Shane Update

It has been awhile since I have given an update on Shane.  I kept thinking that when there was a lull in doctor appointments that I would give an update.  But truthfully, there will never be a lull in doctor appointments.  Since it has been awhile, I apologize if this update is long.

So about 5 weeks ago, Shane had another sedated MRI.  His neurosurgeon had ordered the MRI since Shane was still significantly delayed.  As you may remember, Shane has been diagnosed with Chiari (Arnold–Chiari malformation type 1) and Hydrocephalus.  His concern was that maybe one of these conditions had worsened and was contributing to him being delayed.  While he was sedated, they pulled some blood to check for certain genetic disorders.

http://www.conquerchiari.org/pediatric/pediatric-index.html  (more info on Chiari here)

His MRI looked good and no changes were seen from his previous MRIs. So once again, no surgery for Shane!  He still has a mild case of Hydrocephalus and he will have CHiari for life.  There is no cure for Chiari so it is something that will continue to be monitored.

Shane has been having sleeping issues for the past couple of months.  Some nights it is very hard to get him to sleep and most nights he wakes up during the middle of the night.When he wakes up in the middle of the night, he is not upset and does not need anything.  He just wakes up and is wide awake.  We only know he is awake because we can hear him talking and playing in his room.  He is currently on melatonin but even that sometimes does not help.  Sometimes I just have lay with him until he falls back asleep.  As you can imagine it is very frustrating to come from work at midnight and see him standing in the window waving at me.  Momma needs sleep!  Since insomnia and sleep apnea are very common with Chiari, Shane had another sleep study done about 1 week ago.  You may remember that he had one done about 2 years ago and that one was normal.  I have to say that this sleep study went better than last time but there was still very little sleep.  He didn't go to sleep till about 9:30pm and woke up around 2am which is his usually time to wake in the middle of the night.  I gave him a dose of melatonin and went back to sleep.  At 6am they wake you and send you on your way.  Those results take about 6 weeks so when we see the pulmonologist in about 5 weeks we will get those results.

Friday I got a call from the genetic consular about Shane's genetic blood work.  Shane has Gorlin Syndrome.  What is that you ask?  Well, go google it cause that is what I did.  I'll wait .............................................................................................................................Did you look it up?  Well, now you know as much as I do.  So here is what I know from my research of different sites and from talking about it with people on the Gorlin support group.  Gorlin syndrome is also known as Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome or NBCCS.  It is a genetic condition which means he probably got it from one of us though it is possible to have a spontaneous mutation.  90% of people who have this condition have basal cell cancers and jaw cysts.  there is a 5% chance of children with this condition to develop a type of brain cancer called medulloblastoma.  So what does this all mean for Shane?????  Well, we are meeting with the genetic consular later this month to talk about that.  We will need to be very proactive with protecting his skin so he needs sunscreen when he goes outside.  He will need yearly dental x-rays done to check for jaw cysts starting at the age of 8 and yearly exams to check for basal cell skin cancer.  Since this is a genetic condition he has up to a 50% chance of having children with this condition.  This condition is considered rare, about 1 in 40,000 people have NBCCS.    As you can imagine, getting this news was hard.

But there is a bright side to this.  We know what he has and what to keep an eye on for the future.  We are better prepared!God has a special plan for him.  Everyone who is near him just adores him.  Wherever we go, people are drawn to him.  They come up to him at the grocery store.  His smile is contagious!  I took him to my women's group with me and the women fell in love with him.  Its amazing to watch how people respond to him.  I know that no matter what, God is with us and He has a special plan for Shane.  Even with all these issues and doctor appointments, I am honored to be his mom.  I am honored that God chose me to be Shane's mom.  This diagnosis was not what we had wanted to hear but we will continue to fight and learn.  Each day is a new day and we will never give up.  God has been faithful to us and He will continue to be faithful.  With God by our side and your support, there is nothing that cant be accomplished!  I just want to thank you all for your support and prayers.  It means the world to me.  As I learn more, I will share as well.  This condition is new to us and foreign.  I have more questions than answers, But I know we can get through this.  With God anything is possible!

Thanks again!

P.S.  I wrote this at 1am so I apologize for any grammar mistakes.  I wrote this after I got home from work.  Its the only time I have quiet time to myself :)




Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Prov. 3:5&6




For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

How I Earn $25-$50 in Amazon Gift Cards from Swagbucks Every Month

I am happy to say that I was able to pay for most of my three children’s Christmas presents this year by using Swagbucks.  

