Mommy, Put Down Your Phone

You guys, we went on a small family vacation for a long weekend this past week and it was awesome.

If I could, I'd share a picture of Ellie sliding down the slide at the waterpark with her Daddy right after she stuck her finger in her mouth and 'whistled' (mimicking the lifeguards with their whistles - SO FUNNY!) for me to not catch her and to get out of the way. I'd share a picture of her talking to the parrot in our hotel lobby saying 'Hey Paco! Don't you member me? I'm ELLIE!' or I'd share a picture of her standing in her undies on our balcony looking through her grandfather's binoculars at the ducks. But I don't have any of those. I don't have any because aside from the one or two pictures I quickly snapped while we went out for ice cream and the one we took the morning we left I didn't have my phone much. 

Admittedly, I'm probably one of those moms. You know, the one that shares a ton of pictures of her kid and all the fun they have. The one that documents every step, stage and event? I'm okay with that. I like looking back at all the stages of EK's little life and seeing the memories. But this past weekend, I was the mom that was in the moment.

We visited the Great Smokies Lodge, in Tennessee complete with a ginormous indoor/outdoor waterpark and an arcade and indoor play area that would make your 8 year old self jealous. It was a kid's heaven. But here's the thing, more often than not I noticed the moms not joining in on the fun. Most of them stood in the 1 foot section of the water snapping pictures and waving as their children screamed and played. I heard one girl ask her mom to 'come play' to which her response was 'hold on I'm posting this picture!' Some moms had their phones in what I assume is a waterproof necklace type thing that allowed them to take pictures while in the water. But the dads? The dads were right in the middle of the action, dumping water on kids heads, jumping waves in the wave pool and going down the huge water slides with their kids. 

Y'all, I get it. We moms are usually the one to make sure we get the picture. We're notorious for being the one taking the picture rather than being in it. I've read (and shared) a blog post lately where it's encouraging Dads to snap the picture. But here's the thing - if Dad is the one out there playing how is he going to get the picture? It HAS to be us, right?

We left our phones in the hotel room not even bothering to take them with us down to the pools. At times, I felt guilty for not being able to capture all the fun she was having. But you know what I was able to do? I was able to rock this 20 week pregnant belly in a bathing suit and go down slides with EK. I was able to splash around with her in the big pool and help her conquer the big slide in the toddler area. I was able to play with her, which by her request, is all she wanted.

When we got home we emptied our bags, started the laundry and sat down to relax before going back to everyday life tomorrow. I had my nose in my phone catching up on posts and articles I missed over the past few days when EK tried to get my attention....'Mommy, put down your phone. Do you want to play with me?'.....yes baby, I do.

Our kids don't care about the posts or the pictures. Chances are most likely they'll never see them or remember either. But they will remember when we played with them. They'll remember how silly we were and how we made them feel when we didn't care how we looked to others and jumped in and played with them. I'm not intending to mom shame anyone by writing this and I'm definitely not saying I have it all figured out, because I promise you I don't. I guess I'm just hoping to remind myself mostly (and anyone else who's child may not be as bossy as mine :) ) that all they really care about is our attention. 

I hope you hear far less from me from now on. If you don't feel free to remind me to 'put down your phone'

xoxo,
Rachel 

Unexpected

I have 12 friends who are pregnant.
 Twelve.
 Twelve people who I see on a weekly basis all in various stages of growing their precious little bumps.
One of my best friends, my neighbor, a co-worker and several close friends from church.
 I can probably think of 5 to 10 more who are 'friends' on social media that are also pregnant.
A friend joked this past week that it feels like everyone is pregnant. 

Everyone IS pregnant.

Did you know that 25% of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage? 1 in 4.
 So the probability that someone I know's pregnancy wasn't going to be viable seemed inevitable.

 I would have never imagined it would have been mine.

Austin and I started trying in May. We made the decision to try to grow our family and give our sweet daughter a baby sibling. We were hopeful and excited. I had my hopes realistically set on how long it would take. I didn't put pressure on myself to get pregnant immediately since I knew it took almost 6 months with Ellie. But then we were. I took a test early one July morning and (im)patiently waited those lonnnnnng two minutes for that second little line to appear, and then there it was. I kept it a secret from Austin all day. (hardest. secret. ever!) I ran to Target and got the cutest little shirt that said 'I'm the BIG SISTER' and after dinner with friends that evening, I got the shirt from the bag and showed it to him. He didn't get it at first. He said 'oh that's cute. It'll be good for when we need it.' I gave him a look that probably said OH MY GOSH! DON'T YOU GET IT? and then he smiled.

