Beauty regimen...kinda

I'm in a weird phase of life. In the last two years I have developed adult acne and combination skin. My friends in high school would be the first people to tell you that I had great skin. I never had breakouts and I NEVER washed my face before bed. I slept in makeup people. If I did that now, I would wake up with several new pimples decorating my face. This new skin thing has forced me to try multiple products to help calm my facial issues. Now I am no beauty/skincare expert but to help my thirty-something friends, I've comprised a list of my top 5 beauty products that I'm currently using. Twenty-somethings pay attention, your time is coming!

1. The TAO Clean Aura Clean System

This system removes debris deep from within pores, has dual speeds and different brush options. My favorite part, the docking station sanitizes the brushes! No little germs will be growing on these brush heads.

2. Tula- The Cult Classic Purifying Face Cleanser

I am super sensitive to perfumes and dyes in any sort of skin product. Tula products are made with natural products and probiotics. I add a few drops of this cleanser onto my cleansing brush and it's a match made in heaven!

3.& 4. HelloBeauty- Coco Day'N'Night

This duo is perfect for day and night. It contains some of my favorite ingredients, coconut oil and almond oil. It has truly evened out my combination skin.

Use my code: REF0B2XYJ3IOQ for 30% off your entire order!

5. Curology

I tried Curology in desperation because my acne had gotten so bad. What I loved was that I could sample the product before I committed to buying. You take an informative yet simple quiz and a dermatologist creates a formula JUST FOR YOU! I saw results in less than 2 weeks. For anyone struggling with true acne and not just the occasional breakout, I highly recommend trying Curology.

And so it begins

I am currently writing this through anxiety and tears. My chemo meds were delivered today. It felt surreal watching the UPS man hand the box to my 10-year-old son. He happily came in and handed me the box, "here mom this is for YOU!" Normally I'd be excited to receive a package. I've certainly had no problem stimulating the economy during this quarantine with many packages, but this box, it's different. It's what stands between myself and the cure from this cancer within my body. As thrilled as I am to get this show going and move on with my life, I'd be lying to myself (and you) if I didn't say I wasn't somewhat terrified. I had to just take a deep breath and remember that I've got this, because God's not surprised by this and He's got me. And so it begins....

Overwhelmed

To say I'm overwhelmed is a HUGE understatement. I'm overwhelmed by a diagnosis I didn't have two weeks ago. I'm overwhelmed by the emotion that has come with it. I'm overwhelmed in handling the emotions of my husband, my kids, my family and my closest friends. But what I think I'm most overwhelmed by is the amount of love and support that we have received. People have offered to watch my kids (after quarantine of course), bring food by, pick up groceries for us, or really bring anything that we need. We've been supported with prayers, well-wishes, encouragement, scripture and songs to stand on. I have always had a love for people but there is something totally life-changing when you feel as though people have a love for you!

This week, God willing, I will start my chemo pill. A once a day pill that should push this leukemia deep into remission. I am nervous for sure but ready to move on with my life. We have seen God's hand in this situation continually and one of those ways was when we received news that our insurance would cover 100% of this treatment. One month's supply is $14,000. To say we were in utter disbelief that it was covered fully is accurate. I just hope that as my family continues to see hope through this situation, you can find hope in yours. We all have things challenging us right now, whether it's homeschooling our kids, finishing college classes, coronavirus or another unspoken burden. Know that we can be empowered by a God who surrounds us in our time of need, relationships that cannot be broken by social distancing and a family that we each can cling too right now (but not if they have the corona). Ok, maybe not the best time for humor but I have had to rely on some humor to get me through this time! Bear with me.

In ending this blog post, I just want to ask that you continue to pray and believe for God's best in my life and yours. Having faith over fear is a choice and today I'm choosing faith!