The good news is Swagbucks doesn’t make you start at zero. The site automatically gives you 30 Swagbucks just for creating an account. Once you’ve set up your account, you can start earning more Swagbucks in a variety of ways

I usually spend about an hour each morning while I eat my breakfast and drink coffee to work on Swagbucks while I do others things (like e-mail, Facebook) and I now earn about about $25-$50 in Amazon giftcards per month. Here’s how:

1. Using the Facebook page: People post whether they are on “dubs” or “trips”, which means that they have gotten 2 or 3 search wins. If I know that other people have gotten 2 wins, then I continue to search after my first win until I do, too. (If everyone is only on singles, then I don’t waste my time searching more.) 15-30 points per day

2. Swagbucks TV mobile: I start SBTV mobile every morning on myKindle and only have to monitor it to make sure it hasn’t frozen on any commercial. 50 points per day

3. Radium One Offers: The Swagbucks Facebook page usually has people that comment about which offers are crediting and don’t require spending any money. I use this info to quickly find the offers, sign up, and get points. They also usually have offers for printing coupons or watching videos. 10-20 points per day

4. Encrave: Right now, after getting a search win or doing the NOSO, you can click on a page with lots and lots of offers that simply require you to click on links to get points. 30-50 points per day

5. Jun videos: These all earn 2 points and can usually be found on the homepage or ledger. They are not always there, but when they are, can net between 10-50 points.

6. Surveys: I don’t spend much time on these, but if I see a survey that takes less than 10 minutes, I do it. I usually get about one per week. 50 points per week

7. Making my goal: By doing all the above steps, I make my points goal every day. This gives me a bonus of about 500 points every month!

8. Search: Rather than using your regular search engine, log into Swagbucks and enter your search in the search bar. As you perform online searches you’ll occasionally be rewarded Swagbucks in varying amounts. 

If you do win Swagbucks during a particular search, a small screen will appear telling you how many you’ve won. You’ll have to enter a security/captcha code to confirm you’re a human and not a robot, then the Swagbucks get added to your account.

9. Search on Friday: Friday is known as Mega Swagbucks day to Swaggernauts (aka Swagbucks users). All day, every Friday you have a better chance to win higher denominations of Swagbucks for your searches. For instance, where you may normally only win 8 Swagbucks in a typical search on Friday you could earn 30.

10. Daily Poll: Earn 1 Swagbuck for every day you answer a simple daily poll. You can access the poll through the toolbar or the Swagbucks home page. Think of it this way – one daily poll multiplied by 30 days in a month equals 30 Swagbucks. Do know, however, that you will only earn a Swagbuck for the current day’s poll, not previous polls.

11. Shop: Earn Swagbucks the next time you shop online. Much like you can earn cash back when you shop through sites like Ebates and Cashbaq and Shop at Home, you can earn points when you shop most major online retailers through Swagbucks portal. Instead of earning cash back, like you do on many other sites, you earn a certain number of Swagbucks for every dollar you spend online.

 I love that I have been able to get my three kids presents for their birthdays without having to go into our savings or use the credit card.  The Swagbuck store offers many prizes to choose from including gift cards to popular retailers such as Starbucks, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Once you’ve earned the number of Swagbucks needed for the prize of your choice, you can redeem them.  My favorite rewards are Amazon gift cards.

Your turn: How have you earned the most Swagbucks? What tips do you have for newbie Swaggernauts?

Click here to check it out: www.swagbucks.com/refer/beckyvette
You wont be disappointed 

Fair Trade Certified™ coffee from Green Mountain Coffee

Who is Green Mounting Coffee?

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) is focused on creating positive and sustainable change for people and ecosystems in the places where they do business through focused sustainability endeavors. They are committed to social and environmental responsibility and continue to evolve their company’s corporate citizenship and community outreach efforts. They’ve operated under the core belief that their strength as a business, their support for their employees, and their commitment to their local and global communities are inseparable; each supports the others in a powerful synergy that drives their success.


I'm a BzzAgent, and I received a product sample to review Green Mountain Fair Trade Coffee.

I received my Green Mountain Fair Trade Certified Coffee.  We brewed up a bunch, and man, it is rich and flavorful.  We love it here, and also, being activist types, we were really excited that this coffee actually is certified Free Trade, so everyone involved in this product received a fair wage for a great cup of coffee!  Love it, and loved to be a part of making sure others get decent pay for the great morning they provided me with.

Curél® Intensive Healing Cream for extra dry or sensitive skin.

With all this cold weather my hands & skin tends to be dry , irritated & sensitive to any scented cream or lotion.

I have tried many lotions but most of them have failed to cure the dryness & sensitivity that I had.

BzzAgent gave me the chance to try Curél^® Intensive Healing Cream in exchange for my review & honest opinion

I have been using the product for awhile and I really like it’s thick ,rich & creamy formula .
It is not greasy at all ,doesn’t take any effort in rubbing it over the skin,& is absorbed quickly.
I have been using it on my hands & ashy dry heels , now i find my skin looks & feels softer & smoother.


The product is fragrance free & hypoallergenic , long lasting , provides immediate hydration & heeling relief.
If you suffer from dry sensitive skin , i recommend trying Curél^® Intensive Healing Cream.


Disclosure:  i got the product free from BzzAgent  for testing purposes


<img src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/curel.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=9837235127&Campaign=3266738375&Uid=1420243&token=ab086a5dbbd92ba0d94760187682927a" alt=""/>

Vanilla Flavored orange Halloween TruMoo–Enter now to win!

