Be One: Being One with the Saints

Hi! 😀 Yesterday morning, I was a speaker in my ward's sacrament meeting! I had several friends ask if they could have a copy of my talk, so I decided to publish it here on my blog! 😃 While I had such a great time researching and writing my talk (I would have enjoyed the process even if it was only for me!), I'm so very happy others found my words to be helpful! 💛 I hope you enjoy them, too! 😘 Have a wonderful day! 😁

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Be One: Being One with the Saints 
Adrie Peterson
03/17/2019 

Good morning! 😀 I’m super excited with the topic I’ve been asked to speak about, which is: Be One: Being One with the Saints. 

To begin, let’s discuss what it really means to be considered a saint. We’re not talking about the worldly view of sainthood—you know, the one that engenders the image of perfection with a halo on top—rather, the true, foundational definition of saints contained in the scriptures.

While summarizing the Book of Acts with my daughter for her World Religions class, I enjoyed knowing that the first disciples of Christ—the believers—were always called saints—even though they fumbled their way through everything and frequently made mistakes. In the Bible Dictionary, it clarifies that in the New Testament, saints are all those who entered into the Christian covenant through baptism. In Guide to the Scriptures, a saint is defined as a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ. Mosiah 3:19 explains that we becometh saints through the atonement of Christ the Lord. Romans 1:7 tells us that those who are “beloved of God” are “called to be saints.”

From these examples, it’s evident that if we’ve been given the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we’ve been baptized in His name, and we’re striving our best to be His disciples, and we’re faithfully utilizing His Atonement, and we are obviously “beloved of God,” then we, too, are called to be saints—the latter-day version! 😊

Okay, so now that we know all current members of the Church of Jesus Christ are called to be Latter-day Saints, why is it important that we continually be one with the saints?

As you well know, we are currently living in a fallen world where things are definitely less than celestial.

Journalist and author, Sebastian Junger, has written a book that talks about how our modern society—while great for ease, convenience, physical health, safety, affluence, and other positives—is actually causing us significant psychological problems, which include increasing rates of depression, PTSD, and suicide.

He points out our great need for belonging in tight-knit communities that highlight loyalty, meaning, and opportunities to help others. He explains that when humans don’t have those close, interpersonal relationships with opportunities to participate, collaborate, and be involved in others’ lives, we will absolutely not do well. He further states that, “Humans do not survive alone in nature—they don’t survive psychologically, and they don’t survive physically—they die in every sense.”

He also writes about how contempt is especially corrosive to the unity we humans are seeking and yearning for because it implies that one group doesn’t deserve society’s benefits.

All of that said, Mr. Junger shares this good news: that being embedded in a close community buffers people from their psychological problems. He absolutely believes that the way to save humanity begins at the community level.

I couldn’t help but associate all of that information with the significant benefits of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s amazing to see how our Church—and all it encompasses—meets every one of his criteria for psychological health and well-being. We just have to be willing to fully participate in the Church—to the best of our abilities! 😊

To further back up my feelings, I’d like to share a little of what I’ve been learning through my study of positive psychology—which is defined as: the scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Positive psychologists have found that the ancient Greeks were right in their definition of happiness, which is: the joy that we feel in striving for our potential. Researchers have also found that joy is inextricably linked to meaning, and happiness is linked to the way we live our lives. They’ve concluded that real social connection is as predictive of how long we’ll end up living as obesity, high blood pressure, and smoking. Their findings prove just how much we genuinely need each other!

After all I’ve experienced and researched in my life, I can’t think of a better place where people can go to strive toward their potential, find meaning, and experience happiness, than our Church. Truly, living the gospel of Jesus Christ is our Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness! 😊

For years, scientific studies have found that when people practice and experience more gratitude, they report feeling happier, healthier, and more connected to others. Grateful people also feel humble and have a larger response in the brain toward charitable giving.

Positive psychology research also shows that when meditation is combined with gratitude, the body relaxes, breathing is regulated, and the brain experiences feelings of safety and love. And those benefits last longer the more a person practices it. In fact, if a person meditates on gratitude for less than two minutes every morning for 21 days, they will become happier and more optimistic!

While that happy information is fantastic all on its own, neuroscientist Andrew Newberg has found through his research that prayer is much better and more powerful than basic meditation or mindfulness training. He has proof that when athletes—who believe in God—pray, something happens in their brains that actually improves their athletic performance!

But let’s take all of that information a spiritual step further. I find it fascinating that in our Church, we know through revelation that the second step of prayer—after lovingly addressing our Father in Heaven—is to express gratitude and thanksgiving. It’s wonderful that, from day one, we are taught the four principles of prayer. Yes, Heavenly Father created His plan so that every one of us will succeed in happiness throughout our entire lives if we will simply pray with gratitude every day! 😊

“Happiness researchers” have also discovered that when people write in their journals about gratitude—including reflecting on all the people and even their ancestors who helped them get where they are in their lives—their brains show a greater neural response to giving, their gratitude increases, and their overall happiness increases, which helps them rise to their challenges of daily living.

