Year in Review, 2013

I have stayed so busy through the Holidays that I really haven't spent much time yet reflecting on 2013.  So, here are the highlights and lowlights...

After opening the Hong Kong program through Lifeline just before Christmas 2012, January and February were very busy months at work.

Me in Hong Kong with one of the amazing
social workers at Mother's Choice, Janice.

It was so fun to approve applications for our very first Hong Kong families. What a joy it has been to walk alongside them throughout this past year!
(You know who you are!!) 

Having an active role in bringing children into their forever families is so rewarding!

Me, Connor (with his tongue out!), Cameron and Cooper alongside
 two very precious adoptive mamas, Amy & Connie!

On the home front was a whirlwind of last minute adoption fundraising and international travel as we brought our newest sons, Connor and Cooper home in March.

Connor's Gotcha Day!
March 11, 2013

Cooper's Gotcha Day
March 13, 2013

It is mind-boggling to me that they will have been home a year in 3 short months!

The Spring all but vanished from view in the "adjustment period" for our new family of 7!

I did take a quick trip to TN last Spring to attend the 2013 Annual Orphan Summit in Brentwood.

It was an amazing time!

My first SUMMIT!  I was a little excited to be there!

My precious SC friends helping our comrade, Dan Cruver, set up for his meeting. 

Dr. Karen Purvis
up close and personal

We had fun taking "Ipad Jess" around the conference
with us since she couldn't be there in person.

David Platt and me!
Will never forget his preaching that night, it was so great!

Watch out, Charlie's Angels!
Why yes, that IS Nicole C. Mullen and me!

The incomparable Dave Wood with me and Sharon Lyon!

Adeye Salem and me!
Such a precious lady, Christ follower, adoptive mama and orphan advocate!

The Summer of 2013 was hot. 

Very hot! 

Our best summer activity was when all 5 boys joined Agape do Karate!  They have done so well and we just love the Christ-honoring, family atmosphere there!

Connor, age 14, on test day!

Tommy, age 9, on test day.

Sadly, my most prominent memory of this past summer was the day that my littlest, Cooper, wanted to learn to ride a bike. 

Hard as I tried, I really couldn't do justice to this simple request. Try as I might to ignore the truth, I had gained so much weight throughout the course of the previous two years, eye-ball deep in one adoption after another, that I couldn't handle the taxing task of running behind my child's bike in June!

I tried. I did. I wanted to be "that mom" that could hang with her kids.  But, sadly, these good intentions practically caused a heat stroke. 

I wish I could say that this was the wake up call that I needed, but it wasn't. No, I blamed my troubles on the heat in Charleston. It was just too hot to be bike riding, right?  

The weeks that followed were filled with busyness and other excuses why I didn't have "time" to help Cooper learn to ride that bike. 

The whole summer came and went and my 10 year old was the only one of our 5 boys who could not ride a bike. #momfail! 

July was the month when Colin and I traveled to Long Island, NY to help rebuild homes damaged earlier in the year by Super Storm Sandy.

What an amazing trip that was!  Colin and I had some good time bonding and we did a LOT of work. 

Of course, it happened to be the hottest week in July NY has seen in years, but who noticed?

I stayed on this porch most of the week because I couldn't handle the direct sunlight, but it was a blessing to serve and we had a marvelous time!

August brought a new home for our family, a hand wrapped gift straight from the Lord!

Much work was ahead, but it was one of those "chores" that changed things in our home.

In September, as we were having our big "move day" weekend coming up, Tom and Colin (without my knowledge) decided to move a refrigerator over to the new house. This proved to be a "stress test" of sorts for Tom's heart, a test that he failed!

Within a half hour, I learned that he was having chest pains and off to health first we went!  Fast forward and Tom is in an ambulance, and on his way to the Cardiac Care unit at our local hospital, and immediately scheduled for a heart cath.

In the midst of all that chaos, I had the privilege of assisting in Lifeline SC's very first domestic adoptive placement!
 (Let's agree that it was a hectic month!)

Even the excitement of our annual Lifeline Staff Retreat held each October was not enough to get me to pay attention to my health though.