We told a few close friends and family. We were excited to share our news and knowing that we had a normal full term pregnancy before, the thought something could go wrong never crossed our minds.

Two weeks later I noticed some strange symptoms that the nurses assured me were completely normal.
Until I knew that they weren't. 

Three weeks, five ultrasounds and a lot of lab tests later we heard the dreaded truth.. 'There's nothing there.'
Nothing.
 No heartbeat. No sign of life.
The signs were there. The missed period and the craving for lemonade. The sack was there. But the baby wasn't.

I dressed slowly in the bathroom, holding it together for as long as I could. I thanked the ultrasound tech with tears in my eyes and walked out of the room. I stood behind a small wall that separated me from the main waiting room and melted into my husbands arms. 

Have you ever ugly sobbed (not cried but sobbed?) in public? It's rough. 

After an hour of waiting to meet with the doctor we headed out the door to go on with our lives like it hadn't just come crumbling down on top of us.

 I pleaded with God to work a miracle, change the situation, take away my heartache. A plea I cried for those long and painful three weeks. Still, nothing was there.

I sat in my car for a bit before leaving the parking lot that day. I turned on my music and prayed. I asked God why and once more pleaded with him to change things. Please, Lord. Please.
But as my music seemed to grow louder my plea changed. Peace, Lord....peace. Give me peace. Give me your peace, that surpasses all understanding. 'Please Lord, peace...'

Mere moments had passed when I opened up Instagram to take my mind off things when I saw this

captioned with 'He weeps with us and comforts us in our pain and yet He sees what we cannot see. He sees His perfect plan. He sees that even our pain can bring what is best for us. So he holds us close and let's us grieve. He hurts because we hurt. And yet through it all He is working. Working for our good.'

Have you ever had one of those moments where you just knew that God was right there with you? As if you could reach out and physically touch Him? That He heard your prayer and He immediately comforted or answered you? In that moment I felt the full embrace of my Jesus. I knew it was okay to be upset and confused, but I also knew that even though I didn't understand, I still trusted Him.

I spent the weekend loving my family a little harder. I held Ellie a little longer and snuggled her to sleep Saturday night. I paid extra attention to the details of her ever changing toddler face. I noticed she's started to cover her mouth with her hand when she laughs, and wondered who she picked that up from and immediately not caring because it's absolutely adorable. We went to church together as a family on Sunday and worshiped. We sang, mourned, cried (a lot) and felt the love of God all around us. We witnessed a baptism.
It was a good day.
I like to think that when my baby made it back to Jesus that they snuggled and He held that baby as gently as ever. That Jesus explained to my baby how He needed them to stay with Him just a while longer. That my baby felt safe and secure in Christ's arms.

Ya'll. God is good. That fact was never a question in my mind. I may not understand now, or ever why this happened to us but I know now that I don't have to. I know that God is good and He is faithful. I know that He is holding Austin and I close while we mourn the loss of our second child. I know that His plan is better than anything I could imagine.
and I can't wait to see what He's got in store.

'I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning'
- Lamentations 3:20-23

xoxo,
Rachel

Dear People Who Bought Our House

Because I'm clearly way too chicken to leave this in an actual note in the kitchen of the home that my husband and I just sold, I thought I'd write it out here...for everyone else to see :)

' Dear People Who Just Bought Our House,

(You may be thinking to yourself, 'What weirdos write a letter to the new owners of their home?'...well, *waves awkwardly*)

Welcome Home!

I hope those words are as exciting to hear as they are to say! We're so glad you're here. A few Sundays ago you asked the realtors if we could leave for a few hours so you could bring your parents by to show them the house. I went for a walk that day and started thinking that I'd really like to meet you, so I could tell you all the wonderful things about this house and our time here. So I thought to myself, 'I should write them a letter'. My feelings were later confirmed when my husband suggested the same thing unknowingly - that we should leave a little note just welcoming you home.

I imagine that you're a young couple, who has just purchased their first home together. ( I could be wrong. I've been wrong before, although not often...just ask my husband :)! ) I imagine that when you first saw this house and walked through the rooms and hallway that all of these dreams you've had started to take a realistic form before your eyes. That's what happened with us when we were where you are.