As a BzzAgent, I received coupons in the mail for the new vanilla and chocolate Halloween Edition of TruMoo. From now through October 31, any time you purchase a half gallon or larger of specially marked Halloween Edition TruMoo^®, you’ll find a code on your cap sticker — enter it over on the TruMoo^® TruMoo^® Facebook page orTruMoo.com for a chance to win a FREE Goosebumps Haunted Hollywood Vacation:

• It’s a trip the whole family will enjoy: an all-expenses-paid vacation to Los Angeles, CA with private tours full of haunted Hollywood magic!
• The grand prize includes a terrifying behind-the-scenes tour of Fox Studios and a visit to Old Town Pasadena for a frightening special effects experience

You can enter as many codes as you want, and when you do, you’ll automatically receive a printable coupon for $2 off any Goosebumps DVD of your choice. Don’t be shy about sharing the links above and encouraging other parents to enter the contest, too!

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MRI and Sleep Study Update

We have so much to be thankful for! Shane had his repeat MRI done a couple of weeks ago. I was so happy that he didn't have to be sedated for it.  They did a "quick scan" which means that they just took 2 pictures of his brain and each picture took about 2 minutes.  He was back in my arms before I could remember how to access the Internet off the tv!  While I was waiting, I overheard some of the doctors doing their rounds and once again I was reminded that there are others who have it much worse and that I have much to be thankful for.

Our appointment with the neurologist was the same day so we didn't have to wait that long for the result.  While waiting in the room, the nurse came in and told us that the doctor was in the NICU so our appointment would be delayed. Another reminder that we are so incredibly blessed!  I think I stopped breathing when the doctor came into the room.  I didn't want to miss anything he had to say.  He told us that the MRI looked exactly the same as it had before, which is good and bad news.  He still has hydrocephalus but it is not bad enough to treat at this time. No surgery is needed!  He was very happy to hear that Shane was not having any issues eating  and that even though he is still behind physically, he is improving.  Because hydrocephalus can injure the brain, thought and behavior may be adversely affected.  So even though I am thrilled that he does not require surgery right now, I know that this is going to be a life long issue that we will have to keep an eye on.  We go back for a check up in 3 months and possibly another MRI in 6 months. 

Last Friday, Shane had his sleep study done.  A sleep study measures quantity, quality, and breathing during sleep.  Calling it a sleep study is very misleading since there was very little sleep involved.  You have to arrive by 7:30pm and he usually goes to bed around 7pm.  Strike 1.  By the time we got ready him with all the wires, fed and changed it was almost 8:30pm. Strike 2.  Sensors and belts were attached to his head, nose, mouth, chest, abdomen, fingers and legs.  So pretty much, they were everywhere!  The worst part was the nasal cannula.  He did not like having it in his nose and every time he moved, it had to be repositioned which was about every 30-60 minutes.  Then is would a little bit to get him to settle down and go back to sleep.  It was exhausting!  The study was over at 6am and it is something I hope to never do again.  It will take about 3-4 weeks to get the results.

We have been through a lot this year and I am eternally grateful for all your prayers.  Every night as I put him down for bed, I kiss his head and thank God for His faithfulness and mercy.  I am so blessed to be this little boy's mommy.  

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:13

11 Months

I can't believe that the twins are 11 months already.  Boy does time fly by!  Joy is crawling everywhere and loves to get into everything.  She is standing and sometimes stands all by herself.  I have no doubt that she will be walking soon.  Joy is a perfect name for her, always smiling and laughing.

Shane is doing great with his physical therapy and is getting stronger every week.  He is rolling over but still hates tummy time.  He can sit by himself for a minute or so before falling over.  I am so proud of his progress.

Last month Shane saw the ENT doctor because of his increased breathing noise.  They took some xrays and found that he had a marked narrowing of his trachea.  The narrowing looked floppy so they believe that he will outgrow it but if he needs to be sedated again we need to let the doctors know so they can use a smaller tube.

When Shane had his MRI done a few months ago, they also found that he has a Chiari malformation of the brain which means which parts of his brain protrudes through the opening in the base of the skull into the spinal column.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/chiari.html# is a good site to learn more

Some signs of Chiari malformation in babies include:

• irritability when being fed
• excessive drooling
• weak cry
• trouble gaining weight
• arm weakness
• developmental delays
• sleep apnea 

Now since we already know he has a narrow trachea and that he is at risk for having sleep apnea, we are doing a sleep study later this month. At his 10 month check up we found that his head had grown a lot, going from the 65th percentile to the 95th percentile.  Because of this, he is having a repeat MRI done tomorrow to see if he needs a shunt so please keep us in your prayers.  Luckily he is not being sedated for this MRI.  They are doing a "quick scan" so it should only take about 10-15 minutes to do.  The other good thing is that we have an appt with the neurosurgeon later that morning so we know right away what they found in the MRI.  no waiting.  I just want to thank you all for your prayers as we continue on this journey.  It has been a long road and  we continue to see  God's faithfulness in every step!

Family Update

The past couple years have been such a roller coaster ride.  3 ectopic pregnancies.  2 failed fertility treatments.  Get pregnant with twins. Put on bed for about 2 months in hospital.  Delivered twins early at exactly 33 weeks.  3 weeks in the NICU.  You would think that after all this, things would settle down.  I know that is what I thought.  But boy was I wrong.