They also found that when people write in their journals about one meaningful experience they’ve had over the past 24 hours, their brain doubles the value of that experience. If they do that journaling exercise for 21 days, they’ll find an upward trajectory of meaning in their lives which results in greater happiness!

That reminds me of our Church leaders’ continual counsel to keep a journal, and the power that accompanies our writing efforts. It’s not a coincidence that the scriptures contain verses that urge record keeping. And just think about the amazing opportunity we’re given to do temple and family history work because of our Church. The blessings of turning our hearts to our fathers and mothers are legitimate!

I could go on for days about the scientifically-proven physical and emotional benefits of exercising! Every day, our bodies are meant to move at whatever level of ability we’ve been given. When we follow the crucial health principle of physical exercise, our brains understand that our behavior matters—which is optimism—which causes us to create an entire constellation of positive habits around us. And this falls right in line with the scriptural teaching that each of our precious bodies are temples of God, and we must care for them as such.

Positive psychologists have also found that random acts of kindness are happiness multipliers. Not only do random acts of kindness make the receiver happy, but as soon as the giver starts talking about those acts, or thinking back on them, they immediately start to smile. Random acts of kindness also show us how powerful we are—that we have the power to change the reality we see around us; that we can improve the lives of others!

Obviously, we can choose to do random acts of kindness for others every day of our lives—it’s exactly what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to do! But again, we have so many additional opportunities to bless the lives of others because of our membership and dedicated service in the Church.

I enjoy knowing that the science of positive psychology is now validating what many souls have found in religion for thousands of years. Science keeps showing that the things religious traditions have been teaching are actually valid. Oh how I would love to introduce those researchers, psychologists, and scientists to the benefits of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

But wait! There’s more! 😀

While researching stem cells, I came across a study that floored me. Dr. Omar Yilmaz, a gastrointestinal pathologist and professor, has discovered that a single 24-hour fast dramatically improves the function of stem cells and their ability to regenerate—regardless of the age of the patient.

I’ve personally experienced and witnessed the awesome and humbling miracles of following the Lord’s commandment of fasting, but this new information about stem cells was positively thrilling! And just as a side-note reminder from President Joseph F. Smith, “There is such a thing as overdoing. A man may fast and pray till he kills himself; and there isn’t any necessity for it; nor wisdom in it.”

Last year, I was excited to learn of the scientifically-proven physical and emotional benefits of singing in a choir which include: strengthened feelings of togetherness; regulated heart rates; reductions in stress levels and depression; improved symptoms of Parkinson’s and lung disease; improved feelings of social well-being; and increased life expectancies.

I’ve always loved singing in ward choirs because each musical experience fills my soul—so I would have kept participating regardless of what the research shows. But you must admit how fun it is that science is now backing up what D&C 25:15 has taught us for years: “For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.”

Yet, when we really think about it, should any of this wonderful news I’ve shared today surprise us? Because as we know from Moses 3:5, “...the Lord God created all things…spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.” Of course, our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us! He has clearly told us that His work and His glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men and women—He has fully provided our way to happiness! All we have to do is follow His plan!

Three days ago, I was introduced to the amazing conversion story of Dusty Smith on one of my favorite podcasts, “This is the Gospel.” As I listened to his testimony of how he became a member of our beloved Church, was subsequently excommunicated, and ultimately and humbly came back into the fold 26 years later, I was overcome with emotion! His utterly miraculous story shows just how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each and every one of us, and how intimately involved They are in our lives! Brother Smith’s incredible experiences remind us how vitally important it is for each of us to be one with the saints.

Finally, we are taught in 1st Corinthians 1:10 and Ephesians 2:19–20 that we should strive to have no divisions among us, be perfectly joined together as fellowcitizens with the saints, and be of the household of God who are built upon the cornerstone of Jesus Christ.

What it all comes down to is that our Heavenly Father dearly loves each of us and wants us to be like Him! He wants us to experience true joy through continual learning and personal growth. He wants us to follow the supreme example of Jesus Christ and return home to His eternal family. 💛

I encourage each of us to follow Elder Quentin L. Cook’s wise words. He said, “As individuals, we would do well to evaluate our effort[s] in pursuing missionary work, temple and family history work, and preparations to meet God.” Yes, truly, this life is our time to prepare to meet God! 😊

I have a great love for our Heavenly Parents, our Savior, and His Church. I am a true believer in every sense of the word. I am enthusiastically and gratefully all in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 😊

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 💛

Fankle Recovery, Month Seven

(This is my seventh post in My Fankle Journey.)