We purchased this home in 2012. We were dating then and had thrown the idea of purchasing a home out there as something we'd like to do. I was renting at the time and my boyfriend (now husband) was living at home with his parents. 

(Funny story, when we first decided to start looking for homes this one was the very first one we drove by without a realtor. My husband immediately said 'no...not for us, I don't like it' without ever even going in. I tried to persuade him to go smush our faces up against the windows to look in since it looked like no one was home, but he refused. Sometimes, I'm braver than I should be. But I digress...) 

We signed a contract with a realtor and started what seemed like the never ending search for a home. I think we were about 20 houses in and I told him, after this round if we don't find one..we'll just stay where we are and look again in a few months. I was going bonkers looking at houses every weekend. Our realtor took us out one Saturday with 5 or 6 houses on the list to look through hoping to find the perfect one for us. This house, was the last of them and when we walked in...BAM. Instantly in love. We could see it.... the layout was perfect, the neighborhood was adorable. I loved it. and to my amazement..so did he. We too, wanted our parents to see the house, so just like you, we brought them by to take a look. Fast forward a month or so, a few negotiations and a lot of signatures later....the house was ours!

I moved in first, on November 2, 2012. It was a Friday. That was the night my husband proposed. Right in the middle of the living room you're probably standing in now.

I love this house. I honestly think it's the cutest house on the street (but I'm obviously biased). I love the character and potential. I love that you can be in the kitchen cooking dinner but still hear your family giggling away in the bedrooms. I love the wear of the wood throughout and the trees that line the backyard. I love all the little ways we've left our mark on the house. *Disclaimer - no actual marks to my knowledge aside from one somewhere in front of the fireplace where we dropped our first Christmas tree and it scuffed up the floor...*

I love the memories.

This was the house that became our home. It's where we've cooked hundreds of meals. It was where we brought our first child home to. It's where I walked the length of the house over and over rocking a baby to sleep at 3 in the morning. It's where we've cried with friends and loved ones and it's where we've experienced an immeasurable amount of joy.

It's where we became we.

It's where we've prayed. A lot. 

We've prayed for you! We prayed for you before we ever even knew if there was going to be a 'you'. The day our house was set to hit the market, I stood in the living room and prayed for you. I prayed that you would feel God's unending love and comfort in this home. I prayed that you could rest in this decision knowing that God led you to this house and that this is where He needs you. I prayed that you would fall in love with this house the same way my husband and I did. I pray for the memories you'll make here and all effort you'll put in to make this house your home.

I hope you love this house as much as we have. I hope it's as good to you as it has been to us. And I hope if and when you decide to move, you'll be brave enough to write down all your favorite things and share it with the next people.

Welcome Home!

The Message

I follow this lady on Instagram. I don't know who she is, (creepy right?) but I came to follow her through the oh so wonderful #mugswap. 

What's a #mugswap you might ask? Only the funnest thing ever! It's basically like secret santa, only with coffee mugs. It's every August and it's wonderful. You make fun connections and get to bless someone with a coffee mug and goodies that you've picked out for them only after a tid-bit of information given to you.

So anyway, this lady. Every morning around 6:00am she posts the bible verse of the day, with a fun creative background. It's the same bible verse that everyone else who uses the YouVersion app gets, but I enjoy reading the verse of the day through her posts. She also uses 'The Message' translation. I've always heard of a 'controversy' over this particular translation of The Bible, but that's not the point. I don't personally choose to read The Message simply because I can't ever figure it out. I personally think it's just a more modern, 'book' type read of The Bible that puts passages into more applicable context. ( whoa! big words)

Today's verse reads, in my particular preferred translation of NIV:

'Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship' Romans 12:1

I even have this verse highlighted. I took this to mean, that my physical body and everything it does is to be given to God as sacrifice. Whatever my body may do or be should be acceptable by God. That THIS is a true form of worship.

Now let's look at today's verse via The Message translation:

'so here's what I want you to do. God helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to it's level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, and develops well formed maturity in you.' 

I feel like this verse now has all the footnotes included that were missing before. Not only does it tell me what to do, but it also tells me how without changing the instructions or the result. 

This verse couldn't have come at a better time for me. Ya see, this past Sunday God spoke directly to me through my Pastor. He does this frequently but this past Sunday was like a big ol' bright shiny spot light right down on me. 

