I want to apologize for my long absence from the blogging world. I've been lost deep in the recesses of Potty Training Land. God, is that a scary place. Does anyone have a map to help me find my way out??
I'm not sure what I expected. My mom told me that I expected perfection too soon, but I would disagree with that. I wasn't expecting perfection, by any means. But I was not expecting to have good days, where Avery told me she needed to go potty and few accidents, followed by a terrible day, where she didn't use the potty once and had accidents all.day.long. This is BY FAR the most frustrating thing I have ever done as a mother. When Avery tells me that she has to pee and we run like idiots to the bathroom (I've almost tripped and broke a bone multiple times trying to make it to the bathroom) and then we get there, I sit her little rump on the potty and she screams like I'm trying to kill her.....that's when I want to stick her back in diapers and hope she'll figure it out by the time she starts school. Then there's other times, where Avery tells me she has to pee and actually does it on the potty without having a single accident...I can see the pride and excitement on her face and I know she just gets it. It's give and take. It's not going to happen overnight...I KNOW that. But when I see statistics that fully potty training your child (no more Pull Ups, no more night wetting) can take up to EIGHT MONTHS, I have a panic attack and want to go hide in a corner. Eight months?? Gah. Honest to goodness, I'm not sure the Good Lord gave me that much patience.
So, to relieve my nerves and to give me a break from talking about nothing but my child's bodily functions, later this week, I'll be doing a "DIY Diva in Training" post! Remember this little beauty?
It's a red corner table that's in desperate need of a new drawer front and a fresh coat of paint. I've been waffling over what to do with this little booger for awhile. I have a picture in my head of what I want it to look like and I've been researching products and methods to make my vision a reality. It's been a long process....thus, no updates on furniture redos. But I have the method in mind and am going to tackle this project THIS WEEK! So be looking for it! :)
Welcome to the Gaddie household. Step inside and hear me use the word "pee pee," "poo-poo" and "big girl panties" probably more than you ever wanted to hear them in your life. That's right. We have officially begun potty training. It has literally happened overnight.
You may remember, maybe a month ago, I took Avery to Walmart to pick out her very own "big girl" potty. We brought home our very own Disney Princess potty that sat proudly in mommy and daddy's bathroom. My intentions were to get the potty early, talk about it, get her accustomed to the fact that we had a potty that she was going to use and then start training after she turned two. But, in true Avery style, SHE'S decided when we're going to do things, and to heck with my plans. She woke up 4 mornings in a row in a completely dry diaper. I thought that was suspicious, so I immediately called my mom to get her opinion. She told me that I needed to start potty training. Cue panic mode. I have NO idea how to potty train a child. Every other process we've gone through has been pretty self-explanatory: Sleep training: let her cry it out. Wean off the bottle and paci: take them away and don't give them back. Wean off formula and give regular milk: gradually introduce it until she's full time milk and no more formula. Easy. Potty training? Not so much. You basically can't do it just "willy-nilly." It works best, from what I've heard and read, if you have a plan in place. To Pinterest I went! I scoured blogs and potty training advice sites and then developed my own plan:
1. Putting her straight into "big girl underwear." Skipping Pull-Ups (except at nighttime....we'll just call them her "special nighttime panties" or something like that) because they're too much like diapers. In regular underwear, she'll be able to recognize that she's wet or dirty, not like the feeling and hopefully correct it sooner. We're doing Gerber potty training pants on first (more absorption ..less mess if she does have an accident), then pretty underwear on over it, so she feels special.
2. Potty time before bed, as soon as she gets up and every 30 minutes during the day.
Fun tip: Pull Ups, even though we're not using the product during daytime training, has a "Big Kid" iPhone app that you can download that has a ton of resources....a potty timer with Minnie Mouse that you can set to go off every 30 minutes, hour, whatever. You can schedule a call to come from Minnie, Cinderella, Tow Mater, etc. to tell your toddler that it's time for a potty break (I WILL be trying that this weekend when I'm home with Avery). Games they can play as a reward whenever they "go" in the potty. Tons of ideas to make potty training more fun for your little.
3. Rewards for pees and poops in the potty. I thought about doing prizes from the Dollar Tree or something else for going "number 2," but realized that means more toys and knick knacks around my house, and that doesn't need to happen. I decided on 1 M&M for pee, 2 for poops.
