The REAL Pregnancy Must-Haves

I need a section on this blog titled “Ms. I have an Opinion About Everything,” because that’s me. I research A LOT before I make purchases, eat food, take medicine, vacation…all of it. It could borderline on some OCD, really. Therefore-naturally, I review things to myself ALL OF THE TIME. I might as well write about it. (Currently in a baby sleep sack/swaddle/sleeping container nightmare…will review all of the products I have loved and returned for my next post.)

So I just gave birth to our newest family member and I’ll get to the point, these are what I think made pregnancy a little more do-able. Remember I research and read reviews for a lot of stuff so when I say a splurge is worth it, respect my mistakes (cheaper is not always better) I made and take the money plunge. Drumroll for the first pregnancy must have…

1.) A GOOD PREGNANCY PILLOW- I tried to be a cheap-skate and prop pillows up around me (5 to be exact), don’t do it. Guys, we bought a new mattress because I complained about sleep so much with my last pregnancy. So with this pregnancy only a few years later, my husband said no new king size mattresses…we compromised and (two trial beds later) we got a new mattress. HA! It was the spare room mattress though so, he was right no new king size mattress. Just a twin. I digress…trying to explain how difficult pregnancy and sleep were for me in both of my pregnancies. Here’s the bread and butter that I used while preggo and post-partum too (hey nobody lets you know sleeping after a c-section sucks). THE QUEEN ROSE pillow off of amazon. The end.

 

2.) Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter- You know how you become a crazy person reading ingredients that you put in and on your body when you’re with child? Just me? Oh well. I guess it’s nice to know that this is safe AND effective. 4’11’’, 99lbs…stretching to 134lbs in the belly area (oh who am I kidding…my butt too) means OF COURSE stretch marks, right? Wrong baaaaybay. I know it has to do with genetics too (thanks ma) but I’m praising this belly butter for getting me through two pregnancies with no stretchies. The tub is the perfect size for 9 months of use. Leftover lotion use on your feet. It makes your feet as soft as a pedi that you won’t be getting anytime soon…because let’s be real ‘ain’t nobody got time for that’ after you’ve birthed babies. 

 

3.) Billie Razors- YES I am recommending razors. What I do not recommend is the “funny” advice your OB will give you when you have your feet up in the stirrups and you apologize for the horse hair on your legs…and she replies with “oh make your husband help you with that!” Girl you have met my husband. You know the type of massacre that would go down in my bathroom if I allowed that. You need a trustworthy razor for the job…not a trustworthy man. 

 

So anyway, I subscribed to these a while ago. I thought they were great before pregnancy but I have a newfound respect for them after pregnancy. These blades have a ton of conditioner/moistuizer around them, I swear it is HARD to cut yourself when shaving. If you want to go into a grooming session blind as bat (bc yes your belly is in the way of seeing even your toes) and need a razor to trust, this is the one.

 

4.) GAP maternity clothes- ‘because you’ll be wearing them postpartum too’ haha ok karen shut up I will not. But seriously…you will…and you’ll want them to hold up for you. I found it hard to find good quality and good fitting maternity clothes, but Gap never disappointed. Their clothes can be pricey so shop sales and use points or kohls cash or whatever Gap calls it, Gap cash? I don’t know I have mom-brain. 

 

5.) Simple Modern 32oz Slim Cruiser– You’re supposed to drink a lot of h2o while pregnant. I found it easier to do so when I had a constant supply of it around me. I am lazy and I don’t want to stop what I’m doing 5x a day to fill a little water bottle. The 32oz gives me more time between refills. It also makes it easy to track my intake. I already loved this brand of drinkware (8 products and counting) before being pregnant because their designs are cute and the quality is great. But mostly because I needed the big water jug, without the big mouth opening (like ALL the other bottles this size, I dislike driving or maneuvering a toddler while trying to drink from a bucket opening). The SM tumblers come with a lid and a straw. It is much more lady-like. I’m going to also recommend the SM 12oz tumblers, these need to be the official coffee mug of moms. Once again, cute and stylish, small design is easy to hold and keeps my coffee warm about 10x longer than a regular mug. Also fits beneath the keurig perfectly. Just go buy all SM products…I’m seriously obsessed. 

