"I not eat gluten." life lessons from a child with celiac disease

It was about three in the afternoon and Samuel was sitting on my lap. We were reading - the Richard Scarry book Things that Go. Page after page we read, searching for the elusive goldbug in the process, laughing at the silly antics of the Pig family. And then, we get to the page where the Pig family visits the farm.

At Grandma Pig's farm, all the farmhands are very busy. They are picking corn, gathering hay, and delivering milk. They are harvesting wheat to be made into bread.

I pause. Just for a moment, glance at Samuel, and then keep reading.

Grandpa is cutting the grass and Grandma is clanking...

That's gluten, Momma.

It was Samuel pointing at the picture of the red grain harvester harvesting wheat.

That's gluten. Yucky. Gluten hurts my tummy.

And sigh. Like a knife in my mother's heart he utters the words that two years ago I never would have thought twice about. I could have avoided reading those lines about harvesting wheat to make bread or I could have changed them that it was going to be gluten free bread. But, I knew I couldn't. I knew that I needed to read it word for word because despite how easy I make Samuel's life there is no hiding that he is forced to live gluten free in a very gluten full world. And that? That stings. Deep.

Especially now. Now, during Christmastime with the abundance of pastries, cookies, pies, and treats. And I know that most of them Samuel can never ever not even a tiny bit of cheating ever have to eat. And, honestly, my friends? I hate that reality for him. I know, I know, it could be worse. But, it's still not a fair reality for him. No matter what. This world? It's not perfect.

Yes, Samuel, that's gluten. 

Me gluten free. Read momma.

And that's it. For me it's a pondering moment about life, and for him it's just an acknowledgement of the fact that there is gluten on the page and that he can't have it. I know I've said it before, but the boy teaches me so much about contentment in life. Again - he focuses on everything he can have and refuses to dwell on what he cannot.

For me to learn from him. For such a time as this.

So we sat there and read. Me with tears brimming my eyes - tears of gratitude for his health and still tears of sadness for all I know he can never have - and him, content to sit in my lap on a Wednesday afternoon and to read.

Celiac Disease is hard. Plain and simple it's hard. I look at labels constantly. I call companies. I watch and watch and watch. But, he is healthy. He is thriving. And he is content.

I am constantly learning from him. He goes to bed at night grateful for all he can have and never complains to me about the many things he cannot eat. He's grateful for the good.

I not eat gluten, Momma.

And he is content.

And I am humbled. Again.

To read a bit more of Samuel's story read this post: One Year: The Celiac Disease Fight.

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As many of you know I am very honored to be a voice for Celiac Disease and gluten free living. For the last seven months I've worked as a community leader for Udi's Gluten Free and their online community. I've chosen to continue working with them for the next three months - and honestly friends, it is such a gift for me to be able to offer words from our gluten free story on their platform. It gives me space to be a voice - and I do not ever take that for granted. I never imagined two years ago when Samuel was so terribly ill that two years later I would be a voice of hope and encouragement for Celiac Disease. I am humbled. And blessed.

You can find me there --> Udi's Gluten Free Community.
Today I'm asking about the biggest challenge in raising a child with Celiac Disease.

click dear mom letters to read more encouraging letters for moms
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

Operation Christmas Child #OCCGiving

Yesterday, Grace and I went shopping at Target and Dollar Tree. Now, those of you who know me or follow me on twitter or Instagram will know that me shopping, especially at Target, is not a rare occasion. But, yesterday, the shopping wasn't for me.

It was for Operation Christmas Child, part of Samaritan's Purse, and a little girl who we imagined to be eleven years old, just like my Grace, who lives somewhere else in this world. And we Christmas shopped for her.

It was an amazing experience.

We stood there, side by side, and looked at items - brushes, combs, barrettes, toys, crayons, books, flashlights, candy - and imagined this girl, this girl who we will never see but is already impressed upon our hearts - opening this shoebox filled with the treasures that we picked out on a mild November day in Minnesota.

It was an overwhelming experience of joy and giving and hope and gratitude.

