Chosen Brothers

I look over at the couch and see a typical “oh my gosh they are so adorable” parent moment until I think about it for a second longer. Three more seconds and the tears pool at the corners of my eyes. The delicate path that lead them to be brothers could have turned another direction. The hundreds of hugs, kisses, and belly laughs they’ve shared over the last almost three years might have never happened at all.

It’s hard to think about adoption and say it was “meant to be.” A child losing his birth family is never the way it is suppose to be.

But a child finding a forever family to love and cherish them is a pretty amazing thing. Out of all the families in the world, God led him to us. And sometimes that knocks the breath right out of this mama.

Join the Burn Boot Camp Family

You’re too thin. You’re too heavy. You haven’t run since high school. Trust me, I completely understand. Walking into a gym is intimidating for most of us. There are so many reasons that starting a new workout routine can be hard to commit to.

When I first considered starting Burn Boot Camp Bentonville I was more than a little nervous. I hadn’t worked out in years and the thought of anyone seeing how out of shape I was almost stopped me from walking through the doors. I worried I’d be the biggest or slowest person there. I had no idea how to lift weights properly, how to use any other equipment, or if I could even do one push-up.

I’m not really sure what I thought would happen. Maybe that people would look down on me for being overweight. Maybe that I would embarrass myself by not knowing how to do the movements correctly. Maybe that I would just plain fail and give up the idea all together.

Well, friends let me tell you…all of those worries were put to rest the very first time I stepped onto the floating floor at Burn. I can honestly say that in four years I have never felt anything but complete acceptance and support when I’m there. It really is a judgement-free zone.

The support I’ve received from the trainers and other members is remarkable.

Burn members are wonderfully diverse. We all have different goals. Some of us would like to lose weight. Some are hoping to gain some by adding more muscle. Some are hoping to increase overall fitness to help accomplish running goals or to manage health conditions. The best part is that even though our goals are unique, the guidance and support we get at Burn meets all of our needs. Every member has access to focus meetings to discuss diet and lifestyle factors, skilled trainers to guide them through the workouts, and a community of positive people cheering them along the way.

I can’t believe that my insecurities almost kept me from joining the Burn Bentonville family. I would have missed out on one of my favorite things. I look forward to going to Burn every time because I know what’s waiting for me there. I know I will be encouraged to push through even the most difficult workouts by smiles, high-fives, and a so much positivity.

If you’re ready to step out of your comfort zone and see if Burn is what you are looking for, head to burnbootcamp.com to try out Burn Bentonville free for 7 days, or to find a location near you.

This is a sponsored post, but reflects my honest feelings about Burn Boot Camp after four years as a proud member. 

Parenthood in One Picture

Let’s be honest, raising kids is amazing, but there are times it feels like you’ve been hit by a train. I’ve been feeling like that a lot lately navigating four kids, and balancing their needs from toddler to teenager. So when I was literally hit by a train yesterday I wasn’t too surprised. In an instant it drove up my hair and wound it tightly into the wheels. As I sat for 30 minutes waiting for my hubby to get home so he could take the train apart to release my hair, I was able to see the humor in the situation. I’d been praying for clarity and peace with some tough parenting decisions this week. I have been stressed and anxious, sleeping poorly, and just more grumpy than I’d like to be. The train was kind of like God was answering by showing me that even when the random, tough moments happen there is always a choice to laugh and smile through it. We can dwell on the tough parts of parenthood (and life in general) or we can embrace them and seek out the joy in the chaos. The pain and trials are short-lived and I’m reminded once again that there is always something beautiful to be found in the messy parts of life.