That's it. We've literally hit the ground running. When Avery and Marty got home yesterday, Avery and I immediately went to town to pick out her "big girl pannies." I talked them up and told her that big girls like mommy and her cousin Kate, who she idolizes, wear them and now it was Avery's turn. She was ecstatic when we picked them out.
Showing off her new big girl undies!
Excited about Princess "pannies!"
I woke Avery up this morning, took her straight to the potty and it began! I know that it's not going to be the easiest thing in the world. She's going to have accidents (she peed a tiny bit in the floor this morning and immediately let me know so I could put her straight on the potty) and it's going to be a learning process that will take much longer than a few days, but it's worth it. It means no more diapers, more money in my pocket and my little girl learning a major milestone. With that, I have a tiny bit of hesitation. Potty training means we've crossed into "big girl world." It's amazing how quickly they grow up and are ready for the next milestone. Sorry....sappy mommy moment. *sigh*
"Mom. Are you seriously taking my picture?"
"But I'm just wearing pannies! Don't take my picture!!"
I feel like my posts have been really heavy lately. Or maybe it's just my life has felt that way. Heavy. Deep. Depressing. Whatever the case is, I need something light. So, enjoy today's post full of fluff and silliness.
10 Things To Know About Me (that are probably going to make you think that I'm crazy):
1. When I sit down to a meal that has multiple components (meat, sides, etc), I eat everything once, individually. Then I decide what the best flavor is and save that to eat for last.....so that will be the last flavor I taste.
2. I physically cannot burp. I've had lessons. Seriously. I have asked my husband and dad to teach me how. I've chugged sodas, swallowed air, patted myself on the stomach. Doesn't happen. Instead, I do this weird gurgly thing that sounds like bubbles are coming out of my throat.
3. I have (self-diagnosed) Misophonia. It basically means I have a sensitivity to noise. I can handle a lot of different noises throughout the day that don't bother me in the least. Then others, like people eating certain foods (chips, popcorn, nuts), certain people eating in general (my sister could make eating spaghetti sound like she's chewing gravel), Styrofoam rubbing together, change jingling, someone constantly digging into a bag of chips, people clipping their fingernails, gum popping...I am insanely hyper-sensitive to. Some sounds, which may not bother other people, are amplified in my mind and drive me crazy. Some of them are just irritating to me, like the Styrofoam and change jingling together, while others, like people eating loudly or popping their gum, enrage me...to the point that I almost yell at the person. I realize this makes me sound like a crazy person. I literally cannot help it. Feel free to judge.
4. I am deathly afraid of birds. This is NOT a joke. If one comes near me, I will probably cry, scream and drop straight to the ground like I've been shot. No, I have never seen the Hitchcock movie "The Birds." No, I cannot give you a concrete reason why I have this fear. Fun facts: my maiden name is Parrett (pronounced "parrot," like the bird) and penguins are my favorite animal.
Amen.
5. I severely dislike the color orange. If Crayola released a statement tomorrow that they've decided to stop production of the orange crayon, I wouldn't care in the least. Flip side? I love the color coral (basically a light orange). Go figure.
6. I love things like making a family budget, figuring out what bills need to be paid on what week and balancing my checkbook to the penny, but I am HORRIBLE at math. That's probably an understatement. My math skills are dismal. Basic addition and subtraction are difficult for me. I have to use a calculator for most math problems. And don't even ask me to figure out a percentage of something. What can I say? I'm a right brain person, 100%. I think creatively, not figuratively. Have you seen this on Pinterest? It's my life.
7. I hate sweets. I do not want chocolate, candy, cake, ice cream, cookies, so please don't offer. Despite my constant rejections year after year, my family members still ask me at every party if I want a piece of birthday cake. No, thank you.
8. If I get into a fight with someone, or feel incredibly upset about something, I clean. Doesn't matter what time of day it is.
9. I have a really hard time falling asleep. It's like I can't turn my brain off. So, to stop thinking about my to-do list or horrible things that happened during the day, right before I go to sleep, I think about being a mermaid (The Little Mermaid is my favorite movie ever). It works every time.