Please don’t make me link up these products. I’m not paid for this, I’m just trying to share some knowledge! Amazon or google! NOW go enjoy that preggo belly of yours…only so many days until you can drink wine again hold your precious bundle!

New Year, No Resolutions

I am not one for New Year’s resolutions. Beside their unimpressive success rate, you need to be able to push the reset button, or start something new, when the timing is right! Not just when the new year say’s it’s appropriate. A popular resolution is working out, eating healthy, or usually something along the lines of self improvement. This is something I work on daily. (I’m 9 months pregnant so working out is off the list for the time being. Don’t judge-everything hurts.)

I work on making little improvements for myself and my family daily. For instance, I watched my mom make eggs last week. She just uses a lawry’s salt and water. I’m always trying to project my ideas onto her (finally got her to switch to organic ketchup), so naturally I told her there was a better way for that!

We have eggs a lot in this house. I wanted to make sure I was maximizing something as simple as eggs, every time we had them. Que the almond milk and spinach. That’s it. Easy, nothing earth shattering… and I feel great about serving up to my family.

Let’s back track so a hot minute. I have always cared about making better choices for my bod, but once you become a Mom it hits a new level. And once you experience some health scares, you REALLY prioritize it. My little one had a gut eating bacteria that made him extremely sick, for about 10 months straight. We ended up on and off of a lot of drugs, a lot of tests, and finally a procedure that gave us all our lives back (and most importantly…our 18month old back).

During the sleepless nights of that journey, I read a lot, talked to a lot of ‘experts’, and learned the benefits of changing your diet (eating organic mostly). I also had to spend the $ to see what worked for us. By the way, it is not cheap to switch from store brands and clearance items, to organic and health market foods only. I had to order -the -importance of the product, or our one-income household would’ve been struggling. A good tip I’ll offer here is to use the dirty dozen produce list (we are avid strawberry eaters, that’s worth the organic splurge). If it’s a condiment, drink, or spice I use most days, it’s worth the splurge. If it’s a bag of cookies (hey we’re still human), just get the kind that’s going to satisfy that sweet tooth 😉

I digress! Whatever your motivation is to make changes for yourself, remember the importance or the impact, even long after results are achieved. I also battle hashimotos and have yet to be on medication for it (who wants the books I read for this help!?).  Back to a few small changes we do around this home…

The organic eating is a biggie. But how about getting those fruits and veggies in (organic or not). I used to buy produce and watch it go bad in my fridge. Wasteful in a few ways. How I figured out we would actually put those goodies to use…wash and prep immediately after you get home from the store. I rinse strawberries and containers, I found it extends the life of the berries. I strip up my bell peppers and store them in glass containers. I dice my cucumbers and soak in a vinegar water mixture. I also buy the carrot sticks that are oh-so-easy to hand to a toddler to snack on.

I set these prepped veggies out on the table every night for dinner. Grab what you want, eat with organic ranch, and next thing we know we’ve all had a good serving of fresh veggies by the end of the dinner. If you see your husband doing it, you’ll do it. If your baby sees his parents grabbing from the veggie pool, they’ll want at it too! I don’t know how it works but it just does. Our kid will eat cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cucs, carrots…honestly most fruits or veggies are game. Not cauliflower. Ain’t havin’ that.

Last easy thing we shoot to do MOST days (every day when the weather is good but it’s -1 right now), is WALK. We become hermits during the cold and flu season so I’m always making a point to check the weather for the day, find the best time to get outside, and just walk our neighborhood or property. The exercise is the goal but benefits extend to mental health as well here. The fresh air, the birds, even the snow 😉 is good to soak in your soul.