When Shane was born, he was on oxygen for a couple of hours and because of that we need to have his eyes checked.  His eyes were asymmetrical and had major flat spots.  Because of this, he had a head ultrasound and saw that his ventricles were enlarged and asymmetrical as well.  One day in the NICU, one of the nurses heard a murmur so they performed an echo and found that the hole in the heart that is supposed to close after birth did not close.  Because he had all these issues, the doctors recommend that we see a genetics doctor to rule out any syndromes that he may have that would have caused some of his problems.  Whew! I think that sums up our time in the NICU.

Since then we have seen a Genetics doctor and all his blood work came back normal.  They checked for any additions or deletions of his chromosomes.  That is awesome news but doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have anything either.  They can't test for every single syndrome so we have to wait and see if any new symptoms appear that would lead us to a specific syndrome.  But so far none of the doctors think he has anything besides back luck.
When he was about 6 months old we had a repeat echo done and the hole in his heart is tiny.  No need for any more follow up care!  It could still close completely but even if it doesn't, his heart is perfectly fine. Whoo Hoo! Praise the Lord!

When a baby is on prolonged oxygen and premature the doctors worry about ROP.  ROP or Retinopathy Of Prematurity is when there is improper growth of the blood vessels on the retina which can cause damage to the retina.  He shows no signs of this however he is extremely far-sighted and requires glasses. 


Since his ventricles were enlarged he saw a neurosurgeon and got a MRI done which he had to be sedated for. The MRI showed his ventricles were enlarged. On a scare of 1 to 5 where 1 was normal, he measured a 2.  So he was enlarged but only slightly.   However, when we was measured at his 9 month appointment his head measured in the 95th percentile when he was in the 65th percentile.  The neurosurgeon measured his head as well and we have another MRI scheduled for May 21st.  They call it a quick scan because he will not be sedated for it.  If his ventricles are more enlarged he may need a shunt.

Let's see, what else.  Since he had major flat spots on his head we saw a plastic surgeon to see if he needed a helmet.  His head shape is great now so he doesn't require a helmet.  He does have a dermoid on his nose.  What is a dermoid you ask?  It is a skin-like benign growth.  Apparently it is fairly common.  It will need to be removed since it will continue to get bigger and bigger.  They will wait until he is older about 2-3 yrs old to remove it since it will be easier to remove without leaving a noticeable scar.  If he needs to be sedated for any procedure they would remove it then.

He also saw an ENT doctor (Ear, Nose and Throat) because of his increased upper airway noise.  We have barium x-rays scheduled for next week to rule out an obstruction.  

His muscle tone is poor so he receives weekly physical therapy.  He is doing great with it and improves all the time!

Please continue to pray for him!  It can be over whelming at times keeping all of his doctor appointments in order but when he smiles it is all worth it!

Joy is doing great and has no issues at all.  She is crawling and sitting on her own. Her favorite thing to do is to crawl over to Shane and take whatever toy he is playing with. She also has taken his binkie right out of his mouth and popped it into hers!  Who knew they would be fighting over toys already!

I think that is it.  I tried to keep it short and simple. I hope I have succeeded in doing that.  I have wanted to post an update for a long time but it was hard to know where to start..  I pray our next update has nothing but good news to report.  I just want to thank everyone for their prayers and support.  