Wow, I can't believe it's actually been seven full months since my posterior tibial tendon surgery (August 3rd, 2016)! When I began my Fankle journey, I honestly never thought my recovery would take this long! And yet here I am, still quite in the middle of my ankle-surgery recovery. So, I thought I'd give a little bit of an update as to where Fankle stands today! 😉

I still have stiffness and some degree of pain in my Fankle every morning when I wake up. It doesn't seem to matter what I've done the day before, I'm still always aware that Fankle exists. I can stretch and stretch my calf and ankle until I feel I'm going to scream from the tediousness of it all (#mytedioustendon! ha ha), and finally feel better for a little while, but it never lasts long. I'll excitedly think, "Hey! Maybe I am improving! Maybe I'll feel significantly better tomorrow!" But sadly, I wake up the very next morning with my familiar ankle stiffness/pain in tow. It's very disheartening and beyond frustrating.

I've had a few blessed days over the past seven months where I didn't have pain (just an awareness that Fankle exists), but they didn't last. 😢 I've tried to figure out any sort of pattern as to what I did differently that made my pain disappear during those minuscule days, but for the life of me, I can't see any regularity in my behavior that constitutes a pain-free, non-tight Fankle.

I wear supportive athletic shoes with good arch supports about 80% of the time; I've stretched Fankle until the cows come home; I've iced my way through untold on-demand TV episodes; I've worn high heels once in a while to give my tendon a break (Because I have high arches, high heels are truly such a nice break{!}, which I know sounds a little nutty, but it's true!); I've massaged my ankle for unbelievably lengthy periods of time; I've taken super hot showers; I've done and done and done! But after all of my work and experimenting, nothing makes sense as to what makes my Fankle totally pain-free for longer than one day at a time.

The one thing that does make sense is this: I will definitely not take any more pain pills during the rest of my recovery unless it's absolutely necessary. I've learned that it's much better to feel my ankle pain every day so I don't overdo it, than to blissfully not feel any pain at all and definitely overdo it. (I already explained in my post, "Fanklebaby" about the negative effects of NSAIDs on tendon healing, which is the main reason I don't take ibuprofen on a regular basis.)

Every time I've taken ibuprofen during the day (maybe four times in the past seven months?), I've totally regretted it the next day. My Fankle always seems to take at least three days to recover from my pain-free ibuprofen-induced frivolity 😉, and I'll not to do it anymore! In my defense, I took pain meds in the first place because I was enduring Shark Week, i.e., it was that not-so-lovely time of the month and I needed some real help to survive my day! Thus, after all of my efforts, I'm trying to convince myself that it's just a matter of time for my ankle pain to fully subside.

From all the research I've done (I've spent uncountable hours researching posterior tibial tendon repair surgeries!), I see over and over that until about nine–12 months, ankle surgery patients are still suffering and feeling some sort of pain on a daily basis. Yeah, that would have been great information for my podiatrist to give me before and after my surgery!

My only criticism of my podiatrist is that he definitely should have prepared me for a year-long recovery! Yet nothing in our appointments leading up to my surgery ever indicated such a lengthy, complicated, heart-wrenching recovery! But maybe it's just me who's struggling? #idon'tthinkso! 😒 I'm sincerely not trying to diss my podiatrist—I know he's one of the best podiatrists in my area—but I honestly wonder what he was thinking when he prepared me for surgery and left out the vitally important year-long-recovery bit?!?! #frustration!

*One of the reasons I continue sharing my experiences with posterior tibial tendon surgery recovery is to help others in the same boat know what to expect. I've been greatly helped by people online sharing their experiences with the same surgery I had, so I hope I can help someone else navigate this painful process in the future!

I promise, I don't mean to sound so gloomy! I'm just being realistic. Recovering from major ankle surgery is a major deal, plain and simple!

The good news is, I am getting stronger! Yay! When I first began my new at-home physical therapy regimen (after I finished my in-office physical therapy—December 27th, 2016), I was ridiculously sore every single day. I almost couldn't even stand to walk around my house! No pun intended! It took everything inside of me to keep doing my physical therapy routine on a daily basis. After I completed my first week of at-home physical therapy, I finally began to feel a little less sore. At week two, I thought, "I'm going to survive!" 😊

As I've said before, obedience takes strength! And it took a lot of physical, emotional, and spiritual strength for me to stick with my entire physical therapy program (in-office and at-home) for 17 full weeks!

Thus, there really aren't enough positive words/sayings/descriptions to express how thrilled I was when I completed my entire physical therapy program on February 8th, 2017! Aahh! 😁 I was beyond excited and happy to finally be rid of my daily physical therapy routines! I don't know if I've ever been so tired and filled with pain for such a long period of time. So yeah, it feels unbelievably great knowing I've done my very best! 

