5 Thoughts [an announcement + fertility encouragement]

1. House hunters Renovation obsession

On our flight back from LA to Hawaii I watched like four or five episodes in a row of House Hunters Renovation – one of them actually being in Boston which was cool! I’ve never actually been into Fixer Upper (I know, I know…) or shows like that, but the switch flipped a couple weeks ago and now I can’t get enough. I don’t watch a lot of tv – simply because I get stuck down a rabbit hole on the internet versus tv so Google is just my zone out, mindless activity of choice. But, now I love flipping on an episode when I need a brain break. We have no plans to buy a home anytime soon (hopefully one day!) but it’s really fun to see the process from start to finish. Although Nick reminds me that we see the whole process in 45 minutes and it’s not actually that easy to renovate a home… I prefer to just pretend a home renovation is as simple as they make it look. Right? Right.

2. Target booties

Other than a couple pairs of jeans I bought from Target because I only had one pair of pants that fit and winter starts like now here in Boston, I’ve held off on buying any new clothes for fall and winter. My body is going to shift and change a lot of the next few months, but my shoe size will stay the same so I took that as a green light to buy some new shoes. Target, I think, is sometimes a total jackpot in the shoe department and sometimes it’s a complete flop. Well, right now you guys…it’s a jackpot!

I bought these black ankle boots last weekend and LOVE them. I don’t dress up and I wear a lot of brown so I like these because the bottoms are brown and they don’t look dressy. In the miraculous event I do put on something nicer than a pair of jeans and a chunky sweater (which is equivalent to a ball gown in my world) I think you could dress these up too. Also, I’ve been eyeing these booties and wondering if I should buy them. These shoes are also fabulous, but a little to cool for me…so if you’re cool and trendy and actually know fashion, buy these. It’s a win if I make it out of yoga leggings on a given day.

3. We’re finally contracted with insurance!

After many months and a few headaches, we are finally contracted with both Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts and Harvard Pilgrim! So if you live in the Boston area, have that insurance and want to become a client, we got you covered. This has been a whole new learning curve and Crystal has been amazing in helping with this process. We are so excited to take insurance! Our hope is that this makes our services more accessible.

4. This Brené Brown video

I love Brené. I write that like we’re on a first name basis. If you haven’t read or watched or listened to her stuff, I cannot tell you enough how much you should. I watched this video last week and had to share. She also just came out with a new book, Dare to Lead, and can’t wait to read that too.

5. Encouragement

I feel really, really lucky to do the work I do. I thought about making an online course to help women improve their reproductive and hormonal health for years and I’m so glad I just went for it last winter. The women that have enrolled in the course and are a part of the online community are amazing. Whether it’s a reader, a client or a course participant…when I get told someone got their first natural period in years, it makes my week. I know that story all too well and how hard the journey can be. I’ve had a few women (one reader via email, one client and one woman in my online course) share with me they are pregnant in the past month which is so exciting – and answers to many prayers! Fertility can be such a painful, long and uncertain road. I have friends and family members that have lost babies or are struggling to conceive right now and my heart aches for them. I share this one woman’s experience who is in my online course to hopefully encourage those of you in the waiting. There a many reasons for infertility, some we know about and some that will always remain unknown, so not everyone’s story is the same. But I hope if you’re in a season of waiting, this encourages you to hang in there.

I wanted to share some news! I have been hesitant to say anything because it’s very early… But after 3 years of trying to conceive my husband and I found out we were spontaneously pregnant last week! Quick recap.. I have had an unhealthy relationship with food/exercise for almost 9 years. I haven’t had a regular, natural period the whole time. Two years ago my husband and I tried fertility treatments twice. Both sadly failed. Last year I got my first natural cycle – I only had 3 that year, but that was more than I can say for the past 9 years. This year my period when missing again until this past summer. I started your course earlier this year because I knew something was still wrong. I really dug deep into the mental work for the first time in my life. I am SO grateful and thankful to God most of all for getting me through the tough work and to you for helping provide the tools that I needed to get this battle won! I just want to encourage other women who may be losing hope to never give up!