Day 20

I know I say this often, but, "What a day!!"

The kids and I worked, and worked, and worked some more today! We finally tackled the basement! I am pleased to say that it is officially "guest ready!" it's all set up like an apartment down there. We are thrilled with how it turned out!

My mother-in-law arrives tomorrow and we can hardly wait! I just know it's going to be an awesome visit! My son probably won't even be able to sleep tonight!

We treated ourselves tonight to pizza from our favorite local pizzaria. After that, we had a "popcorn party." Well, that is what my son called it! We opened all of the popcorn my friend from home sent us and got a movie.

This is really starting to feel like home. I'm not sure if it's because we have so many family and friends coming to visit, or if it is just because I am becoming more familiar with my surroundings, or the fact that the house is almost complete. I know the biggest reason is because God is filling me with His peace. I know He is! He also has placed His loving hands on my children and my husband. My husband absolutely loves his job. That is so important! I am so happy for him and so proud of him! My kids are laughing more and I see each day that their comfort level is increasing.

My daughter and I have started working out again and we are really enjoying it and seeing the benefits from it; we aren't just seeing the physical benefits, but we also feel the emotional benefits from it. We have both increased the miles that we run. That has been exciting for us.

I began having horrible migraine style headaches a little over four months ago. I usually get between two and four per day. I have has an MRI, an EEG, and EKG and a CT Scan. All of the tests have come back perfect. No doctor or neurologist has been able to really help me. I have been on so many medications in hopes that the doctors would finally finf "the one" wonder drug that would help me. Finally, I realized none of the medications were the answer. They were only causing horrible side effects and were not preventing my headaches. I stopped taking them all.

Three days ago I found a family doctor here in New York and when I went to meet her I told her all about my headache situation. She asked me if I consumed many artificial sweeteners. She asked if I put anything in my coffee or tea or drank diet drinks. I do all of that...every day. She told me to stop doing that immediately. She wasn't sure if it is causing them, but she is sure that it is making them worse.

Then, last night, my cousin from Kentucky called me and he has been having the exact same issues. his neurologist told him to eliminate all artificial sweeteners, and when he did, he has great results. I felt like the new doctor, and my cousin calling me were an answer to my prayer. I had never heard anything like that about the artificial sweeteners. So, since Tuesday, I have avoided artificial sweeteners...including my beloved Diet Mt Dew. I HAVE seen some improvement!! The past two days I have had fewer headache symptoms that I have had in the past 4.5 months!

God is good. Even when I feel invisible. Even when I wonder if He really hears me; he does! I often wonder why my prayers aren't answered right away, or why they are not answered the way I feel like they should be answered. It just all requires faith that He sees the big picture and I can't. There is just no way to understand everything and I am certainly learning that I can't control everything. When I am going through my, "why is this happening" attitude, Ijust remind myself to put my concern in the "I don't understand this and never will" file deep in my brain, lock it up, and leave it there. There is no reason to keep revisiting it.

Wow...that has been, and continues to be a HUGE work in process. I'm so glad God is patient with me!