So Much To Be Thankful For! (And a few other updates)

Lately I have found myself looking at my friends' Facebook pages and Instagram and Twitter accounts and thinking to myself, "Wow, I wish I had a life as easy as theirs," or "It must be nice to have a life like that." Only recently have I realized how destructive and unproductive this thought process is.

I know that what God has given me to deal with is not what is considered "fair." I realize this - and it sucks. I get that. But I've also been blessed with SO much:

• A family who loves me and who I know beyond a shadow of a doubt supports me through everything I'm going through
• An awesome, God-given husband who works hard and desires to take care of me
• An ADORABLE niece and nephew who brighten my days every time I see a picture of them
• The ability not to work and we can be okay financially so I can take care of myself
• All my basic needs are taken care of (food, water, shelter, clothing...And for all my fellow Brian Regan fans, I wish I happened upon an "Essentials Kit," but alas... I have not.) 
• Friends who I know love me and are praying for me
• Eric and I are attending a church that has already been so supportive and has fed us spiritually
• Great health other than the illnesses I'm experiencing
• The ability to be active in spite of my illnesses
• The ability to take online classes and FINALLY finish my Bachelor's Degree
• The opportunity to visit Mayo Clinic and receive the best care possible
• The ability to move down to Colorado in the near future to be closer to my family

I have been blessed with so much, but my sinful self likes to forget that. I think one positive thing to come out of everything I'm dealing with is that I will (prayerfully) be MUCH less apt to take for granted the blessings that God has given me. As I'm writing this, I am physically feeling SO good. I was in some pain the past couple of days (eating too many Fiber One bars, I think... my system does NOT like me for that), but I've gotten back into my regimen of taking Fish Oil and Iron along with my other medication, and I feel awesome.

Also, for anyone who doesn't know (which I think most don't), I recently decided to go on a gluten-free diet. However, I talked with my doctor on Friday (great man, wears awesome bowties), and he didn't seem to be too concerned with that. He told me it's not necessary, but if it makes me feel better, then that's great! He also discussed that it may not be the gluten itself that causes me to feel cruddy, but the extra carbohydrates that the body can't process. The body already can't process all the carbs it takes in (especially if someone is on a high-carb diet, which I definitely used to be), so the unprocessed carbs go to the colon, and the colon secretes these and processes them in its own way. With someone who already has a compromised colon, this isn't good. So while I no longer need to be gluten-free and now have a little more freedom in what I eat, I will still be gluten(or carb)-low (and we'll just forget that the three Sonic breakfast burritos in three consecutive days last week ever happened). :) 

Anyway, thanks to all who read this! You all are so special to me. Love you! <3