Reading and Reflecting

I did something today that I haven't done in a long time.....I sat down, started reading a book, and finished the book in one day!! I guess the book sucked me into a world of new information and the more information I gathered.....the more I wanted to learn. The book's name is The G Free Diet by Elizabeth Hasselbeck. It was recommended by one of my friends and I'm so glad I bought it. When I was reading her story the words pierced my soul.

For years I've had a love/hate relationship with food. I love cake, cookies, bread, cheese etc....but they didn't love me back. I would eat a wonderful meal and then feel lethargic and get extremely sick. I've lost my gallbladder and have learned where the bathrooms are located in all of my favorite restaurants. Becoming short of breath with excruciating pain in my abdomen had become a normal for me after my meals. Today I was reading that gall bladder malfunction happens when Celiac disease goes undetected for years. My mom and I discussed the symptoms of Celiac disease and gluten allergy and traced my symptoms back to my college days. Just like Elizabeth I got a severe infection in college and ever since then I've had an extreme intolerance for lots of the foods I ate.

Even though I've strictly followed my gluten free diet for only 4 days....I can already tell a difference. You never know how much pain you're in until you don't have pain. I know that my health and my body will continue to improve as the gluten "leaves" my body....but I haven't felt this good internally in years!!

I made gluten free brownies tonight after dinner that were amazing!! I don't think it will be hard to cook gluten free....just a little more time consuming. In the long run it will be cheaper when I'm not visiting the doctor every time you turn around! The hardest part will be when I travel. This weekend I'm going to Chicago but I'm definitely used to turning a bad situation into a good one....so this will be another adventure in my life!!

The best part is the love and support Charming C is giving me!! He's eating gluten free along with me....we should live to be 100 at this rate! lol

New Chapter.....New Name!!

It's been almost two years since I last wrote in my blog....and Wow my life has completely changed. Charming C (also known as Charles) and I laughed when we re-read my former blogs.....we can't believe how we've "grown up" and we are now living our dream life!!

So much has happened in the past two years! Here is a recap of the good: Worked two years in the CVICU as an RN. Got engaged to Charming C....I guess you can say he's now my Prince Charming. LOL Started a Mary Kay business to help pay for the wedding. Earned two cars and became a Sales Director in Mary Kay in one year!! Got married at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC on May 27th. Spend the honeymoon at Disney and Nashville. Earned a diamond bumble bee my first year in Mary Kay and was in the Top 20 in the nation in the Pearl Seminar! Quit my full time nursing job to pursue my Mary Kay business full time.

Recap of the not so good: A year ago became really sick with sinus infections and ended up having sinus surgery and was out of work for 6 weeks. Continued to gain weight, feel lethargic, irritable, and frustrated b/c I felt like something was wrong with my body. Everytime I ate I got sick, have pain in my abdomen, feel bloated, and eventually I would have coughing spells and asthma attacks. I new something was wrong but couldn't put my finger on it. My gynecologist prescribed weight loss pills right before my wedding which didn't help. I felt like I was dying a slow death and didn't know if it was my gut, thyroid, or what! I discussed this with my dear friend Gillie (she was my first preceptee at Duke)....I went to a Mary Kay retreat where someone suggested I may have a gluten allergy. I thought they were crazy. After talking to Gillie....I decided to go see her homeopathic nutritionist. This one move saved my life!!! Not only did I discover I had aspartame poisoning but after a 2 week detox diet I got diagnosed with allergy to peanuts, cow's milk, pork, cheese, wheat, rye, barley (GLUTEN ALLERGY!!), MSG, apartame, corn syrup, and coffee.

Through the Good, Bad, and Ugly.....Charming C has been my rock!! I couldn't be happier to share every aspect of my life with him. He's not only my husband but my very best friend. I can't wait to see what life will throw our way next. I can't wait to share my experiences with my closest family and friends. You never know what you are going to read on my blog.....but I can say that it will always be entertaining!!

