Gardeners agree with me to make all cottonwoods extinct. So far I've got three on my side. haha

We are still waiting on our baby girl anxiously but we DO have a new addition to the house. His name is "inside tornado", not really....but really. :) He's 4 and has some issues. We only have him temporarily and maybe not as long as we'd thought. Unfortunately when he came there was alot of stress and anxiety that came with him (not his fault) due to agencies, daycares, his issues and us not having education on them or support, etc. He would really benefit and excel in a home that was therapeutic and stable I FIRMLY believe. I'm praying so hard they find just that for this lil guy. He's a sweetheart and so eager to please he just needs to learn a few things and that will take time and patience. He HAS blessed us though, and I will continue to have concern for him even if not in our home.

We also have 7 other additions....CHICKENS. They are now about 13 weeks old and doing very well. They are NOT easy to raise from chicks though I tell ya. Can't wait to have fresh eggs..even our neighbors love watching them.

I started a small container garden this year. We have beans, onions, 2 carrots (no literally two left thanks to a rabbit), 3 tomato plants, bell peppers, sweet peppers, and lots of herbs. I would like more but it's really hard when you can't work the land for a garden. Maybe next year!

All that has kept us very busy and doing well.