Rebecca VanDeMark's Blog, page 250

the 11th anniversary

If you read my October 25th post from last year or the year before or you know me well you know that October 25th is a very special day to me. It holds incredible meaning and significance as 11 years ago I had a life-changing surgery that changed the course of my life and this was the day that the Lord healed me after doctors told me that there was "nothing" that they could do. (You can read more of my story with my battle with Endometriosis HERE!)
I shared two years ago the different ways I have celebrated this anniversary over the years. While some of these days and moments have been photographed over the years, many of them have not. The precious memories that my mind remembers today are of sacred moments of telling my story to my students over the years as I testified about the Lord's mighty healing power, the laughter between family and friends, the precious phone calls and texts from friends who prayed for the miracle to happen and never stopped believing, my sister calling to celebrate with me, long walks thanking the Lord on year two, and the quiet celebration in my heart every time I see the calendar approaching this special day when doctors said there was "no hope" and yet the Lord spoke differently.  As I think about year eleven today I have been met with a mixture of emotions. Extreme gratitude and thankfulness and tears at the Lord's mighty healing power and yet I do admit that like the last several years I have had some tearful behind-the-scenes prayers of, "why aren't you healing the same way this time in this Lyme Journey yet Lord?". It is a question that I think so many people have asked behind the scenes (and some of the brave have cried with me).  I recently received an email from the same reader that I shared about two years ago. This reader wanted to know if my response to their question from two years ago would be any different as I am turning another year on the calendar date. (You can read the original question and response HERE and last years thoughts HERE.)
As I told this reader, it's really not. I don't know why healing hasn't come in such a "mighty and easy way" this time and why it is a long and slow healing process. I really don't. What I do know though is that I have a choice every single day on whether or not to trust the Lord and walk in this trust over my feelings or spend precious energy questioning things. I choose to trust. I choose to trust the difficult and unknown path before me is the path that the Lord has me on. Where I might think I am better used or life would be better is not where the Lord has me. I humbly trust that "and if not He is still good" to all of my questions, all of my deepest hearts longing... and that is enough for today. Circumstances, if we let them can be refining windows into our hearts shining a light on what we believe. The "and if not" parts of life...even if I am never healed, never see my dreams come true, or if the secret longings that are deep inside of me never happen ...it is okay. It doesn't change who God is or His goodness.  I promise, readers that despite any circumstances God's goodness is NOT changed. I can attest in new ways and in more marvelous ways then I could years ago. And as I celebrate this 11th anniversary I am brought to my knees by God's goodness. His faithfulness astounds me and His mercies meet each new day. 
Surrendering to God's goodness comes the opportunity to fall more in love with Jesus and who He is and what the Bible states and promises. NOT what I want it to state or promise but what it actually states and promises. And this 11 year anniversary is incredibly significant to me - especially as this Lyme journey continues on.  Did you know that the number 11 in the Bible often represents chaos and disorder in the Old Testament, Jesus in gave us eleven specific and special promises in the book of John? These promises are:
(1) A person can receive everlasting life by believing in the Son of God (John 3:16)(2) A person can have eternal life (John 6:54)(3) By following Jesus you will walk in light, not darkness (John 8:12)(4) Jesus' word sets us free (John 8:31-32)(5) Jesus brings freedom (John 8:36)(6) God the Father will honor those who serve Christ (John 12:26)(7) We can do great things (John 14:12)(8) We will receive the Holy Spirit when we obey Christ's commands (John 14:15-16)(9) We are loved by God (John 14:21)(10) Those who abide in Jesus will be fruitful (John 15:5)(11) We can be friends with Jesus (John 15:14)
*smiles* Okay, so you might be asking what does this have to do with me celebrating my 11 year anniversary and why are they significant to me? 
First, scripture has never been shy about speaking about chaos and disorder which seems extremely prevalent in our world today. BUT scripture has also showed that there are mighty promises of truth for us to hold on to... even when it seems like everything is in chaos. These beautiful promises remind me of God's ultimate power here on earth and also as we contemplate eternity.
Second, our all powerful God shows His complete power by offering eternal life through Jesus and His death on the cross. In this act of unmeasurable love we not only are given the opportunity to accept Jesus as our Lord and be saved but on the cross Jesus conquered EVERYTHING. Including illness. EVERYTHING was conquered on the cross. 
Third, Jesus has given these 11 promises that are so specific and significant especially as I remember this beautiful anniversary of His healing and also for my current journey with Lyme Disease. These 11 promises speak truth into the deepest parts of who we are. Knowing this I have a choice to make... every single day... I can choose to act in faith and trust the Lord completely or I can respond to my circumstances sinfully and grow bitter and angry at the ways of the Lord. 
There is absolutely no question in my mind of my choice.  Even on the days that I feel discouraged I choose to run to my precious Heavenly Father and lay everything at His feet. The reality is that this anniversary shouts to me in the dark and reminds me of God's ultimate power and who He is. And friends, as I spend more time with the Lord and continue to run to Him with all of my questions, fears, disappointments, hurts, and every other emotion He lovingly speaks to my hurting heart. And I am reminded on this 11th anniversary of His incredible grace, His good gifts, His undeserving ways, and the gift of love that He gives. 
And the best gift of all? Is the gift that the this 11th anniversary serves as a beautiful reminder that the Lord offers not only beauty, but incredible hope. Hope of a future that the Lord has in store... Hope of beautiful healing here on earth or in Heaven... Hope of living joyfully despite difficult circumstances... Hope of a loving God who loves us abundantly... and Hope of celebrating another 11 year healing in the future...
healing from Lyme Disease. 