10. During every single movie I watch, I will get on my "IMDB" app on my phone, look it up and read the random trivia they have listed about the movie. It makes me appreciate it that much more, knowing the funny tidbits you don't see while you're watching. For example, did you know that the bucktoothed fish in "Finding Nemo" that yells "Oh my gosh! Nemo's swimming out to sea!" is named Kathy? Now you do. You're welcome.
After re-reading these, I realize I sound like a crazy person. Ah, well.
*sigh* I have yet ANOTHER confession to make. Remember my spending ban that I imposed on myself back in February? (deep breath, Devan. Coming clean makes it easier to recommit and do things right...)
I broke it.
Within like 2 weeks. I bought something for my house and then never looked back. Ugh. I'm a little bit disgusted with myself....but mostly disgusted with the amount of money I could have been saving. Stupid.
But! No time to beat myself up. Time to hoist myself up by my bootstraps and restart my spending ban. Here's my vow:
I, Devan, am on a complete, total and all-encompassing SPENDING (not just shopping) ban, beginning today, May 16th, 2013. I will continue to be on a spending ban for three months, until August 16th, 2013. I will be allowed to buy these things...and ONLY these things:
1. Gas for my vehicle
2. Groceries/food for my family.
3. Items needed for my DIY Divas in Training projects.
4. Summer clothes for Avery (needed. not a joke.)
5. Summer clothes for myself (badly needed. still not a joke.)
6. We, as a family, can go out to eat once every 2 weeks.
7. I will allow myself a fast food Dr. Pepper one time a week.
8. Things for Avery's birthday party (without going overboard, like I always tend to do).
That's it. The end, that's all she wrote, nothing else (are you listening Devan??).
Not only am I on a spending ban, I am implementing a few other plans for my "Penny Pinching" lifestyle.
1. I'm going to start "debt snowballing." Check out some Dave Ramsey stuff.
2. I'm going to put aside a set amount out of every paycheck for savings.
3. I'm going to put aside a set amount out of every paycheck for my remodeled kitchen to be able to pay it in cash.
4. I'm going to make a little extra money by:
-having another yard sale
-selling more paintings
-selling some of my bigger items on eBay
There's my plan. Here's where you come in: if you see me in town and I'm not buying one of these approved items, you have my permission to question me. Seriously. Ask me if I'm buying things off my "spending ban list" and guilt me into putting the stuff back. If you see me at McDonald's, ask how many Dr. Peppers I've had that week. If I tell you more than one, feel free to smack it out of my hand (or take it and put it in the trash...less mopping that way). I'm terrible at self-discipline. Breaking my spending ban is a testament to that. Help me!
It's time for another DIY Diva in Training post! If you read my first post, I attended a 26 mile yard sale in my hometown and made out like a bandit! As a result, my garage is full of furniture pieces that are just waiting for a redo. Some of the bigger pieces, I'm struggling with. I want to paint them and do something fun and interesting, but I don't want to screw them up and make them look silly. After all, they are going in my house and need to match with my decor. So, in the meantime, I started on something easy.....or so I thought. Do you ever have a project that you have something completely in mind and the materials you're working with don't want to cooperate AT ALL? This is mine:
One of my yard sale finds was this thing:
I have NO idea what this is. It's a heavy paper-like material (almost reminds me of cardboard), but moves and is lightweight. Your guess is as good as mine. I was just drawn to the funky geometric pattern. And, it was a whole $1. My sister said I could use it as a stencil, but I had something different in mind. Something that, of course, involved spray paint!
I picked up a can of Krylon Gloss spray paint in "Bright Ideas." I started spraying.....
The piece had spills on it that reminded me of grease or oil. Whatever it was, it wasn't allowing the paint to stick to the material. I sanded it down and then tried again. MUCH better. It took two cans of spray paint and a very heavy hand, but it finally got covered.
My original idea with this was just to paint it and hang in on the wall as a focal piece. Just something fun, like a canvas or a picture. But after working with it a little while, I had more "bulletin board-like" hopes for it. First, I tried putting nails directly into it. But they didn't want to puncture through (I mean, seriously...what IS this thing??). So my next thought was command strips.
