He is Far Sighted

Lately, Addie’s nights have been proving to be exceptionally hard to lay her down. I often don’t know what to do to try to calm her down. I don’t know how many things I should try. I don’t know if I should just leave her be to soothe herself. I usually just swing by the seat of my pants. Almost every night ends in me cuddling her to sleep after she has finally wore herself down. Last night, I started crying in defeat. Then, I started singing to her, and as her tiny arm slid down mine in her exhaustion whilst falling asleep, my tears of defeat changed to tears of thankfulness. For less than one year ago, was I not mourning for our children in heaven? One year ago, I was battling infertility and the spiritual battles that came along side it. Last night I realized just how short sighted I was in the realm of my God. How impatient I am in the things that I want, and just how strongly I feel not only defeat, and sadness, but joy and thankfulness as well. 

I am thankful for my years of difficulty, because they have made becoming a mother, the difficult parts so much more bearable and enjoyable. Yes, I still get defeated and frustrated, but the thoughts of my years of darkness are never far from my mind. There are some dim aspects of motherhood that I was not prepared for, but they pale in comparison to the void of darkness from years past. So, again, I am finding myself being thankful for the opportunity to have this crying, nay, screaming babe in my arms. I am thankful for not knowing what to do, because it means she is here. It means my little promise from God is here, in my arms, entrusted to me. I may not be joyful in every situation that Addie girl throws my way, but I am most certainly thankful, because without the grace of God, I could be crying for entirely different reasons right now. 

A year can change everything. A moment can change everything. This was a moment that changed my heart attitude. These nights are hard and puzzling, but who knows what I will remember in a year from now. Perhaps I will need to be reminded once again, how everything has a season and just how those seasons of difficulty will all come to an end for those of us that know Christ. He is far sighted, where I am near sighted. 

A Long Post About Baby Stuff and Budgets. (0-3 months)

I have been wanting to write this for awhile now. A list of what budgets to NOT be surprised by and what products I really liked and thought were worth it.

Budgets Surprises:

Food/Eating Out: 
I tried REALLY hard to not have cravings. I even instigated a 3 day rule...if I didn't want it after 3 days, it wasn't a craving, just a whim. That being said, I didn't really have too many cravings, but I did have things that sounded good and didn't sound good and that would change daily. Also, around weeks 9-12 I was so doggone tired that I HATED cooking. All I wanted to do was sleep. There were also a couple of times where I would make supper (something that sounded good), take one bite and gag.
Bottom line: make your food and eating out budget flexible. Maybe you won't have that issue, but maybe you will.

Medical:
Obviously, this is a no brainer. I was in so much contact with our insurance agency, they probably got tired of me. That being said, our OBGYN office did not contact us until 5 weeks before our due date with telling me how much we would need to pay within 30 days of our daughter's birth. Luckily, we have medical savings, luckily we were saving some every month, and luckily they realized that they should have gotten to us much sooner.
Bottom line: Be in contact with your hospital, OBGYN, and insurance agency to know what you will need to pay, what your deductible is, what counts towards it. We were able to pay for Addie's birth in full, but if we had not had an emergency fund and savings (a la Dave Ramsey), there would have been a slightly bitter taste in our mouth with payments.

Clothing:
Being pregnant at least 2 other times before, I had scoured the internet (mostly Old Navy and Target) for maternity clothing deals. I found some great ones and really, I could have not needed to buy anything. That being said, my upper body did not fit into the ideal baby doll or empire waist type shirts and dresses that I had gotten previously. So many cute things went unused. By the second trimester, I could no longer wear either my regular pre-pregnancy clothes as the norm, nor a plethora of maternity clothes I had in my stash. I had to buy all new items, which really stunk, budget wise, and something I was not expecting to have happen.
Bottom line: If you are searching for deals, stay away from empire waisted things until you KNOW how they will fit you. Also, do try to make your normal shirts last as long as possible (splurge on jeans and shorts, especially in the summer). Most maxi dresses will work too.

Honestly, by the time we found out we were pregnant, we started saving $150/month to spend on baby supplies. You would be surprised at how fast everything adds up--even with baby showers! Even after baby, you find things that you don't even know you needed, but you do. Keep setting aside that money!