Hope for the Future in the Single Journey

“The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the earlier years.”-Job 42:12-
One of the real aspects of singleness is the heartbreaking reality of seeing days pass without our dreams fulfilled in this journey. It can be tempting to doubt God and His promises as each day passes without seeing our deepest longings fulfilled. It can be hard to hold on to hope for the future and easy to allow despair to settle into the crevices of the deepest part of our souls. 

In my experience it seems like these seasons of deeper longing strike at different times. For some people it is the holiday season that is harder while for others it can be the lonely weekend days. Like many women who are single, I long to share my life with someone. I long to "live life together" and serve God with someone in our everyday lives. I long to share the celebrations and holidays with someone but even more so I long to share everyday life with someone. I long to be a mama ... I long to serve the Lord as a married woman. All of these things are natural and important, and because these longing and ache is so deep, there are times where it seems like on this journey that I just can not stop the tears from falling and I weep and I struggle to hold on to hope for the future that things could be different. 

But as the days and weeks and months pass and another holiday season is soon approaching I choose to put aside my feelings and believe in the Lord. I pray that my my fears, my hopes, and my longings for the future be solely found in Him. 

“But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more.” 
-Psalm 71:14-

Whatever the future holds- whether it brings marriage or continued singleness I know that He will be with us each and every day friends and will not abandon us. We are not alone. 

Let us pray for the wisdom that we need for each moment in the future that it comes from Him alone. “Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” (Proverbs 24:14)

Our faith for our future hope rests solely on the Lord and not on a circumstance changing. He will lead us each step of the way- through this journey – and beyond it. Let us remain confident that the Lord has a plan, a plan “for welfare and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11) and that friend, is what we can rest in today. 

Let us rest in the arms of the one who loves us more than life. Let us wait solely on Him to direct each of my steps in this area of our lives. 

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope.” 
-Psalm 130:5-

Let us hold fast to the hope, that like Job, He will bless each step in the future, even more than our early years as the scripture above states. And let us hold fast to the Lord, no matter what the circumstances look like right now. 

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 
-Hebrews 11:1-

Dear hurting and brokenhearted single friends, hold onto the hope and truth that the Lord is near for today and holds our beautiful future in His hands. God is always with us friends... may His tender mercy comfort you in this difficult season of longing and give you strength and dignity as you laugh without fear of the future. 

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and I can laugh without fear of the future.” 

-Proverbs 31:25-

50% Sale in the Etsy Shop this Weekend

I am having a HUGE spring sale at the shop! Starting today through Sunday everything is 50% off!! Simply use the coupon code FALLJOY to receive your purchase. 
Due to my upcoming treatment and travel schedule I have had to make the difficult decision that my shop will be closing on Friday, October 28th and won't re-open until after the holiday season on January 2nd. This has been a hard and difficult decision as I so enjoy making different holiday orders but is also a necessary one at this point in my treatment schedule. SO this weekend is your chance to shop early for Christmas presents! 
ALL proceeds from this sale will be going to benefit my upcoming trip to California for my doctors appointment in December.
So head on over and check it out! You can click HERE to easily go to the shop!  Thank you again for all of your support of my shop!  I hope that you are having a wonderful start to your weekend!
Again, please use the coupon code: FALLJOY to receive 50% off your entire purchase. Thank you so much for your support of my shop this year! What a joy and blessing y'all have been!
Happy Saturday sweet friends!

