We tackled the 1st Velata convention, our 1st camping trip, and a fun adventure in Boise with our sweet friends, and now we're gearing up for an amazing 4 days with Scentsy's top leaders.

Tonight we were thrilled to see a huge group of SuperStar directors at the Welcome Reception. 

We spent the night decorating our tees, hugging necks, and catching up with old friends. It was perfect. Even this introvert loved it because introverts love their family the most, and that is exactly who these people are....family. 

Thanks to Staci Pace and Ashely Knight, our shirts were appropriately iron with our names and blinged out. 

You can't exactly tell in this photo, but Brian has a lovely tramp stamp on the hiney of his shirt. (And he's being a good sport about it.) 

After decorating our shirts, we headed outside for Velata dippers and friends around the table. 

Of course, we ended up around the table with those closest to us. We can't help it. It feels natural. These are my people, and I love them so much. 

The stars are truly shining bright tonight in Boise. This group of people are a group of committed, passionate, and purposeful people who have a genuine love for each other and their teams, and I'm thrilled to spend the next 4 days learning from them. 

Shine bright stars. 

Playing Catch Up from a weekend in the camper

So it’s been 4 days since I’ve written. I know that I said I would write here everyday for a year, and I’m not going back on that. I’m just not being as strict on myself as I have been in the past.

Tonight is the 1^st time I’ve been alone in several days, and for this natural introvert, that can be a real challenge.

We left Thursday afternoon to head to Boise, Idaho for Velata’s very 1^st convention, and we have had a glorious time. We’re staying with our sweet friends, the Sprys in their camper on a camp ground.

Despite a few minor unpredictables with the camper, this trip has been a glorious breath of fresh air.

So tonight, while everyone else is napping, I’m sitting outside the camper catching up on all that we’ve been doing and thinking the past several days.

I thought I should probably start with today……

The boys woke up first thing this morning (as has been the trend the whole time we’ve been here). They made a delicious breakfast that consisted of fried white corn tortillas, refried beans, fried and scrambled eggs, sweet potato hash, and an avocado salsa. It was delicious and a perfect start to the day.

We were in no rush to get up and around since the past 2 days have been busy, busy. After breakfast, Jari and I cracked open our bible studies while Joel did the dishes and Brian went to check out the camp ground facilities.

I will say, I could get used to the camping life. Campers today have everything you could need to have an enjoyable experience while away from home.

We soon all dressed and packed our bags to head to a friend’s lake for a day of paddle boarding, canoeing and fishing.  We have the most generous friends who invited us to use their property for the day, and we were thrilled and honored to take them up on it.

We dove up to the most glorious lake. A beautiful property with paddle boards, canoes, fishing rods, lifejackets, and tubes ready to play with.

Jari and I immediately drug the paddle boards across the sandy beach to the water. We had no clue what we were doing, but hopped right on. The water was still and perfect, and we paddled across the entire lake.

The boys grabbed the fishing rods and started casting, but it wasn’t long until they were on their own paddle boards out in the crystal clear water with us.

Jari and Joel eneded up trading their paddle boards for a canoe. Brian and I went on a walk to explore the property.  We walked past babbling brooks and over little bridges. We even found a bee hive. It was the 1^st time I had ever seen one (besides in the movies), and I couldn’t help but think how beautiful it was.

We stayed and played in the sun for a few hours and the headed to grab some food.

We had a delicious early dinner and headed back to the camper. I took a shower, and while I was showering, the other 3 fell asleep. It really has been a long 3 days.

So here I find myself. Catching up. Reflecting. Getting it on all on paper. Stayed tuned for more.

Happy Sunday, Ya’ll.

Velata Vision 2014!

So I'm apologizing now for not posting about Velata convention earlier, but it was seriously exhausting in the most amazing way. 

I have to post now because I have absolutely no space on my phone, so the pictures need to be here, so I clear up some space for all the awesomeness that is about to happen this week at SuperStar Director Summit. 

Oh course we were greeted with a warm welcome to the Scentsy Commons with beautiful branding. Even the windows had balloons on them! 

There were beautiful Velata displays in the lobby. {This was only 1 of them.}

During the day, we found out about new seasonal meltables coming October 1st. The amazingly delicious flavors are Pumpkin Pie and Dark Chocolate Mint (think Andes mints meets Thin Mints). They are both delicious!

We had a lot of fun learning how to create all kinds of delicious and cute candies and treats with our Velata meltables.

We spent the afternoon painting bowls for an amazing organization called the Empty Bowl that has people paint bowls throughout the year, and then they sell them to raise money for hunger in the Boise area. We took our painting job pretty seriously.

Day 1 of Velata convention was a good day! 

Leaving a Legacy...More BRCA 1 and 2 talk

We spent most of the day traveling, on our way to Boise for the very 1st Velata convention. But before we left town, we had my sister drop us off at our foster care agency to sign our papers and submit our home study! That means that we could have a placement by the end of the month! We're excited and anxious and ready to see how the Lord will use us in the life of a baby that we don't know yet or that possibly hasn't even been born. Will you join us in praying over the baby the Lord is planning on placing in our home? 

After signing our papers, my sister took us directly to the airport to head out of town. I didn't sleep much since I spent most of the night packing (as usual), but I wanted to use my time on the plane to start researching my options concerning my BRCA 1 and 2 mutation. 