50 Things You Need To Give Up

1. Give up trying to be perfect. – The real world does not reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.  
2. Give up comparing yourself to others. – The only person you are competing against is yourself.
3. Give up dwelling on the past or worrying too much about the future. – Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you.  Right now is life.  Don’t miss it.
4. Give up complaining. – Do something about it.
5. Give up holding grudges. – Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness.
6. Give up waiting. – What we don’t start today won’t be finished by tomorrow.  Knowledge and intelligence are both useless without action.
7. Give up lying. – In the long-run the truth always reveals itself.  Either you own up to your actions or your actions will ultimately own you.
8. Give up trying to avoid mistakes. – The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
9. Give up saying, “I can’t.” – As Henry Ford put it, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.”
10. Give up trying to be everything to everyone. – Making one person smile can change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  Start small.  Start now.
11. Give up thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
12. Give up setting small goals for yourself. – Many people set small goals because they’re afraid to fail.  Ironically, setting these small goals is what makes them fail.
13. Give up trying to do everything by yourself. – You are the sum of the people you spend the most time with.  If you work together, you will be far more capable and powerful than you ever could have been alone.
14. Give up buying things you don’t need. – Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you.  Do not spend to impress others.  Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects. 
15. Give up blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can live your dream life depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
16. Give up making mountains out of molehills. – One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
17. Give up trying to live up to the expectations of others. – Work on it for real and exceed your own expectations.  Everything else will fall into place.
18. Give up the ‘easy street’ mentality. – There is too much emphasis on finding a ‘quick fix’ in today’s society.  For example taking diet pills to lose weight instead of exercising and eating well.  No amount of magic fairy dust replaces diligent, focused, hard work.
19. Give up making promises you can’t keep. – Don’t over-promise.  Over-deliver on everything you do.
20. Give up letting your thoughts and feelings bottle up inside. – People are not mind readers.  They will never know how you feel unless you tell them.
21. Give up beating around the bush. – Say what you mean and mean what you say.  Communicate effectively.
22. Give up avoiding change. – However good or bad a situation is now, it will change.  That’s the one thing you can count on.  So embrace change and realize that change happens for a reason.  It won’t always be easy or obvious at first, but in the end it will be worth it.
23. Give up your sense of entitlement. – Nobody is entitled to anything in this world.  We are all equal.  We breathe the same air.  We get what we give.  We get what we earn.
24. Give up waiting until the last minute. – Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
25. Give up being dramatic. – Stay out of other people’s drama and don’t needlessly create your own.
26. Give up being anti-athletic. – Get your body moving!  Simply take a long, relaxing walk or commit 30 minutes to an at-home exercise program 
27. Give up junk food. – You are what you eat.
28. Give up eating as a means of entertainment. – Don’t eat when you’re bored.  Eat when you’re hungry.
29. Give up foolish habits that you know are foolish. – Don’t text and drive.  Don’t drink and drive.  Don’t smoke.  Etc.
30. Give up relationships with people who bring you down. – Saying “no” to right people gives you the time and resources required to say “yes” to right opportunities.  Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.
31. Give up being shy. – Network with people.  Meet new people.  Ask questions.  Introduce yourself.
32. Give up worrying about what others think of you. – Unless you’re trying to make a great first impression (job interview, first date, etc.), don’t let the opinions of others stand in your way.  What they think and say about you isn’t important.  What is important is how you feel about yourself.
33. Give up trying to control everything. – Life is an unpredictable phenomenon.  No matter how good or bad things seem right now, we can never be 100% certain what will happen next.  So do you best with what’s in front of you and leave the rest to the powers above you.
34. Give up doing the same thing over and over again. – In order to grow, you must expand your horizons and break free of your comfort zone.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.
35. Give up following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t find the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
36. Give up persistent multi-tasking. – Do one thing at a time and do it right.
37. Give up thinking others are luckier than you. – The harder you work, the luckier you will become.
38. Give up filling every waking moment with commitments and activities. – It’s okay to be alone.  It’s okay to do nothing sometimes.  Think.  Relax. Breathe.  Be.
39. Give up making emotional decisions. – Don’t let your emotions trump your intelligence.  Slow down and think things through before you make any life-changing decisions.
40. Give up doing the wrong things just because you can get away with it. – Just because you can get away with something doesn’t mean you should do it.  Think bigger.  Keep the end in mind.  Do what you know in your heart is right.
41. Give up focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
42. Give up taking yourself so seriously. – Few others do anyway.  So enjoy yourself and have a little fun while you can.
43. Give up spending your life working in a career field you’re not passionate about. – Life is too short for such nonsense.  The right career choice is based on one key point: Finding hard work you love doing.  So if you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don’t stop.  You’re on to something big.  Because hard work isn't hard when you concentrate on your passions. 
44. Give up thinking about the things you don’t have. – Appreciate everything you do have.  Many people aren’t so lucky.
45. Give up doubting others. – People who are determined do remarkable things.  Remember, the one who says it can’t be done should never interrupt the one doing it.
46. Give up fussing with every beauty product on the market. – Good looks attracts the eyes.  Personality attracts the heart.  Be proud to be you.  That’s when you’re beautiful.
47. Give up trying to fit in. – Don’t mold yourself into someone you’re not.  Be yourself.  Oftentimes, the only reason they want you to fit in is that once you do they can ignore you and go about their business.
48. Give up trying to be different for the sake of being different. – Nonconformity for the sake of nonconformity is conformity.  When people try too hard to be different, they usually end up being just like everyone else who is trying to be different.  Once again, be yourself.
49. Give up trying to avoid risk. – There’s no such thing as ‘risk free.’  Everything you do or don’t do has an inherent risk.
50. Give up putting your own needs on the back burner. – Yes, help others, but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

Update on Babies

The past couple of weeks have been quite a roller coaster ride.  It all started in my 29th week when I had a routine doctor's appointment and they told me I was dilated 2cm already. That was my first trip to the hospital.  I was having contractions even though I felt nothing.  They got the contractions under control so after a couple of days I was allowed to go home on bed rest.  I wasn't home for long though.  I went for a non-stress test when I was 31 weeks. They hooked me up to the monitor and guess what they saw? Contractions. So I was admitted into the hospital once again.  Once everything was under control I was sent home with medications to stop the contractions from coming back.  On the 13th (Wednesday)  I went to my regular doctors appointment and when the doctor checked me I was dilated 3-4 cm.  So off to the hospital I went.  I wasn't having that many contractions but the doctor said I would be on bed rest in the hospital until the babies come.  I was doing great. No pain. No contractions.

Until early Friday morning.  My nurse came in at about 2am and asked me if I was feeling any of the contractions that I was having. I wasn't at that point.  Within the hour I started to feel the contractions so they gave me a bolus of fluids to see if that would help.  It didn't and that is when my doctor told me to start making some phone calls. We didnt' have many options at that point. Either the contractions would stop, my water would break or I would dilated more.  If you dilate to 5cm they consider you to be in labor.  When the doctor came in to check me later I was a good 4cm dilated, almost 5cm. So the decision was made. C-section time!

