6 weeks later...

        So yeah, I started weight watchers about 6 weeks ago and I am currently down 16.8 pounds! I've lost an average of 2.8 pounds a week, that's right, the healthy suggested amount of weight per week to keep it off! I'm so thrilled with my results. I'm working out almost every single day for at least and hour (some days, with homework, work and my sweet husbands crazy life, its too hard to get to the gym but 5 days a week isn't too bad for an average.) I'm eating healthy...very healthy! BUT (and its a big but) I'm also still eating regular food, for example, last Sunday I had a big ole cheese burger, but i exchanged the buns for lettuce and I ate it slowly. I had a coconut dream bar, but I only had one. I've even eaten pizza! But it was homemade and a LOT less greasy than Pizza Hut. I ate all of that in the same week that I lost 3 pounds! Weightwatchers works and i was trying to figure out just exactly why it works so well but then i realized, its because i'm WATCHING my WEIGHT! Everything I eat, every activity I do, is planned and designed for my body to be healthy than it was the day before. The first 3 weeks it took a lot of prep time and concentration but now, its natural and i'm eating almost no processed foods, the only sugar I have is from fruit (and the occasional dessert, because really, life isn't life without a little ice cream now and again) and I eat to live, instead of living to eat. I know this is out of the blue, but if there is one thing my sweet mother has taught me, it's that we write down the good times to give us strength in the bad times. I know that in about a month, this whole weight loss process is going to get really slow and grueling but I want to remember how good it feels to be on the right path (going down instead of up on the scale) So that it will be easier to get through those slower weeks.
   On another completely separate but equally inspiring note, I'm not pregnant...again. We've been trying for....a long time. I know what your thinking, this is depressing, not inspiring but get this. I took my pregnancy test one Sunday, when it read negative, i balled and balled, couldn't make it though church and oddly enough, I felt ashamed, like I'm not woman enough to get pregnant. Luckily my darling companion, reminded me that we have always trusted in the Lords timing and we just need to continue to do so... What a stud, he is truly my rock. Regardless of his perfect response to our imperfect situation, I still felt very discouraged, I feel like I've read all the books, tried every "out there" method and received the impression that we should be trying but I'm still not doing something right! I prayed for peace in my heart and the knowledge that I'd be able to get pregnant...at all! Then , the very next week, I got visit taught for the first time EVER in ID and it was a tender mercy to me. We talked about Ruth and her faith and her experience with the Lord. My visiting teacher, Amanda, bore her testimony at the conclusion of the visit saying, The Lord remembers us and knows our righteous desires, he will never forget you and your prayers will be answered. I knew that. I believed that. And when she said it, it connected with me so powerfully. I'm grateful for diligent visiting teachers who have blessed my life with only their first visit!
  ALSO! This weeks lesson in my religion class with President Clark is titled, "How to Thrive in Turbulent Time". The whole first class of the week, i felt like it was all for me (a little conceited, I know). We discussed the importance of building reservoirs of strength during the good times to buoy us up in the hard times and I just felt so blessed, sitting next to my sweet husband who leads our family in daily prayer and scriptures and gets us to the temple each week. We're ready to face this trial head on. It's only hard because we want it so badly and really, that's a good thing! we know others have experienced this with more trials and hardships, but for us, this is tough! I know its not catchy or cute but I have found strength in the words "I can do hard things" I'm capable of getting through this because I've gotten through these things before, and with the Lords constant hand, guiding Chad and I, I have faith that in his timing, we will be so so blessed. Even now, we are blessed.

feel inspired yet?