Things like this prove that you don't have to find big furniture pieces or expensive art at a yard sale to create something fun for your home. Be on the lookout for the unique! The funky! Don't look at things as they currently are, but as what they COULD be. And always have those creative juices flowing! :)
Note: This post is about my faith in Jesus and thoughts about prayer. I debated for awhile about writing this, but I feel like it's something that's pressing on my heart. If it offends you, I'm sorry. Maybe you should get to know my Jesus a little better so it doesn't. :)
A man in my Sunday school class posed this question this week: Why pray to God for him to change things if bad things are still going to happen to good people?
At first, I was shocked that someone would be so open about their doubts that the Lord answers prayers during a church's Sunday school class. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized....haven't we all been there? Haven't we thought, after losing a loved one: "Where were you God? Why didn't you save my loved one? Why did you take them?" Haven't we thought, after watching a random act of terror happen in our country: "Where were you God? Why would you allow something like that to happen??" After all, don't we, as Christians face the question all the time: "If God existed, why is there suffering in the world?" If you're like me, I've struggled to answer that question. How do you tell an atheist that you just believe. I don't have to have reasons for everything, I just know He's there. I know what He's done in my life and that's proof enough for me. Does that mean my life is easy? Far from it. I've had my share of hard times and grief. God NEVER promised that life as a Christian would be easy. Think about it: if God had promised that, if you became a Christian, life would be without suffering or hardships or grief....don't you think more people would be flocking to Jesus?? A God that promises an easy life with no suffering? Sign me up! No, I don't know why He works the way He does. I don't know why He gives Satan so much power sometimes and allows for bad things to happen. I just have faith. I have faith that God has reasons for everything He does. And that it's not for me to understand everything He has planned. Maybe he took that little girl from this world so another person could watch her bravely fight and come to know Him through her battle. Who am I to question?
As much as I don't know and question God, I do know this:
---Prayer changes things. "Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find." {Matthew 7:7}
Does that mean that God is going to give you exactly what you're praying for? I saw a perfect quote on Pinterest:
"God always answers prayers with 3 answers: 1. Yes 2. Not yet 3. I have something better in mind"
We, as His followers, just have to trust that God is working for your best interests. Yes, sometimes that means letting bad things happen to you. No, I can't explain why.
---We all die. Does that mean that your death will be easy? No. You could get cancer, have a heart attack, be in a car wreck. It may not be pleasant. But stop and think about what's on the other side of death. Jesus. He's waiting for you. I would gladly suffer my last months on Earth, knowing that my Savior is on the other side, waiting with open arms.
I was really stewing about writing this post, because the question in Sunday school really got me thinking. And then this song played on my Pandora station and I knew it was a sign. Whatever you're going through, my friend....He's there. You may feel like He's not listening or He's abandoned you, but He's right by your side.
Do you wonder why you have to,
Feel the things that hurt you,
If there's a God who loves you,
Where is He now?
Maybe, there are things you can't see
And all those things are happening
To bring a better ending
Some day, some how, you'll see, you'll see
Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
That you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
Can't compare to the joy that's coming
So hold on, you got to wait for the light
Press on, just fight the good fight
Because the pain you've been feeling,
It's just the dark before the morning
My friend, you know how this all ends
And you know where you're going,
You just don't know how you get there
So just say a prayer.
And hold on, cause there's good who love God,
Life is not a snapshot, it might take a little time,
But you'll see the bigger picture
Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
That you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
Can't compare to the joy that's coming
So hold on, you got to wait for the light
Press on, just fight the good fight
Because the pain you've been feeling,
It's just the dark before the morning
Yeah, yeah,
Before the morning,
Yeah, yeah
Once you feel the way of glory,
All your pain will fade to memory
Once you feel the way of glory,
All your pain will fade to memory
Memory, memory, yeah
Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
That you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
Can't compare to the joy that's coming
Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
That you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
Can't compare to the joy that's coming
C'mon, you got to wait for the light
Press on, just fight the good fight
Because the pain you've been feeling,
It's just the hurt before the healing
The pain you've been feeling,
Just the dark before the morning
Before the morning, yeah, yeah
Before the morning
If you know me at all, you know that I'm pretty passionate about fighting cancer. No, I'm not a top secret scientist that's trying to find the cure. I'm just a Relay for Life volunteer. I raise money that goes to those scientists to find a cure. Not only that, but this past year, I volunteered to be on the Relay Committee. So. Much. Fun. Yes, planning a huge event like Relay is stressful...but being around people that feel so passionately about finding a cure for cancer is so inspiring. We've all been affected by cancer. Some committee members are cancer survivors, some have lost their spouses, their brothers and sisters. Some, like me, have lost grandparents. We're all there and we've all watched cancer wreak havoc on our lives. Instead of giving up and accepting that cancer is strong, we fight back. Relay provides us a way to stand back up to cancer and tell it that we're sick of it taking our loved ones. We have a ton of committee members. Each has a job that contributes to our Relay event and making it a success. Some committee members focus on the cancer survivors and recognizing them. Some committee members focus on developing existing teams and recruiting new ones. But this year, I reallllllly want to see a new committee position created: The Mission Committee Chairperson.