OK! That’s it! I know these things might seem like no-brainers to a lot of people but anything that takes you a step in a better direction, right!?

Good luck to all who have resolutions in mind…heck start them now! Start them on January 4th, start them in October! If it’s something you want to see fixed…get to it. Don’t wait for the calendar to tell you it’s go-time.

Side note of importance I need to share- our new family member is due for her entrance in 3 weeks! Ahhhh Happy Holidays, all. 

A Seasonal Rough Patch

It’s been a while since I’ve turned to online journaling for a therapeutic release. Recently I was introduced to something that changed the way I’m processing some things in life. Something along the lines of the ‘2s model’, in regards to how major events impact you.

2 days for a difference to be noticed, 2 weeks for that difference to become a realization, 2 months for it to be accepted, and 2 years for it to settle to you as normal. Basically.

Major life events that could be applied to this are things like new jobs, new homes, marriage or divorce, new babies, death or losing a loved one.

So why am I touching base on this? Because lately I’ve felt like I’ve been losing my mind. Almost like I can’t handle the things daily life throws at you, which is NOT like me at all. Pair that with preggo hormones and let’s just say it’s going to be a long winter 😉

Basically if it takes 2 years for something to become ‘normal’ to you, or for the dust to settle so to speak, my life could be best described as a crazy train that has derailed.

In less than 2 years we’ve gotten a new home, new jobs, marriage, pregnancy, family deaths… ok so less than 18 months. I’m ready for the dust to settle.

I like to tell myself I’m being a big baby about it all. But after learning about this 2 model, perhaps I’ve just been handed a crap load in life recently and I’m not insane…I’m coping.

Don’t get me wrong, I SHOULDN’T have a whole lot to complain about. I’m pregnant, and it’s nothing short of a miracle. But that doesn’t make all the things that come with it stressful. I was ABLE to quit my job and become a stay at home mom, for my family. The time I’ve gotten with my son is something I would never replace. But that doesn’t mean I don’t miss working, interacting, and feeling a sense of accomplishment. We GOT to purchase a new, bigger home, for our growing family. But I almost miss the easyness of the old home we knew and loved. Appliances here break daily, electrical is old and dated and causes issues, and finishes don’t quite feel like ‘home’ yet.

Is this one big whine fest? Well yes, yes it is. I have had a crap attitude lately in the midst of blessings, I can admit that. But when do we stop and say it’s us…or maybe we really do have TOO much going on in life? Or when is it acceptable to stop telling yourself to suck it up, and get help?

Overwhelmed with the changes a new home brings. Husband travels a lot and our to-do list grows about as fast as my baby bump. I worry about baby’s health, my lack of sleep, and my recently failed blood-glucose test. Shoot. Who, when, where, and how do you decide if you need a smack upside the head, or a lobotomy?

Inhale, exhale. Continue through the motions.

3 Reasons a SAHM is a Luxury

….a luxury to the WHOLE family.

I have been blogging for a while but nothing regularly or that I really have taken “seriously”. Which, my intention now is to not take this serious but more to prescribe myself a new outlet, or a new vice. So as I mentioned in a previous post, I plan to be a little more routine with blogging. How in the world does one make time to blog to begin with? Now that I’m settling into my new role aka job aka SAHM, I’m trying to prioritize this blogging thing.

I got handed my SAHM gig in such a weird way. I think I’ve transitioned fairly well from working full time to shockingly becoming a SAHM by a crappy situation, however I haven’t really found my vice in this new life. So I’m going to join the 4975393475 moms who blog…for themselves. A therapeutic blogger, how original! Wait can we politically correct this SAHM thing..instead of a SAHM, how about we use SAHP!? A stay at home parent. Dads do it too right? Even though I highly doubt many Dad’s will be interested in my blog posts 😉 And if you do want to follow these so-called therapy session posts, please join my journey and subscribe away!

