Time for a donut and some happy tears

First of all, thank you to everyone who has been praying for Paul and me, everyone who has been asking about us, and everyone who has given us space to grieve and be distant. You'll never truly know how much that all means to us. 

I'd like to just give you all a brief overview of our journey thus far. You've all been so loving with what little info I've given you. Let me explain myself a bit better.

We unknowingly started this journey nearly two years ago when we lost our first precious baby. It took us nearly a year to get pregnant again, and we lost that sweet babe as well. It was after this that we knew something had to be wrong. Normal people don't lose two babies in a row, right? Please say that's not normal. 

We met with a doctor who said that no, this was very abnormal, especially for someone my age. She suggested we start charting classes at Orange City Guiding Star. Which, you guys, I could (and will) write an entire post on how amazing that place is and what a wonderful, life-changing program they offer. But that's for another day. 

Through this program and through an in-depth blood study done through Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha, we found out that my estrogen and progesterone were both scary low. This meant that I would have to start doing HCG shots pre-pregnancy, with a few other accomodations needed once we got on track and then again once we got pregnant. 

They also found that my thyroid was starting to act up. Starting to "die," if you will. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. But this was a relatively new development, so my thyroid was in hyper-mode, meaning it was producing too much of the hormone that the thyroid produces. Hashimoto's is a hypo-disease, meaning eventually my thyroid would crash and we would have to supplement it with medication. We had to wait until it went from hyper to hypo mode. 

Can I just say, this journey has been full of so many downturns. So many things have gone wrong, one after the other after the other, including a dying fridge, a broken water heater, water in the basement, and so many other health-related issues. It has truly been astounding to us. 

But I refuse to focus on that because I know the devil would love nothing more. If I've learned one thing through all of this it's that there's joy to be found anywhere. There's love to be had in every situation. And God will always win.

I started my HCG shots to bring up my estrogen and progesterone levels, and we waited for my thyroid to switch directions so I could start those pills and hopefully even myself out. 

I started my thyroid medicine about six weeks ago knowing I would have to test in a few weeks to see if it was working or if we would have to switch the dosage, wait another six weeks, and test again.

With my hormones leveling out and my thyroid medicine starting to kick in, I can honestly say I have never felt better physically and even mentally. I think it's hard to realize how bad you feel until you can look back. 

You guys, I feel like getting out of bed in the morning. I feel like writing blog posts. I feel like loving on my husband and strengthening relationships and baking cookies at ten o'clock at night. 

What. A. Blessing. God is so good. 

I'm crying right now. I got a call from the doctor's office today that my hormone levels are good and my thyroid medication is the right dose. I'm "normal." I've never been "normal" from this perspective. I don't know even know what to do with myself except thank God and thank all of you for your love and support and prayers. 

I know that this will be a lifelong battle and we're just starting this journey; I'll have to continue HCG shots, getting pregnant will be a journey in itself, and my thyroid will always be unpredictable. But this is a victory I'm going to celebrate and enjoy and shout from the rooftops. My body is healthy. My heart is lighter than it's been in years. 

After I got the call today I told Paul and he goes, "So this sassy Lauren is the new Lauren?"

Y'all, I am so ready to start living life again. Thank you, Jesus, for healing, for knowledgeable doctors and practitioners, for loving family and friends, and for carrying us through.