What do you care about? "Carelets" for a cause..

This post is very near and dear to my heart because it hits very close to home.  Almost 2 years ago, my husband's younger brother, Gary found out that he had Ulcerative Colitis (UC).  The symptoms leading to the diagnosis were very scary and an experience that no one should ever have to experience.  It was scary because the unknown is scary.  As time went by, Gary slowly learned more about UC and became more aware and educated about what it is he is now living with.  I'm sure it's something that a lot of people are currently living with or is battling today. I myself have never heard of UC before so it was also something very new to me. My husband and I had to research and educate ourselves about it because it's now apart of our lives as well.

As you can see below in Gary's story, he talks about his journey and what he's been going through thus far. His Facebook page (IC4UC) talks more about his story and the things he's doing to bring awareness to UC. I have to say that he a lot stronger today and slowly gaining his weight back. Gary has always been the most kindhearted, thoughtful and loving person I know. Having UC hasn't changed him because although he was scared, it has given him a new sense of confidence, a new way of life and a voice to step up and fight for something that no one would have been prepared for. Having UC doesn't characterize who he is, it just gives him a platform to educate and bring awareness to everyone living in fear or the unknown "scary" as I used to call it. Don't be scared, join Gary and his team as we walk, fundraise and share the love of Gary and many other's stories on living with Chrohns and Colitis.

Join Gary and his team (Team Care) as we help raise funds for Chrohns and Colitis. There's a few different things you can do to help out.  You can donate to his fundraiser, join us Take Steps and Be Heard For Crohns and Colitis walk on Oct 13th or help purchase some carelets that he and his wife worked so hard on to help raise money.  Please visit his page on Facebook for more information.

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Gary's Story:

A year and 7 months ago when suddenly I couldn't leave my bathroom, I found out I have Ulcerative Colitis (UC). I remember feeling like I hit a brick wall when my doctor diagnosed me with this Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that I knew nothing about. I was angry and confused; I had so many questions. What is UC, what did I do wrong to lead to this, how will I deal with the constant bathroom runs and the pain?

After countless visits to different doctors and specialists along with enduring multiple tests and going on my own to do research and volunteering to participate in national conference calls and local researches, I can say that things have finally started turning around for me. For one, I'm definitely much more aware of this disease now, hence allowing me to be much more positive. I'm also finally not on heavy medication, my bowel movements have decreased from 10 times a day to 3-4 times, and my severe cramps and night sweats are also gone.

I anticipate that I will have my occasional not so good days, but for now I am celebrating progress in my health. On October 13th, I will be walking in the Take Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis Walk at Fresno's Woodward Park and it would mean a lot if you could join me that day or find other ways to participate and support me. Take Steps for Crohn's and Colitis is the nation’s largest event dedicated to raising funds to find cures for digestive diseases like UC. I'm 1 of the 1.4 million patients across the country that suffer from this disease and Crohn's, so it's very important to me that we care and take action today. It's my personal goal to raise as much money as I can for this worthy cause and I know with your help, I can do that.

I will begin to post unto my page the different ways you can get involve and support me.

Thank you in advance for jumping on my "CARE" band wagon and making a difference! Together we will continue funding important research and raise awareness of diseases that affect millions of people.

IC4UC! -- (I CARE 4 ULCERATIVE COLITIS)!

Gary

** A word from Gary and Susan regarding "Carelets" 

We are kicking off our Carelets Sales to benefit CCFA starting tonight! To place your order, please email us at info@carelets.org. Indicate the Carelet Item# that you would like to order along with the quantity and your wrist size. For those who are ordering Carelets with Chains, please include an additional measurement of the width of your palm (measure from index to pinky!) Please include shipping address. Payment will then be processed through Pay Pal. Shipping is included! 
Here we go!!! We officially welcome you all to our Circle of Care!

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* What do you care about?

I care about self acceptance. I struggled with loving and accepting who I was my entire life.  Only recently did I finally accept myself for who I am. I can now honestly say that I love myself and I do not wish to change anything about the person I've become.