He talked about how to focus on the next steps in our faith. He talked about Paul's letters to the Philippians. Specifically when he sends his 'thank you note' back to them for supporting him financially through his ministry, when they had nothing to give. He specifies in Chapter 4 verses 11 - 12 saying:

'I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry. Whether living in plenty or in want'

He talked about our attitude and needing to have an attitude of contentment. 

He asked us, are we content with what we have? With what we don't have? Contentment isn't something that comes natural to us. We live in a culture that teaches us we need more, and if we work for 'it', get 'it' and have more of 'it' we will be satisfied. 

IT doesn't exist.

He talked about how we too, can learn the secret of contentment.

1. Resist Comparisons (Proverbs 14:30)

2. Be Thankful (Ecclesiastes 6:9)

3. Trust God. (1 Timothy 6:17)

 This hit home. I am the QUEEN of comparisons. It's my competitive nature, that drives me to become better than my old self and in reality, those around me. I skim over things daily that I am thankful for. I just brush it off as a part of life that is just 'given' to me and don't think that simple things like running water and the choice of food I eat is something that someone, somewhere may not have.

and Trust God. (whew!) He asked us to answer to ourselves...do we trust God? Want to know what my answer was?....

Sometimes.(!!!!!!)

Sometimes I trust God. 

I am a strong willed, independent, do it for myself kind of person. When a situation is out of my control, I find a way to change my situation to PUT it in my control. It doesn't work that way with God though. 

God used that sermon to break me. He humbled me and brought that spot light back to Him. I was a crying mess during that sermon and it's given me a lot of things to think about. 

So back to the verse this morning...

I read it and knew that it was important, and meant for me to see in The Message translation... 

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Embrace what He gives us, the things we need, the things we don't need, but want. Don't fit into a culture that tells us we need more, that we need 'it', that we need control. Be content in God, be content in His decisions and His timing, and live our lives as a sacrifice to Him.

Friends,

He's got this. Don't compare yourselves to others, good or bad. Be thankful for what you have and where you are in life, don't wish for more, and most importantly put your faith in Him. 

be still and know...that He is God.

xoxo,

Rachel

Healthy Habits

I'm going to admit something to you...that may shock some of you, disappoint others and really confuse most...

I thought Pinterest was a stupid idea (whew! I'm glad I finally admitted that!)

When it first came out, I couldn't grasp the concept on how it worked, and really didn't care to try. I rolled my eyes at other peoples straight obsession with pinning. I didn't make an account for the longest time, and only gave in when little posts on Facebook starting popping up saying "Natasha pinned this to her board"...I would want to see what she posted, but couldn't without having an account...(that's how they getcha!) So, finally I created one...but still refused to use it.

UNTIL - like 2 weeks ago. 

It's tons of fun (which I know you already knew) and hubs is happy because it's like new food heaven in our kitchen...'Hey babe, I found a recipe on Pinterest...we're gonna have [insert some delicious sounding meal here]....' 

No complaints from the Husband department. 

One of these days when I get around to remembering to take pictures of my food as I cook it, I'll provide some insight on my adventure into eating healthier...until then, enjoy an empty recipe tab above :)
I've started to follow all kinds of boards...clothes, desserts, DIY, home decorating, desserts, yoga, desserts, running.....desserts. You get the idea. Also weightloss! I saw a pin that said '15 habits of people who lost 30 lbs and kept it off'....that intrigued me. (with all those dessert pins I need as many tips as I can get.)
You can follow that link to read the whole things but I wanted to share some of the ones I deemed as most important, as well as some biblical references to focus on:

Develop routines and make it your lifestyle.
I am not on a 'diet'..I may have been when I first started losing weight, but now it's how I choose to live my life. I make conscious decisions on how I treat my body, with food & exercise. I incorporate healthy choices into everything I do. My body is here to glorify God, and I try my best to treat it accordingly. 

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God' 1Corinthians 10:31

Eat clean (er) foods & Cook at home
I think these two go hand in hand. If you cook at home, you're more likely eating cleaner food just by default. You know what goes into what you're cooking. You can limit the amount of 'unhealthier' choices at home, than you can in a drive through or at a restaurant. Eat your colors.

While the Bible doesn't provide a specific way of eating, it does stress importance on a balance between healthy choices and enjoying 'richer' foods. (source)

Have an accountability system
This one is so important!! I could have never gotten down 40lbs without hubs & my friends and family. They encouraged me, helped me find new recipes, they didn't tempt me. They knew this was important to me. But also, they understood and put me back on track when I did lose sight. I would ask friends to meet me at the gym before or after work. Knowing I had someone counting on me to show up, made me actually show up. Accountability is so important in many aspects of life - especially maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
 

Practice portion control.
This should be pretty self explanatory. Everything is okay in portion. It definitely takes some serious self control and having that accountability when it comes to portion control. I would use smaller plates so you can only fit so much. Also, I would practice putting my fork down in between bites and drink some water. You'll be surprised at how fast you get full doing this.