As I've continued recovering, I've been exercising to my PiYo videos occasionally over the past several weeks. PiYo has been really fun(!), but I could tell after completing several videos that Fankle wasn't doing very well with it—even though it's pretty much all non-impact. Near the beginning of doing PiYo, my ankle began swelling again and I took it as a sign that I needed to back off the serious exercising for a few more weeks. Lately, Fankle has been much less swollen, and I'm really excited about that improvement! 😀

*Side note: One of my physical therapists said it would take about six months for the swelling in my ankle to go completely away, and she was right. It was probably around six-and-a-half months when Fankle finally stopped being swollen consistently every day. As I've begun month seven of my recovery, the swelling is pretty much gone! Hip hip hooray! Occasionally I'll have some swelling right around my surgical site if I've been on my feet for many hours without taking a break. But I think it's safe to say that the extreme swelling I endured for so many months on end is (hopefully) a thing of the past!

My great news happened on February 4th when I s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d my ankle while reading a book in bed. (That sounds lazy, but I literally had no more get up and go juice left inside of me! I was beyond exhausted and simply had to take a break. If I hadn't fully rested that day, I honestly think I could have fallen asleep in the middle of my day!) Let me explain...

One of the things I did while recovering from my longboarding accident—before my surgery—was stretching my ankle by pulling my toes upward. Whenever I did that motion (usually in bed while I was barely waking up) I felt a sickening, prickly, stinging sensation in my posterior tibial tendon. Yes, it was very painful, but it was also the strangest feeling i'd ever experienced. At the time, I couldn't pinpoint what that pain was; what was causing it; what it meant; or how describe it to anyone, but now I know better!

It sounds horrible, but I know now that every time I stretched my toes and pulled my foot upward (before my surgery), I was pulling apart any healing that my posterior tibial tendon had accomplished. 😓 I'm guessing I probably made my torn tendon worse with every foot flex! I shudder to think about those icky moments!

So, four Saturdays ago, when I was stretching my foot like I had many times in the past, I felt something very different. I suddenly felt strength in my posterior tibial tendon! Yes, I still have ankle pain (probably from scar tissue), but I no longer feel the same weakness, or experience that intense fear/worry that I've endured for so many months. (It's been nine months {tomorrow} since my accident!) I nearly cried tears of joy for feeling that new strong sensation! I only hope that lovely feeling continues!

I'm sure some of you will laugh at me for sharing this, but one of the things that's been sooo hard for me is not being able to wear every pair of my favorite high heels like I want. Yes, I'm able to wear wedges and many versions of high heels, but I haven't been able to wear all of my awesome platform high heels just yet—Fankle is simply not ready for them. Even though I have so many cute pairs of high heels that I really want to wear to church again (and my church wardrobe is subsequently smaller because some of my dresses are too long for non-platform shoes), I'll have to continue being patient. #thestoryofmylife! 😂

I repeatedly tell myself, "Wait until ____ months, then reevaluate where you are. Maybe after ____ months you can wear those platform high heels again!" It's become quite comical (and frustrating) that I'm still telling myself that same bit of advice no matter how many months pass! The good news is, I can see real progress in my high-heal-wearing abilities! 👠 I'm getting better and better at wearing them with each passing Sunday! #yayme! I don't want to get overly excited, but I think I might be able to wear all of my shoes (for limited periods of time) within another month or two! #freakin'hallelujah! I'll just have to patiently wait and see...

One area of my recovery that continues to puzzle me is that my posterior tibial muscle itself continues to be so darn tight and achy all along/behind my tibia. I keep thinking it will loosen up one of these days, but it's not happening. Yes, I expected my tendon to be tight because it had surgery and the scar tissue has built up—but not my entire muscle!

There are days when I just want to take a big soup spoon and push/dig/scrape my posterior tibial muscle until it finally relaxes! That sounds insane, but I can't describe it any other way. Plus, the posterior tibial muscle is just super hard to get at. I've watched massage videos to see how they access it, but I've not been very successful at it myself. The good news is, my muscle tightness has improved/relaxed a teeny bit over the past month! It's by no means perfect yet, but I'm finally catching this little glimmer of hope that one day I won't want to dig my calf muscle with a soup spoon! Ha ha. 😄

I'm also beyond ready to be able to run up and down my stairs again! It's crazy to think how much the little things bother us when we aren't able to do them anymore. I had years when I was exhausted every day because of my hypothyroidism, and running up/down the stairs was the last thing I wanted to do! Yet, oh my, what I wouldn't give to be able to fully bound up and down the stairs any time I want! That said, I've felt a smidgen of improvement on my stairs the past couple of weeks! I tried bounding just a little bit, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! Yay! Thus, I'm going to keep trying a little more every day! Within reason, of course...

