Why I've been MIA lately

I've sort of neglected this lil ol blog lately. I'm sorry internet. It isn't you, it's me. Really. I'm not trying to be distant, but life has just gone into overdrive lately and I'm finding less mental energy to devote to you. Here is a little rundown of what I've been doing:

1. Getting the Little One's room ready. I'm 35 weeks and well, time is running short. I've only got a few more weeks, yet there is still a ton to be done. Crib sheets, diapers, changing table...Yes, I still have a lot of things to buy and everything needs to be assembled. Everything.

2. Work. I've been getting more shifts lately. Thankfully. It's been keeping me occupied and I actually have a great time at work. My belly is getting pretty huge, so it's becoming more of a challenge to lean over patients. And not so enjoyable for them either. "Excuse that kicking against your head, that's just my baby."

3. Names. Did I mention I'm still not 100% on any names? Sheesh. I have a boy name in mind that I'm about 85% sure on at this point, but still a little hesitant. And don't even get me started on girls names. I've had about three names picked out for a while now, but as D-Day draws closer I'm starting to wonder if any of them is the "right" fit. Oy vey.

4. LifeVantage. My little LifeVantage/Protandim business is growing nicely lately and I've been spending a lot of time on it. It's actually been a lot of fun and I love making the extra money. I even started this little Protandim Fan page for my peeps. Check it out, there are some really amazing testimonials. http://www.facebook.com/ProtandimFans Help a gal out and go "Like" it! And let me know if you want more info.

5. Baby classes. We signed up for a nursing class and a birthing class. Yes, I realize most people have already done this by 35 weeks. I have no real excuse. I signed up late and therefore I will be lucky to make my very last minute birthing class that isn't for another two weeks.

6. Writing. I'm a researcher for the amazing nonprofit organization She's the First and I report on their partner organizations in Sudan and Haiti. Check 'em out and sponsor a girl. It will make you smile. http://www.shesthefirst.org/

That has pretty much been my life lately. And I can't forget about all the American Idol watching, kickboxing classes, and cookie baking that has been sprinkled in lately either.

Life is good. The Hubster is great and cute as ever.

And in just a few weeks, the awesomeness level around here is going to sky rocket.

32 weeks

I'll be 32 weeks tomorrow.

Holy cow.

I can't believe it has gone so fast.

How is that even possible? 32 weeks?

I keep having these moments of panic when I suddenly realize how close I am to having this baby. I start to worry that I'm not ready and have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I'm going to be 100% responsible for another human being. That is incredibly...overwhelming. I'm ready in the sense that I already feel intense love for this little nugget, and I'm dying to meet him/her, but not necessarily "prepared".  I'm not sure if it's even possible to feel prepared.

I've got 7 more weeks, at the very most, before my life changes forever. I can't help but wonder what that love is going to feel like and how my perspective will change. I can't wait to hold this little baby and feel that bond with my son or daughter. I feel so incredibly blessed by the good Lord above to have this privilege of watching over one of His own.

Wow.

My new 'job'.

So lately I've been looking for ways to make extra money. My shifts at work are off and on, so I can never really count on a consistent pay check. Well, I've found myself a new 'job' over the past month or so and I'm pretty jazzed about it. Let me explain.

A few months ago my brother started selling Protandim, an all natural blend of plant extracts designed to culminate a powerful antioxidant therapy proven to be more effective than red wine, oranges, blueberries or other popular antioxidant supplements. It's the only supplement clinically proven to reduce free radical damage in our bodies, which prevents disease and slows down the aging process. Awesome, right?

Well the really cool part is what it's done for my family and friends. My mother has been on pain medication for her back for years now. She started taking this and literally within two days was able to stop her pain meds. One of our good friends suffers from horrible migraines and since starting Protandim she hasn't had a single migraine. The Hubster has even been taking it and his energy is through the roof. He comes home from work every night and exercises, which hasn't happened in years. The list goes on and on, but we've seen some incredible things so far.  The thing I like about it is that over 40 years of research has gone into it's development and it's even been endorsed by the American Heart Association. This is pretty serious stuff kids.

So after seeing the results, and how much money my brother was making, I decided to give it a try and become a distributor myself. Remember my post a few weeks back, the one about being super frugal? Well I generally never take risks like this or get involved in multilevel marketing companies. However, it wasn't that expensive to enroll and the bonuses are crazy good. I've already more than made my money back and I've only been doing it three weeks. It's actually been really easy and the great thing is EVERYONE should be on this product, so the limits are endless. 

I'm really excited about this new endeavor because I've got this little nugget on the way and I'd LOVE to  find a way to earn an income from home. So far it's been great, I've made an extra few hundred bucks in only a few weeks. That goes a loooong way around this house!

So for all the stay at home mamas out there looking to make extra cash or anyone interested in feeling amazing, check out my super nifty page here: http://www.mylifevantage.com/sarahv/default.aspx I'd be happy to answer any questions!

Happiness in small things.

I've been trying to soak in life lately.

I know, it sounds pretty cheesy.

Give me a second.

You know what I'm talking about here, taking a minute to simply appreciate the moment. With this baby coming in less than 11 weeks, I always find myself looking ahead to the next week or milestone and never really stopping to appreciate today. It's kind of like working all week just to get to the weekend, but never stopping to enjoy the week itself. I know Monday isn't all that pretty, but there has to be something you enjoy about the day, right?

Right.

It's the small things that make the day special.

And it's those same things that will make your life infinitely more enjoyable, well once you start recognizing them anyway.

So slow the heck down and take a minute to enjoy yourself, be grateful for this moment, love what you're doing and find happiness in simple things.

Here are some of my favorite things that happen almost everyday: Putting sweats on when I get home. Drinking warm coffee on a cold morning. Waking up to clear skies and sunshine. Coming home to the Hubs after a day at work. Watching Wheel of Fortune while cooking dinner. Feeling the baby move and kick. Looking at the Rocky Mountains on a clear day. Text messages from the Hubs. The smell of my fireplace running. Watching the local news while getting ready for work. The smell and feel of clean sheets on the bed. The energizing buzz of a new day. Reading a Bible passage before going to sleep. AND my nightly piece of dark chocolate.

Now you go. Whatcha got?

Educating Girls in Afghanistan

I've been making a lot of changes to Sis Hope lately. If you're interested in reading about women's equality, head on over and take a look. My most recent article features an interview with the co-founder of Help Women Heal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing scholarship funding to Afghan girls in medical school.