Join me and Team Care bring awareness and raise funds to help with Chrohns and Colities. Don't forget to purchase your carelets!

What do you care about? Care, Wear and Share what you care about!

Thank you! 

For more information on Crohns and Colitis go to their website. 

Lead me...

I've been so tied up with work so it's delayed my blog entries.  I've been keeping busy at church, my home and everyday work.  I've been reading a lot and I thought I'd share what I've been diving myself into these days.  I'll admit, I'm not really a reader but once I find something I like, I get really into it.  Lately I've been thinking a lot about life and the people around me on a daily basis.  The most important person to me (besides my son) is my husband and I know that no marriage or relationship is perfect but my gosh, I'd like to try.  We fight like normal people do but we also know how much we love each other.  For this and this alone, I always try to make the best out of my days with him.  I wake up thinking what can I do today to make his life better? What can I do today to tell him how much I love him or how much I appreciate him? I don't always do a good enough job but I wake up every morning trying over and over again.  I have to say that I am more in love with my husband today then I've ever been in my life.  We've struggled through a lot in our lives and through everything, we've been so strong with our love and respect for one another.  I have to give a lot of credit to God, the one person whom we respect and love the most.  He is first in our lives so loving one another is so much easier.  I am not here to tell anyone how to love or how to be in your own marriages.  I am simply here to "type" out loud about the things I've been doing for the past few months and the way I'm feeling today.  I am the person I am today because of him and I can only be the person I want to be because of his support and continued love.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful man in my life and I can only hope that I am also that woman to him.

Currently I am reading the book "Love and Respect" by Dr. Emerson, and so far, it's making so much sense. It talks about a love that some couples don't even know exists.  It has proven to save marriages. Yes, save marriages! I don't believe you have to be married to read it.  I think it's a great book in general on life and how magical it can be when we open our hearts to love. It also tells us that love alone doesn't work. The book goes into details about the wonders of love and how to use it in the form it was meant for.

"Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband".....Ephesians 5:33 - How? This is where it gets good. Whether you are a believer or not, this is a great book for everyone because it talks about the human soul, the love in our hearts and ultimately sharing that love for our loved ones, specifically our spouses.

My husband and I are currently not going through any major issues, but why do we have to right? I think "Preventive Maintenance" in life is always needed (sooner the better if you ask me). Learning how to love yourself and then how to love your spouse is always the best tool for life.  You become a better person for yourself, your loved ones and ultimately for your kids.  I want to be a strong and positive example to my son as a mom and also as someone he can look up to when he's ready to meet that special person in his life. I can only hope that I set that example for him so he can learn to respect and love the way his father and I do.

We have become very active at our local church and are so fortunate for all the available resources they offer us. We will be starting a class called, "The Art of Marriage" soon with each other and then I will continue by myself with the women's fellowship for "After God's Heart" on how I can be a better person after God's heart.  Please pray for me, for us and I can't wait to share what I learn through my process of becoming who he wants me to be.

I'm so in love with this song and if you listen to the lyrics, it tells a story that all us women would like in our men... To lead us with strong hands and stand up when we can't... don't leave us, hungry for love chasing dreams....

Lead Me by Santus Real

To my love: You are the best thing that God has given me.  Thank you for loving him and loving me, because only through him, we can have the best life together. I vow to make you fall in love with me everyday of our lives together. I love you more then words!

More Beautiful You....

Do you ever find yourself so enveloped in something so deep that you can’t stop smiling? I know I do everyday, and I can’t seem to stop. I’m listening to a song that my sister sent me this morning by Kari Jobe – “Here” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQnBvUiAGsI&ob=av2e) and as tears fill up my eyes, I am sitting here at my desk (at work, mind you), so blessed to know why I can’t contain myself and why I can’t stop smiling when I only had 3 hours of sleep. I know that I can rest in him and breathe in and out because I know I have found him here.

