Results with Plexus so far

Well, my products arrived Saturday morning and my husband and I began immediately!  I am so excited about the results I have already seen in such a short time! I slept so well last night and Saturday night. I haven't had enough rest at night to get up and fix hubby's breakfast at 0545 but this morning I had no trouble hopping out of bed! I have missed being rested enough to get up and fix his breakfast and have my early morning devotions before all the kids woke up.  I love feeling productive again!

I haven't stepped on the scale or measured myself yet (waiting until at least on it for 1 week) but my stomach hasn't been swollen and painful since I've started and that is GREAT!!! Certain foods typically make be bloat badly and be miserable, particularly breads and other carbs.  Well, although I plan to try and do low-carb for my daughter's upcoming wedding, I haven't been doing it and until Saturday, I've had the horrible discomfort of my belling swelling so that I look 6 or 7 months pregnant!

If I am seeing these results after using the Plexus Slim for only a few days, I cannot wait to see how I look and feel in a week or 2!  I am so excited that God brought my friend Rebecca into my life with her Plexus story. :)

Why I want my kids to try Plexus

I have 8 children ranging in age from 3 years to 27 years. As is typical, all of my kids are different, even with the same parents! They do share some similarities, of course.

I will probably try Plexus with all of my children but I will start with the ones who seem to have the most need of it.

My oldest has recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol and borderline hypertension. He also suffers from GERD. Since he returned from a tour overseas with the military, he has had frequent bouts with severe lower back pain.

My second oldest is pregnant and is suffering from a lack of energy. She did this with her first child as well. She also has some changes in her skin color and light-headedness, and some gut issues.

My third oldest is pregnant and, although her labs are ok, she looks pale and suffers from severe constipation.

My fourth oldest has a pretty bad case of acne and is addicted to carbs. He has a pretty volatile temper, as well. He suffers from occasional nosebleeds.

My fifth child suffers from frequent nosebleeds and headaches.

My seventh child is loud, overly energetic, very picky and very addicted to carbs. He also has lots of raised bumps on his upper arms that I've read can be indicative of gluten intolerance.

My hope is that all of these children would see positive results from using Plexus products. From the many testimonials I have read, quite a few of these issues may be resolved.  It is definitely worth a try!  Plexus, here they come! :)

                                                    My List of Health Reasons for Trying Plexus


     The other day I posted about my decision to become a Plexus Ambassador. Today I'd like to list the various health issues I am having that have influenced my decision.
     Gut issues:
          frequent constipation
          frequent bloating (so bad many days that I look  about 6 or 7 months pregnant)
          painful abdomen
          hemorrhoids
          gastric reflux
          heartburn

     Skin issues:
          breakouts
          discolorations
          odd places, esp on my face, that look like zits but have a hard seed type thing in them.

     Psychological issues:
          increased irritability
          severe mood swings
          lack of focus
          forgetfulness
          difficulty falling to sleep
          restless nights
          anxiety

     Other issues:
          elevated BP
          elevated cholesterol levels
          fatigue
          occasionally swollen hands and feet
          thinning hair
          swollen, red gums
          recent need for reading glasses
          aching shoulders, hips, knees and ankles
          headaches

     These are some of the many different health issues I am dealing with. many of these make me ornery. I find myself with less patience with my children and husband. It isn't easy to be pleasant with people when you feel miserable. My family is suffering from my poor health. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. The time for change is NOW!
         
         

                                             Plexus, Here I Go!

     Fatigue, restless nights, bloating, aches and pains, irritability, weight issues, skins issues.  I am only 45 years old but some days I feel much older. My stomach swells and physically hurts. I am irregular and irritable. My joints ache and I can't seem to lose the extra weight I've been carrying for several years. After doing some research and talking with a couple of people to find out what has helped them, I believe Plexus is what I have been looking for!

     Frustration over not helping my husband as he pays off student loan debt, desire to help save money for a down-payment on land or a house, mixed feelings about getting a job.... I have struggled for years with the thought of helping with our debt in a realistic way. We have 5 children still at home and we homeschool. Getting a typical job isn't feasible without compromising our family's goals and ideals. I need something that is flexible, doable, and proven. I have talked with a few people and done some research and come to a conclusion. I believe Plexus is what I have been looking for!

     Because of my desire for good health for myself and my family, as well as my desire to earn some money to help with our financial goals, I have chosen Plexus. So..... Plexus, Here I Go!