The Mission Committee Chair would be in charge of educating people about cancer. I saw a great quote the other day: "Knowing cancer exists is not enough. Get informed. And pass it on." Yes, you knew that colon cancer exists. You may know that getting a colonoscopy can detect the presence of colon cancer. But did you know that over 50,000 people will die of colon cancer this year? And did you know that of that 50,000 over HALF of them could have been saved with a colonoscopy? The survival rate for people with colon cancer that was detected early is 90%! NINETY PERCENT.
Here's another fun fact. Did you know that obesity is the second leading risk factor leading to cancer? Second only to tobacco use. Tobacco use...we knew. But obesity can cause cancer?? Cancer research shows that 1/3 of all cancers can be attributed to poor diet and lack of exercise. I had no idea that obesity was a risk factor.
We NEED this information out there. We need someone to tell people about all the things they can do to prevent getting cancer. Someone to teach about sun care and smoking and getting colonoscopies. No, that doesn't mean that you have to have all the answers or know everything there is to know about cancer prevention. You just need to be passionate about finding a cure and fighting back against cancer so less people get diagnosed. Is this you? Did I just describe something you're passionate about?? Well, you're in luck!! Send me a message...email, Facebook, blog comment...and let me know if you're interested in serving as the Mission Chairperson for the Relay for Life Etown event. I promise, we'll pump you up and get you passionate about fighting cancer...all while having fun and making relationships with other people that are just as excited about finding a cure as you are. WE NEED YOU! (for real. send me a message. I would love to have friends on the committee ;) ).
Where my divas at?? No, not you, lady who makes her husband go shopping with her and hold her bag the entire time. Or you, woman that gets a mani/pedi every other day so her polish can match her outfits. Where my DIY divas at?? The ladies that are interested in decorating their homes for pennies at a time, while still staying as stylish as possible. For all YOU diva-licious DIY'ers, this post is for you.
I know I tempted you the other day with pictures of all of the furniture pieces I plan to redo and breathe life into. But this post isn't about any of those furniture pieces.....sorrrrrry! Instead, it's about how to make a big impact on your wall for not a lot of big money.
I love big pieces. I love big wall art and I hope to own my own painting one day to hang in my home. Unfortunately though, the budget doesn't really allow for any art right now. So I decided to make a focal piece on my own. Wanna know how? Follow me!
Go to your local craft store....I picked Michael's (basically because it's the only one in my town to choose from). I picked up a large filigree wooden frame and my last initial.
Next, I went to Walmart and bought some spray paint. Our bedroom is mostly grey and yellow with some mint green accents thrown in. There's a whole lot of grey and there's yellow on the bedspread, but I needed to incorporate more green. So I chose to paint my frame grey (to be able to use in other parts of my home if I decided to put it in another room) and the initial green. The actual spray paint colors were Krylon Jade and Smoke Grey.
After I spray painted the two pieces, I hung it up in our bedroom.
Seriously, that's it. I plan on adding something else to each side (I'm a symmetrical kind of girl), but that'll be in the future. Ready for the cost? The huge frame was $7.99, the initial was $4.99 and the spray paint was $3.49 a can--which I probably used a 1/4 of the can. I can't afford a giant piece of art to hang in my bedroom. So this'll do for now.
Do we realize how blessed we are to live in a world full of technology that we can access at all times of the day? Literally, if we need an answer to ANYTHING....to Google we go! And (for the most part) we are handed a wealth of knowledge, just waiting for us to read and explore more.