I have been blessed with so many new friends, love and words of favor that it makes me want to do and give even more. There are those who used to follow my old blog and noticed the difference in me and I’m sure having wondered why I’m so different now… Well, if you want to know, don’t be afraid to ask. I am and will always be truthful to you and here on my blog. If you just met me, I am so pleased and honored to know you, for today I am a better me. For those who knew me when, I also want you to know that I am better today for I know of a love that only exist through my heavenly father, for which you too, can find that love if you allow yourself to do so. This feeling is an incomparable, unconditional love that only you can find through opening up your heart and being obedient to his calling.

Every morning I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me. I’ve already submitted myself to the lord and have asked him to use me as his light into this world. Let me help those who need his love and his healing because I too was that person. I am still healing but never in my wildest dream, would I have thought of being where I am today. It’s a peace inside my heart that only he has helped me overcome. If you want to see this peace, just come and meet me.  Come ready to open up your heart because I am waiting with open arms. In his world, we have no pride, no ego and no shame. We have only our souls and it belongs to him because he created us to be exactly who we are.

So my friends, find his healing, your heart isn’t silent anymore, he is here…. Breathe in… Breathe out… you will find in him, come and rest here and lay your burdens down, come and rest here, there is refuge for you now. You’ll find his peace and know you’re not alone anymore. He is near, you’ll find his healing, your heart isn’t shattered anymore, he is here…. Breathe…….

I am so humbled by all the love, inspiration and the love I‘ve received thus far, and I look forward to this new journey I am on, because I know where my ultimate destination is. Until I get there, I am making every minute of my journey matter and it starts with us.. you and me!

Breathe in……… Breathe out…….. You will find him… He is here!

*** I know that my passion is Fashion, but remember that it is more important to dress for who you are and not for who you want to be, for  "There could never be a more beautiful you!"

I love this song and sometimes we just need a little word of encouragement to get us through the day.. This is my "go to" song (among many others) so today, I wanted to share this with you as well.

“More Beautiful You”, by Jonny Diaz: http://youtu.be/P8NvU9Ah-uY

Have a great day BEAUTIFUL...!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

First of all, I wanted to take this time to say thanks to all my friends and family who emailed, texted and commented on my different accounts, wishing me a "Happy Mother's Day".  How awesome is it that I get to share such a day.  To me, Mother's Day is everyday, the true blessing I have received of being someone's mom... not a lot of people can say that and today I stand tall and proud..

Thanks Alizara, my shining light and angel, for sending me this "A woman who respects The Lord should be praised. Give her the reward she has earned...Prov 31:30-31" - I am so blessed to have such amazing women around me and a son who loves me so much...

Next, I wanted to take this time to wish my very own Mother, a Happy Mother's Day as well.  Although I know she doesn't read my blog (because she can't really read English all too well), I know that she is proud of me.  She is the hero that I look up to, my best friend, my confidante, my heart and the love of my life.  We have stories that no other moms and daughters have from her literally dying after giving birth to me (and brought back to life) to us falling into a swamp (saved by god) and to the love we share today.  Words cannot express how much I love her and how much I long to see her everyday.  She lives in the Midwest and I live in SoCal so if we are lucky, we see each other once a year...  We do try to talk at least 2 to 3 times a week, which I look forward to all the time.  I have so much to say but for now, I just wanted to say I love her so much and I am so blessed and so honored to call her my one and only mom.

To my Mother in Law, the woman who raised and loves my husband, her son, so much.  I am so blessed to have 2 such amazing women in my life to inspire and support me.  She has an unconditional love that compares to no other.  She's quiet (like her son) but she's so full of life, wants to always do more and try new things. She's a bit more shy and not like my mom, but she's subtle and fluid in her own.  She's my honey's mom and I love her exactly the way she is.  I get to see her more often because she lives in NoCal, so although my biological mom is so far away, being close to my MIL and seeing her, is just as good, because they both belong to me and I belong to them.

Happy Mother's Day to both of my mom's, for I am ever so lucky to have them both in my (our) lives.

May god bless you both with love and everything you wish in your heart!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AIDAN

Six years ago today, a little miracle came into our lives.