We squished and pushed and rearranged and repackaged and bent and crammed all of those items into a much too small shoebox. And as I stood in my kitchen putting in those headbands, socks, candy, toys, color crayons, bags, and more my eyes filled with tears. This cost me $30. That is it. Thirty dollars that I would spend on so many other things without blinking an eye. Thirty dollars that to me, probably won't make a difference in my life, but for this girl in our hearts - these boxes are life changing.

They often get nothing. These children. All over the world.

And that is why, today, I am beyond proud to share our experience about packing our Operation Christmas Child box. These boxes matter. They are intentional. They are about giving back. And, my friends, you will be blessed in return. My eyes were so full of tears as I explained to my kids just why she'll be excited about this box wrapped in last years roll of Christmas paper will matter. I told them that these are the only presents she will receive and that these items will be treasured.

I put in a picture that Caleb drew her. And a sweet note that said Merry Christmas with a smile.

And tears fell down my cheeks.

This wasn't about me. This was about her. And bringing a bit of joy to someone else's life. Life isn't just about getting - it's about learning to bless. And, I'm so grateful to be able to share this experience with my children and teaching them the joy in giving to others.

Life matters.

This week is the annual collection week for Operation Christmas Child. I am so blessed to be able to share our opportunity with you and am thankful for Blogfrog for facilitating this mass media blitz.

You can make a difference. One shoebox at a time.
Please join Operation Christmas Child this year.
Bring joy.

Visit Operation Christmas Child to find out more.

Join the Operation Christmas Child Facebook Page.
Join on twitter at @OCC_Shoeboxes using hashtag #OCCGiveBack
Join on pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/OCCshoeboxes
And finally - watch this video about 100millionth shoebox given. And try to not cry.



to subscribe by email - click HERE.

This is a sponsored conversation thanks to Blogfrog. No compensation was given, and all opinions are my own.Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.
Operation Christmas Child and influencer marketing platform BlogFrog have teamed up with 200 bloggers like me to spread the word about this great cause. 

5 Facts about Raising a Child with Celiac Disease

It's been almost two years since Samuel was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. It's easy for me to forget the struggle that we had back then - the health crisis, the doctor's visits, the nights spent crying in my bed knowing something was wrong but not knowing what, and ultimately the watching of my son fade away in front of me and ending up in the hospital. I'll look at him now - healthy, laughing, growing - and I'm amazed how one thing - gluten - can cause so much harm to his system.

But, I remember -  and because of that I fight for Celiac Disease Awareness.

Today, I'm sharing with you 5 Facts about Raising a Child with Celiac Disease in hopes that they help you as well and continue to bring awareness about this disease that affects many.

1. You talk about gluten every day. There is seriously not one day that will go by where the word gluten or gluten-free does not come up. It is simply a fact of life, a way of life for us. For Samuel, and those with Celiac Disease, there is no cheating. Ever. No just a little bite of that birthday cake, no I'll get back on track tomorrow, no none of that. Gluten literally destroys the villi {the hairs} in the intestines and thus makes it impossible for the body to absorb nutrients. And then you starve. So he can never cheat - therefore, we talk about gluten every single day. We're always on the look out for gluten in our lives.

2. Leaving them in group settings/classes is hard. I'm being real. It is so hard for me to drop Samuel off at the nursery class at church because I worry about him accidentally getting into gluten. It's in playdough, goldfish, and more. So I make sure to verify and verify and verify that everyone who watches him knows that he absolutely cannot be around gluten. It's hard. It's hard on the days when the project is with playdough and he cannot be included. But, I've learned that instead of sitting in the hard parts of it to instead look at all the good, all that he can do, and remember that he is thriving.

3. It's easy to worry. This one gets me. When Samuel gets sick or complains of a tummy-ache or looks off - I worry. Every time I take him to the doctor I have to explain his history, carry my 1.5 inch blue folder with the Spiderman sticker and my Children's Hospital pass picture {that I stuck on there} with his records, and hold my breath while they just tell me he has a cold. But, just like I cannot not drop him off, I've learned to work on not worrying and instead embracing him and his life. It's a gift that he was diagnosed -- hundreds of years ago Celiac Disease was simply referred to as Wasting Disease and many, many, many of those children died. He's here. And for that I am for ever grateful.