Amazing Women of Faith: Mallory from Still Waters Blog

I am so excited to have a dear friend and hero of mine sharing on the blog today her heart and her words of encouragement and truth. It is hard to put into adequate words the impact that Mallory has had on my life and in my journey with Lyme Disease. I am so excited to have her sharing her heart today!!  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "God can use you wherever you are"
Let's get real for a minute.
The mundane routines of day to day life make it really easy to feel lost. To feel unimportant. To feel purpose-less. To question "What on Earth am I here for?"
Comparison is such a thief.
We look at pictures, posts of exciting lives full of travel, food, riches, and people who seem to have so much direction. Wow, that person looks super important... And I feel super ordinary.
I used to think that God would never use me in a meaningful way. I thought that my typical Christian testimony and blessed life didn't have enough "umph" to make an impact for the kingdom. Only those who have walked through fire and come out on the other side, shouting their testimony riddled with abuse, addiction, and the rescue of a loving savior could make a difference.
I thought that without traveling the world, serving on various missions, snuggling orphans, feeding the starving people of a foreign nation-- God wasn't using me.
WRONG. Now, I do have a platform. I have a CRAZY story. I have seen, felt, received multiple miracles from above. I have survived the impossible because of HIS strength. I'm actually one of those people with a powerful testimony (that's still being written)...Does that mean God can use me now? Does that suddenly make me more important than I was before?
Yes...also... No.
Having a story of suffering & despair, one I would never wish upon anyone, does not make my impact for the Kingdom more important than it was when I was healthy & strong leading an active life.
This story gives me a way to share, know, and love Jesus with a perspective that I would not otherwise understand. And I have made the choice to trust that God can do something amazing with it... He totally has.
In the last 2.5 years I have been isolated from the world, people, life and experiences beyond what I can even tell you. In that time, God has miraculously led me to witness, encourage, and share His love with more people than I EVER did in all my 20 years of health and thriving life.
His purpose, plan, hand in my life is OBVIOUS. God is with me, before me, around me. He is preparing me for something incredible. I just know it. I feel it in my soul as the Holy Spirit speaks beautiful purpose into my heart.
But right now, I'm not able. I'm still quite isolated from the world. Struggling with recovery, sickness, lack of independence, strength, and ability to complete normal tasks. Nonetheless, God is able to use me in these ordinary, quiet times.
In the mundane, in the everyday sideline life...one that can feel lost, without direction and without purpose... in which my heart is SO READY to play yet my Coach is reassuring me that it's not game time... I'm confident that God is doing SOMETHING IMPORTANT.And looking back at my 20 years of ordinary life, I can see God working in all aspects.
Child of God, dear loved one, God is working in your life too.
Through the boring days. Through the bad days. Through the sin-filled days and the obedient ones, too. Through the most joyful times and through the deepest depressions. In your daily job, among your family and friends, around your coworkers, at the grocery store, at the gym, at the hair salon & through your social media presence. God is at work everywhere you are. Are you longing for a purpose? Do you desire to be used? 
There is no exclusive club, no requirement needed to be a chosen one. Today I encourage you to truly open your heart to the Lord. Give Him your past, your present and your future. Give Him authority to use you in whatever way He sees fit...then obey when you feel Him leading and promoting. Pray for the words to say, the humility to serve, and the convictions to want His Will above all. Every season of life has a purpose and a time and an importance in the realm of eternity. Strive for joy wherever you are today and take heart, knowing you are on this Earth for a job beyond all understanding.
Wow, you are so important.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A huge thank you to Mallory for sharing her heart and her life and her encouragement to all of us. You are such a treasure Mallory! If you want to connect more with Mallory you can find her blog HERE and her Instagram page HERE.