I spent the majority of both plane rides reading through Previvors. It's an incredible book written specifically for women facing a genetic mutation and increased risks of breast or ovarian cancer. 

Last night, I read these words, and decided they were going to have to be my mantra: 

Some people say our high risk for breast cancer (and in my case, ovarian cancer) and the way we tackle that risk is the legacy we leave to our children. 

What incredibly powerful words! All I could think was, yes! That's exactly it. I know that not everyone will agree with the decisions I make one day about how to fight my risk, but those choices are ultimately my choices, and I will make each choice with my children and my husband in mind.

 

To be encouraged

Looking back on last Wednesday is a blur. We were preparing to leave for a 10 day trip to Boise and then Pittsburgh. We were excited to head to Velata's 1st convention. 

The day before we leave for a trip is always crazy busy and surrounded by packing and prepping and planning. 

Brian spent the day outside doing the yard work and cleaning out the chicken coop while I spent the day meeting and chatting with a couple team members, delivering Scentsy basket parties, and dropping off our final documents to our foster care agency. 

I am so incredibly blessed by the women on my team. I was able to sit across the table from a team member on Wednesday for our monthly chat and the first words out of her mouth were, "so how are you? Tell me about you?" 

She genuinely wanted to know about my diagnosis and everything that's happened in the past week since I got the news that I was BRCA 1 and 2 positive. She is a Christ follower who believes (just like I do) that the Lord has a beautiful story to tell through each of our lives, and this diagnosis is just part of my story. I couldn't agree with her more.

I have no doubt that the Lord will be glorified through all of this. I'm honestly looking forward to our time away. I'm looking forward to thinking, praying, reading, and researching, and to some much needed time with friends. I will miss my babies terribly, but I'm grateful for this brief moment that I'll get to think. 

And I am very grateful for the strong women of faith that the Lord has placed in my life for such a time as this. 

What a joyous thing it is to have someone to encourage you. 

Genetic Counseling

Brian noticed that her hands were shaking as she walked into the room. I don't know if it was because every one of these conversations she has must suck or if she had too much caffeine and not enough lunch. Either way, this was going to be an interesting conversation. 

Our genetic counselor had the less than wonderful job of explaining all our options today. There are options, and I'm in no rush to make a decision as to what should be done just yet. I don't have cancer, so I have time. I have time to research and study and interview and pray and gain the knowledge that I need to make the best decision for my body and my family and our future. 

That's the weird thing about genetic testing. A mutation doesn't mean you will get cancer for sure, it just means that you'll get cancer almost for sure. What a strange knowledge to have. 

Because I am a BRCA 1 and 2 carrier, I have a 80% chance of developing breast cancer and a 30% chance of developing ovarian cancer over my lifetime. The general population's risk is 12% for breast cancer and 2% for ovarian cancer. It's not the best odds, but it is what it is. 

Starting immediately, I'll have clinical breast exams every 6 months and an annual mammogram and breast MRI screening. I'll also have to have transvaginal ultrasounds and a blood test every 6 months to look for ovarian abnormalities. 

But I'll also need to seriously consider a Mastectomy (which would reduce my breast cancer risk by greater than 90% depending on the type) and/or a Hysterectomy (which would reduce my risk of ovarian cancer and additionally reduce my breast cancer risk by 50%). 

Those are serious surgeries that need a lot of thought, prayer, and education to make a decision about. Luckily, I'm not alone. There is support for women facing Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer. There are two different organizations that exist to support women with a diagnosis like mine. 

F.O.R.C.E stands for Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered and Bright Pink which is the only national non-profit organization focusing on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women, while providing support for high-risk individuals both exist to provide support to women like me, and for that I am grateful. 

Plus, there are women that I know personally who have gone through this same thing who have reached out and offered their words and experiences to share with me. There is nothing like that. 

From here on out, I'm a book worm. Researching, searching, praying, and asking the Lord for the best option for me. Today begins a new journey on which I will choose to be braver than I feel. 

Being brave......

September Goals

I love the start of a new month. It's like a fresh beginning every 30 days. 

If I had to choose a favorite 1st day of the month, it would easily be September 1st. The start of the new Fall and Winter catalog is always my favorite time of year. Mostly because I love scents like Pumpkin Roll and Salted Caramel Cupcake and Cider Mill. Oh just talking about it makes me want to warm all that deliciousness. 

I saw a facebook post from a sweet friend with her September goals, and I thought it was a great idea! So here's to having written down goals this month! 

So here goes. These are my personal goals and my business goals for the month of February.

Business Goals:

Sell $2,500 minimum.

Share the Scentsy or Velata opportunity with 3 new team members.

Create a Velata meal plan.

Evaluate and fine tune systems for communicating with my team.

Personal Goals: 

Pre-determine my time with Christ (see below).

Get up at 6am and use the time that no one wants from you.

Read because you want to read {10 pages a day}.

Sweat at least 4x a week {weights and cardio}.

Cook because you love it. 

Date your spouse {because he's hot and you can}. 

Make sure Friday = Family Fun Day! 

So there you have it, it's on paper and real. What about you? What goals do you have this month? Writing them down and sharing can make all the difference in the world.