Prince and I have been married since 1999 and the process of trying to start a family was so hard and stressful on the both of us.  As our relationship got stronger as a young couple, I had told him that I may or may not be able to conceive so I gave him the option of leaving our relationship if he felt that he HAD to have kids.  I knew my body and I knew it was going to be hard if one day we wanted to start a family. I am so blessed to have someone who loved me so much that he risked the chance of not having kids solely for the love we had.  I was humbled and so baffled by such a love that could exist for me.  I guess I was harder on myself then anyone else because deep down, I was the one who really wanted a family. I wanted 2 boys and 2 girls just like my little family.  I was judging myself without even realizing it. As time went on, the pressure grew more and more.  

The pressure never came from Prince, but from myself and my own parents.  

In our Hmong community, its all about the holistic and herbal medicines.  Take this and take that, drink this and drink that...  Well, needless to say, I quickly found out I had low iron, therefore, I was possibly an anemic as well.  I was denied when I tried to give blood due to low iron.  I was young so I didn't really understand "low iron". I just knew that I didn't qualify to give blood.  Long story short, Prince and I decided to see a fertility doctor.  After three consecutive sessions, each pregnancy tests came back negative.  It was a very long and stressful process. I had to go in for blood work all the time, check this, check that. Go get your tubes looked at.... It was very evasive but we knew we were willing to do whatever it took to conceive.  My best friend who was willing to love me no matter what, never gave up on me, nor did he ever make me feel as if I was never good enough.  Once again, it was me who wanted a baby so badly.  During this process, we already decided that we better get used to the fact that having a baby was just not in the plan for us.  We decided to look forward and made new goals.  We charged on with our education with hopes of achieving the highest of all dreams.  We supported each other through undergrad, Fashion school and onto Grad school.

While we were already in grad school, and I had already stopped the fertility treatment (to rest my body for IVF) my mom suggested that I see a Hmong Holistic Herbal Specialist.  She knew I didn't believe in Herbal medication but like she said.. "what do you have to lose? Worst case scenario, it doesn't work and you go right into IVF". I guess I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.  To make matters worse, the Specialist lived four hours away and I was only able to see her during my menstrual cycle. This is crazy, I'm irregular, that's why its so hard to conceive. I had no clue when I was ovulating and no clue when my next cycle would be.....But we still took a chance.  Although I was a believer since birth, Prince wasn't.  We were so fortunate that the Specialist was.  She said to us "I am a child of god and everything I do, I do because of him.  If he gives you this baby, I pray that you will dedicate your lives to God and become a believer".  I was already sold when I heard she was a believer but Prince, it took a little bit more convincing.  Immediately I agreed and so did he.  Prince was waiting to see what god was going to do.

About 6 months later, we both graduated with our MBA. We were so happy for this new profound achievement and started to look into a doctorate program. I knew exactly what I wanted to study and Prince wanted to go back and get his Architect degree. We were on a mission to be the best at what we can be and no longer allow the baby issue to stop us.  During the midst of all of this, I have been going back and forth to see who I now call, my "Fairy God Mother" on and off whenever my cycle was regular.  So we graduated in June and about August or so, I started to notice that my body was feeling a bit different. I was scared because things were happening to my body that I've never felt before. I was going to make an appt to see the doctor because the only thing that ran through my head was fear. For some reason, I decided that even though I knew it was impossible, let me just get it over with.....  I went to the drug store and got a few pregnancy tests just to rule it out.  I used 3 tubes and all 3 had two strong pink lines....!! Could this really be? We had already given up? We were already prepared for our doctorate programs... could this really be???? Immediately I called Prince and we went straight to Planned Parenthood, a walk in clinic.  While we waited in a room where other young ladies were hoping their tests were negative, I was hoping that they were able to confirm what I was seeing...