Atlantis and Aquaventure Port Excursion

After arriving at the Port of Nassau, Emily and I joined the group on the Disney Cruise that had signed up for the Atlantis Aquaventure. As background Emily and I had talked about doing the Aquaventure pretty much since we had seen Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson's movie, Holiday in the Sun decades ago. *smiles* So we saved up our pennies and chose this as our "major" thing to do on the cruise when we arrived in Nassau. I have to say first that the way that Disney does Port Excursions was absolutely lovely. Having been on other Port Excursions on other ships, this was really a dream. When we arrived on the ship we had our tickets waiting for us in our stateroom along with clear instructions on where and when to meet - on the ship. For this particular excursion we gathered in the Walt Disney Theater (which was cool and air-conditioned and allowed everyone to comfortably sit while the group gathered) where we watched the spectacular shows every evening. They had maps for us and also a map up on the screen and clearly and easily explained how the day would work. 
After everyone gathered they led us off the ship and connected us with the Atlantis Aquaventure leaders who gave us our meal vouchers, further information, and walked us to waiting taxis for us to go to the resort. Once at the resort we were all shown where the water park started and given towels and given clear instructions on how and when we needed to meet the taxis to get back to the ship. It really was simple yet like everything else we experienced on the Disney Dream, brilliantly done.  As we walked to the Aquaventure we saw several parts of the Atlantis Resort. It was lovely to be back (the last time that I was there was in 2014 on a different cruise) and see the beautiful property and get to explore the area with my sister. The Atlantis grounds and aquaventure area is absolutely beautiful. You have not just stepped into a water park but have stepped into a Caribbean dream when you pick this shore excursion. The beautiful tall palm trees that surround the property are absolutely stunning. The aquaventure is a unique and fun water park that features lots of different slides (including some "tamer ones" and ones that are not for the faint of heart- hello the one that drops straight down!) and a unique twist on a lazy river that has some fun surprises.  The Aquaventure park is divided into four different parts- the Lazy River and the Current, the Mayan Temple, The Power Tower, and the Swimming Pools area.  We started with the Lazy River and Current as our first part of the Aquaventure. It was really fun! The Lazy River is a 1/4 mile loop through the tropical landscape. There are different places where you can get off and on the Lazy River to go to the other three areas of the park or you can ride the entire thing, including the Current.  The current continues to take you along beautiful lush and gorgeous landscape while at the same time propelling you through a mile-long river via water escalators, rolling waves and extreme rapids. We really enjoyed the Lazy River and it was definitely one of the highlights of the day!  After enjoying the Lazy River and the Current we headed next to the Power Tower.  The Power Tower was so much fun! We spent a lot of time in this area because of the fun different rides that were offered. The Power Tower is a 120-foot tower with four different slides. It has The Abyss- which is a 50 foot vertical drop with a 200-foot-long body slide, The Drop- which is a single or double inner tube ride that starts with a "drop" into darkness, The Falls- where you are propelled through a water roller coaster ride, and finally, The Surge- which is an inner tube ride with a drop into a cavern followed by being "dumped" into the white water rapids of the Current. It's hard to pick our favorite water slide rides, but definitely the Drop and the Falls were some of our favorites! Both my sister and I love the opportunity to be able to do rides together and these were two of our favorites! One of my favorite memories of the day and I am giggling as I write this, was my sister who would scream things like, "drop" every time a drop was coming to help warn me. I am laughing out loud remembering this as it really did give me a warning but it made me laugh really hard all at the same time so I definitely was swallowing a ton of water! After spending a fun morning doing the above rides we decided to take some time to eat by one of the pools, and rest for a few minutes. As mentioned above you will receive a meal voucher with this port excursion to use. You will have the option of choosing from a few different quick service places that basically all serve the same thing: (Salad, Caesar Salad, Hamburger, Veggie Burger, Chicken Sandwich). My sister chose the Hamburger which she said was really good and I chose the Caesar Salad which I really enjoyed. The last time I was in Atlantis and had the meal voucher I chose the Veggie Burger which was also really nice. 
All of these places are by the different pools that Atlantis has. For a bit of reference there are more than 20 different swimming areas and 11 different pools in Atlantis - all with different offerings including an adults only pool, a children's pool, etc. The views that surround the Atlantis Resort and Aquaventure are absolutely stunning. At different parts you could clearly see the ocean and it was just breath-taking. After lunch we headed to the Mayan Temple section of Aquaventure. The Mayan Temple features five different slides in its tower: The Serpent Slide-a five story corkscrew slide which ends with a slow ride through a clear submerged tunnel through a shark-filled lagoon, The Jungle Slide- where kiddos can take a safari like slide through different caves and jungles and two different Challenger slides- where you can challenge friends for a splashdown race and finally there is the Leap of Faith Slide- which is the tallest water slide drop the park offers - at almost 60 feet straight down which is followed by a high speed ride through a clear tunnel submerged in a shark-filled lagoon. (Let us be honest- if you are a girl and saw the Olsen twins and Holiday in the Sun you know that this ride was shown approximately 3000 times. *hahaha*) We spent time doing the Serpent Slide and my sister who loves all things shark related loved the ending to the ride. You really do go extremely slow at the end of the ride and there is plenty of time to see different sharks, including one who was sleeping above us on the tunnel we were in! After riding the Lazy River one more time we were ready to head back to the ship. We were so surprised that we ended up spending about 7 hours on this port excursion. It was a fun and delightful filled day!
Here are a couple of tips and thoughts about the Aquaventure Port Excursion if you are interested in choosing this on your Disney Dream Cruise:
1. If you are like us and were wondering which water slide (with innertubes) is the "highest" in the park - then the answer is definitely "the Drop" ride. We were so grateful when a staff member explained this to us as I couldn't do huge drops due to health reasons and this helped us easily enjoy our time at the park without worrying about future rides. 
2. A word of caution though for those who are traveling in the "hotter seasons"... the Lazy River and the Current Water was hot. At one point in the day - near the end of our time there we were hoping to be a little refreshed but instead started to feel a bit sick due to the fact it was so hot outside and the water felt even hotter. Just a word of caution about this part of the aquaventure!
3. Traveling in September like we did was an excellent time to enjoy this port excursion. The park was not that crowded and we never waited more than 3 or 4 minutes to go on a ride. It was truly a wonderful time to go visit if you can!
4. The cost of this port excursion is $185 for those who are 10 years old and up. For those who are 3 to 9 years old the cost is $135 and for those who are infants through 2 years old the cost is free. Like I said it was definitely the most expensive thing that we chose to do, but at the same time as I mentioned in my Disney Dream Cruise Ship Review Post you can save up and pay once you are on the cruise. It is not like other cruise lines where you have to pay before. This allows you lots of time to save for an expensive port excursion like this and you do get lunch and many hours at the excursion. Once I decided to do the cruise I had approximately 9 months to save for this excursion and so I put aside about $18-20 each month to save. On the flip side it is definitely expensive so it might be something to think about for a future cruise if you are strapped for money. 
5. Wheelchairs are allowed to be in the pool and beach area but they are not allowed in the water slide area just to give you a heads up. Also wheelchairs must be collapsible as no electric wheelchairs are permitted. 
6. Each guest that is participating in the water slide rides must be 48 inches tall where rides require it. There are different things that children who are less than this can participate on, but for the majority of the rides this is the height limit and they are very firm on this. We saw several different sets of parents who were trying to convince staff members that their children had done the rides already, that they really were that tall, etc. and the staff was kind but firm on this rule. There is also a height limit ruler and they will make you measure so keep that in consideration when purchasing this shore excursion.  I hope you enjoyed reading this review of the Aquaventure Port Excursion. It was such a delightful day that I want to go back and do it all over again! Please let me know if you have any questions!

