A True Celebration of Life

Hello WifeyMom Followers!
Today is a special day in history for our family.  4 years ago on this day I gave birth to a baby boy and on my grandmother's, the matriarch of our family, birthday no less.  Without allowing me to even hold him or see him the Neonatal Doctor and his nurses whisked him away to the NICU.  As he walked out behind his nurses who held my baby, the Neonatal Dr. stopped and squeezed my shoulder as I lay on the operating table.  He said, "We'll take care of him." 
At that moment, there was a certain kind of peace that surrounded me.  During that space in time it never occurred to me to be alarmed or afraid.  As my mind processed that information and reflected on the words of the labor and delivery crew from earlier saying, "He's turning blue." I also took note of the silence of my husband.  But even with all of that I didn't think of it as a tragedy.  My outlook was simply that Dean had a special need and the tools required to help him just happened to be in the NICU.  It wasn't until 48 hours later that I was able to bring him to my room and have him in my arms all to myself.  That was also when I gathered a clearer, better understanding of why Dean spent the first two days of his life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). 
You see, when a baby is born by passing through the birth canal the tight passage way constricts their body and forces the mucus from their lungs that accumulates there while living in the placenta.  Since Dean was birthed through C-Section he never passed through the birth canal thereby excluding said constricting and leaving his lunges filled with fluid.  That's why he kept turning from blue to red and blue again.  Taking him immediately to the NICU allowed the nurses to pump his lunges and attempt to establish a regular breathing pattern.  All tolled that process took 2 days.  I saw him in the little clear box in the NICU with all the tubes connected to him and the tiny mask taped over his face.  It was a mortality moment but still not a fearful one.  I am still amazed at how God and His helper The Holy Spirit could evoke such calm in my life at such a crazy moment.  It's a testament to God's promises and His control when given the opportunity.
Today, four years later, its a challenge to get him to sit still.  He went from fighting for a simple breath to breathing every breath God has for him each and everyday.  Dean is a healthy, energetic, extremely smart and monumentaly funny little, big guy.  "Get somewhere and saddown!" is what I say to him daily. 
The calmness that surrounded me and filled my spirit the day he was born was brought back to my existence 3.5 years later when he ran down stairs with blood streaming down his face from hitting his head (just above his eyebrow) after a fall.  God is continuously consistent.  His mercies are new everyday and He perfects ALL that concerns us...if we let him.
Happy Birthday Dean!  We Love You!

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Sweet Potato Hash with Sauteed Spinach & Snow Pea Avocado Salad

Hey, Hey, Hey, (in my Fat Albert voice)
How goes it WifeyMom Followers? I certainly hope that while your reading this you are experiencing all that God has to offer you.  But, if it's a bad day for you its totally okay as long as you know you don't have to stay there.  If you simply stand up and say out loud, "God, I thank you for where I am right now and I still know that you're mighty in all things." It'll change you day AND your life.  If you don't know God but are curious if maybe He really can fix your situation, send me an email or respond to this post. ;0)
alana@fashionbyalana.com
Well...Now...On with the recipe!

This post is actually 3 easy recipes in one.  We'll call it a full plate recipe.:D
Many of you may know that I don't eat meat nor a few other animal products.   I have also recently compiled a list of healthy foods that help to decrease belly fat.  I've also started including a few of those foods at each meal.  On this plate there are 4; Spinach, Avocado, Snow Peas & Olive Oil.
*All recipes are single servings.  Multiply as you desire.

Sweet Potato Hash:
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Half Onion (finely chopped)
1 Garlic Clove (minced)
1 Small Sweet Potato (finally diced)
Seasoning of your choice

•On medium/low heat, heat oil in a large pan, add sweet potatoes and sauté until tender then add onions.
•After onions begin to become clear, add garlic and seasoning to taste.
•Sauté for another 2 minutes and serve.

Sautéed Spinach:
1 Tbs of Olive Oil
2 Cups of Fresh Spinach
1/4 Large Onion (chopped)
Seasoning of your choice

•On medium/low heat, heat oil and add in spinach, onions, seasoning to taste and toss in pan until spinach is wilted. (dark green)
•Serve

Snow Pea Avocado Salad:
Half of Small Avocado (sliced)
5 Snow Peas
1 Tbs Pico de Gallo
Seasoning of Choice

•Arrange snow peas in a fan pattern on plate.
•Top snow peas with avocado slices in same pattern.
•Scoop Pico de Gallo onto bottom of fan.
•Sprinkle entire salad with seasoning of choice.
•Serve

FYI:  My seasoning of choice is a sprinkle of lemon pepper, garlic powder & a little Lowery's.

I hope you enjoy.