Favorite Products (0-3 months)

For Mom:
* Medela breast pump-- I wanted to nurse Addie. Surprise, surprise when she couldn't nurse due to our anatomies not matching up. Luckily, I had contacted my insurance and talked with my doctor about a prescription for a breast pump and it was fully covered with a prescription. I was also able to pick it up before Addie was born, so imagine my relief coming home, that I didn't have to worry about getting one right away, since I already had it. Even if you can nurse baby, this is a great thing to have on hand, and you don't always know what your body will do or what your baby will do. Always contact insurance first.

* Nursing shawl/cover-- This was also an item I purchased before Addie was born, in hopes that I would be nursing. As stated above, I am not able to, but when I excuse myself for pumping when we are around others it is nice to have something to cover myself with in case a little girl walks on in. Plus, who knows, maybe our next child will be entirely different.

* Feeding products (lanolin, milk bags, soothies, breastpads, and therapearls)-- I liked having these all on hand. I barely used the soothies, lanolin, and therapearls, but am glad that I invested in them before giving birth, that way I didn't have to run to WalMart. Fun story too, WalMart doesn't always have these things in stock.

* Pumping accessories-- Hands free pumping bra (if you have to pump and can't nurse, invest in this. Just trust me). Pumping bag. Ebay has some for $25 or less, but they are really nice those first months if you need to pump and you still want to go places.

* Boba or Moby wrap/baby carrier-- I bought a boba wrap at a consignment store for $10. It was worth it. I have only used it a couple of times, but it was so helpful and honestly quite comfortable to wear with her for hours at a time.

* Rocker/Recliner-- I recommend a reclining rocker over a glider any day of the week. There'll be a couple of nights where you will need to snuggle with your little one, and having something that you can both put your feet up and lean back, so that you can catch some zzz's is overall better in my opinion than a glider. That being said, not all parents NEED a glider, or even a rocker. Many parents snuggle on the couch or on the bed and have great success and comfort with those options. I wanted our bed to not be the go to. I also didn't want to sleep on the couch for those nights since my husband wakes up and gets ready to go at 6 am some mornings. The reclining rocker in the nursery was just the ticket for us and our lifestyle. Also, whatever you do, really think about getting leather/bonded leather. Like I said, Addie spit up a lot, and let me tell you--wiping it off of the chair was way easier than trying to clean our microsuede sofa.


For Baby:

* Rocker/sleeper/bassinet-- There are two kinds of rocker sleepers that I like. One was the Fisher Price rocker sleeper for baby and the other was the Tiny Love 3-in-1. We borrowed the Fisher Price one for traveling since it folds up and since Addie hated her carseat. For day to day use though, we used the Tiny Love. I opted to ask for this one for the baby shower since it had a greater pound limit and since I didn't know how long we would be using it for. The first month and a half she was in our room right next to our bed in this and it was great. Now it is in the basement for the times that both Simeon and I are downstairs, and it keeps her pretty well occupied!

* Nose Frida--buy here We were recommended this by some friends. Boy, it's a little hard to get over the thought of sucking out boogers with your mouth, but honestly, do I love it. We have not used the snot sucker that came home with us from the hospital because this one just works so much better.

*Multiple bottles to try-- We were lucky in the fact that we had 4 different bottles on hand for Addie to try since she was bottle fed. She also spit up generous amounts...a lot, so finding a bottle that reduced that was nice. Try finding them at garage sales, from friends to borrow, anything like that to save money before you settle on one and buy a certain brand. All babies are different and you just have to find what works for them. (We ended up settling on Dr. Brown bottles, and like them a lot)

* NUK pacifier-- We got this brand paci in the hospital and Addie took to it right away. Foolishly, we bought another brand because of the dreaded "nipple confusion" (which didn't matter anyways AND I am pretty sure it is a pretty minimal problem). She hated them. So back to the store we went, and bought more NUK's. Really, just treat pacis like bottles, have the two different kinds to try, but don't worry about buying them. If they take to the one in the hospital, just stick with that one. They'll figure it out.