While nothing could truly take away the joy of being with my co-laborers in ministry for three days (I LOVE those people!), it was tough to be there, a year after my last trip and be even heavier and more unhealthy than before.

But that was the beginning of the end. 

(The end of my unhealthy life, that is!)

I didn't even know it at the time. 

Just 2 weeks after returning home from that annual trip, I learned about Isagenix!  I wasn't certain if I'd ever really learn how to eat and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I wasn't sure I wanted to badly enough. But that was mainly because I still thought that "healthy" meant "depriving". 

That's where I was so wrong!

November was my first month of truly healthy eating- probably ever!

It was also the month three of our boys were baptized! What a special day this was for our family!

Cameron 

Cooper

Tommy

We also had a wonderful visit over the Thanksgiving holiday from Tom's oldest daughter, Krisha and her family.

So, despite the way that 2013 started, it ended Soooo much better!

The kids are adjusting well.

God provided us with a new house for our growing family.

Tom caught his heart issues just in time and is doing well.

The Lord has blessed our SC office with some amazing staff!

And I am healthier and having more fun with all the craziness that comes with being the only female in our home than ever before! 

PS... I can chase a bike now!

Thank you, Isagenix! 
I can't wait to see what the Lord has planned for our family in 2014!

Another transformation- my health!

Over the past 3 months, you know we've been working on transforming our new house into a home.

Each room has been carefully painted and decorated to make it more our own.

But, the house wasn't the only thing getting a dramatic makeover.

I, too, needed a little work. 

Now, before you get all crazy on me, I'm not talking about just the cosmetic. No nipping and tucking, no botox or liposuction here. 

I'm talking both inside and out. 
A full health makeover.

You see, in September, as we were just moving into our new home, Tom began having chest pains while moving a refrigerator from one house to the other (4 doors away).

He was rushed to the hospital to learn that he had several serious blockages that required immediate catheterization. 

This was plenty scary for me and was, I think, as much of a wake up call to me as it was to my sweet husband.  I knew that my eating habits were that of an overworked, overtired, unhealthy mother of 5. (Read: NOT GOOD)

I have always (let me say that again, always) had weight issues. 

(I should say that I've always had health issues, but until recently, I only saw the weight as the real problem. I never recognized that it stemmed from poor health.)

I always felt heavy and ugly and had a pretty unhealthy self image.

Then came a post on fb from a dear fellow adoptive mom and orphan advocate for whom I had a great deal of respect.

She was sharing about how she had gotten healthy with a product called Isagenix. 

Of course, it got my attention that she had lost weight, but what was captivating was the way she described her new found energy levels and vibrant health.

Two things that I have never really had.

So, knowing that something had to change, I finally felt ready to take a leap.

I ordered the Isagenix 30 day system and have not looked back!

Unlike every other weight loss plan I've ever tried (there have been a long list over the years), this one was training me to eat REAL food, while controlling my blood sugars and cravings in healthy ways.

After about day 4 on this plan, and with only a few pounds gone, I felt 15 years younger!  Seriously, it wasn't the weight, though I knew that taking that off was a healthy choice, it was my overall energy levels and stamina.  I really have no words to explain exactly what it was like because I'd never felt that way before!

Waking up on a Saturday morning and being fully rested and ready to tackle the day (without coffee!) was unheard of for me.

What I love best about these products ( and there are many things) is that they are all natural, non-GMO (Genetically modified), no hormones, REAL FOOD products!  

I also loved the support I received from our online group we lovingly call, Adoptagenix!

"AdoptAgenix is a team of mission-minded product users and business builders in the awesome solutions-based company of ISAGENIX. Our goal is to create healthy and prosperous forever families by the use of the most incredible nutrition on the planet and impact the lives of orphans and people globally."

 This amazing group of men and women, most of whom are adoptive parents, foster parents, or orphan care advocates are amazing people with a desire to be as healthy as they can be so that they can offer all they have to caring for their children/families. Many of the over 900 families represented in this group have special needs children.  I have been astounded at the testimonials of significant change experienced in these families and in their children after using Isagenix to start a healthier lifestyle.  Through this group, I've received incredible education and can I just tell you how much I DIDN'T KNOW?  Oh my word. I didn't know the dangers of aspartame, or coffee, or chemically altered foods. The stuff that I had been naively feeding my family for years! 