4. You find normal. If you're in the beginning stages of this journey it is so hard to imagine normal. I remember standing in the Super Target by my house with my red cart almost empty, with tears in my eyes, as I watched everyone wander down the cracker aisle throwing in crackers, cereal, bars and more in their cart. Part of me wanted to yell at them and tell them you don't realize how lucky you are to put that stuff in your carts...yet, it was just the part of me mourning a life that was once a certain way and now has changed. But, you will find normal. I promise it. We did. I can go to Target now and I'm just fine. ;)

5. You can be a voice for Celiac Disease Awareness. Three years ago I had no idea what Celiac Disease was and that it even existed. Today? Today part of my passion is being a voice. I feel blessed to have this platform, this site, and the opportunities to travel to conferences and events. When I walk through the halls of an event not only do I network, but I also intently build relationships with brands and encourage them to begin looking at the items that they produce and to embrace manufacturing safe, gluten free options. This is a privilege - and I am grateful for these opportunities. You, too, can be a voice. At the grocery store asking for more options, calling companies, sharing your stories - it all brings awareness.

Sometimes I wish that Celiac Disease wasn't called a disease as I see my son thriving and the word disease seems so sickly. Life can be good, even with Celiac Disease, and it can be awesome and amazing even if you cannot eat gluten. I know. I've seen it.

If you are interested in talking more with me about Celiac Disease and gluten free living please consider joining me on the Udi's Gluten Free Community Boards. I have been honored to be a community leader on their site for many months now. It's a beautiful platform that encourages support among the many individuals that cannot eat gluten or choose not to eat it. And, I love their products - their bread is always in my house - so for that I'm thankful as well.

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finding normal

You will find a new normal.

Last year I wrote about wishing to find normal after Samuel was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Those early days without gluten seemed so challenging - the world seemed full of items that he couldn't have. Often, while pushing my cart through Target my eyes would fill with tears as I watched people fill their cart with gluten items that weeks before I had without thinking thrown into my cart.

I didn't want Samuel to miss out on those normals.

Yet, here we are, 19 months later, and I can tell you we've found a new normal.

On Monday, Samuel visits his pediatric gastroenterologist. On those days where I pack up my vibrant boy, my healthy boy, those are the days where I am reminded of those days, those weeks, those months without answers and those moments where just living without pain was a struggle for Sam.

I don't take his health for granted. All it takes is one look back at the pictures in this post {Celiac Disease - One year later} to bring me to tears in gratitude for his health. I consider our story a lucky one. I just received a postcard from the University of Chicago's Celiac Disease program where they listed facts. Like this: it takes an average of 8 Doctors Visits before a child is diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Eight visits. And these visits don't mean that a healthy child is going. If they are anything like my Samuel, my Samuel who could NOT even walk anymore because his body was getting no nutrients, these are sick children. Waiting for answers.

The initial screening is a lab draw.

One lab draw to indicate if there is a possible issue in the body with gluten.

Why? Why does it take 8 visits? These are little children whose bodies are attacking themselves, whose bodies are no longer absorbing nutrients, whose bodies are worn. It shouldn't be such a battle.

When I was at Blogher Katie Couric shared how she felt it was a responsibility for her to bring awareness to Colon Cancer after her husband died. She stated that the reason she did the on air colonoscopy was to bring awareness. That, my friends, is how I feel about Celiac Disease. I feel blessed to be able to be a voice in this community, to fight for the children and parents who are sitting at home seeking answers, and to continue to bring awareness to what can be a very silent disease.

Thank you for rallying behind me. Thank you for each share, retweet, comment, email and more. Our voices are changing lives - changing children's lives. I am incredibly grateful.

******

Part of my sharing is being involved in the Udi's Gluten Free Community Boards {hosted by Blogfog}. This last month I've been involved in two live chats and have posted and answered numerous questions regarding gluten free living. If you ever have a gluten free question, please feel free to hop over to the site and ask away. The gals there are amazing {and I've met some at Blogher} and we will all work to get a good answer or offer an encouraging word.