* Bottle Cleaning supplies-- When you add up pumping and bottle feeding, that's a lot of bottles to keep clean. You have a bunch to clean by hand and for that we like the OXO bottle brush (buy it here). We started out with bottle brushes that have the foam on the end and it got destroyed within a month of use with the narrow bottle openings. We've had the OXO  one for over 2 months and it's still in great condition. Also, at first we didn't buy a grass drying rack (like this one here, but we found an off brand at TJMaxx for cheaps), but boy is it nice. We used a towel first and lots of tipped over bottles and making a mess. This grass one holds all the bottles and pump parts upright and makes it much easier to move if I need the counter space. Lastly, I would recommend a dishwasher basket. Again, we bought the OXO brand because it made sense. It takes up some space in the dishwasher, but it is nice to have a place to clean all of the nipples, lids, spouts, straws and pump parts in the dishwasher at the end of the day (buy it here) and have a break from cleaning. Bottom line: If you are pumping and bottle feeding, invest in a good bottle brush that's all bristles, a grass type drying rack, and a good sized dishwasher basket.

*Essential Oils-- I like Young Living for my essential oil stash. I chose to mainly have Lavender, Peace and Calming, Thieves and DiGize oils on hand. I love them. There's a lot of other useful oils to use for babies, but these 4 are my top choices so far. Lavender is nice for diffusing in her room, as well as curing her cradle cap. I like using Peace and Calming on the back of her neck when she's freaking out. Even if it doesn't work for Addie, when I am trying to calm her down and I smell the Peace and Calming, I have noticed that I have much more patience with her. Thieves is perfect for anti bac purposes, and she has yet to get sick because of preemptive applications of this on her feet (as well as being breastfed). DiGize is a life saver, not only for her, but for us as well. It is quite possibly the most effective oil we own (as in every time we've used it, it has helped one of our tummies). Sometimes, she has trouble pooping or has gassiness that she can't get out. On her feet it goes and within 5 minutes of application, spit up, poop, a burp, or gas happens and she calms right down.

* Activity Mat-- I really struggled with this purchase, after all it was one more thing to buy for her, but am I glad I did. She loves looking at her treetop friends (here) and jabbering with them.  I also needed it sooner than I thought I would. You could probably borrow one, but I fell in love with that one and figured it didn't take up too much space so I caved.

* Baby bath-- Just make sure you get a simple one that grows with baby. I know that sounds funny, but there are just so many options out there, that it gets confusing. This is the one we ended up getting from WalMart and we like it. It is just a bath after all.

* Blankets/Burp Cloths-- Make sure you have these on hand. I don't mean the heavy great big blankets either. I mean simple flannel blankets. We also just bought gerber prefolds  for burp rags. In those early weeks, Addie spit up a lot. So having many of both of those on hand was what got us through the days. Even if you don't use them that much, it isn't a bad idea to have them on hand.

* Cozy Cover-- for the winter months is a must. Or something along those lines.

* Cloth Diapers-- I opted to try out cloth diapers, and fell in love with the GroVia Hybrid system. I won't write a huge spiel here, but let me know if you are interested in them and I can tell you my experience and what I like and purchased from them. Also, cloth diapering isn't for everyone, and for those of you that like disposable, I would suggest Luv's diapers (at WalMart). They are the most economical that I have found (even though I hate the strong powder smell).

* Baby monitor-- Just find one that you like. There are lots of good brands. We actually have 2 kinds, since one was given as a Christmas gift. The first one we have, we bought since it has 2 parent monitors that are rechargeable. This is nice because we can keep one in the basement and have one in our bedroom and not worry about carrying it all over with us. Also, once it starts getting nicer outside, it will be nice to have it outside without the cord. The second one we received was a video monitor. Normally, I wouldn't say that the video is necessary, but we really enjoy using it. It is nice to see if she is waking up before she gets really upset. Primarily, I liked it because we had her sleeping on her tummy pretty early on, so not having to go in and check on her so often (new mom) to make sure she was still breathing during her naps. This one is also rechargeable which is nice, and we ended up putting it in the living room, so now, we have zero need to carry around any monitor, unless we go outside. Score!


There you have it. That's my list of things that I have found that has actually made our life work smoothly. No matter what you decide to get or not get, I will say this. Make sure all of your big things are gender neutral. Carseat, activity mat, ect. You want to reuse and save money, not spend it all on adorable baby stuff. Buy used clothes at garage sales, or thrift stores, or even borrow them.

He is a Father

There are a few things I have learned from being a new mom. Changing, feeding, managing time, and some of Addie's cries are a few things that come to mind. Want to know what I have learned the most though? Patience. Want to know what I am learning the most of? Patience.

For anyone who knows me, I am not a patient person. In fact "slow to anger" does not describe me at all. I am working on it--I have been for the last 4 years in earnest, so now I am much slower to anger, but there are those things that still rile me up quite quickly.

