‘As I held that small circle in my hand, the perfect symbol of our marriage and life together, I couldn’t help but think we had chosen a ring for a different life. Because what I expected isn’t anything at all like the way it turned out.’ ~ Hope Unfolding
As I’m reading this book a friend gifted me, not even a few pages in and many words are resonating with my life. Our life.
Our life most definitely hasn’t panned out the way I expected, but throughout our many trials, it’s better then I could have ever imagined.
One year ago.
One year ago, about a week and a half ago, we landed here in Illinois. 2 years ago to the day, I had memories pop up of having an ultrasound, with the boys in tow, showing them their baby sister that would be arriving in October. And 4 years to that day, we had landed in AZ! Talk about a day fully loaded with big, life changing, events. And here I sit, reflecting on it all. Both of those moves across country, we had sick kids. Like…throwing up and everything in between, sick kids. I’m going to take that as a hint that we should never make big moves like that ever again.
Moving to AZ they got sick in CO, and were sick until getting to AZ where the sun immediately fried any last germs they were holding onto. 
Then prior to leaving AZ for IL, our family got hit with a stomach bug. I thought our sweet #3 was in the clear until he started getting sick the night before leaving. The night before. Trav had allowed 5 days for travel because we were hoping to turn it into a family vacation celebrating his new job and to just enjoy a little calm before the chaos that comes with moving and new schools, etc. Little did we know we would need 5 days for travel because Kylan Jack got it the worst of all. And we were on a time crunch because Trav had to start his job June 1st.
We made it but houses were falling through during our drive and we would in fact, be a family of 6 with no home to have our stuff delivered to.
Life very rarely goes as planned. And boy have these last 4 years been proof of that. Arizona most definitely didn’t go the way we had planned it to go. But that experience allowed us to go through our biggest (I hope!) hurdles, to make us come out stronger then ever.
Trav tells me that this past year has probably been harder on him then our time in AZ. His job challenges him more then any other job he’s had, and then he comes home to 4 little people and a wife who would escape to her room when he gets home so that I could get some work done…uninterrupted. We’ve adjusted our routines and approach in the past month and I think we’ve found a good rhythm to this madness. This season of life that we’re in. This beautiful mess. We are continuing to learn. And grow. And rely heavily on one another. This past year proved that not all of our troubles would go away, but we’d just face different challenges. But we’ve taken it all in stride. It’s been emotional. And interesting. And hard. And amazing. I’ve cried sad tears and I’ve cried stressed out tears and I’ve cried happy tears. Clearly I’m a crier.
Through the different challenges and trials, so much good has come out of this past year. Like…a lot of good. Travis was blessed with a great opportunity putting him back into the corporate world, but also not making him start all over again in his career. Real Estate life is not for him, and that’s OK. If we didn’t take the risk and move out to AZ, I wouldn’t have found the work that I am doing now, which I have prayed about for years; since before I had kids! Jobs that would allow me to work from home and raise my babies, and not worry about the days I just don’t feel good. Because there have been more bad feeling days then good…until the past few months.
Which brings me to my health. My scan just a few weeks ago showed, for the first time, that my heart rate while in a ‘relaxed’ state, was actually relaxed! Scans prior to that one showed I was in a stressed state even when I felt like I was ‘relaxed.’ Amazing right!?! And my episodes have not completely gone away, that’s not what I was expecting. However, my quality of life on a day to day basis is night and day. I rarely don’t not feel well. I’m happier daily and I have more patience with the kids because I’m feeling well. If we didn’t move to AZ, I’m not so sure we’d end up in IL, where we would find this new approach to wellness. And I’m loving my new normal.
I will note…alcohol and heat/sun are still triggers for my episodes or not feeling well if I haven’t had an episode in a long time. But it’s awesome to pin point my triggers rather then just not feel good on a daily basis. You have no idea how thankful I am to PWC Chiropractic. They’re our new extended family and they’ll be stuck with us for life.
The effects Chiropractic work has done on our sweet #3 has also been amazing to watch. I truly have no words.
I think this past year has brought a new meaning to the word wellness. We didn’t even go through our typical annual month where we all get hit with a stomach bug that we pass back and forth for a full month! Literally a full month.
We are loving our Church family and will go through another change this coming school year when we put the 2 big boys in the private school. Kylan will continue to go to public school as long as he needs an IEP.
More goodness from being here is I was able to be here when my niece was born, I was able to be by my Dad’s side while in the ICU, and we’ve seen the Grandparents more often.
We’re excited to see what our 2nd year here brings. Hopefully it’ll be a bit calmer, but I’m not holding my breath. Ha!
We are thankful and blessed.
~xoxo
Living With Intention and Giving Myself Grace 