For now, I'm going to leave you with a question why are you gluten free? that I recently asked on the Udi's Gluten Free Board. Blessings and thank you again for fighting for Celiac Disease Awareness with me!

.

Live Alive. Read The Charge. {a review}

We are always getting ready to live, but never living. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wake up!  That's been something I've been telling myself for years. Wake up, wake up, wake up. Be aware. Be present. Embrace today. Do your best. Be real. Authentic. Live.

Today I'm blessed to share with you about The Charge, written by Brendon Burchard, a book that embraces living awake and reigniting your life. In my opinion? Brendon gets it. He gets the importance of living an authentic, gratitude-filled, and purposeful life.{And at the end of this post there's a link where you can get The Charge for free - just pay shipping/handling.}

He wants to live awake, alive, caring and his desire is that he inspires others to do the same. The last years in my life have been this quest to live a joy-filled intentional life that is not dependent upon circumstances to make me happy. It's been this wrestling, this tug and pull between myself and my emotions and my faith that in the end has become a surrender and also an embracing of today.

Blogfrog contacted me in June asking if I'd be interested in reviewing this book. My first thought? No. I don't have time. What do I need to learn? {yep, seriously.} Nothing can change {ah, an old pattern designed to keep my stuck}. Then I pondered it just a bit more - I talked with my husband about it {he told me go for it}, I looked at the website. I was intrigued.Something that Brendon was speaking was resonating with me and I wanted to hear {and read} more. Maybe, just maybe I was to carve a bit of time in my summer schedule to read this book. So I signed on.

I thought I'd skim it.

Then I read those words - Did I live? Did I love? Did I matter?

Forget skimming. It wasn't a fluffy bubblegum and cotton candy approach to fixing your life in ten easy steps that can be completed in just 30 minutes a day over the next 21 days for three easy installments of $19.95. Nope. The Charge? It made me think and ponder my life and take notes and draw calendars and get on my knees in prayer and mull over my actions, words and choices.

In order to fully read his book I needed to invest time - my time - and really listen to what Brendon was writing. So no skimming. I pulled out my notebook and began to scribble down thoughts - be more intentional, less of this, what makes me afraid, live awake, be congruent, care - and kept writing, and writing, and writing.

You see, The Charge isn't going to sugar coat life and offer you this pickup solution to your problems that by the time you're done reading chapter 3 that you think this will never work. It's not about working and implementing a system. It's about change. And getting life back into life. No candy tactics, but rather it's one of those wake up call moments that we all wish we had but often we don't have anyone who is bold enough to tell us enough and get up and get living and be grateful.

You've read my words about living a life awake and how for me, living a finding joy type life involves being present - in the good and the bad and the everyday. You also know that I'm a believer and I believe that the Lord desires the same from us. When I read the parable of the talents I believe the servant who buried his talents did so out of fear - it was as if he was afraid of messing up and thus squandered his time, his charge - and that the Lord is pushing us to not only be wise with the time that we are given but also that we are aware, awake, and present with the time given. But, culture has this amazing ability to lull us asleep mentally even in the incredible busy frenzy of information.

We can't live a full life if we are half asleep. Think of those batteries -- my kids complain and don't want the wii remote battery that is blinking red. They get it - it won't last. They all vie for the four bars filled fully charged remote.

That's how I want to live - 4 bars awake - charged - using my mind, talents, and time to the best of my ability and to give glory to the Lord in all I do.

The Charge is a wake up call. Look at your life. Examine it. Don't let life race by and don't make excuses for everything that you think you can't do. In it Brendon covers what he believes are 10 Drives that make us feel awake. Alive. He then gives very personal descriptions about each drive and then offers examples on how to restart them. At the end of each chapter are three questions {take time to do them - again you cannot skim this book} that allow you, the reader, to truly delve into what he is stating.

I recommend the book. I know many of you share my passion for living this intentional, joy-filled and purposeful life. I know that I needed the nudging, the wake up call, the person in my face {well, he wasn't over, but man would I love an hour sit down with him, Brendon, did you read that? Feel free to contact me and I'll be right over} telling me to stop making excuses and to just really live type of reminders. That's right - live. Truly live.

Take the time. Read it. Wake up. Live.