So, the one thing I have learned about being a mom is that it simply takes patience to adjust to a new way of life. When we first brought our daughter home, I was over the moon. I looked at her and was floored that I am her mother. I sat in disbelief and awe. Sometimes, I still do. There's another side of this that I was not expecting. The very first day she cried all day and would barely calm down, I felt like the worst mother in the world. She just cried and cried. That insecurity drove me very quickly to frustration. That frustration built and built and built. Addie was on the changing table and I remember staring at the ceiling and just screaming out, "I know I am a terrible mother, okay?!". Truly, I know that I am not a terrible mother, but not being able to calm your little one certainly makes one feel as such--especially when someone is new to the whole "mom" thing.

2 1/2 months into her life, I feel like I finally have somewhat of a clue. There is a new normal and my patience is higher. However, just because I have a higher tolerance level, does not mean that it will not be continued to be tested. In such a short time of becoming a mother, one thing has become almost painfully clear to me. Just how patient with me is my God, my Heavenly Father?

I throw tantrums when I don't get my way. I cry out in emotional pain and don't stop. I am clingy and needy. I am insecure and cry out to Him constantly. Yet...He sits there, taking it all, being slow to anger, and loving me just the same. As a mother, I pray that this aspect of my Lord is one that I can exhibit to my daughter. My love will never be enough for her, but I pray that my love and patience is what will help urge her into a relationship with our Father. I pray that in all circumstances, she grows up seeing a direct reflection of the characteristics of God.

As I was thinking about the past month, I was thinking about what products I would recommend to have. Reading blogs is just so confusing. I wish there were a pretty good list, and babies are so different to know what to get! In future posts, I will be giving my opinions on what to get for going to the hospital, 1-3 months, 4-6 months, 7-9 months, and 10-12 months. I will try for it to make as much sense as possible, with some flexibility.

He Allows Growth

As I was putting away clean laundry today, I realized that Addie no longer fits into most newborn clothes. I packed them away and wondered if I was really sad about her growing and I came to the conclusion that I am not. Her growth means that as a parent, I am doing something right. I get to see her grow, learn and absorb the world around her. I get to see her smiles, and her personality develop. Last year my verse was "Be still and know that I am God." I choose to be still in the growth of my daughter. I am not sad for the times of growth, nor am I anxiously awaiting her TO grow. I am being joyful in each stage of her life, right where she is. I rejoice in knowing that she is growing.

I hope that I can keep this focus. I believe that it will translate into other areas of her life. I pray that with this attitude, she realizes that she is fine just where she is. She doesn't have to grow up and please me. She doesn't have to stay little to please me. She has to learn and grow at her pace, her time, and in the way God created her to. I pray that if I keep this focus, she grows confident in where God has her.

Bottom line, I pray that she understands the meaning of "Being Still". I pray that as a mother, I can be patient and not force her to grow up or expect things of her before she is ready to achieve them. I pray that as she reaches and achieves and learns that I am there, cheering her on, encouraging her to the point that she can be confident enough to do virtually anything. I pray that I neither hold her back, nor push her before she is ready.

So, I guess that "being still" is still kind of my phrase for yet another year. It pairs perfectly with "peace in every situation" phrase I have chosen for this year. As she grows and learns, I pray that I allow God to create a spirit of learning in my own heart.

He is New

It is 12:26 am on New Year's Day. The first New Year's Simeon and I have stayed up for in at least three years (the irony of staying up the first year we have a newborn and going to bed early the other three years without one is not lost on me). I am sitting at home, hoping for a reflective spirit of the year behind and of the year ahead, whilst my wonderful husband is retrieving my forgotten phone from our friends's house...again.

Aside from the Times Square celebration playing on the TV, there was no cheering for 2015, no special kiss at midnight, no confetti. This evening, there were friends and families gathered, games played, and conversations shared. 2015 isn't really a new beginning, there's no clean slate, things that happened December 31, 2014, are still going to happen January 1, 2015 (with the exception of messing up checks).

There is always a spirit of new-ness when the new year rings in, though. Why do we crave the resolutions, the new, the clean, the refreshed? We crave Him. We crave the newness of life, the cleanliness, and the refreshment that only He, our Savior and Lord can provide. We celebrate His birth on December 25th every year, but the real joyous occasion, is that we can taste, enjoy and receive the new-ness He has to offer every day of the year.