'You were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies' 1Corinthians 6:20  

Prioritize exercise
It's not about having time...it's about making time. Do squats while you dry your hair. Jog in place while you watch tv, take your dog for a walk. Meet up with a friend & take an aerobics class. Practice yoga. 30 minutes a day is all it takes. 

'I can do all this through Him who gives me strength' Philippians 4:13
 
Meal plan along with preparing meals and snacks ahead of time.
This one will cut down on the guess work. We meal plan on Sunday's. We would grocery shop according to our list. This not only cuts back on having junk food in the house, but it saves you tons of money. I'd always make more than needed, so we could have leftovers for lunch. Let me be the first to tell you - unless you're an amazing chef who has tons of time on your hands, this part isn't glamorous. Sometimes I'll just take left over grilled chicken, and put some salsa on it and call it a meal. Other times I'd each spinach and a rice cake because it's what I planned for. Knowing what you're going to be eating and planning for it keeps you away from those drive throughs and last minute desperate starvation decisions. 

'For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap' Galatians 6:7
 
Give yourself grace.
I added this one. 
Ya'll we have to give ourselves grace. We have to be willing to understand that we are sinners. We will fall short. But here's a secret....it's okay! Have some ice cream with your kids, enjoy a good meal with your friends...eat a cupcake on a Tuesday because you feel like it. It. Is. Okay.
My pal Sydney wrote a blog that really got to me yesterday
(check it out here)
We (myself included) focus so much on our outward beauty. We're concerned with our weight, how flat our stomach is, where our clothes come from. Friends! It doesn't matter! We are to live our lives to be filled with Christ, not filled with ourselves.Try your hardest, stay active, eat clean, reward yourself and do it all for the glory of God!

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight - 1Peter 3:3-4

In all your ways, submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:6

Now...get up and go for a run :)

xoxo,
Rachel 

committed to prayer

Let me just start by saying...I really stink at blogging.

I always have such good intentions - whether anyone actually reads what I write, is beside the point - I long to be one of those cute, pinterest posting, recipe sharing, inspirational blogs you come across while using stumbleupon.com...

Apparently, unless I up my game a little, this isn't going to happen.

But that's okay!

Let me tell you friends - Our God is great! 

Some of you may already know this, where as others don't agree. But let me tell you why I know He is.

A few months ago I was having a really hard time at my job. I was frustrated for various reasons, but I liked the work and I knew I was working for a great company. My husband and I talked about it and we decided to pray for guidance. We went to The Lord in prayer and said show us, lead us, guide us. If this is the place for me that He would take my frustrations and worries from me and that I would be content. 

All while this was happening a few other things were going on at the same time:
First:
A few miles down the road my mother in law was talking to a client of hers, (she owns her own hair salon) she told me they had just sort of stumbled into a conversation about work, when the woman shared with her that she's been wanting to hire someone for her company, but not really felt like it was the right timing. That she had been praying about advertising for this position but didn't feel that was right path to take. She started describing the position to my mother-in-law who told her that it sounded like something I may like to do, so she gave her my number. 
Also:

Our pastor preached on prayer the next Sunday. He said alot of things during this sermon that stuck with me, but one in particular was that 'we are ordinary people who can pray to an extraordinary God. That we have full access to God anytime we want. 
Ephesians 3:20 says 'He can do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine.' (paraphrase) 
Our pastor asked if you really believe that He can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine? Do you? We need to believe that God answers prayers. He is listening and He hears you. Sometimes the answer is yes, and sometimes it's no...but he always answers.

