PLEASE NOTE

This blog has moved…please re subscribe!

Go to www.highheelsformuddyboots.com

Thank you!!!

 

 

Get Some Balloons, It’s (Pity) Party Time! Gluten-Free Thursdays

I had my first “mourning” of food moment happen the other day.  It kind of hit me out of no where.  We were in this hip restaurant in Boulder that had a deck on the roof.  It was pub type food and they had Jimmy Buffet playing.  I ordered my “gluten-free” hummus with veggies and a side salad, no croutons please and proceeded to follow my littlest monkey around.

Side Note: Those of you without children, around 18 months sitting at a table for an extended period of time is torturous for them…if the environment is good with it, sometimes it’s just best to let them walk around, whether outside or around the table.  This is one of those “Pick your battle” moments.

It was as I was following him around that I saw the server deliver  food to another table…hushpuppies and some sort of wrap.  Pavlov’s dog had NOTHING on me!  I was practically drooling.  Then it hit me.  I can never eat that again.  I don’t know if it was some sort of hormonal influx or what but I actually choked back a sob.

For those of you that don’t know me, I’m a huge Jimmy B fan…and what goes better with Jimmy B then hushpuppies and cheeseburgers?! *sigh*

As I said before, living gluten-free is hard.  I have been told by many people that I would eventually “mourn” food.  Ridiculous, I thought..who mourns FOOD?

“Never-to-eat-that-again” party of one?!  I did…I mourned the loss of an easy pick on a menu…I mourned the loss of the breaded and salty goodness of a hushpuppy…I mourned the loss of the ease of never having to worry about what was IN the food…just to enjoy it.  I mourned.

I’m sure as I continue learning…and experiencing moments, I’ll continue to mourn.  My mind has already fast forwarded to the holidays…oy, that’s going to be interesting!  I’m sure there will be days when pouting seems like the logical next step…but, I must forge ahead.

This isn’t Misty being picky…this is Misty avoiding a food that poisons her body.  A food that eats the lining of the intestines until food cannot be digested.  A food that if ingested could eventually lead to intestinal cancer.  A food that I simply cannot allow into my body any longer.

So, while I may mourn..hey, I’m entitled to a pity party…I must forge ahead, never to go back.  Oh, I can look back…and drool!  But then I must wipe my drool and press on…

“Yes, I’ll have the hummus with fresh veggies, no chips or bread and can you leave the croutons off the side salad please. I have celiac disease.”

I have Celiac Disease…

Hope your Gluten-Free Thursday is one of acceptance..and very little drool.  🙂

~M

MAY is Celiac Awareness Month…check back every Thursday the month of May for giveaway’s related to the Gluten-free journey!!

The Greatest Blessing…

If you’re new to my blog occasionally I will share a business that I feel deserves your business.  I’ve highlighted businesses in the past whose sales support freeing women from sex trafficking,  rescuing children from child trafficking and giving women in third world countries a trade.  I believe if you’re going to buy the items they sell anyway, why not buy them from these businesses where you are not only getting your desired item but are also helping someone out. 

This week’s Tuesday’s Two-Cent’s is not a business but is connected to a type of business that we all use…especially the momma’s among us.

It hasn’t been an easy post to write and you will soon see why.  I have shed many tears and my heart aches for the need for such an organization.  But I feel that the professionals who work within this organization deserve our support!!

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep a not-for-profit organization out of Centennial, Colorado has been featured on the Today Show and has worked with the Duggar family.

It is an organization that assists photographers as well as hospital staff  in the techniques needed to capture the precious moments between a woman and the baby she just delivered that was either born still or is expected not to make it.

The organization was started by Sandy Puc’ and Cheryl Haggard.  Cheryl’s son, Maddux, was born with a condition that would prevent him from thriving without life support.  Cheryl called a photographer, Sandy Puc’, to come in and photograph their last moments with their son.  It was those tender photographs and moments that caused the two women to join and form the foundation Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Cheryl has this to say of the pictures taken of their son Maddux:

I was once asked the question “When did my healing begin?” My first thought of course was to say “When I first looked at the images Sandy did of my son, Maddux.” But I gave this question just an extra second of thought and I can honestly say: “For me, my healing began knowing a photographer had rearranged her schedule and was on her way to our hospital to photograph our last moments with our son Maddux.”
~ Co- Founder Cheryl Haggard

NILMDTS  has approximately 7000 photographers within their organization and are represented in 19 countries.

To the families who are going through this tragic event, these pictures become their most prized possession as well as a huge step in the grieving process.  The photographers within the foundation are regular photographers that have been trained by the staff of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.  They donate their services, often times rearranging schedules to get to the hospital and document those sweet, few moments with the families baby.  Afterwards the photographer gives the family the photos on a disc to use as they wish.  The most precious of gifts, moments with their child captured on film forever.

As Momma’s we can all sympathize with not only the photographer who is dedicating their time to capture these moments, but also the momma’s.  My heart hurts with the thought of only holding my baby for a few moments before they draw their last breath. So..here’s my challenge to you….If you’re planning on using a professional photographer to take your family photo’s why not find one in your community that is a Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep affiliate…support them.  OR if you already have a family favorite photographer, share with them what Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is….ask them to become an affiliate, if they are able.  I truly believe it takes a special heart to offer these services to a family.

When looking for a photographer for your family photo’s there are two ways you can do it.  Look at the photographers site and look for this image:

OR go to the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep website www.nilmdts.org and click on “find a photographer” and enter your zip code.  I found 19 within 50 miles of my home.  I have 19 photographers that I can hire to take my families photo’s and thus supporting them in their efforts to offer these services to a family who must say goodbye to their child.

If you’re like me…simply supporting an affiliate photographer simply isn’t enough.  When I spoke with Gina Harris, Executive Director of NILMDTS, she said there are other ways to help.  Because NILMDTS is a not-for-profit organization, their website (which offers training to photographers), all the brochures, etc are paid for with donations.  Simply go to their website and click on “donate”.  Also, if you live in the Denver, CO, Bentonville, AR or Chattanooga TN area there are events coming up that you can attend to help raise money for NILMDTS…click here for more details.

As I said, this has been a difficult post to write as this has been a foundation after my heart for some time.  I first heard of them years ago and they stole my heart that day.  I know that if I were having to say goodbye to my child, there is no gift that would be near as precious as pictures of my moments cuddling them…loving them.

To learn more about Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep visit their website or watch this video of Gina Harris. 

Images from Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

One More Thing: If you are a medical professional…please share NILMDTS with your medical professional colleagues.  One thing I love about NILMDTS is even if there isn’t a photographer near you, there is a link with help on their website so that a hospital photographer can capture these precious moments for the family.

If you are a photographer and would like to learn more about NILMDTS, please go to their website at www.nilmdts.org

~M

May you know, our greatest blessing, was having you.