So this year, let your old bad habits become clean. Let your good habits that have fallen to the wayside become renewed. Sure, go ahead and make that New Year's Resolution. But let Christ make you clean, let God create in you a new heart, and let the Holy Spirit continue to refresh you, because that, is what I am hoping for in the year 2015--that He continues the good work in me, and that I allow it.

Every year, I find a verse that I seem to speak as my own over the year, one I cling to when I desperately need it. Last year, was a simple "Be still and know that I am your God." This year, is seems to be a little hackneyed since I used it on our Christmas 'card' and our New Year's card,  but it is my prayer for the year ahead---I think we will need quite a bit o' peace after all.

Happy New Year, and may it be blessed, indeed!

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all."

2 Thessalonians 3:16 

His Cost is Greater

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Where has the time gone?! As I was sitting here, I had what I was most thankful for. Isn't it obvious? Of course it is our little Adelaide Joy. However, then I got to thinking why I was thankful for her. There's the obvious reasons--ones that you have all heard and gone through with us along the way. Then I thought about the cost of having Addie--and just how brilliant the cost was.

You see, having her cost me so much in life--so very much. 

She cost me my bitterness. 

She cost me my selfishness,

She cost me my sorrow.

She cost me my fear.

She cost me my hopelessness.

She cost me my anger.

She cost me my self-inflicted loneliness. 

She cost me my empty arms. 

She cost me my unblemished stomach. 

She cost me time with my husband. 

She cost me my time to myself. 

Having her has cost me, and will continue to cost me these things, and my friends. I am glad. 

She cost me my bitterness, and replaced it with sweetness. 

She cost me selfishness, and it gave way to selflessness. 

She cost me my sorrow, and it blossomed to joy.

She cost my my fear, and it died to courageousness. 

She cost me my hopelessness, and it turned to believing. 

She cost me my anger, and it melted away to peace.

She cost me my loneliness, and created togetherness. 

She cost me my empty arms, and constantly made them full. 

She cost my my unblemished stomach and instead I have a permanent reminder of God's faithfulness.
She cost me time with Simeon, and changed it to time as a family.
She cost me time to myself and created time for reflection on God's goodness.

She will continue to "cost" me, test me, and teach me, Some of the "costs" will be hard to accept, some of them will be hard to let go of. I would be lying if I said that having her hasn't made my life easier with less reason for bitterness and anger, God has done more than give me her, in His mercy, He has freed me from so many internal struggles of mine. Oh, they will rear their ugly heads, but when I look at Addie, there will no longer be doubts of God's personalized goodness towards me. So I will take on every sleepless night, every bewildering crying fit, every dirty diaper, and every bit of spit up, because when I look at Addie, I see a promise kept, a truth revealed, and love demonstrated, and I know that it is well with my soul,

When I see the "costs" of Addie, I think of what it cost our Heavenly Father to place Jesus Christ on the cross. To allow it. For that reason, I am even more eternally grateful, and pray with all my might, that Adelaide will one day understand the cost of the Father for her. His cost is so much greater than my own.




* This post was started the day before Thanksgiving, but because of Addie and a family filled weekend, it was not finished until today.

He is Compassionate

So, this is a hard post for me write. It's about this pregnancy and what I have seen through it--and that makes it hard, because I guarantee you that parts of it will come across as complaining and whining, even though that is not my intent, and in saying some of the things, I will feel guilty.

Through this pregnancy, I have tried really hard not to complain. I have probably failed at it--a lot. The weight gain, the stretch marks, the sweating, the peeing, the hormones--all of those things I have taken in stride. However, there are a couple of things that have really bothered me, physically, and emotionally.

 Physically, one of the changes have been hard because nothing seems to fit me properly. I have had to spend money on top of money just to have something that fits, is comfortable, and looks like I am not trying to squeeze into something that's half my size. It's hard because it makes it harder to be modest...loose fitting things, have become tight. Things that should go up, instead come down. People notice--men notice. I feel guilty, but also at this point apathetic. It makes my upper back hurt because of how fast it has changed and my back muscles can't keep up with that growth. This isn't a vanity thing.