One thing that has helped me tremendously over the past several weeks was something President Russell M. Nelson said in his most recent Worldwide Devotional. He said (these are separate paragraphs throughout his talk—emphasis added),

"When I was a young medical student, my rigorous study of the human body convinced me that God lived. And as I came to know that the body was God’s creation, I became increasingly intrigued with the [divine laws] of God that govern the function of the body." 

"Divine law is incontrovertible and irrefutable. Divine law cannot be denied or disputed." 

"...Not even for God’s prophet could the [divine] law relating to the transmission of electricity be ignored." 

"In a coming day, you will present yourself before the Savior. You will be overwhelmed to the point of tears to be in His holy presence. You will struggle to find words to thank Him for paying for your sins, for forgiving you of any unkindness toward others, for healing you from the injuries and injustices of this life."

While President Nelson was mainly referring to heart surgery in this example of divine law, the Holy Ghost helped me take his words in a completely different direction because I needed that spiritual uplift. 😇

As I thought about my human body in relation to what President Nelson taught, I internalized that our Heavenly Father's divine laws also apply to me.

I thought about the fact that tendons are one of the s.l.o.w.e.s.t. healing tissues in the human body.

I thought about the fact that my ankle's blood supply isn't the greatest right where the posterior tibial tendon is. Yet I know that's exactly how the human body had to be formed—because what if our ankles had a gushing blood supply like we do in our heads? Can you imagine the amount of blood that would pool/escape if/when we accidentally cut our feet? If we had the same amounts of blood in our feet as we do in our heads, we could bleed out so very quickly because of gravity pulling the blood away from our hearts.

I also thought about the fact that the posterior tibial tendons are two of the most important tendons in the human body! Because of their great importance in holding up the arches of our feet, of course the posterior tibial tendons take even longer to heal than most other tendons—more of our mobility is at risk, so they must be darn well strong enough to support our bodies' "suspension bridges"!

I thought about how any tissue in the human body won't grow to its full potential unless and until it is worked and moderately stressed. Without resistance, human tissues atrophy—which is exactly what happened when I was fully protected by my boot/cast and crutches! My calf muscle shrank an enormous amount. And my thigh and buttock muscles shrank a pretty significantly, too. Yes, I had to let my ankle tissues (posterior tibial tendon, tendon sheath, flexor retinaculum, skin) heal from the surgery, but they were nowhere near completely healed until the pressure, weight, and stretching happened from putting my full body weight on my foot. Basically (and obviously!), I had to work to regain my ankle motion and muscle strength!

In further pondering my ankle's recovery and divine law, I find it fascinating that we are commanded to work. Our Heavenly Father's divine law dictates that our growth and healing—whether it be physical or spiritual—won't ever be complete unless we work. Jesus Christ's work is what created our beautiful Earth, and His work is precisely what will bring us back to our Heavenly Father. He said, "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39.)

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of our Heavenly Father's divine law in action! Because of His example, I know that the same divine law that required our Savior to atone for our sins (and die for each one of us) applies to me and my Fankle recovery.

*Before anyone thinks I'm being sacrilegious, please know that I fully understand that my ankle surgery and recovery are nowhere near the Atonement, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. I'm simply stating the fact that divine law applied to Jesus Christ, and divine law applies to me, too.

When I remember to think of my recovery in terms of divine law, I have greater patience in my daily ankle pain and the exhaustion of my recovery. Best of all, I have true hope for a full recovery one day! #prettyplease?! Thus, I'm working at keeping the perspective of divine law in my mind at all times. Of course, some days are easier than others, but I keep trying! 👍 😎

Finally, while I've spent an extensive amount of time complaining in this post about my situation, fatigue, and pain, I want it to be known that the positive difference between Fankle at six months and seven months (first week of February, 2017–first week of March, 2017) is significant. 😀 I most definitely see progress since I finished my at-home physical therapy! And that is a positive I'm trying to remember every day! #somedaysarebetterthanothers I simply wish that my ankle recovery was progressing faster than it is!

Thus, we see that as much as I've felt successful at gaining patience over my lifetime (I've improved a lot, I promise!), I obviously have more work to do! #don'tweall?! I absolutely know that our Heavenly Father sees my progress (And my blessed angels are taking notes! 😇 Ha ha.), but He clearly wants more for my soul, thus, here I still find myself, standing in this extended Fankle-recovery position.

I will absolutely keep going no matter what! I won't ever give up! I will continue working diligently to regain my ankle function, and I'll get myself back in shape to the very best of my ability! But I know both of those goals will take time, and I'm in it for the long haul. As much as I can't wait for all of those positive things to happen (I'm so excited to be fully healed and physically fit again!), I will wait because I have no other option! 😉

19 Years!

Today is a special day for my husband and me! 19 years ago, today, at 10:20 a.m., Greg and I were married and sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple!