At 6:02am Shane Edward Stroup was born weighing 5lbs 15 oz.  Joy Lynn Stroup came shortly after at 6:03am weighing 4lbs 12 oz.  Shane was having some trouble breathing so he went on oxygen but that only lasted an hour or so.  Since then they have been doing great.

As of right now, no oxygen is needed and they only require minimal heat support..  Joy pulled out her IV catheter last night but since she has been tolerating her feedings so well they did not replace it. She is currently being tube feed.  She seems interested in the bottle and will take a couple of sucks but then usually falls asleep.  Shane has had his last 2 feeding via the bottle and is doing great!  I will be discharged on Tuesday and hopefully at least one of them will come home with me.  It's a waiting game now.

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. Praise God for He is Faithful and He is good.  God has blessed us with 2 healthy babies!

Earn Money From Home with Swagbucks

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you’ve likely heard me talk about this thing called Swagbucks. And some of you are probably scratching your head wondering what it’s all about. So I thought it was high time I did an in-depth tutorial complete with 14 simple ways to earn more Swagbucks.

What Is Swagbucks?

Swagbucks is a search engine which rewards you with Swagbucks for searching. You can use it just like Google (though I still like Google better) for searching and you will be randomly awarded Swagbucks for searching, usually around five to 10 Swagbucks once or twice each day.

These Swagbucks can then be redeemed for a variety of different free items, such as Amazon gift cards, Starbucks gift cards and much more.

While Swagbucks started out as solely a search engine, over the past few years, they’ve morphed into much more. In fact, they now offer many different ways to earn more Swagbucks making it much easier to earn enough Swagbucks to cash in on their prizes.

How Do I Sign Up For Swagbucks?

It’s very simple. Just fill out the form here and you’re all set.

Does It Really Work?

Resoundingly yes! I’ve earned many gift cards plus some electronics from them since I’ve been using them for the last few years. In fact, we were able to lavishly bless our families with Christmas gifts this year thanks, in large part, to the gift cards I’d accumulated through Swagbucks.

And I’m not alone. I know dozens of friends who’ve also had great success with Swagbucks — earning at least a gift card or two every month and sometimes much more than that.

I average about $25 a month in Amazon.com gift cards. That really adds up fast and is helpful for birthday and Christmas presents. :) 

1. Install the Swagbucks Toolbar

You can conduct internet searches directly on the Swagbucks homepage. Or, you can make it much easier on yourself and just install the Swagbucks toolbar. Then, when you want to search for something, you can just go to the Swagbucks toolbar and search without having to open up the Swagbucks homepage.

In addition, you’ll sometimes receive notifications of free Swagbucks codes in the toolbar which you can enter on the homepage of your Swagbucks account in order to add free bonus points to your account.

2. Follow the Swagbucks Blog

If you’re not following the Swagbucks blog, you’re missing out on many opportunities to snag free Swagbucks codes. They have been releasing at least one free code almost every day. Plus, you’ll be in the know about giveaways they are running and everything that’s new at Swagbucks.

3. Print Coupons

Did you know that you can now earn 10 Swagbucks for every coupon you printand use from Swagbucks? Just click on the “Earn” tab at the top of theSwagbucks homepage and then click on “Coupons”. You’ll earn 10 Swagbucks for every coupon you print and redeem at your local store.

Please note that you’ll only receive Swagbucks for coupons you actually use. Just printing them won’t earn you anything, so make sure to only print those you know you’ll use.

In addition, it takes up to 12 weeks for the points to post to your account. However, I’ve received reports from many different people that this has worked without a hitch. You just have to have a bit of patience!

4. Watch Swagbucks TV

Click on the “Swagbucks TV” on the dropdown menu under the “Earn” tab to pull up the Swagbucks TV page. You have to watch 10 different videos (they range in length from one minute to five minutes) and then you’ll earn three Swagbucks.

I usually turn these on while I’m working on the computer and it’s a simple way to slowly rack up some points. You can earn up to 25 three-point rewards in a 24-hour period (a total of 75 points), so it’s definitely a great way to multi-task while on the computer. I also sometimes just leave the videos running while I’m working on a task nearby (laundry, cleaning, etc.).

5. Take the Daily Poll

Every day, Swagbucks offers one simple poll. Just click on the “Poll” on the dropdown menu under the “Earn” tab to pull up the page. Choose your answer and you’ll earn one Swagbuck. It’s simple and takes all of about 15 seconds to do.

6. Perform Tasks

Swagbucks has a list of different tasks you can complete online and earn anywhere from 16 to 40 Swagbucks. Just click on the “Tasks” on the dropdown menu under the “Earn” tab to pull up the page.

Each tasks is different. They will tell you at the beginning how many minutes the task will typically take.

I will say, that I wouldn’t recommend this way of earning Swagbucks unless you have a lot of time on your hands and love doing online research. For the time involved in doing these tasks, you’re only earning the equivalent of pennies.