Here is my first
"before & after"
photo.

In my first 30 days, I released 14 pounds and over 27 inches!

But, I was feeling so great that I had no intention of going back. Not only was I loving the meal replacement shakes (think filet mignon, not MCDs!), but I was eating incredible meals that were healthy and filling.

And... are you sitting?

I was COOKING!
Yes, me!  
Cooking!

Don't believe me?

I have proof!
(Disclaimer: My husband has been the cook in his family for about 60 years and I was THE most spoiled wife and mother ever- never cooked!)

Just look at these colorful and well rounded meals!

Gluten Free Pizza crust with organic pizza sauce (Paul Newman's), chicken breakst, black beans, red and yellow peppers, mushrooms and mozzarella. 

Organic Brown Rice, sautéed mushrooms, wild salmon, heated fresh berries and avocado salad.

The makings of the most delicious venison friend rice dish!

Wild Salmon, Fresh organic green beans, sautéed mushrooms, fresh apple and corn tortilla.

Homemade chicken nuggets and organic salad with feta cheese.

Fresh grilled chicken salad from Cracker Barrell
(I was on the road and had to eat something fast!)

Fresh organic greens with avocado, sunflower seeds and wild salmon.

Wild Salmon burger from Costco (yum!), roasted sweet potatoes, avocado and fresh slices tomatoes.

Quinoa salad with mangos and black beans!
Delish!

The kids just love helping me in the kitchen, though Tommy (our youngest) still enjoys teasing me about actually cooking meals since his whole life that element has been absent. :-)

Not only is the team at Isagenix teaching me to make healthier choices for myself and my family, but they are doing it in a fun, supportive and non-judgmental way.

I can't tell you how much their support has meant to me during this time of transition.

Now, admittedly, my only real goal when placing my first order was to lose some weight and prove to myself that I didn't have to be unhealthy for the rest of my life. 

But, as I've gotten healthier and had the chance to cheer others on who shared that goal, I realized that I really have fun coaching and mentoring others!  I actually enjoy celebrating their successes as much as my own. And guess what?

I can get paid for it!

That's right. Like other network marketing compensation structures, Isagenix provides an opportunity for associates to sponsor others toward their healthy goals by using the product line to nutritionally cleanse their bodies of the many toxins it is exposed to daily through Nutritional cleansing.  

I have been so blessed in that the Lord has allowed me the honor of working with Lifeline in orphan care ministry, a true passion of my heart. But, it is also a blessing that I can earn additional income helping other dear people realize their own potential!  And my success helps others who are also in this amazing gospel-centered, orphan loving, protect and defend line of work! 

My business directly impacts missionaries in Guatemala who are serving orphans and families in that region. I love that I can have a small role in that! 

If you'd like to learn more about how you can supplement your income or begin your own journey to health and vitality, please message me.
teamrylands.isagenix@gmail.com 
I'd love to share more with you about how you too can get truly healthy and stay that way!

Finally a little glimpse at some before and after shots that help keep me going. 



The series of pictures above is a collection of "gotcha day" photos. 

What is significant about these is the unhealthy progression of my weight/health throughout the last two years of intense adoption-focused life.

With each successive adoption, I was more and more unhealthy. (Not unlike a natural pregnancy, I gained a lot of weight). 

Here below, I am with a sweet friend in Central Park, NY where we traveled to serve families suffering home damage from Hurricane Sandy.

That's me on the right!
July, 2013
Central Park, NY

To say that this trip was physically taxing for me would be such an understatement.

I was so unhealthy that working out in the 100+ degree heat for 6 hours at a time doing manual labor was almost unbearable.

This one was taken just in October.

With my sweet, sweet friend, Sharon at the Together 4 Adoption Conference
Louisville, KY
October, 2013

Our family before Isagenix

August, 2013

Our family after Isagenix!

December 2013

Not only am I transforming my own health, but what I'm learning is allowing me to impact the health of my husband and children too! 

Thanks for sticking with me on this long post, but I really wanted to share my story in the hopes that some other overworked Mom or Dad could see some light at the end of their tunnel too!


Blessings,
Angie