The saying Everything Happens for a Reason is soooo true. I am so thankful to God that He has blessed me and Charming C beyond measure. Our life is so much better than we would ever have imagined otherwise.

Until next time....
Mrs Banks aka New Gluten Free Girl :-)
Charming C

Week of Mishaps.....

So I'm hoping that the beginning of December is not an indication of how the month will go! :) This past week has definitely had it's ups and downs!! Despite it all...I can honestly say that if Charming C and I didn't have each other, we'd have a much harder time dealing with all of our "downs" and not as much fun with our "ups"!

December 2nd was the 2 year anniversary of me dating Charming C. I have always said that two was my favorite number and now I'm beginning to wonder if I need to pick another "lucky" number. I was born on the second, started dating Charming C on the second, and have always thought things in pairs were better!!

Well.....that was very true in a way of December 2nd. You see...I told Charming C I wanted us to have a big celebration of our anniversary and had bought us tickets to the Trans Siberian Orchestra in Raleigh for our anniversary. I just knew lights, music, and fire would be a great way to celebrate!! Charming C took this literally and provided a little midday entertainment for me. I didn't need TWO bouts of fire, lights, and music from a firetruck!!

Charming C drove up to our driveway with his work truck on fire!! I heard this commotion and went out to see the entire truck engulfed in flames! He had to push the burning truck to the side of the yard before the extra tank of diesel gas used for work equipment exploded...needless to say we were at the mercy of the volunteer fire department and very thankful that the house didn't catch fire...but it was a close call!!

We still had our TSO light and fire experience in Raleigh...Charming C was a little tired of seeing flames by the end of the day! I told him in the future to leave the entertainment to me!

So I'm thinking this is all the excitement I needed....but Charming C thought that I should have more. He thought it would be a great idea to jump off a 10,000 gallon storage barrel when his ladder went missing. Needless to say I spend the afternoon at the urgent care getting his ankle checked out for possible fractures or sprains! He is now being "nursed" for a very sore ankle that he can't walk on.

And since we are a very competitive couple with our desire to "out do" each other.... I couldn't let his crippling ankle be the only thing that we dealt with today b/c you know...we like things in two's!! I jammed my finger in the fridge door trying to get an ice pack for him and now I have a bleeding, throbbing finger. So Charming C had to wipe my tears hobbling in the kitchen as I held my hurt hand. Needless to say we are both in bed at 7pm...we need a new week and need to stop all the drama!!

Hopefully these two days of mishaps will be the only thing we have in "pairs!"

Being Thankful!!

On this eve of Thanksgiving you start to remember Thanksgivings past and think about the upcoming holidays and all that it encompasses.

I greet this Thanksgiving Eve with a lot of melancholy. I have to work day shift at the hospital tomorrow which is not my favorite thing to do during the holidays but as one of my friends pointed out to me....the patients need us and they are forever grateful for our service to them during the holidays. I have to keep reminding myself that I am not only doing this as a job, but also as a ministry to serve God and I just happen to get paid for it! :)

I really do have a lot of reasons to be thankful for this holiday season. Instead of thinking of all the things I haven't accomplished or want to do....I need to focus on the things I do have. I can remember going to my grandparent's house during the holidays and eating myself sick. My grandparents may not have had a lot of riches in the material sense, but they had a wealth of riches that money cannot buy. I also remember the times both sets of grandparents came to our house...this was my favorite b/c of the full kitchen and lots of love surrounding me. Lastly, I can remember how sad I was when I started my job as a nurse and had to pick which holidays I would miss from my family. It was hard to know that I was the only one missing out....but I had to keep reminding myself of how blessed I really was!