7. Complete Special Offers

Right now, you can earn nine Swagbucks when you sign up to get Dilbert comics or the Free Sites email newsletter. You can earn 61 Swagbucks when you sign up for Mint.com and add one financial institution to your profile. You can get 21 Swagbucks when you sign up for the Sweet Daily Deals email newsletter.

There are many, many more such offers which require no credit card or payment to earn Swagbucks. Click on the “Special Offers” on the dropdown menu under the “Earn” tab to pull up the page which lists the various offers you can complete to earn Swagbucks. Unless you were already planning to sign up for one of the free trials which require a credit card, I would not suggest signing up for them as it’s possible you could forget to cancel and get billed.

8. Take Trusted Surveys

Swagbucks offers similar survey opportunities to paid survey opportunities, only you earn Swagbucks instead of cash.

There are mixed reviews on the survey opportunities, similar to what the paid survey opportunities usually are like. Some people do really well with them, some people spend a lot of time filling out pre-survey questionnaires only to find out they don’t qualify.

If you enjoy filling out surveys, I’d say it’s worth a shot to try doing some of the Trusted Surveys through Swagbucks. However, if you find you’re rarely qualifying for surveys, I’d skip the surveys and focus on some of the other more reliable earning opportunities.

9. Play Swagbucks Games

I tried my hand at the Swagbucks games and was less than enthused. However, I’m one of those people who basically finds computer games incredibly boring. If you’re unlike me and you enjoy computer games, this might be a great way to earn Swagbucks.

10. Go Through the No Obligation Special Offers

Every day, you can go to the No Obligation Special Offers section and skip through all the offers (sign up if something interests you, but skip those which don’t interest you). At the end, you just have to type in a simple phrase and you’ll earn two Swagbucks. From start to finish, this will take you no more than 20 seconds and you can do it every single day!

11. Purchase Groupons Through Swagbucks

If you’re going to purchase a Groupon deal, always head to the Daily Deals page on Swagbucks and click through there to purchase it. In many cases, you’ll earn 150 to 300 Swagbucks for your purchase — which can make the Groupon deal even sweeter!

12. Trade-In

If you have old cell phones, MP3 players, games, consoles or books you want to get rid of, check out how many Swagbucks you can earn by trading them in. After looking up your item, you can print out a pre-paid shipping label and receipt, stick it in the mail and you’ll be awarded your Swagbucks after your trade-in is processed.

13. Follow Swagbucks on Twitter

If you follow Swagbucks on Twitter, you’ll be the first to know about Twitter-only codes available. Plus, multiple times per week, they randomly award Twitter followers with 100 free Swagbucks for tweeting using the hastag #Swagbucks.

14. Follow Swagbucks on Facebook

The Swagbucks Facebook Page is the place to find out about the latest Swagcodes and discuss all things related to Swagbucks. Since there are so many members and everyone is allowed to post on the wall, sometimes the discussions or comments get a little out of hand.

Also, I’ve found that the Swagbucks Facebook Page is a goldmine for finding the best phrases to search. I never seem to have great success when searching on my own, but when I search the phrases people suggest on there, I almost always win double digit Swagbucks. I have no idea what’s up with that, but you should try it, too!

Another Shoe Box Update

Well, I finally got an e-mail saying where my boxes went. They went to Ghana, the Dominican Republic and to Colombia. Oh how I wish I could be there to see the kids open their boxes!  I have been asked many times if I am going to do that many boxes again next year. I don't know how many boxes I will do. But I will tell you that next year I want to get the whole church involved with packing boxes. It's amazing how a simple gift can have such an imapct on someone's life.  There is nothing better than knowing that you helped share God's love with a child that you will probably never meet.

Shoe Box Update

At the begining of the year I told you that I was going to do some shoe boxes for Samaritains Purse Operation Christmas Child. And by some, I meant 50. Now I know some of you thought I was crazy.  I could see it in your eyes when I told you why I was doing 50. But that didn't stop me.  And this is what my nursery looks like today.

I have 60 boxes packed and labeled ready to be dropped off next week.  I can't believe I did it. And to be honest with you, I have no idea how I did it.  How did I get enough stuff to fill 60 boxes?!?!?!?! And you know the truely amazing part? I had stuff left over!!!! I went through all the boxes a second time stuffing in as much as I could.  How did I end up with extra things?!?!?!?!?!  Everytime I look at all those boxes, I wonder how it all came together.  I have been so blessed by doing this. I have learned a very valuable lesson.  If God tells you to do something, He will not let you fail. I wish I could be sitting across from you right now because I don't want you to miss the point I am trying to make.  I love my job but I will never be rich doing it.  And considering everything else that is going on in my life, I have no extra money.  I barely have the money I need to pay my bills.  So how did I pay for all the stuff that is in the shoe boxes?!?!?!?! God took care on me.  He told me to do something and I obeyed.  He took care of the rest. I pray that you are getting this.  God will take care of everything if you just trust Him and follow Him.  Looking at those shoe boxes is a daily reminder that miracles can happen because to me the fact that I did so many shoe boxes is a miracle.  There is no way that I can explain how it all came together.