I’m not sure I would’ve chose this SAHP lifestyle on my own but our hurdles led us here. Sure the idea of staying at home can seem dreamy sometimes, especially cozied up with a newborn in the middle of a winter storm. Or, maybe after a long holiday break you find yourself dreading the return to the hamster wheel- thus dreading the detachment from your kin.  But once you’re handed the option to choose a job you love or staying home with your child, you might find the choice isn’t that easy. Nevertheless, I’m really starting to embrace it. It was God’s way of putting me where he thought I was needed. And now I have NO CLUE how mom’s work in and out of the home. Yes, I did it at one point…and now I cannot figure out how we made it work.

The whole family’s lifestyle adjustment that comes with a parent home is a BLESSING!

Ok so here are the top 3 ways we have benefited from having a parent home (I will refer back to this list when I’ve locked myself in a closet to cry after toddler tantrums.)

—TOP 3 REASONS WHY HAVING A SAHP IS A LUXURY—

1). Influencing all the things our kid does and consumes in a day. My child needed a strict diet after his illness and no other person (could’ve,should’ve, or would’ve) put in the research that I did to give him the best shot at feeling better, fast. So planning his meals and snacks was something that was vital to his well being and his recovery and that is a main reason we have loved having me home. ( I had to keep a diet and diaper log for this babe, which isn’t exactly easy or accurate if I’m um…at work and not actually with him.)

Also being able to know what he does to pass his day is fun. I love that I could involve him in planting our little garden in the summer. We had more time to slow down with it and really let him dig in the dirt and learn. In the mornings, he would grab his baby Hunter boots (I die at those little things, can never get rid of them) his sun hat, and pull at the patio door unsuccessfully trying to jail-break. It’s such a sweet sweet memory I now get to cherish.  And I don’t know if I’ve just struck baby gold here or if I’m onto something…my child eats every darn veggie I put on his plate. Show them it’s fun to wipe dirt off the plant and eat it out in the yard and boom…veggies are suddenly cool.

*plate on the ground because breakfast was enjoyed slowly in the sun room

2.) Prioritizing your child/family/home. Have you ever been in the situation where you’re 15 min out from a huge meeting and your phone goes off and says ‘your child just puked, please come get them from daycare.’ And your immediate selfish response is NOOOOOOOOOO, but mostly because you’re annoyed you just ruined your work day and not because your child is sick? Oh just me? Ok well I suck. My husband and I would argue over who’s turn it was to forfeit their day planner when the babe was ill. NOT ANYMORE! I hated that I was even annoyed about that in the first place. Crappy parent award winner right here. But now if he spikes a fever or something I can be a normal instinctive mama-bear and go into nurse mode to care for my child, like the priority that he should be. Not checking work emails from a child’s doctor visit is life-changing. (Looking back on my work life/mom life balance…I was never good at it. It was either my child 24-7 and my work suffered, or vice-versa.)

Off this note, my husband has been able to really jump start his career with me home. Two parents working full time equals two people mediocrely doing their jobs, in our experience. So now that one of us is a full time parent (ha!) the other can do bigger and better things being able to fully dive into their career. Which is funny because I feel like in order to make the money the family needs to support one parent at home, the other parent needs to have an ‘out-of-the-norm’ job. My guy is traveling and on the phone A LOT and if I were still working full time, there is no way in heck this would work for him to be successful. I got this mom gig and he got that work hustle so…it works for us.

Lastly on this “time” luxury, you know how weekends are amazing because you don’t have to wake up and rush out the door? Yeah that…but pretty much most mornings M-F now too (until he starts school….que tears).