It's amazing for me to think back on our life together. From our precious time dating, to our endless waiting while he was a missionary in Japan, to our thrilling engagement, and finally our sacred marriage and eternal sealing, my heart is overwhelmed with happiness! Has life been perfect for Greg and me? No, absolutely not. Yet because we have each other, we are perfectly happy together!

This morning as I walked awkwardly down the stairs in my big boot with a laundry basket, Greg was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a big smile on his handsome face. :) His combed, shiny black hair and glasses totally reminded me of Clark Kent! He was wearing his black and white "H" shirt in honor of his Harvard distance class that he'll be participating in tonight.

Smiling Greg took my laundry basket, smiled even brighter, got down on one knee, pulled a little, tan, textured box out of his pocket, opened it, presented it to me and said, "Will you marry me again? Because I would marry you again and again and again!" I excitedly said, "YES! I will marry you a million times!" Then I hugged and kissed and hugged him! Greg pushed the ring box toward me and said, "Well?! Aren't you going to put it on?! You've been so patient!"

Oh, my darling Gregor knows me so well! He knows how much I love beautiful jewelry, and indeed how difficult it was for me to wait so patiently for my amazing Jose Hess ring! You see, I've been eyeing this designer ring for just over two years! Yet it was just never the right time for us to buy this ring because it was too pricey for our family's budget.

So when I randomly stumbled across "my" ring during an internet search (Remember, I've had a lot of down time due to Fankle!) and saw that it was 55% off, well, I just had to have it! I totally love that I "conveniently" found out about my ring right before our 19th wedding anniversary! Yes, I have a delightful shopping angel for sure! Ha ha.

Here is a collage of my happiest ring:

I took three of the photos from JTV, and obviously, my copyright doesn't apply to those. :)

The reasons I love my new ring so much are:

1. It's sterling silver. From the research I've done, sterling silver is the best metal for your skin—it's the least toxic.
2. It has cubic zirconia stones. Even though diamonds are the traditional stone for anniversary bands, and they're much harder, I have issues with the way diamonds have messed up the lives and economies of the people and countries who mine them. Plus, cubic zirconia stones are only one-and-a-half steps down from diamonds on the Mohs Hardness Scale; they're also only a half-step away from rubies, sapphires and emeralds!
3. It's in the shape of a braid. I've done research in the past to see the history of wedding rings. Apparently back in the day (thousands of years ago), couples in love exchanged rings made out of braided or woven rushes/grasses to show their love and commitment to each other. I like that this ring reminds me of the longevity of the wonderful institution of traditional marriage—I love feeling connected to the past love stories of our world! :)
4. I've always had a thing for long, beautiful, leafy vines—this ring reminds me of the kind I used to doodle as a teenager. :)
5. I love the fact that I waited just over two years for my ring, which is the exact amount of time I had to wait for Greg to return from his mission in Japan!
6. It reminds me of a laurel wreath which represents victory. Yes, Greg and I have absolutely been victorious in our marriage for the past 19 years! :)
7. My darling, wonderful, sweet, and oh-so-charismatic husband presented it to me in the best way possible! I never imagined he would do something so romantic! Be still my heart! :)

Now, maybe some of you are thinking, "Well, the way Greg presented the ring to her wasn't that romantic...", and you might be right. But for me—Adrie Peterson, eternal wife of Gregory Peterson—the way I was presented my lovely anniversary ring was exactly perfect and utterly romantic to the max!

You see, when a married couple has been through as much as Greg and I have (especially recently), our happiest little encounter at the bottom of our stairs this morning couldn't have been more perfect! Heart sigh. :) Besides, time was of the essence: Greg had to get on a business call and I had many loads of laundry to fold—still do! Ha ha.

Yes, romantic moments can be fully had when we least expect them. Romance comes in all sorts of ways—we just need to be ready and willing to participate when those moments are available! And we shouldn't ever try to force romance into a box (pardon the pun!), for there isn't just one right way to be romantic! We must forever cherish whatever romantic moments we're given—with our whole hearts and souls!

I'm so grateful for the smiles Greg has given to me for the past 22 years! (I'm including the time since we met each other.) No amount of money or possessions will ever compare to the spiritual connection, physical love, and eternal dedication that Greg and I share. When all is said and done in this crazy world, there will still be Greg and Adrie for eternity!

P.S. This is exactly how I feel about my Gregor! :)

Exercise Prosperity: P90X and INSANITY Workout Schedule

Hello! Today I'm sharing how I've combined the P90X and INSANITY workout programs. This is my fifth post in my Exercise Prosperity series. As I've said previously, no one has asked me to write this, nor am I being compensated in any way for my words—I simply love sharing what makes me happy and healthy!

Last year, after I finished trying out my new Insanity videos, I was ready to combine them with P90X. I sat down on my exercise mat and spread out my P90X and Insanity DVDs. Previously, I put them in their own separate cases because I didn't like the cardboard flip DVD cases they came in—they seemed to scratch them. I used a big box of blank/empty DVD cases that I bought at Sam's Club years ago. I wrote the DVD titles on large note cards as cutely/nicely as I could and slid them in the front of the cases.