(Mat 19:26 RSV) But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

(James 2:18 ) But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

It will be a little sad to see the boxes go.  It's a daily reminder that God is with me and that through Him I can do anything.  Plus it turned my sad empty nursery into my work space. By not having a child in the nursery I was able to impact the lives of 60 children!  God's perfect plan! 

And there is another amazing thing that has come out of this.( I know, there's more!) By asking for shoe boxes, I was able to share what the shoe boxes were for and many people decided to do there own shoe boxes as well! So who knows just how many shoe boxes were packed because of all this!  It is just so awesome how everything fell into place. I am blown away by how this has all turned out and I pray that you understand what I am saying and that you get it.

I have a big "THANK YOU" to all who helped me. This couldn't have been done without your help.  Some gave me shoe boxes, while others gave me some things to put in them or donated money towards the shipping cost. Thank you so much.  You didn't just help me fill a shoe box with things, you helped me fill the shoe boxes with love and hope. Thank you!

Ever hear that song "Trust and Obey"?  I think it goes well with this post so here it is.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Here we go again

So I have been trying to write this since Sat but with the storm that came through it has been hard.  The power keeps going off and on and I lose our Internet connection constantly. So hopefully I can get it done today.  Saturday I had my initial ultrasound and I am currently on my oral medications and my injectable medication.  I conveniently forgot how much the injections burned!  So here we go again!  This will be our third and last chance at IVF.  The first time we only had one egg to put back in and it didn't take hold.  The second time we ended up with 3 eggs going in, one taking hold but then it miscarried. Hopefully third time's a charm!

When we first started this journey, I had no idea what a roller coaster ride it would be. I knew it would be hard mentally and physically but I had no idea just how hard it would be. Plus I really thought that we would be successful on our first try.  I mean I have no trouble getting pregnant, it's just the eggs pick a very bad location to set up their home.  I can't believe that I thought it would be easy.  And now here we are on our last try.  I have mixed emotions knowing that this is it.  I won't have to take dozens of pills every day or give myself painful injections. But if this doesn't work, we don't have another try. That's it. No more.  That is not the end of the story if that is what happens.  We will go towards adoption. We already have an agency picked out and have started the paper work.  We just aren't allowed to hand it in until all fertillity treatments are done.

The hardest part for me is the guilt.  What's the point of being a woman if I can't have kids? Now I am not saying every woman needs to have kids to be fulfilled. This is just how I feel.  But what's the point of having the equipment if I can't use it???????  Sometimes I feel as if I have failed as a woman . But not only that, I have failed as a wife and a mother.  I want my daughter to know the joys of having a sibling(oh I know it would be all rainbows and sunshine!).  I want my husband to have a son to teach how to be a man. I want all these things for them but I cannot give them.  I have these thoughts on my low days.  I quickly tell myself to be quiet and think about all the things I DO have.  I have so much!  I think about all the other people in my life and their hardships.  I can't imagine what it's like to have a child with cancer.  My family has their health.  I can't imagine what it's like to be a single mom. My family is united.  I can't imagine what it's like to have the whole house unemployed.  My husband and I both have jobs.

We all have hardships.  They are just all different.  I often get told how surprised people are by how open I am about everything.  This is my life. This is my story.  If by sharing my story one person get encouraged, then it's all worth it. I know that no matter what, I will get through this.  If this doesn't work, will I fall to my knees and cry? Oh yes that will be me. But I as soon as I can see past my tears, I will get up and keep moving forward.  Nothing in life is easy and some things are worth fighting for.  Now, if these cycle works will I be singing and dancing? YES!

This is not the path that I wanted to take.  This is the path that God has put me on.  I know that where I am today is exactly where I am supossed to be.  And that is all that matters.  Saturday I go for my next ultrasound and that should tell us when they are going to harvest my eggs.  I don't know what the future holds but no matter what I will trust the only one who does know.

Breakfast

This is my breakfast. The breakfast of champions! Well, not really. It's the breakfast of a person on fertility meds. ( I also eat some food with this too! )

I'm not sure when our next and final cycle will be.  I stopped taking my pills after the miscarriage so I could give my body a break from everything.  So now it will take a little while to get my levels back up.

We have also started the process of finding an adoption agency.  There are so many out there!  It makes it hard to chose one but one agency has been recommended by almost everyone I have talked to.  And I'm amazed to find out how many people in my circle know someone who was adopted or was adopted.

I have to admit, I'm very excited. I have no idea how this is all gonna turn out or when or where. Ok, I know nothing. But I have learned to enjoy this journey even though at times it is extremely painful.  You can have joy and pain at the same time.  I take one day at a time and remind myself daily of all the things that I DO have instead of focusing on what I don't have.  A friend of mine recently completed a list of 1,000 things to be thankful for. I thought that was awesome but also thought that it would be hard. She said it wasn't and her list continues to grow.  So I'm gonna start my own list and I urge you to do the same.  We have so much to be thankful for and I think it is time for all us to say "Thank You" to the One who deserves it.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever

believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (Jn.3:16)