The Lyme Diaries: A Day in the Life Currently (October 2016)

Happy Thursday friends! It is hard to believe that almost 15 months since I wrote my last "The Lyme Diaries: A Day in the Life Currently" post! Sometimes it seems like things change so rapidly and other times it seems like it is living in one big circle again and again that nothing is different. 

If you are new around here I started "the Lyme Diaries" series about 2 years ago and what a blessing it has been to my little heart to connect with so many of you also walking this long journey. I am so glad that we can encourage each other! I also hope and pray that this helps readers who wonder, "exactly what in the world is Lyme Disease?" and those walking this long journey with me.

Since sharing my original diagnosis of Lyme Disease in March 2013 and continuing to share updates on my health through my "Notes on the Porch" posts I have received many emails asking a variety of questions on treatment, advice, ideas, and a host of other things. At first I was able to share my limited knowledge with ease because these emails were not so frequent, but since writing the "What is Lyme Disease" post in May 2014 (and updating it each May) these emails, facebook messages, etc. have quadrupled a hundred fold and I struggle to have the time that I want to adequately answer the several hundred emails a week. (Let's be honest... I have not been able to answer even a 1/3 of them.) So out of that, "the Lyme Diaries" was born. (If you would like to read all of the posts in "the Lyme Diaries" you can click HERE!)
So, when I first started "the Lyme Diaries" I shared what a day in the life of having Lyme Disease looked like for me currently at that point (you can find it HERE if you are interested) and continued to share every few months with my last one being in July 2015. Obviously since that time so much changed ("Nic the Picc" and then "Courtney the Portney" to name a few big changes) so today I wanted to share with y'all an "updated" day in the life as of October 20th. While some things change in the day to day this is a generalized daily schedule that I have right now, but first:

To sum up a few things:

Daily I currently spend (between oils, supplements, meds, IV therapies, IV Meds (including one med that costs $25000 each month alone), Things for Courtney,  detox activities, doctors appointments, travel costs of gas and ferry costs, and other medical related things) approximately: $2500

Daily I currently Take: 225 Supplements, 6 Oral Meds, 2 Different IV Meds, 1 Alternative IV Therapy

Daily I Use: 1/2 Bag of Epsom Salts (for Detox Baths), 6 Different Oils, and currently 8 pillows on my bed (a random but fun fact) *smiles*

Weekly: I have approximately 15 different needles stuck into my skin for a variety of reasons due to the fact that some of my doctors can't use Courtney

And here is the current schedule:

Treatment at Home Days

5:00am- Take Meds5:30am- Take Supplements, apply oils 5:30-7:00am- Go back to sleep (or doze). I make it a point to keep my room dark and to lay still even if I can't sleep so that my body is still resting.7:00-8:00am-Take 2nd Meds, Spend time in prayer, in God's word, and spend specific time praying through the healing verses in the Bible, apply additional oils8:00-8:15am- Stretching, apply oils, and drink 1 bottle of Smartwater
8:30- 9:00am- Eat breakfast, drink Smartwater, take supplements, herbs, and medications9:00-10:00 am- Dry Brush, Walking, Drink Aloe Vera Juice, Detox Activity (can vary depending on the day), apply oils10:00am-10:45am- Work on Shop orders, Write, Interviews, Marketing for Books10:45am- supplements, shots, drink Smartwater (with apple cider vinegar)11:00am- 1:00pm- Apply Oils, Take Meds, Nap, IV Med/therapies, etc.1:00-2:00pm- Eat Lunch, take meds, take supplements, apply oils, Stretch, and drink Smartwater
2:00-3:30pm- IV Med/Therapy, Writing, Answering Emails, Blog Writing, Marketing for Books, apply oils, Work on Shop orders, Alternative Therapy Appointments (including acupuncture, reflexology, etc.)3:30-5:30pm- "probiotic snack", medications, apply oils, drink Smartwater (with apple cider vinegar), nap5:30-6:15pm- Detox Activities6:15-7:00pm- Eat dinner, take supplements, medications, and apply oils, drink Smartwater7:00 -8:00pm- read in bed, pray, spend time with the Lord memorizing scripture), spend time with family, answer emails, chat with friends, write letters, etc. 8:00pm-Take nighttime supplements, medications, apply oils and head to bed