I mentioned this a little bit yesterday on Facebook, but ever since I determined I needed to back on my gluten free diet, I've felt pretty isolated. Everyone around me is enjoying bread and dumplins and more bread and spaghetti....and I couldn't have any of it. It sucked. I wasn't sure what I could eat, what would hurt my stomach, what things I should stay far away from. So every meal ended up being an experiment of what types of gluten I could and couldn't handle. I've come to the conclusion that I can't handle much of it...at all.
First, let me back up. I have not been officially diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Since today kicks of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, I thought I would educate you a little more about what this is. People with Celiacs have an immune reaction in their small intestine when they eat anything that contains gluten. Eating gluten can cause intense pain, bathroom issues (do I really need to go into detail??), weight issues, all that jazz. Great....what's gluten? you ask. Gluten is what is found in wheat, barley and rye. It's also what makes dough stretchy and stick together (Gluten--glue). Back in the summer of 2010, I was having a ton of stomach problems. Lots of tests later and I still didn't have much of an answer...but my doctor suggested a gluten free diet. He told me I could have "a touch of Celiac Disease." So I cut out all whole grains, whole wheat and pizza dough and felt great. I could still have white bread, pasta, breading on foods...it was a happy compromise. Now, fast forward to present day. Shortly after going "semi-gluten free," I got pregnant with Avery. All my stomach pains went away and I was able to eat pretty much whatever I wanted without any consequences. And that lasted up until last month. Avery is almost two and it's taken that long for my stomach to go back to its old ways. So I thought I would start slow, just like last time, cutting out all the things that bothered me before. But then I continued to eat the white bread, pasta and breadings just like before....except this time, I've been really sick. There's been one night this week where I haven't gone to bed in terrible pain from whatever I ate for dinner. Here's where I started to feel really lost. I wasn't completely gluten free before, so I didn't know where to start. I started diving into gluten free blogs and Twitter accounts and Pinterest recipes (my apologizes to everyone who follows me on Pinterest and whose boards were filled with GF recipes the other day...). Some shocking items I've learned I can't have:
Pickles may contain gluten. Some companies use a malt vinegar in their pickling process, which contains gluten.
Fast food french fries are not gluten free (even though potatoes are). I learned the hard way that McDonald's coats their fries in wheat for "flavoring." Which begs the question: who tasted the first McDonald's fry and said "You know what this needs?? Wheat."
Sauces/salad dressings (which stinks because sometimes at a restaurant, salads are the only GF thing on their menu).
Most potato chips
Meatloaf (contains breadcrumbs as a binding agent).
Soy sauce (my Chinese/Japanese loving self wants to cry at this one).
I could go on forever about things that I've eaten that I've had a reaction to. Bottom line: it stinks. There's lots of yummy things that I formally loved that will not be able to cross my lips anymore. But there are a million resources out there I've found that make me feel less alone. I was really worried about how I was going to feed my family with my gluten intolerance. I definitely didn't want to be making two separate meals every night: one for my husband and daughter and one GF for me. On the flip side, I didn't want to punish them and take away all the breads and pasta and things just because I couldn't have it. Thanks to Pinterest though, I've found some pretty fantastic recipes that seem like my family won't even miss the gluten (If you have Celiacs or are trying a GF diet, I HIGHLY recommend following Udi's on Pinterest and Twitter).
And I will say this--I've been eating WAY healthier since I've gone GF. At a restaurant, I'm forced to order things like grilled chicken (can't have breading) and rice (can't have any veggies or sides that are breaded or may be cooked with gluten containing foods) and I feel a lot better. I can tell a huge difference (apart from the pain) when I cheat and eat one of my daughter's mini cinnamon rolls or try to eat a McDonald's breakfast. I feel like CRAP. Gluten free may not be such a bad thing--especially for my waistline!
First, I realize that not many of my followers or readers may be dealing with this. But I wanted to reach out to those of you that may be experiencing a gluten intolerance, or even Celiac Disease. Or maybe you're just in a lot of stomach pain and they can't give you any answers. I hear you. And Celiacs is still a new-ish thing. People every day are being mis-diagnosed with other issues when they actually have Celiacs. In fact, they expect the diagnosis rate to increase by 50-60% by 2019 because we'll be learning more and more about gluten and the symptoms of a gluten intolerance. You're not alone! Read up on Celiac and a GF diet and educate yourself! There's a million and one resources out there to make this transition as easy as possible. And I'm here. :)