The other issue are my hips. They hurt. Not when I am walking around throughout the day, but at night, or anytime I lay down to sleep. It's not uncommon to have one hour where I am awake 3 times within that hour. I consistently get 4 hours of sleep, and that is on a good night. Naps are hard too...because it isn't just at nighttime. It's anytime my body is horizontal. Sharp shooting pain drives through my hips and nothing works to alleviate it. I don't complain about this because it's there, I complain about it because I am TRYING to deal with it (and I have been since early on in the second trimester). I am trying solutions that will work. Even my OB and Chiropractor are at a loss for what I should do. I get adjusted at least twice a month, if not more. I go to a massage therapist (although, I forgot to make an appointment, and keep forgetting because it's new to me). Tylenol lasts for such a little time, and pumping my body full of it makes me cringe with fear. If I sit up after laying down, my hip pops--and it is painful. It's not a relief thing, because it goes right back to the pain. I can't control it. I wake up crying and in tears--partially from pain, but mainly because there is so little time I have been able to sleep that I can't properly deal with my emotions.

Why am I telling you this? Simply because when I have told others this, a majority of responses (not all), are not kind. I am writing this to remind you mommas of all the pains and hardships you had in your pregnancies. I am not a naturally sympathetic person when it comes to there being a solution for an issue, that is not being approached. (For example, if one were to complain about being thirsty and doing nothing about it when they are able to.)

Anyways, here's my urge to you all from one extremely physically and emotionally exhausted expecting mother. Be kind. Be compassionate. Be encouraging. Be thoughtful. Be sincere. I have heard the phrases "This is what you've prayed for.", "Oh, but it will be so worth it..."Just you wait until...(fill in the blank)", "But this child is such a blessing...", "It doesn't get any better, so you might as well get used to it now.", and countless other phrases that are similar. I get why these things are being said. I do. They all make sense. However, they all make me feel even worse. I know this is what I prayed for, and I am soooo thankful for it. I am excited by it, anxious for it, exceedingly in awe of this child! This pregnancy is already a blessing, this child IS a blessing--a promise fulfilled and every time I think of how merciful and kind God has been, I am moved to tears. I AGREE with you on these things!!! But it isn't what is needed. Hearing those thoughts make me feel guilty for even thinking about how hard this is--especially the fact that this IS what I prayed for. Does that mean I am not allowed to be in pain? Would you have sympathy for someone who broke their leg in a car accident that wasn't their fault?

The other phrases "Just you wait until...", "It doesn't get any better...", and other things like that make it so hard as well. Where is the hope for better days? I get that motherhood is hard, I really do. I know that right now, I cannot grasp what all that means, and that will have to come at another time, but where is encouragement? Shouldn't we be edifying one another? Honestly, without having the rest I even need to get by, and being so exhausted, emotions have more power over me than I would like. Fear comes in like a monster, fears that really have no place in being there, but are now bigger and badder simply because I am tired.

I beseech you, to be you to be kind. I am aware that I more than likely wasn't kind or showed the same compassion with you that I am asking for now, and for that I apologize. If this is how you felt when you had tried talking to me, I now understand. Yes, I was bitter and thought that "well they have such a blessing, what do they have to complain about?!" and I was selfish. I hate that this is what it has taken me to have that shortcoming so blatantly obvious, and I feel awful that I was not compassionate. Again, I have tried hard not to complain about other things and instead tried to have an attitude of thankfulness for weight gain, and stretch marks, and not shaving any more (which that last one, REALLY is a reason to be thankful!).  Those things affect my vanity though, not my physical well being. I am asking for some empathy, encouragement, and compassion instead of the typical comments. I am looking forward to giving birth and letting every single issue I had fade away into the background of the precious new life. But please, right now, be kind. Be kind to Simeon as well, because he hears most of it simply because I don't know who I can talk to about this without feeling guilty. He feels helpless that he can do nothing to help the pain of either my emotions or my body right now.

Through this pregnancy, I can honestly say that after this, I want to be the mom that is understanding of another pregnant mom's pains and issues. It isn't just the physical pain. But physical pain, coupled with physical and emotional exhaustion, makes way for emotions from the enemy to take hold. Let's be kind. Let's be understanding. I hope that this is not a rude post, or a justification for complaining. Simply a post that enlightens how much more one could have to deal with than just the body changes. So much more. Let's bind together in the light and love of Christ, and allow others to hurt, and allow them to not feel guilty for hurting---emotionally, physically, spiritually, and under any circumstance.