Treatment at Doctors/Hospital- Approximately 1 and 1/2 hours Away

5:00am- Take Meds5:30am- Take Supplements, apply oils 5:30-7:00am- Go back to sleep (or doze). I make it a point to keep my room dark and to lay still even if I can't sleep so that my body is still resting.7:00-8:00am-Take 2nd Meds, Spend time in prayer, in God's word, and spend specific time praying through the healing verses in the Bible, apply additional oils8:00-9:00am- Stretching, apply oils, and drink 1 bottle of Smartwater, Eat breakfast, take supplements, herbs, and medications, Dry Brush, Walking, Drink Aloe Vera Juice, Detox Activity (can vary depending on the day), apply oils9:00-10:30 am- Travel to Doctors Appointments and Hospital10:30am-4:30pm- Doctors Appointments, IV Treatment, "Courtney the Portney" Appointments, Hospital Related Activities, Bloodwork, Various tests and Appointments
(In this time that I am at Doctors Appointments and the Hospital I am also continuing to keep a regime of taking supplements, medications, applying oils, drinking my daily amounts of water, stretching, doing walking, and even doing some writing. You will probably laugh, but I even work on shop orders on these days- while riding in the car)4:30-6:30pm- Travel Home from Doctors Appointments and the Hospital (Due to traffic and me needing extra stops for being sick it takes us longer to get home than it does to get to the appointments)6:30-8:30pm- Detox Activities, Walk, Eat dinner, take supplements, medications, and apply oils, drink Smartwater, read in bed, pray, spend time with the Lord memorizing scripture), spend time with family, answer emails, chat with friends, write letters, etc., Take nighttime supplements, medications, apply oils and head to bed
This is pretty much my life everyday (alternating between these two schedules). *smiles*  And yes, it is that incredibly regimented in order to get in every single supplement, oil, and medication that I need to take in. While there are a few exceptions this is pretty much how life looks right now. There are some days where I am in bed by 6:30pm (literally) and other days where I am up till 10:00pm simply due to different medications. 

BUT I hope this is helpful in understanding how regimented the life of a person who has Lyme Disease is. I always kind of smile wryly when I receive the question, "so what do you all day?" or "what does your day look like?". I think that sometimes people think I am just laying in bed eating bon-bon's all day long. *smiles* BUT in all seriousness everything that I do is focused on getting my health back. Fighting for your health is a full time job and its a job that you do not want to lose. While this is a very rigorous schedule (and a very isolating one!) it has also provided me so much opportunities to spend hours and hours in prayer and with the Lord and truly developing deep and lasting friendships and that has been a blessing in this journey! 
Again, I hope that is of help in understanding more about what a day in my life currently looks like and helps answer your questions! If there is anything specific that you would like to have answered let me know and I will be happy to respond!

Happy Thursday y'all!

{Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her health care provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.}

Port of Nassau, Bahamas

Today I am so excited to share some pictures from the Port of Nassau. As far as cruising in the Caribbean is concerned, Nassau is one of the famous and most popular destinations. Nassau is the capital of the commonwealth of the Bahamas. Nassau is also the largest city on the New Providence Island. As I mentioned above, tt is a famous and well-traveled cruise ship stop for those taking a short or long Caribbean Cruise.  What you may find surprising (as I did) is that Nassau is actually very close to the United States, as it is only 180 miles off the coast of Miami, Florida.  The history of Nassau is very intriguing and is the tale of many 17th century tales including those of pirates who dominated the area before "proper" civilization was restored to Nassau in the 1700s.  As I shared the last time that I visited Nassau (in 2014) you can see vibrant colors in the building and throughout the city if you venture off the boat. But honestly, you don't even have to venture far to see the colorful buildings and the charm of the city as you will witness it from the ship and as you step off to go on your port adventures. The Port of Nassau will draw you in immediately and you will feel and see the beautiful Caribbean culture from the moment the ship is docked. If you are looking for a close but beautiful Caribbean adventure than you will want to add the Port of Nassau to your list of cruising stops! You won't regret it! What about you? Have you visited the Port of Nassau? What is your favorite thing to do on the Island?