Small Steps Toward Homesteading

     I have dreamed of living on a working farm for years. I have played at gardening but have not ever really taken it seriously. My family has heard me talk of living off-the-grid and laughed long and hard at me about it.  Well! That is all about to change! If I ever want to live on a homestead, I have to begin preparing in earnest! So, taking the advice I read on a homestead blog, I am going to start small.
     My immediate project is bread-making. I have made multiple loaves of bread in my bread machine this past week and they didn't last long around here! Bread machine bread in all fine and good but..... I need to learn to make it the good old-fashioned way. This afternoon, while a loaf was baking in the machine, I found a couple of sour-dough starters to try. One uses no yeast and looks a little different from what I'd expected. The other is one I found a couple of years ago in The Complete Tightwad Gazette. I have made several loaves from the latter recipe but none in quite a while. I will be sure to post next week as to how the bread tasted. :)
     Needless to say, bread making isn't the only thing I will need to learn but, added to my newly made laundry detergent and dishwasher pellets, I am feeling like there's a real chance this girl may make it to her homestead yet!

My humble prayer

My prayer for the future:

Father, please draw my thoughts closer to Your thoughts. Fill my heart with all that you would have me be and do and say. Keep me focused on Your will and plan for my life. Show me through Your Word just how I can be the wife and mother You have called me to be. There are so many things I get caught up in that keep  my attention off of those that require my attention... There are many things that I must do as a homeschooling homemaker. At times I am overwhelmed. Help me to remember that I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. I may be weak and ill-prepared but you have strength and you will prepare me as I need it.  I thank you for Your continued guidance and provision. Continue to watch over and protect us, Lord...
Renew a right spirit within me, Lord. My home is my mission field; Make me a light that draws my children to You.
In Jesus' holy name I pray,
Amen

Look Past Friday

The other evening I was listening to Dave Ramsey and he made the comment that a recent caller "wasn't looking past Friday." I hope through this post to encourage all mothers out there, especially homeschooling moms, to look past Friday.

 Now, Dave was referring to a financial issue and, although we should definitely strive to look long-term at our financial future, that is not the subject of my post today.  I have been homeschooling since 1994 and my oldest two children are married with families of their own.  I still have six children at home ranging from 2 to 18 years old.  Many a late night has seen me pouring over my Bible or a book trying to figure out how to teach and train my children properly. I have cried myself to sleep after a tiring day that seemed filled with failure, to awaken feeling a renewed sense of hope and purpose. Many days that sense of hope seemed to disappear as soon as the children awoke and began bickering or whining. My grown children, like myself, made some poor decisions and disappointed themselves and me, which increased my sense of failure.

Multiple things have happened lately that have me looking "past Friday." I am hoping to encourage others as I am being encouraged.  First,we must be aware that it isn't specifically today and tomorrow that are most important; Decisions we make today will most assuredly either bless us or curse us or our families in the days and weeks to come. All choices must be made thoughtfully, prayerfully. All actions have consequences and we must choose wisely so that the results will be positive.  Second, we need to be able to realize how easily we allow some of the little petty things to drag us down and cause us to feel like failures. No two people agree on every single issue or deal with things in the exact same way. We must remember that our children are going to have squabbles and be irritated with one another sometimes. Human nature is what it is...... We have to look further than the silly things to the future. Yes, there will be things we must address and we must pray that we handle these things the best way possible but the end result is the prize.

My oldest son joined the Army National Guard at the age of 17. He was married at the age of 20 and went off the Afghanistan shortly thereafter. He is now a police officer and has just begun to take college courses. I am so proud of him! I don't really care one way or the other about college but it is important to him and he is doing very well. He has always done well anything he has tried! I say all of this not to boast, but to encourage you. He didn't always keep his room clean. He sometimes complained about chores and schoolwork. I frequently felt like I was failing him as a mother. But (drum roll please!) he has a great work ethic! He began working to earn his own spending money when he was 10 or 11 years old. His first jobs were mowing lawns for some of our neighbors. When he was 12 he began working as a bag boy at our commissary. At the age of 16 we let him start classes at the local high school and he made all As. (Even he was surprised when his algebra teacher said I had done a excellent job!)  His teachers loved him because he liked to learn and made valid comments in class. About that time he got a job at Hardees and the manager always bragged to me about what a hard worker my son was. He worked as a food runner, a waiter, and also a clerk at an auto parts store before becoming a policeman.

From all my son's many accomplishments, I realize that I didn't fail. I succeeded! I helped to raise a responsible young man who works hard for his family. A man who knows how to learn about any subject he decides on. Surprisingly, I still feel like a failure at times when my 16year old son complains about his chores or my 13 year old gripes about her schoolwork. We still live in a fallen world and  I have to remind myself to "look past Friday!"