3.) Witnessing the milestones. My amazing daycare provider was a family member so it was great but, she wouldn’t tell me when he first sat up, crawled, or walked because she didn’t want to hurt my feelings. That way, when he did it around ME it was a first…for me. Not him. Looking back to when I was working 40+ hours a week, that is all time I lost not being with my offspring. Yes some days (particularly during teething because mine got 72 teeth in 3 days) I was GRATEFUL for daycare…but it is still time lost. Time that I won’t get back with my baby and that kind of stinks. So even the hard days are worth it, because in a few short years my child will be too busy for me instead of requesting “snuggles mama”.

There are so many reasons I cherish being at home now. As my child (and our family) grows, I’m sure these will change to maybe something like, 1) being able to do laundry while kids are at school 2) being able to take them to all appointments 3)…naps. And for our family, it is a luxury we will embrace for as long as God graces us with the opportunity.  

If you find yourself at a crossroads like I did, with the choosing of job v SAHM (or for any big decision), pray about it. I never prayed for one over the other. I just prayed for clarity in my decision and peace at the end of my days.

‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.’ Matthew 7:7

The Short Wedding

The time has come! I have been dying to share photos from our wedding day! If you are ever thinking of doing something a little out of the norm for a wedding, or you aren’t a fan of the blistering heat with full makeup and a huge gown on while you stand in the sun for photos all day and melt….(man it’s like I’ve almost had to experience that before) then might I suggest, a Winter. Wonderland. Wedding. (As opposed to melting, you can freeze.)

Ok well in all seriousness I wanted a NYE wedding but we wouldn’t be getting married for years if that was the case, it just wasn’t falling on a weekend for us. So I opted for a December wedding and took a long shot at early December, risking no snow. That’s all I wanted. Some snow. Oh and for everyone to be flippin healthy because, cold and flu season.

I prayed, for months, to my Dear Lord and Savior for good health and he shath given what I hath prayed for. Um no for real though, if I had His address to send him a thank you wedding picture of us (like I still have to do for all of our friends and family) I would triple stamp that thing, overnight air mail, pay Jeff Bazos for an Amazon drone to same day deliver that directly to His LAP. Because we were all healthy and I got some snow. Amen.

We hired the sweetest wedding planner known to man, Ms. Cindy Wendland out of Charles City Iowa and she kilt it. Wedding planners aren’t actually big here in rural Iowa so she was a diamond in the rough to find. Everyone thought I was crazy to hire a planner, until my day was smooth as butter and I didn’t have to answer one question or lift a finger, other than to sip my mimosa. Planner = worth it $$$.

Also here’s where you can give a little eyeroll, it’s fine, but because it was basically a holiday wedding right before Christmas, we opted for donations to a local charity instead of gifts for ourselves. Our guests obliged and we raised some serious dough for people that actually needed it.  

So beside the fact that winter weddings are unique to begin with, you get to play with smaller details too. For instance, my bridesmaids gifts were all things to “have and to hold in case they got cold”. Saw that on a pinterest blanket post and ran with it. My girls got slippers for getting ready and to change into at the reception, mittens, pashmina wraps, fuzzy socks, and either hot cocoa or hangover meds depending on their circumstance.  All useful items and made for some cute pics.

Due to the holiday vibe the wedding also had, the men wore ugly Christmas socks. They were awesome. The baby even had a pair (HE WILL FOREVER BE CALLED THE BABY I AM SORRY).

Ok so enough talking you want the photos right!? I’m not good at a flow of words and pics yet, maybe never will be, but here we go… hope you enjoy (and maybe get some inspo for your big day)!

 

Hoping these were good ones to share. I have so many to choose from! Our photographer was Eric Suby, with Love and Luck Photography, and he delivered over 500 edited photos for us. And last but not least, the trendy youtube montage of the day. Background song was our first dance ❤ 

 

 

First Blog of 2019!

Cheers ol’ chaps! I caved and decided to blog again, as if my one follower has even noticed my absence. To start things off, I’m officially in my dirty 30’s. I keep getting asked how it feels and my answer is so lame and unimpressive…”about right.” I’ve always felt ‘more mature’ than I was by numerical status so, 30 feels about right.  Not that it’s necessarily old, or young, but it just fits right now.