He also said to get specific - to go to God and pray very specific prayers. ( I about have to pray for specific things, I ask God for Him to make it really obvious for me because I'm a pretty oblivious person. If you ever get the chance, ask Austin about the time I walked past a bouquet of flowers about 20 times before he finally pointed them out to me) 

The following Monday hubs and I were sitting at the table for dinner, discussing our day. I expressed to him how I really hoped the lady his mom gave my number to called me. He suggested I give his mom a call and ask for her number instead. I instinctively said no, that I've prayed about this and I trust that if this is what God wants, she'll call me. He agreed and we left it at that...I kid you not, 10 minutes later my phone rang - and it was her! She invited me to come for a introduction interview that upcoming Friday!
All week long that week, we prayed HARD, and very very specific prayers. We knew that if I chose to change jobs a specific amount of money had to be there, that they would understand wanting to work a 2 week notice, we prayed that if God wanted something different for me that it would be easy, that all the doors would be open. 
When I went for that introduction interview, everything we prayed for - happened. Every specific prayer we prayed, was granted. 
I was floored. I had an overwhelming feeling that I was taken care of. That's what God wants - for us to let Him take care of us. After all, He is our Father.

Ya'll - it's SO EASY to think to ourselves 'I got this, I don't need any help' (that's me in a nut shell  **insert Miss Independent lyrics**) But let me say - it's so much easier to give it to God and not worry with it anymore. Trust that He is for you. He wants you to come to Him with everything. Every request, every situation, every fear, every worry, every good news! He wants us to trust Him, confide in Him, and talk to Him. 

Our God is great and 'every good and perfect gift comes from Him' (James 1:17, again paraphrased).
I encourage anyone reading this to know, God is for you, and He wants to hear from you. Commit to praying and conversing with your Father in all situations- even if you haven't in a really, really long time. 
Why not now? He's ready for you, just like He always has been.

xoxo,
Rachel

My fitness journey

I've decided to focus my blog on my faith and walk in Christ, as well as encourage and inspire others in their walk in faith, as well as in health and fitness.

First let me say this...I am NOT in anyway a trainer, nutritionist or certified professional of any form in regards to health and fitness. My journey and my plan works for me.

Before starting any weight loss plan, or physical activity program, I encourage everyone to discuss with their physician to see what is safe and effective for you!

I've had a lot of people ask me how and why I started and I thought it would be a good way to share - to be completely transparent about my struggles and success.

I've always struggled with my size - I'm 5'8 with broad shoulders, 'big bones' and thick leg muscles. "Athletic" is what my body type was referred to as a kid.
Growing up, I was bigger than most of my friends. I remember getting to middle school and having to do those awkward physical exams for PE - I remember weighing more than the other kids. I never really let my size bother me though. I was pretty confident in who I was. I played volleyball, and tennis and was on the track team. Although I wasn't the best in any of those sports, I stuck with them and enjoyed playing. After high school I gave up playing sports and didn't stay active during college.
I put on a good 20 pounds after high school and refused to acknowledge it. I avoided scales and taught myself to think 'it's how you feel, not how much you weigh' (Which I still 100% agree with!) But I was super unhealthy. I would eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and paid no attention to what I put in my body.
I took notice of my habits and unhealthy way of eating around December of 2013. I knew some girlfriends who had some success with Weight Watchers, so I gave it a try. Around that time I also picked up my 2nd job of teaching swim lessons at a locally owned gym. I started swimming and running regularly as well as following a strict, strict diet on the WW plan.
I lost 40 pounds in 5 months:

(left: Summer 2013. right: May 2014)

I learned to love eating vegetables. I gave up breads. pastas and cheese (and wine....periodically :) ). I ate alot of protein and vegetables. I found new recipes and did a ton of meal prep. I would still reward myself with sweets & chocolate as well.

If anyone knows about Weight Watchers, it's all about portion size and what's 'worth' eating verses what isn't. I quickly learned I could eat pizza, pasta & burgers...but I couldn't eat a lot of them. What one slice of pizza would 'cost' in the WW world, I could eat 2 cups of spinach, a 5oz chicken breast, 2 hard boiled eggs and some dressing. SO much more food.

It just made sense to me, and it worked.

I struggled, and gave in to craving every now and then. But I would always get back on track, focusing on my workouts, and putting fuel into my body.

My fitness journey has done more for me than just losing weight and getting in shape. I've had the opportunity to meet new people who have encouraged and inspired me to push forward and keep going. I've drawn closer to God by giving praise to Him for allowing me to have the strength and courage to continue, when really all I wanted to do was quit. I've found fun new ways to stay active and push myself. I've signed up for more races and even am participating in my first triathlon in September. 

Most importantly I want to encourage others to believe in themselves. To truly believe in yourselves and know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are strong and you can do it!

I'll be here to provide encouragement, ideas and tips and recipes along the way!

Here's to you!

xoxo,

Rachel