Q&A Wednesday

We picked up a couple of questions from new folks this week - not new to me - they've been reading for a long time... but well, they didn't ask last week - so that makes them new, right? (Well, the newest question is from someone that I've never met before... so YAY!)

Summer asked:

Favorite book?

Would it be weird if I said the Bible? Because I honestly mean it... there is no other book out there with so much hope and promise for us all. My second favorite book, however, would be any of the Women's Murder Club books.

Favorite gift John ever gave you and you ever gave him?

Favorite gift John ever gave me... hmmm...there have been so many, but I think that I'd have to say that my engagement ring would rate as the first. The second was when he gave me a bunch of scrapbooking supplies to start a scrapbook about my weight loss surgery - complete with letters of support from all of those that are influential in my life.

If you could go back and choose a different profession, what would you choose?

Well, naturally teacher - as a working outside of the home job... but I've often thought that it would be right up my alley to be a book editor too. Right now, I'm thinking just about anything other than what I'm doing - but God has me here for a purpose. I just wonder if there are other places out there that I could be doing more for his kingdom.

everyone has a vice: some people smoke, some eat, some drink - what is yours and how do you try to curb it?

Oh, for sure - eating is my vice/stress relief... so I try to control it by having good choices on hand as much as possible. I sometimes have been known to roam up to the vending machine for things that aren't healthy... my other vice is not having the motivation to workout - like I know I need to. I can get going for short bursts of time, but nothing consistent... it's something I need to start back up to help keep my stress in check over all the areas in my life that are out of control.

I know you have a strong faith in God. Do you believe in Saints? If so, which one is your go to Saint? Mine is St. Anthony.

I don't really believe in Saints. I know that other belief systems do, and I totally respect the practice in others. For me, I feel like the only person I need to pray to is Jesus as he paved the way for us to have a direct relationship with God... so I just pray directly to him.

Jenn asked:

What are the specific scriptures God has encouraged you with from the NT Challenge and why did those verses speak to you?

In each of the beginning books of the New Testament the stories are fairly similar about the life of Jesus on the Earth... but of his parables - I think that the parable about building your house on the rock.

Luke 6:48-49 (NLT)
"It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.
But anyone who listens and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins."

Right now, for me - this is encouraging - because I am beginning to see for the first time in my life how true this is. Because I honestly believe, whole-heartedly, that without my life being built on God's word and my faith... thus building my house on the rock... I am able to withstand the storms of this battle to become a mother without completely crumbling.

the other Kim asked:

Okay, here is my question...where are you and John in discussions about when to quit trying to conceive and what your other options are?I'm not saying you should quit trying until you are ready, but when Chris and I were trying and it wasn't going well and taking a huge emotional toll on me especially, we began to discuss our options, even before we quit treatments. Just curious where you guys are. I know God is going to give you a child one way or another!

Well, funny you should ask... because we've pretty much made peace with giving up the idea of fertility treatments. If God wants to grant us the miracle of having a baby of our own - he will make that happen without all of these invasive treatments. When/If that ever happens - we will certainly shout from the roof tops how amazing that gift is... because against all odds - God made that happen through his mighty power.

Until that time, he has been leading us toward adoption. So we are in the process of beginning the application procedure with an agency that is local for us. Some very dear friends from our church have just completed the adoption placement of their daughter, after a long agonizing battle with infertility themselves... and we feel like their example, and a couple of other interesting coincidences are leading us toward this agency.

I will give more information on what we've done and how it is going as we get into the process. Right now we are just filling out an initial application to begin with their series of steps toward being chosen by a birth-mother to raise her child. I am in awe of how HUGE a gift that is to someone that in their heart wants to raise a child more than anything in the world.

Christi asked:

I am getting worried about you. Are you physically feeling better than you were?

I think I might be starting to get out in front of all of the physical illness that I have been dealing with for a long time. I've stopped taking any sort of hormone related medication - so I think my body is finally figuring out to use it's own resources to do what it needs to do to get us back to our old normal.

If I could get myself back to working out - I might feel human again! I certainly need the exercise to start regulating my stress level from work and life.

Have you been working anymore with the wii fit or wii active? I still haven't gotten past day 3 on the challenge but I keep getting sick.

Way to call a girl out... HA! No - I haven't done either in a very long time.

What is your favorite & least favorite activity on both?

With the Wii Fit - I really enjoyed the jogging and I also enjoyed the long step deal - where I could put on my iPod and just step away... it's not really great for getting your heart rate up, but it was ok.

The Wii Active - I liked a lot more for the physical challenge of it - because it by FAR made me more sore than anything on the Wii Fit - so I feel like it worked my muscles out better than the Wii Fit.

Do you like your fruit fresh or cooked?

It depends - I really only like berries for the most part... Strawberries by far are my favorite. I also like cantaloupe, and have just learned that I like watermelon too. So I'm trying more and more - but for fresh - it's mostly melon, strawberries, and pineapple.

Cooked - I'd say peaches (or canned) and apples...

What variety is your favorite apple? (I love pink lady and think red delicious is not suitable for eating).

I honestly have no idea... I always liked green apples as a kid, but I really don't like apples fresh at all for some reason.

Unstoppable Spirit

asked:

Have you considered Nutritional Cleansing? If you do, let me know.

Let me start by saying, honestly...no. Now, I'm not sure on which item in my crazy body you're referring to me considering it in reference to helping... but I've never really looked into it at all. I believe one of my sisters used to do some sort of cleansing - which I thought was strange, but she really thought that it did her a lot of good.

Here's the thing, I'd do just about anything to feel better - but I don't know how long term I could be on anything specifically cutting one thing or another out. I am the type of person that if you tell me I can't eat... oh lets just say pick just about any food item here... even if I didn't like it before - the moment you tell me that I can't have it - I obsess over it. I know, it's an illness.

So that being said, I would love to hear more about it - and what it actually involves. Because certainly being healthier would be completely lovely!

That's all we have for this week folks... go ahead and start submitting questions for next Wednesday in the comments! And go check out these four lovely ladies - their blogs are some of my absolute favorites!