Quirks and Such

So today I thought it would be so fun to join in with Andrea for Show & Tell Tuesday. So many of my bloggy world friends link up with Momfessionals and while I am not a mama, today's post: sharing quirks and such had me giggling at the title and I thought, yes, I have to share. Which makes me giggle a bit harder because I am wondering why I think this will be fun to share the things that make me strange. *hahaha* Maybe it is the southern half of me: But seriously we all have quirks so I know this is going to be so fun to read other's posts and see what makes us all so special. *smiles*
PHOBIAS
spidersI have a serious fear of big spiders. It is huge. Several years ago when I was living in Georgia I came home from a day of teaching and saw THE hugest brown recluse that I have ever seen in front of the stairs to get to my apartment. I literally called my mom sobbing and wouldn't go up the stairs. Y'all I waited an hour for someone to come and help and by someone I meant my next door neighbor.... okay his 9 year old son. I got out of the car screaming "Be careful of the huge Brown Recluse" to which he calmly went and picked up his TOY. He looked at me like I was crazy and I was like- "Oh I am so glad you are safe!"
Now before you judge- why in the world do people give children toy and pet spiders. Just say no to the spiders. For all of us. *hahahaha*
I once had a group of students that would hide "baby plastic spiders" in different parts of my room. Y'all I would scream every single time. They said it was in love and I am half giggling and half cowering in my bed as I write and remember those pranks.  (But not as much as I am giggling remembering being put in a soccer net. ) *hahahaha* 
high heightsI sound all brave until I start climbing up high and the thought of jumping out of a plane or off of something high scares the life out of me. SO you may be surprised to learn that I did do bungee jumping off a high bridge while I was living and studying abroad in France. Let us blame that on a cute boy. I screamed the entire time. *hahahaha*
QUIRKS
random (1) I don't edit my pictures on the blog (except to add a watermark) or on my Instagram. I will literally take hundreds of pictures for the couple to use. I know, I know. Crazy but true.
(2) When people say "wow, you are so tall" I literally want to roll my eyes. I mean, honestly people.  (3) Every month I write and write and write. In this month alone I will write, edit, and re-write over 200 pages of writing for books I am working on, articles I am writing, and the blog. (And of course it needs to be edited in colored pens because as y'all know I love colored pens. *smiles*)
(4) I love people playing with my hair. Going to the hairdresser is my favorite thing ever. 
(5) I feel that I m going to be thrown out of bloggy world for admitting this but I could never get into "Downtown Abbey". I tried different episodes of different seasons and honestly, despite my love for all things England I just couldn't get into it. Please tell me that I am not alone!
(6) I laugh at inappropriate times. Honestly it will be a serious moment and something will start to make me giggle.  (7) I love wearing skirts and dresses more than anything.
(8) I love big purses.
(9) I love jewelry. Seriously love it.
(10) I have a ton of food allergies, but the one that always surprises people is that I am allergic to chicken. Yes, I can see your face, it was mine too when I found out four years ago!
(11) When I am done eating I cover my plate with a napkin. I honestly don't want to see it anymore. 
(12) I have never liked carbonated drinks. Ever. And so I have never had a soda/coke in my entire life.
(13) I drink almost 300 ounces of water every single day. 
(14) My sister is "hoopster" and I am "pom pom". Let us blame this on a very bad break up that resulted in a marathon watching of Alias and thinking that the way they had code names was "cool". Hahaha- somehow this has stuck and it continues on to this day. (Scamper also got his name from this same time period! *hahaha*)
(15) I call my grandmother "Ba" and before he passed away I called my grandfather "Pa". "Ba has stuck around and now the whole family calls my precious grandmother "Ba" which is so fun!
(16) Over the years of being sick my dad started calling me "Becky". I am not sure when it started or why, but I really love it. 
(17) I love things neat and organized (especially my craft room) and even at one point before I got sick had my clothes color-coordinated. (Don't judge until you try it. *smiles*)
(18) Rudeness bothers me and so do people that are manipulative and hypocritical. 
(19) It sometimes bothers me when people refer to Lyme Disease as "Lymes". I think because there is already so much confusion and mis-information about Lyme that exists that saying the name wrong feels slightly like an insult. (Or calling it a completely different name all together like when I was asked how my fight with "Lame Disease" was going!) (If you don't know what Lyme Disease is that is okay! I really didn't either before I got sick so that I why I wrote the post, "What is Lyme Disease?" to make it simple!) 
(20) My favorite place in the world, the place I call camp is where I most love to be with family and friends.

Okay friends, what are some of your strange quirks? I would love to know!