I waited 20 mins and a soft voice (from the nurse) said, "you are 5 and a half weeks pregnant"....  and I couldn't believe what I had heard... Could this be real? Is this really true? But I had already given up? Omg, I heard myself... I'm pregnant!! omg, I'm really pregnant! I laughed and cried at the same time and I turned the nurse's uncertain smile into a smile as big as mine.  She asked "I take it you are happy?" - I guess Planned Parenthood wouldn't be the place to go if you actually wanted a child..  lol I walked out of the room so happy but I knew there were sensitive young ladies in the waiting room hoping their tests were negative so I grabbed Prince's hand and walked him outside.  The moment the door closed, I jumped for joy as I hugged him like never before..  "We are pregnant!" Fairy God Mother, god's messenger had helped us conceive! We both cried and hugged and was just so in disbelief! We couldn't wait to share it with our friends and family because they too went through this hard process with us.

Today we have the most perfect son ever. He's so polite, so genuine, so innocent, kind hearted and naturally talented in everything he does. He loves people, he loves other kids, loves life and most importantly, he too has learned to love god. He's so full of joy and passion and he never stops believing that there's more that he can do.  I work so hard everyday because I now have this person that I never even saw in my future. In the meantime, it was also a turning point in Prince's life. It was that miracle that he needed to believe....  that moment was when he knew that Aidan was truly sent to us from God.. He became a believer from that day forward.

We are so blessed and so happy to have Aidan in our lives. We weren't ready for him but boy, he sure was ready for us.  I could tell when he was in my stomach that he was going to be the very active kid he is today.  I just thought he would be a girl lol...  but having him has been the best blessing of my life and has truly changed our lives.  He's asking for a sibling now and once again, its a hard process for us, but we are only thinking of one thing....  Him.  It is in god's will for us to have anymore kids and if we only have one, by golly, he gave us the most perfect child. I have no other desires then to be the best mom I can be for my little one.  We can't ask for anything more!

He's asked me to stop calling him baby, because starting today, he is now a "Big Boy". I just wanted to dedicate this blog to my Big Boy because I am the proudest mother ever to have such an amazing son. We are so blessed to have him in our lives and we wouldn't have changed a thing.  God is great and only through him, such a miracle could happen.

I love you Aidan and you are my everything!

I live for you.... My everything! 

Welcome to my blog!

Hello my friends and family: 

As I re-vamp my vision, image and brand I think about you, my audience, friends and family and the importance of the messages I put on my page. Not only am I representing myself, but I am a representation of a young girl who went through many struggles throughout my life and eventually becoming the woman I am today.  My journey hasn't ended because I am still working on always improving and becoming the best that I can be for myself, my family and my son. I also have to be true to the purpose of who I have become and what I ultimately want my legacy to be.  I don't want to be known for what I do, but for who I am.  I want all my clients (paid or not) to be on a referral basis, only because it is very important to me that people are referred to me because of who I am first, and then we can talk about how I can help them in return. 

I love meeting new people because this world is full of nothing, but people. Why not reach out and say hello? Perhaps you might change someone's life by just saying hi or reaching out your hand to help someone else? There's a saying that I heard on the radio that I absolutely love... "Just because I don't talk, it doesn't mean that I don't want to. I just don't know what to say".  We must humble ourselves because at the end of our 8 hour shift, we are still somebody and that somebody in all of us wants the same thing... love and respect.  Treat others the way you would like to be treated. 

I am not starting this blog to create business or to gain any type of fame. I am blogging for myself, to talk about my own life struggles and share my love of fashion.  I feel that we can always improve ourselves whether its by starting with inner beauty or just dressing in a way that represents who we are inside.  Whether you were referred here or just happen to stumble upon my site, I welcome you and I encourage you to share your stories as well. We can always use each other to lean on and help one another. This journey called "life" never ends and we can only get better everyday. 

I will have stories on here on how I found myself from time to time, but I'll also focus on my love of fashion, refer you to different avenues of the industry such as beauty, health, stores, sales, online shopping, other bloggers and everything we all love to love!  

I do have 2 facebook pages so if you'd like to be friends, feel free to add me there too:

www.facebook.com/shengmxiong or www.facebook.com/shengmouabeautyforashes

I will start blogging on this page so please stay tuned for more amazing and exciting things to come..... 

Thank you! 

Sheng