After thinking deeply about each P90X and Insanity video, I decided what category they fell into, and alternated the two programs' videos. I spent about 45 minutes arranging and rearranging my videos according to which body areas each video focused on. I really wanted my body to be exercised well, but not the same areas on subsequent days. I knew my tired body parts would need a rest the next day and wanted to focus on other areas that weren't sore. After I was satisfied with my arrangement, I wrote down my workout schedule on notebook paper and put the videos on our bookshelf next to the TV.

I went through my initial P90X/Insanity schedule twice. My third time through, I decided to take notes on how I felt after doing each video because I felt there were some tweaks in my combinations that needed to be made—and I was right! After my third session, I spent another 25 minutes on my happy exercise mat rearranging my DVDs and felt really good about my changes. Yet after my fourth run-through, I realized there was one more modification that needed to be made to my schedule. Thus, I'm very happy to say that I'm finally satisfied with that fourth arrangement, and I'm on my third time through it! :)

By the by, I've combined the P90X and Insanity videos differently than any of the other hybrid schedules out there. From what I quickly researched online, no one else has combined P90X and Insanity like this before—I'm such an innovator! Ha ha. Sorry if it seems like I'm bragging because I'm not. I'm just thrilled that I've worked hard enough and long enough to have something significant to contribute to our fitness world! :)

When I first began using P90X and Insanity together, I was still only doing the videos three times per week. Yet one night when I was on Instagram (October 23rd, 2015), I saw a post by one of my favorite exercise gurus, Michael Vazquez. He said,

"If you have any questions about fitness I love to open a q&a right now and help answer any!! Ask away don't be shy. 👊🏾💥 #PerformixDriven"

I enthusiastically typed to Mr. Vazquez, "How many days per week of exercising do you recommend? Do you alternate strength and cardio or do both every day? Also, even though I exercise consistently, my "mommy tummy" seems to want to stay put no matter what exercises I try. It has definitely diminished (yay!), but I'd love to get it more toned—what do you recommend?"

I honestly didn't expect a response from such a famous Instagrammer, but here's what Mr. Vazquez replied,

"@enthusiasticfantastic no less than 4 days a week. I personally do it all in one day of training I'll start with lifting/strength training and end it with explosive circuits or body weight training. Everyone is different. This works for me."

Yeah, I was beside myself that a man with 337,000 Instagram followers actually replied to me! :) But again, that's what makes me continue following him on Instagram. Yes, he makes his living and supports his family off of his Instagram sponsors—so his followers matter in that regard, but I truly believe he does what he does for the sheer love of it and because he genuinely wants to help others become their best selves.

I replied back, "Thank you so much for your advice @michaelcvazquez! I've been exercising three days per week, so I'm going to commit to four days and work it into my schedule! #hereigo! :)"

Yes, after that Instagram encounter, I was absolutely committed to exercising four days per week—there was no going back. I even used the cute little purple sneaker icon for each of my exercising calendar items on my smart phone so I wouldn't forget or let something else get in my way! :)

I did a great job of exercising to my P90X/Insanity lineup for four days per week, for about two months. Yet in late December, 2015, I decided I wanted to do even better and committed to exercising five days per week! You see, I wanted to be completely physically prepared for my ward's (church) Young Women winter camp—where I learned how to snowboard!!! Let me tell you, that was a tough schedule bump up.

I did really great at the beginning of my new effort, but then I struggled for a couple of weeks to keep up my five-days-per-week streak because I felt like I simply didn't have enough time to do everything that needed to be done. Oh, how I wished for just three more hours per day! But after really and fully internalizing that working out five days per week is absolutely what I want and need in my life, my quest became easier and it hasn't been an issue since. Yay!

Call me crazy, but recently, I've even been feeling that I'd like to workout six days per week simply because I feel SO GOOD on the days I exercise! There's a notable difference in my mood and productivity when I exercise vs. when I don't. :)

Last night, I read this article on Medium, "Exercise Habits of Ultra-Successful People," by Andrew Merle. It definitely made me further ponder my exercise six days per week idea—in a positive way. While I can't guarantee that I'll be able to keep up with my "exercise six days per week" goal—because I have three precious children and a wonderful husband who legitimately need me (and all that goes into running a household); plus I have a very time-demanding calling in my church; and I teach piano lessons every week—I'm going to try my darnedest! Even if I slip back to exercising five days per week once in a while, I'll still feel good about my efforts—anything on top of that is just gravy! :)

*Interesting side note: my husband's current Harvard instructor (female) used to play pickup basketball with President Obama when they were both enrolled at Harvard! (See the photo on the exercise article listed above—obviously, it's a different person playing with Obama.) Wow, it really is such a small world! Yes, I refer to that connection as the "Two Degrees of Greg Peterson"—even though he has three university degrees! Ha ha.

