Becoming a Gluten Free Mom and wife.........

Where to begin..........

For the last few years I have had some stomach issues and headaches, hair loss, bloating, and dermatitis that has pretty much taken over my life, not to mention lactose intolerence that I had been dealing with too. Every time I would eat something, I had to wonder if I was going to be ok or having to deal with horrible cramps, nausea, and other things that I dare not mention on a public blog!  In the last year I have noticed most foods would give me all these symptoms and I would have many bad nights.  

We traveled alot during the summer and ate out ALOT, most days I was sick.  Finally after our Florida trip Dustin mentioned to me about finding a GI doctor and going to see what is going on. We went to Texas and as soon as I got back the end of August I went to the doctor.  The doctor asked me alot about symptoms and how certain foods make me feel, and after many many many tests and outpatient procedures. A diagnosis was made IBS+ Gluten Intolerence!! I didn't even know what gluten was until this doctor explained it to me. But after the diagnosis I went GLUTEN FREE FOR LIFE!

 It has been 1 month and I feel fantastic, I have no stomach issues, no bloating, no headaches, my dermatitis has healed and best of all I have more energy.  It is a very difficult life change, but from the results that I have had, I will stay gluten free.  I am learning alot about how to cook and prepare foods.  Dustin and Sydney are also eating alot of gluten free foods with me.  

I still cannot put my finger on how this all came about, but I feel like God has been on me to see a doctor, finally after so many many months of me being miserable I feel God put it on Dustin to mention to me about going. I prayed alot about what was going on and what type of diagnosis I might get and how I would deal with it.  I am so thankful it's not a serious disease, but still upset that I will no longer be able to eat fried chicken, biscuits, pancakes and alot more GLUTEN filled foods unless I make them with gluten free flour, which does NOT taste the same!! 

I feel that things are going to be better for me now that I feel better!!  

Matthew 14:31

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

 

Back to the working world.............

So after many months of contemplating what I wanted to do after school started with Sydney. I decided I would go back to work. But I also decided that I would apply to a local community college to take 1-2 classes in the spring to start working on my associates degree in Liberal arts.

So, after a month of sending countless resumes and many interviews and call backs, I got an awesome part-time job with an Insurance consulting firm, I work 9am-1pm and I really like it.

I also got my letter of acceptance from Bucks County Community College, which is right up the road from us and I will be starting classes in the spring or January. I am looking forward to it.

Lots going on in the Bledsoe house, and it will be interesting to have Dustin and I both in College in the spring.

We feel God is giving us so many blessings right now and are so thankful for it!!

I have an 8th grader!!

Well, although I cannot believe it, but I have an 8th grader. Sydney started the year with a great attitude and very excited about the year!

She is playing volleyball and staying very busy with school work and homework. She is striving to make all A's this year and working towards a perfect attendance.

Way to go Syd!

 Sydney wanted me to let everybody know that these pictures were taken at 6:30AM and she wasn't quite awake yet....LOL!

 Zoey would not cooperate!

The 4th vacation of the summer was to TEXAS, where we picked up our new addition to the family..................Zoey!

Well our "driving" trip to Texas in August was a HOT one. We made it a 2 day drive there with no problems and Dustin got to come with us and spend a week with family. We spent 2 whole weeks trying to spend as much time as we could with family. The HEAT was horrible and we had a really hard time doing things outside and even driving from one place to another.  It was so dry too.

While in Texas we got to meet our new family member "Zoey" she is a mini Australian shepard. She is blue merle and has one blue eye and one blue/brown eye. She was 12 weeks when we picked her up from my Mom, who ended up keeping her sister "Sadie" a red tri mini.  Zoey did very well on the trip home, we did had Lily with us to show her the ropes and how to act in the car and hotel room. Both dogs did very well we were impressed. Once home we had to train Zoey how to ring the bell by the door to let us know she wanted to go outside and potty, it took her ONE WEEK to learn this and has done well ever since.  She is crate trained, doesn't bark, sheds very little, and is very smart.  She also has a ton of energy loves to jump up on you (we are working on that) and is very dominant over Lily, something we are also working on, having 2 dominant dogs is very difficult but we are making it.

 Sydney and Zoey in Virgina on the way back to PA.

 This is what Lily and Zoey do all the time, play fight, roll and bite each other.