The baby is no longer an actual baby. He is walking, talking, running to the potty, and climbing out of his big boy bed about 24 times a night. Naps are now “quiet time”, he can spit when he brushes his teeth (and impulsively 5 minutes after he’s done brushing his teeth), and he tells me “good job mama!” when I vacuum or mop. It really is magical to see, I’m sure.

We got married in December and it snowed on our wedding day. It was the most beautiful love-filled day we have experienced, next to the birth of our dictator. I will post on this soon, the photos will make you want to dive head first into a snowbank for snow angels.

This post really has no point other than to provide as an update, that I’m still alive and kicking. I dislike resolutions and setting goals for myself that I’ll forget about and ultimately fail at 4 days later but… ALAS I’m setting a resolution to blog at least every other day…week…TWICE A MONTH (bi-weekly is even too specific for me right now).

And there we have the most boring, content-less post of 2019. (here’s hoping…)

 

I Love Mornings

I am not sure if I would consider myself a “morning person”, yet I do love mornings. Not like 5:30 and I’m out of bed mornings but…6:45 is fine. Mornings are the calm before the storm of the day, a piping hot cup of cinnabon coffee in my cup, some time to myself to hash out bills, or talk to the Lord, or knock out some wedding planning. Mornings are actually something I go to bed excited for; a new beginning.

It’s 5:27pm here in Iowa and it’s now pitch black, thanks to the recent fall back on the clocks. I just got done cleaning up a puddle of pee on my tile in my dining room from my 14 year old dog. My frozen pizza has 4 minutes left on the timer. And my toddler is teething, with multiple dirty diapers a day and a small fever. There’s also a glass of wine next to me. If that’s any indication of how my day has went/is going, I am due for another “morning”.

I’m using this post to blow off some steam. To remind myself to breathe and that…there is always something to look forward to with a new day; a new morning. Cheers on this election day.

Life and Faith

Have you ever just sat, pondered your current life situation and thought, “why me“? Not just in bad times, but even in good…

Life isn’t perfect. Jeffrey and I got hit hard with “life” the first few years of our relationship. Miscarriage, stressful pregnancy and rough labor, complicated health for our child (and health scares for myself), in the middle of moving and home renovations and new jobs. This bundle of life’s curveballs didn’t come over 10 or even 5 years. It came back to back or simultaneously, in about two years. So now, our son’s health is better than ever. Jeffrey’s new job is one of the biggest blessings to our home life and financial goals. And, I’m a stay at home Mom in a charming brick home bordered with perennial gardens and amazing neighbors. We’ve also been finding ourselves in growth through our church! What. Is. This. Perfection!?

I thank God for the blessings every single day but part of me can’t help but wonder, when does the shit hit the fan again? I know life just naturally has it’s ups and downs but these past couple of months seem too good to be real. What have we done to deserve this life we get to live as a family?

And yes, what I consider perfection, is completely dependent on my sole life’s experiences. My car has had tire issues, we have a bad window leak with tons of rain so we get to constantly put pans beneath it, and it’s been so humid my veggie garden was terrible this year and our outside time has been less than ideal…but that stuff is so minor to me now. On the grand scheme of it all, to me, my life is perfect.

We are planning our wedding and while that is stressful in itself, I’m just counting down the days to the celebration (and the calories to fit into my dress)! But we are learning a lot about our relationship in the process. Our most recent “session” with our Pastor left us high fiving each other. A relationship assessment we had taken came back with results our Pastor said were so impressive they were the best he’s seen for strength, success, and satisfaction in our lives together. Go us!