The reason I shared all of that is because I know that increasing the amount of days I exercise has made all the difference in my body's continually improving physical capabilities. Not to mention what it's done for the way my clothes fit! Yes, even though my weight hasn't fluctuated more than about two to four pounds this entire time I've been exercising (I still love chocolate!), I absolutely see a difference in my muscle definition and reduced body fat. Remember, muscle weighs more than fat! :) Again, my clothes fit even better now and I love it!

Truly, the best part of exercising that frequently is the fact that my body can basically do any physical challenge I put in its way! *Disclaimer: I don't want my previous sentence to be misleading. I'm not perfect and I'm most definitely not at Michael Vazquez's fitness level. I doubt I'd ever get to that point in my exercising simply because I'm not willing to workout for hours upon hours every day. However, if I were given the option of getting paid thousands of dollars just to workout, I'd probably rethink my stance!

I believe the combination of P90X and Insanity are a match made in exercise heaven! P90X and Insanity are amazing all by themselves for so many reasons (read my previous posts, "Exercise Prosperity: My Review of P90X" and "Exercise Prosperity: My Review of INSANITY), but when you combine them together, the benefits are immeasurable!

Yes, because of my awesome video arrangement and increased workout days, my body is progressing by leaps and bounds every week! I was shocked a few weeks ago to discover that my 12-pound weights are starting to feel light during some P90X exercises. I can't believe I need to buy 15-pound weights because I never thought I'd get to that point! To some people that weight may seem so light, but for me—who started out with eight pounds feeling heavy, it's quite a positive and weighty progression! :)

Without further ado, here is my schedule of P90X and Insanity videos. Of course, anyone can put these DVDs in any order they want, but for me, this is the arrangement I like the very best. I like alternating Tony with Shaun T. every other day; I like alternating strength and cardio every other day. The only problem I had is that Insanity could have used one more video because I end up having two P90X videos two days in a row. (No, I didn't want to include Insanity's "Fit Test" because it's just not as fun for me—and I'm all about fun!) That said, it doesn't bother me because one of the P90X videos is strength, while the next one is cardio—it's all good.

• Day 1: P90X Plyometrics—58:37

• Day 2: Insanity Cardio Recovery—33:02

• Day 3: P90X Back and Biceps—51:36; Ab Ripper X—16:08

• Day 4: Insanity Max Interval Circuit—59:50

• Day 5: P90X Yoga X—1:32:25

• Day 6: Insanity Cardio Power and Resistance—39:19

• Day 7: P90X Legs and Back—58:55; Ab Ripper X—16:08

• Day 8: Insanity Pure Cardio—38:17; Cardio Abs—16:45

• Day 9: P90X Chest, Shoulders and Triceps—55:45; Ab Ripper X—16:08

• Day 10: P90X Cardio X—43:18

• Day 11: Insanity Max Interval Plyo—55:11

• Day 12: P90X Core Synergistics—57:26

• Day 13: Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit—41:47

• Day 14: P90X Chest and Back—52:50; Ab Ripper X—16:08

• Day 15: Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning—47:41; Cardio Abs—16:45

• Day 16: P90X Kenpo X—58:45

• Day 17: Insanity Max Recovery—47:16

• Day 18: P90X Shoulders and Arms—59:54; Ab Ripper X—16:08

• Day 19: Insanity Core Cardio and Balance—37:19

Looking at that list of exercise videos is so exciting to me! First of all, I love that it takes 19 days of exercising to get through my schedule. Also, unlike the rest of the hybrid programs out there, I love having a new video each day I exercise! I really don't like doing the same videos on the same days of the week, for weeks in a row. Yes, I'm all about variety, and my P90X and INSANITY Workout Schedule accomplishes exactly that!

I just love thinking about the endless hard work I've done over the past 21+ months. I can't help but delight in the physical and mental benefits I've received by doing P90X and Insanity together—I could shout my happiness to the world from a megaphone in a hot air balloon! ;) But since I'm not a wizard, feel free to share my Exercise Prosperity posts with anyone you like! I would absolutely love it if my exercise experiences were beneficial to others! :)

P.S. In case you were wondering, the order of the DVDs in my photo go left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Also, the P90X strength videos already have Ab Ripper X on each video, I just didn't have enough room to write it on the note cards. :)

Citi's Global Community Day

Today, my wonderful husband, Greg, served food to those in need at St. Anne's Shelter, in Ogden, Utah. I'm so grateful he took the time to be a part of Citi's Global Community Day. Their volunteers have done so much GOOD around our beautiful world! :) @citi

#CitiVolunteers #CitiGlobalCommunityDay #makesmyhearthappy #justserve #iLOVEhim!