Want a copy? It's only $16. But, today, since this is a sponsored conversation you can get a copy for free {simply pay shipping and handling}.

Order your freecopy of The Charge today! {simply pay shipping and handling}

Share with me {use the comment box embedded} what makes you feel most alive for a chance to win a High Performance Academy Online Seminar with Brendon Burchard, author of The Charge(valued at $1,000).

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Burchard Group Sponsored Conversation. The opinions and text are all mine.
Burchard Group Sweepstakes and Rules.

join me - a gluten free chat

When we went to the lake last week one of the things that I had to bring was a toaster just for Samuel. Why? The toaster in the cabin was used for gluten bread and the risk of cross contamination is too high. So, in our family, we have a separate gluten free toaster. This is just one of the things that I've learned since Samuel was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

Tomorrow night I will be on the Udi's Gluten Free Forum live chatting about Gluten Free Tips, Tricks and Strategies for Kids. Like how do I make Samuel's normal normal when all around are eating gluten. What about playdough and playgroups? How do you quickly explain gluten free to other kids? What about birthday parties?

I hope you'll join me and we can chat some more about living gluten free and kids. I've already been blessed to email, facebook, and tweet with many of you about gluten free and kids and I'd love to see you there. Come with your questions and advice - it will be fun, informative, and full of support!

Join me tomorrow night

{and I'll remind you on fb or twitter}

 July 10 at 8pm ET

 here 

Udi's Gluten Free Live Chat

Tips, Tricks and Strategies for Kids
{link above}

a gluten free conversation {and opportunity}

It's amazing to me how things change in one year.

A year ago I was writing to you about how Samuel {don't you love the bandana? I put it on so he wouldn't get a sunburn} was going to have a second biopsy to confirm Celiac Disease. That little guy, that sweet boy {I'm calling him sweet as long as I can} was finally growing. Healing. Getting a second chance in a way. All because we removed any trace of gluten from his diet.

As time has progressed I've learned more and more about Celiac Disease. I've learned how there is not as much awareness - and I've had letter after letter and email after email and tweet after tweet from mothers who have read Samuel's story. I've had moms print it out and bring it to the doctor fighting for a diagnosis for their children. It humbles me {and brings me to tears} to see how our journey with Celiac Disease has brought awareness, hope, and healing to others.

And I want to talk about it. Share with you all my thoughts on gluten free living and more. But, my blog isn't set up to be primarily a gluten free blog {although I still do and will write about it because, well, it's part of our life}. I've wanted to write more, to share more, to dialogue more with you all, and yet I also knew that I didn't have the time {intentional parenting moment here} to start a second blog.

Enter Udi's Gluten Free.

I don't know if you've noticed, but in the last day I've added a new little feature on the side of the blog. Yep, it's that Udi's Community Leader Badge. Udi's and Blogfrog asked if I would consider becoming a leader in the Udi's Gluten Free Community. I was humbled. And excited. And totally told them yes! Here's why - I'll be able to:

Talk about gluten free living more with you all.
Encourage others in their gluten free journey.
Provide recipes {and find fabulous recipes}.
Bring awareness about Celiac Disease and the Gluten Free life.
Share more of Samuel's story.
Be able to live chat with you all about gluten free.
Have a platform that encourages conversation

The Udi's Gluten Free Community is a beautiful platform for all the above to take place in organic, informational, and encouraging of conversation environment. I am simply thrilled to be able to take part in the amazing dialogue going on over there and to share and to learn more about living a life that is gluten free.

To Udis and Blogfrog? Thank you.
To all of you who have walked this Celiac Disease/Gluten Free journey with me? Thank you.

Just look at that guy. Full of gluten-free health. :)

Now, if you haven't visited the Udi's Gluten Free Community - pop on over. Just today I asked a question asking if the entire family eats gluten free - for us? we almost all do. Samuel and I eat 100% gluten free and everyone else about 85-90% gluten free. I've included my first question below {so feel free to answer...grin}. Anyways, I'm there as well as many other fabulous leaders. Best part? Besides it being free? The wealth of info, support, encouragement, ideas, recipes, news and more that can be found there. :)

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