I'm sick, y'all.

Tweet And I hate it.

In fact, I hate almost everything right now. I am a MISERABLE sick person.

I have bookmarked a site to check for drug interactions because I am taking as many OTC medications & herbal concoctions as I (mostly safely) can in the hopes that something eradicates the gunk that is inside of me.

Yes...the Neti pot is getting a LOT of action. It ain't pretty, folks. I'm pretty sure it would get me banned for life from YouTube if I vlogged it.

Please send thoughts and prayers to Chris & Klaw as they continue to deal with me. Also, feel free to ask the powers that be for a Dora or Team UmiZoomi marathon.

Yes, the TV is Klaw's babysitter right now.

It also seems like a LOT of people are currently sick, but I, admittedly, have tunnel vision right now.

I hope you all get better soon. If you haven't been sick, I hope this plague skips you & your family.

this post brought to you by caffeine, sudafed, mucinex, Advil, & Benadryl

How do you stand up for your beliefs?

Tweet I have recently found myself challenged by people I share an important goal with...but disagree on some of the ways people work to achieve that goal. I started a status update on Facebook but I quickly realized I needed a bigger venue that would, hopefully, facilitate a broader discussion.

I have several "soapbox" issues (you can check out the tab above this post). I feel very strongly about them and I actively work to support & promote these issues in my personal and public life (occasionally, even in official jobs).

I can get pretty fired up about stuff very quickly. I do my best to remain respectful & calm (or at least appear that way).

Sometimes, I fail miserably.

But I really do try to put myself in other people's shoes. I don't believe people make different decisions than I do because they wish to harm others. I disagree with some of my closest friends & many family members on issues of parenting, politics, & even pets. Outside of intentional, malicious acts, I generally don't let this affect my personal relationships with them...even though I really do enjoy a good, heated debate.

This has caused some people to believe I'm not as serious or as committed to my "soapbox" causes as others within these movements.

They're wrong, for the record.

Which now brings me to what would have been my longest Facebook status update ever:

What methods work best to convince you to change your mind/opinion about a topic, or at least look more deeply into other choices?

Do respectful discussions work best, where both (or more) sides are shared? Would you rather just read informative literature about the topic on your own time? Do you take the intiative to find opposing viewpoints on your own?

What about personal stories from people similar to yourself who once agreed with you but later changed their minds?

What about belittling or name-calling? How do you react if you are called names (like a child abuser or unfit parent) by people who disagree with you?

How do you respond if/when the person you disagree with is the one being belittled or attacked? Would that chalenge you to look more deeply at their side of the issue?

I know...it's a lot to think about. Don't feel like you have to answer it all at once.

There are no wrong answers. ;-)

Here are Klaw's newest shoes...and I can't put myself in them to save my life.

When bloggers disappear...

Tweet Where do they go?

I've been mainly going to the local Y & working my butt off. Literally.

I even have the blisters to prove it.

Chris & I created accounts on MyFitnessPal so that we could track our food & exercise to help us both get back in shape.

As much as I would love to lose weight, I realize and accept that my body is just different since having Klaw. My hips are wider & my booty actually sticks out now.

I'm okay with this.

I'm not okay with my lack of energy and poor muscle tone. That's what I'm hoping to "fix" more than anything else.

I have lost 6 pounds along the way, which means I finally weigh less than I did the day I gave birth...before I gave birth.

Also? The Submarine Birthday Ball is coming up and I bought a smoking hot dress that accentuates my curves. Spanx helps to contain the extra fabulosity. I don't mind the help!

(also, I'm checking out a Blogger app to see how it does for posting on the fly, so I have no idea what this post is actually going to look like published!)

Have you ever reached your breaking point where your health is concerned? Did you have to learn to accept changes to your body due to age, illness, or pregnancy?

Great Strides For Cystic Fibrosis 2012

Tweet My friend, Darby, has posted before on Really, What Were We Thinking about her son, Brady.  As we approach the 2012 Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis, I wanted Darby to have the opportunity to update all of us on how Brady is doing and, hopefully, help raise awareness and money again for this important cause.  To learn more about Brady and his family, check out Darby's blog, Keep on going...no matter what!

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Cystic Fibrosis...it's a progressive disease with no cure and an average life expectancy of 37 years old...CF is a genetic disease that causes mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system resulting in chronic lung infections.  98% of all CF patients are pancreatic insufficient meaning they are unable to digest the fat in their food.  CF affects the respiratory system as well as the digestive system...it's a life threatening disease that affects more than 30,000 people in the United States.

Jeff, Brady, & Darby at the Great Strides Walk 2011

Our 3.5 year old son, Brady, has Cystic Fibrosis.  His days are filled with breathing treatments, chest physiotherapy, medicines, and g-tube feedings.  He spends each day fighting to stay healthy, and he spends a lot of time in the hospital each year, with his first hospitalization at only 5 months old. 

Brady will fight this disease for his entire life.  As a lot of people take for granted the ability to breathe, that's something he will always struggle with and be grateful for...he is blessed with each breath he has.

We are walking in the 2012 Great Strides Walk in May this year, and we ask everyone to either join our team in Virginia or to find a walk in your area and walk for Brady and the other 30,000 people fighting this disease.

Please donate to this cause so our child, and many other children, may have a chance at a longer life...come out and walk at a Great Strides walk near you...don't take for granted the breath you have.

Click here to make a donation to Great Strides