So I end this blog listing the top 10 things I am so thankful for:

1. My family...the unconditional love they have given me and the many things I have learned to love and do because of them.
2. My boyfriend Charming C....the one who holds my heart and has shown me that my dreams really can come true.
3. My job....as much as I hate working holidays and weekends, I have a flexible schedule that lets me travel and perform hobbies and spend time with others since I only have to work 3/4 days a week.
4. My dog Delwyn...he loves me even when I am unlovable and is the best snuggler!
5. My running ability....enables me to stay in shape, get rid of my stress, and gives me an excuse to see the country!
6. My friends....they have gotten me through so many tough times and have shown me that family is not only your blood relatives, but also those who see you at your worst and still love you just as much as when you are at your best!
7. My freedom....freedom to speak my mind, serve my God as I please, and not live in fear of constant attack.
8. My health....even though at the moment my head is killing me...I am healthy and cancer free. I don't have to fear the looms of death that so many are facing right now and I am so thankful that I have my body...and it works wonderfully!
9. My ability to notice details...even though at times it drives me crazy...it has helped me become the nurse I am today and has enabled me to keep those closest to me accountable! ;)
10. Lastly...my mom especially. For not giving up hope that she would have a child one day. For taking the best care of me possible when I was not only in her wound but also in her arms and for being my best friend throughout my life. You have sacrificed so much for me physically and emotionally and I will forever be grateful for the encouragement you gave me and my dad throughout life. I know how to cook, clean, show love to others, be creative, and be forgiving all b/c of you!!

So this Thanksgiving......take time to focus on what you have, hold those close to you dear, and remember it's the little things in life that money can't buy that matter most.

Happy Thanksgiving Ya'll!!!

The Fabulous Four....

As the saying goes...."nothing tastes as good as thin feels!" Charming C and I both lost 4 pounds this past week!! Four pounds lighter and feeling more fabulous than ever....Charming C and I can really see how great it feels to be committed to eating healthy and taking care of our bodies.

When I started nursing school....I let the stress of studying and clinicals get to me. My poor eating habits filtered into my crazy schedule and lifestyle but I was determined that I was not going to be miserable and overweight in my adult life. I was tired of always being the girl who was the tallest, heaviest, ugliest in my group of friends. I wanted to be the one people noticed because of her looks, not her personality. Well now I am being noticed for both! :) As my friend Dependable D says..."you are like a fine wine ...you get better with age." And that is exactly what I've done! I am a smaller size than I was in high school, have the endurance of an athlete, and my skin is smoother and younger looking because I eat the right foods!

I set a goal for myself in nursing school to run a half marathon in all 50 states by the time I turned 50. I have completed 13 states so far and have seen parts of the country I may not have visited had I not set this goal to keep myself healthy and in shape for at least half of my life!

My love of exercise and my devotion to healthy eating has filtered into my home life with Charming C! :) When I started dating him, he was eating cajun filet biscuits from Bojangles every morning along with iced honey buns and moon pies for snacks. Since we met each other 2 years ago...I've made him adapt to my eating habits instead of him pulling me into his snack food world. He's lost 60 lbs and feels so much better! Everyone makes comments about how great he looks....and I just smile because I've improved his quality of life! He loves trying new things and I love the fact that he is willing to eat my home cooked meals even if it means I've hidden veggies in it! lol

Speaking of which....I confessed to him that his lasagna was super healthy and contained pureed sweet potatoes and cauliflower! He wasn't upset at all and genuinely happy that I have gone to such lengths to provide healthy meals for him. And the fact that in the past week he lost 4 lbs b/c of it....that was his icing on his cake! :)

So when you reach for that second slice of cake or that third cookie during the Thanksgiving/Holiday season....remember that it may taste good for the moment but Nothing tastes as good as Thin feels!!

I Say It's Great To Be ... A Georgia Bulldog!!

Sitting in the Days Inn in Athens, GA....with extremely tired feet b/c I viewed fashion higher on my priority list than comfort....soo extremely glad that my Dawgs were able to win a nail bitting game against the Auburn War Eagles!! Final score 31-24!! Woo hoo!!