Speaking on Marketing and Promotion for Indie Authors

This past weekend was absolutely wonderful! As I had shared last month I had the lovely opportunity to be apart of Indie Author Day (a national event that took place in libraries across the country and some around the world!). The main event was scheduled for October 8th, but like some of the other libraries around the world we had to postpone the event and we gathered this past Saturday, the 15th. 
The drive down to Tivoli Free Library was absolutely stunning. The mountains are full of exquisite color and we spent the entire time saying- "oooh, look at that- it's gorgeous!" It was an absolute gift to see such beauty and an extra little blessing for the drive!
As I shared on my Instagram page it was an absolutely lovely time connecting with other writers and authors and having the opportunity to share about promotion and marketing for Indie Authors. photo credit: Veronica, Tivoli Free LibraryMarketing and Promotion are two areas that I am definitely passionate about speaking about as I have had to learn so much these last several years through trial and error. It is so lovely to encourage others and to share some tips that have been helpful for me! photo credit: Veronica, Tivoli Free LibraryIt was also a lovely opportunity to connect and learn from other authors. The picture above makes me giggle as I look shocked by something Thomm was saying, but honestly Indie Publishing can be shocking so this is a realistic shot! *smiles* *hahahaha* photo credit: Veronica, Tivoli Free LibraryAs I said above, it was an absolutely lovely time speaking and connecting with others who are in this same field and who are day by day, month by month, year by year, continuing to press forward. Writing and Publishing can be extremely hard and yet for me this journey has been incredible. A lot of hard work and a lot of learning, but simply incredible. 
It was an absolutely lovely day and weekend! Thank you again so much to Tivoli Free Library and Veronica Stork for arranging this and having me be apart of this event!!
What about y'all? What did you do this weekend?

Disney Dream Spectacular Shows

One of my favorite parts about being aboard the Disney Dream was the nighttime Broadway caliber shows. They were simply spectacular. From the costumes to the creative storylines to the quality of theatrical talent- the shows were definitely one of our favorite parts about cruising on the Disney Dream.  Disney Dream produces three different original and award-winning musicals each night of your cruise. The three shows (The Golden Mickeys, Villains Tonight, and Disney's Believe) showcase a wide variety of different characters, movies, and heroes and villains.  The first show that we saw, The Golden Mickeys had us singing along to some of Disney's favorite films including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, Mulan, The Little Mermaid, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Toy Story 2, Lady and the Tramp, Tangled, the Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. We loved this show and were so impressed with the amazing talent that the cast had! It was awesome! You can read more about The Golden Mickeys Show by clicking HERE. The Villains show which took place on our second night of our cruise featured sinister characters from The Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmatians, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Peter Pan, The Lion King and The Princess and the Frog. You can read more about The Villains Show by clicking HERE. On our third and final night of the cruise we saw Disney's Believe show (a signature show of the Disney Dream) that was definitely my absolute favorite. The show featured some of the classic favorite Disney characters and songs from Aladdin, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and the Princess and the Frog. It was absolutely wonderful. There was a good reason that the show received several standing ovations throughout- it was just brilliantly done. You can read more about Disney's Believe Show by clicking HERE. I have seen several Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and musicals and these shows were equal in the depth and talent of the performers, the theatrical costumes and sets and use of technology, and the innovative way that they portrayed classic tales for a live audience. 
You will not want to miss watching these each night (they are included within the price of your cruise cost so there is no extra charge!) as you will not be disappointed. 
A couple of quick notes and tips for enjoying the shows:
(1) Shows are done twice a night in the Walt Disney TheaterShows are performed twice a night on the ship to accommodate both dinner time seating options. Shows are approximately 1 hour long which is a perfect amount of time for kiddos and still provides the perfect amount of entertainment that will leave you wanting more.
(2) Doors Open 30 Minutes Prior To the Start of the ShowThe doors to the Walt Disney Theater open 30 minutes before the show starts. Just as a word of warning - you are not allowed to reserve seats and they are very firm on this policy. You will need to have your entire group with you when you are prepared to sit down. 
A quick tip- the third floor lines (for the floor seats) start to have lines about 45 minutes ahead of the 30 minute door opening time while the fourth floor lines (for the balcony seating) didn't start to have lines until about 5-10 minutes before the doors opened. 
(3) You can sit in the Box Office Seats that are Not ReservedThe first night my sister and I saw that the Box office seats were not reserved so we asked if we could sit and were told that we could. These seats (that we went back to sit in each night!) were amazing. Try to grab these seats if you can- you will NOT be disappointed.
(4) The Shows Are Not Just For the KidsAs an adult you will love the shows. Some of the humor is specifically aimed at the adults without being crude or inappropriate for kiddos and will have you giggling and laughing while remembering the charm and magic of Disney Shows. It was lovely. I hope that this review has been helpful of the Disney Dream live shows! Please let me know if you have any questions! I would be happy to answer them!