But why did we score so high in all of these areas of communication, expectations, financial management, child rearing, spiritual beliefs, relationship roles, time managements, etc.? Probably because God has brought us through major trials and tribulations. We’ve had to fast track our “growing up” with a seriously ill child. We had to buckle down on finances and learn to be completely transparent, in order to give up my working income. And we have had to be there for each other, through the scariest- heart and gut wrenching shit– that we have ever had to deal with. When we ponder how we got through it all…God. The success of our life and family we are building together is nothing short of the Lord’s work.

This post is basically a journal entry to myself. That I can reflect on when times get rough again, because they will, and that is life. I try to stop myself when I question why or how we got here and instead just be simply grateful. And while this period of life is so euphoric, I cannot take credit for any of it. All of the Glory goes to God.

 

 

Easy Stuffed Peppers

I love when I search pinterest for EASY or QUICK recipes, only to find recipes with 20+ ingredients and 3 hours of prep. When I think easy and quick, I think Stoufers lasagna, poke some holes in the top and bake. So if you’re like me, finding actual easy quick recipes isn’t easy!! or quick…

Then I come up with or stumble upon concoctions that are mindless and think “why have I never done this before!?” And then I don’t write them down in my recipe book and come to the same epiphany 5 years later with the same exact “recipe”. So if you’re still following my rambling, here is one of the easy quick recipes I’ve whipped up for stuffed peppers.

And the best thing about it is you can make it with or without meat, rice, beans…tailored to your liking.

I made this for meatless Monday last night:

Steamed bag of mexicorn mix

2 green bell peppers, halfed and cleaned out

Shredded cheese

Optional toppings, salsa, sour cream, jalapenos

Steam your mexicorn mix (mine was corn, black beans, cilantro, lime, and red pepper). Clean out your bell peppers while veggies are steaming in the microwave. Preheat your broiler. Scoop the steamed mix into your peppers once it’s cooked. Sprinkle with cheese and broil for 10 minutes. Top with whatever you like!

I also cooked some rice on the stove top so I served our peppers over Mexican rice. From washing my hands to sitting at the dinner table this took about 20 minutes.

Easy. Fast. And your picky eaters can customize…

Share some of your favorite fool proof dinner options!

 

Donors & Paying it Forward

We are two months post-transplant for our 20 month old. His checkup yesterday couldn’t have gone better. It’s mind boggling to think back to how sick he was and how unknown his future was…and how someone elses POOP changed his LIFE. It also makes me incredibly grateful for his donor, whom we will never be able to name.

OpenBiome, the non profit that screens and selects donors for FMT’s, only accepts around 3% of it’s applicants. Without this organizations existence, we probably wouldn’t have been able to find a donor so fast, or not at all. Before a “bank” was started (like a blood bank) when someone needed an FMT, family members were the first options, but it is so hard to find a family member that has 100% healthy crap (hope you’re not eating and reading this post).

Before we knew about these poop banks, we stressed ourselves on “what if we aren’t able to donate, how sick will our son actually get while we search?”. And then a doctor explained it all to us and a weight was lifted. Because of a donor, our minds were put at ease, there was a plan for our son- his health- and his future. His life was changed.

I heard a past president say ‘a life so blessed should be lived in service to others,’ (what up Obama). I love that. I agree with that. A pay-it-forward mentality. So, where does that type of thinking leave us after a successful FMT for our boy?

Swabbing our cheeks for Be the Match. (I myself am not a candidate for OpenBiome…all the more reason to be grateful for those donors.)

Be the Match is a national registry for bone marrow and blood platelets, like OpenBiome is for stool. When a sick patient needs a donor, doctors can start their search here and hopefully find a life-saving match.

Because God has blessed me day in and day out, I’m continuously looking for ways to do the same for someone else. Instead of a wedding registry, we’re asking for donations to a local charity. I can figure out how to survive without a kitchen-aid mixer (for now), but I figured some kids might not get a Christmas meal or a toy from Santa…or newborns might not get clean diapers like they should.

This was sort of a rambling post but you get the point…do something for someone who can never repay you.