Georgia football is one of my favorite passions in the fall and I've been a season ticket holder now for gosh I think 6 or 7 years. There isn't anything better than Athens on a Saturday game day! :) I have so many wonderful memories of watching GA football and spending time in Athens. It's defintitely a deal breaker in my relationships. My friends must respect my love for my Dawgs and I absolutely will not date anyone who doesn't support my passion. When I first met Charming C, I told him that was a deal breaker....he responded with ...."does it count that I played college ball?!" Seriously.... he had me at 1st down!

It's a long 6 hour trek from NC to GA....but I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world. My parents have season tickets as well and I love sharing this passion with them. My dad asks me every year how many pics do I really need to take of GA football....but it's hard not to.....I love wearing red and black and cheering for them despite stupid plays and losing to teams like Florida. This time I brought another dog in my life.....my 3 year old dog Delwyn.

(Picture of Delwyn)

Delwyn is my child....or the closest thing I have to one at the moment....and this was his first GA game day experience. I normally take him to the pet sitter but he's going back home with the Grandparents. My parents love Delwyn probably more than I do! My dad was never one to let pets inside our home. He always thought a dog's place was in the back yard but now Delwyn not only sleeps in the bed with him, but he also gets "chewgars" each Christmas from Orvis!! Can we say spoiled?!!

So I end this post saying that It's great to be a GA Bulldog and have traditions to look forward to each fall....as well as having a furry creature to love and adore you no matter what each day brings.

New Beginnings!!

They say that each day is a new beginning....but today that day is one of me trying many new things for the very first time!

I had lunch yesterday with a great friend who was telling me about a blog that she follows on a daily basis. The blog has quite the following and people all over the world are reading it and becoming encouraged with one woman's journey in life..... My mother has always told me that I have a knack for writing and loves to read my stories/essays. I feel like now is a great time to write about my life and stay better connected to my friends and family who mean the world to me. And if by chance my blog encourages someone else.....makes them laugh....or helps them through a tough time....then that's the icing on my writing cake!!

As the saying goes, "the eyes are a window to a person's soul," I have named my blog IrishEyez for several reasons. I am a green eyed girl from a little town called Dublin :) who just happens to also have Irish blood running through her veins. Green is also my favorite color and I always try to find the peace in a situation.....and have always though green was a soothing color. Green is the color associated with new growth and I feel like I am constantly growing and figuring out what I want to be when I grow up as well as striving to make myself the best version of me I can possibly be! This blog will definitely be a window into my soul and show others what makes me the fascinating green eyed girl that so many call family, friend, and loved one.

So what else besides blogging is this green eyed girl starting for the first time today?!

Well....I have a wonderful boyfriend "Charming C" who hates veggies! Won't eat anything that's a vegetable unless it's deep fat fried or covered in some sort of gravy like green bean casserole! lol I bought a cookbook a while back called Deceptively Delicious that helps mothers "disguise" veggies in their kid's favorite foods. Since my Charming C is a big kid at heart....I thought I'd give it a try. I'm a cardiovascular surgery icu nurse and see patients all day who have horrible eating habits that land them into our unit recovering from open heart surgery. I refuse to see Charming C have open heart surgery due to a lousy diet.....therefore I am going to make sure hell or high water that he eats his veggies.....whether he realizes he's doing so or not!! ;-)

So this morning I woke up and spent 2 1/2 hours roasting and steaming veggies to puree and put in the freezer....tonight we are having lasagna and we shall see if he notices how "healthy" he is eating!

And finally I am going to sign up for a photography class today! I have always wanted to learn photography and love taking pictures....and what better time than the present! Having such a stressful job, I need an outlet on my days off. Most of the time that is exercise and running, however, I also need something that will help me relax and capture those moments I never want to forget.

So my day of new beginnings is half way over....but my drive and determination to continue to have days of new beginnings is not.....

Hope everyone has a Fabulous Friday!!