Until we blog again,
~Alana

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My Road To 26.2: Yesterday's Workout

Hi Folks of The WifeyMom World,

Yesterday was a running day for me on the good ole marathon training schedule.  My run was a 3 miler.  I headed out pretty late because of all the things I had going on that day.  I wasn't going to lay head-to-pillow without hitting the pavement.  I was actually looking forward to it because I knew that it was a surefire way to clear my head and relax my spirit.  I hit the pavement at 10:30pm and enjoyed the cool weather.  On the run my hip was sore but experience has taught me that it will pass as long as I press.  I finally reached my stride where I "settled" into the run.  I was kind of tired but not exhausted.  I knew I had a little more push so I wouldn't let my mind stop me from doing what I knew my body could accomplish.  My mind went to a lot of the people that comment on my posts with cheers, applause and genuine words of encouragement.  I thought about all the years that I had searched for someone that was like me that I could draw strength and courage from to continue my journey to a healthier life.  I recall the times I heard The Holy Spirit (that still small voice) say, "Maybe someone is waiting on you."  I realized that I could do this thing to better myself and possibly my family and friends or I could be a catalyst to truly shape the world around...even that beyond my physical reach.  There were a couple times I heard myself think, "You don't need to do the full 3 miles.  You can walk or just do 2 miles."  But I knew I had more left in the tank and even if I finished at a walking pace as long as I was still running I would definitely kick the old Me's ass!  Just as I started on my last mile my hubby drove up beside me with some water.  I love him and I appreciated the water.  Seeing him was just that extra go I needed to out run the mosquitoes and finish strong.   I finished with a cool down walk and then a great stretch after my shower.  All in all, it was refreshing and super rewarding.
What's the main idea of this post?  Sometimes when you may not want to do it for you, do it for someone whose life you could change...someone you may have yet to meet.

Until we blog again WifeyMom Peeps, I love ya!
~Alana

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My Road to 26.2...

My Road To 26.2:
Today's workout consisted of 2 miles of running and strength training (intense leg workout). I was super excited to get it done. When I finally got out of the house it seemed like it was to be like every other nice run. The weather conditions were ideal (sans a few mosquitoes). I began with a warm up and stretch, nothing new there. But...right around mile 1.5...I broke into tears. I was overwhelmed with emotion. I never stopped running, but I continued to cry. Even having my face covered with my shirt and sobbing I pressed on the run.
I cried...
For every time I lied to myself and said that I couldn't do it, For every time I let people, places and things get in my way, For every time I hated myself for what I thought was me giving up then realizing it was just where I was in my walk, For my husband's new eating habits and commitment to help me succeed like he has in so many other areas...
I cried because I could hear my inner self screaming, "SCREW YOU devil!" and shutting UP the voice of fear that I once gave place to its commentary. I cried because I knew...that this time...I was never going to be that girl again, the one you reference when you're describing someone heavy, "She was bigger than Alana". Never again would I wonder what it was like to LIVE healthy and not just diet. Never again would I find it odd or interesting when people eat healthy because they like it.
Then...I stopped. I wiped away the last tear... silently thanked God...and finished my run. (Then I mustered the chutzpah to complete my leg workout. ;0) )
...And my journey continues

The Things That Fill & Enrich My Life

Hi There WifeyMom Peeps, (All 20Billion of You ;0) Was that an Affirmation? Yep!)
I hope that all is well in your world as you read this.  Even though life can be filled with uncertainties one thing is for sure, You're still living it! 

I have had several "plates spinning" lately.  Many of you already know that I am not only a Stay-At-Home-Wife and Mom that home schools her 2 boys but I am also a makeup artist and fashion stylist.  Well, to those credits, I have recently added Women's Ministry Director & Marathon Runner in Training.  Sounds like a lot but not when you're operating in your purpose.  When you fully live life doing what God has created you to do, I mean living everyday open to the possibilities of being used for service to others, you find order.  You also find that your mind and life become uncluttered.  Your schedule seems to have a flow that it never possessed before.  The things that you have to do go by faster thereby making room for that which you want to do. 

From time to time I'll come to you keeping you up to speed on the happenings in my life.  I promise to always be candid, transparent AND you already know there will be some measure of "funny".  I know that it's not only important for you to read truth in my writings but it is also therapeutic for me to type them out.  I have come into both the knowledge and importance of transparency and truth as it relates to my own feelings and freedoms.  When you can, sans the guilt and shame, tell the story of your tragedies, tribulations and heartache you simultaneously tell the story of your victory.  So...when you read the inner lacings of laughter, despair, and encouragement that spins through this blog that is what you are immersing in, simple truth and complex situations that have simmered down to a revelatory breakthrough. 

I am honored to share my life with you.  I know how other peoples words have touched and enriched my life and I know that my words will certainly do the same for you.

Until we read again WifeyMom Lovers,
~Alana ;0)