Brandy Truex

The waiting is the toughest part - but it is in our trials and our suffering where faith is built.

When we got the call that our agency wanted to show our book to a mom considering an adoption plan, we were told the baby may have special needs. We were given the details of the situation and we were asked if we still wanted our family book considered.

We asked for some time to discuss it.
We had one hour.

Terry and I decided we would call and text all of our doctor and nurse friends - to understand more fully the situation we were being asked to consider. We quickly reached out to half a dozen people.

No one answered us.
No calls. No texts.

We got a call back from our counselor.
Did we want to be considered?
We asked for a few more minutes.

Still no calls.

I turned to Terry and said
“God wants us to trust Him.
He wants us to have faith in Him and His plans.
He knows if this is our baby.
He wants us to have faith in Him.
If this is our baby - He will handle all the details.”

We called our counselor back and said, “Please show our family book. We trust God’s plan. He knows if this is our child or not.”

We were matched a few weeks later with a tummy mommy who wanted us to parent her baby.

God’s plans and His timing are always perfect.

And now when I am faced a struggle, a situation that is beyond my control, I remember these three miracles that I was gifted because of our faith. Thank you Jesus.

If you are struggling with control - wanting to know the best way to go… let go and trust in Him who is able to do more than you can think or imagine.

And sometimes you have to “let go and pray” every day. It is in our struggles where God builds faith and endurance for the trials that life will bring.

In celebration of National Adoption Month - I am sharing pieces of our open adoption story in hopes that it will shed some light on domestic adoption and how it greatly blessed our family. This is story 6 of 6.

If you are struggling with infertility, failed IVF or are wondering about open adoption, please feel free to ask me any questions - or ask for prayer. I’m here to help.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.

So grateful to spend our day with grandparents, as we traveled from home to home delivering turkey dinner and hugs.
💛🦃🤎

What if I had said no to an ”open adoption?”

What if I had been too scared?

What if Terry had said no?

What if I didn’t have a faith strong enough to let God’s plan unfold for me and Terry and our future family?

What if we hadn’t kept our promise to Lloyd’s tummy mommy to have an open adoption, with weekly (sometimes daily) emails and yearly visits with her….

What if she hadn’t chosen us or given us the chance to care for and adopt Lloyd’s older brother - Hunter?

I choose not to think of these what if’s and instead be thankful we listened with our hearts to our counselors at our adoption agency to be open to a relationship with birth parents. It is because of the love we have for our tummy mommy and our decision to honor our promise to have an open adoption with Lloyd that we also adopted Hunter.

Around Lloyd’s 1st birthday - we were planning a visit. While trying to arrange things - our tummy mommy shared that she may need some help and support with Hunter. We quickly offered take care of Hunter until she was back on her feet.

He is Lloyd’s biological brother and we always wanted to have a relationship with him. We told her that we were planning to adopt another child soon and if she wanted us to parent Hunter - our arms and home were his.

After almost a year in our guardianship, Brandi asked us to officially adopt Hunter. She knew that we would honor her wish to be a part of Hunter’s life - to talk to her and visit when we could.

And I look back now - and remember how fearful I was of open adoption.

It’s not perfect - it does create some complicated feelings. But I know the truth is always better. And look at this sweet love I get to call my son, forever.

God willing - He will know in his core that he isn’t loved by just one mama, he is loved by two.❤️❤️

This is the 5th story of 6 about our open adoption journey in honor of National Adoption Month.

I hope it will shed some light on the subject of domestic adoption from my point of view and the children it impacts. I hope this story strengthens your faith that God is good. If you are struggling with infertility or are wondering about adoption… cont in the comments.

Is it is easy? No.

Is it worth it. Yes.
Always, yes.

I didn’t start here.

It took work.

It took self-discipline.

It took “parenting myself” by not letting ALL the excuses get in my way.

And over time it got easier as I got better because I created a habit that is now part of my daily routine. One of the routines that makes my whole day better.

How do I stay motivated though?

It’s habits and routines that will get you moving when your motivation - your “get up and go” has left. You just do it without thinking too much about it.

You just do the next thing.

My 30 - 45 minute workouts are as routine to me as brushing my teeth, putting in deodorant and brushing my hair.

Moving your body should be a daily activity to keep your insides healthy, to keep you strong for the years to come.

Start where you are and go. A little each day adds up over time. Your body will thank you.

Did you push your excuses aside and get moving today?

What did you do?
Share below!
I’d love to cheer you on!!

A weekend getaway - where there was no laundry to do, lunches to make or appointments to get to was refreshing. 😎

So grateful to be part of an awesome team of women who believe in bigger dreams - but also invest in team building to help us get there.

Inspiring.
Motivating.
Reconnected.

Now, I’m home with a renewed purpose and appreciation for my sweet family, and my business goals. 💥💥💥

And I’m thankful to my hubby who held the fort down with our three littles while I went away. I couldn’t have done it without him. 🥰❤️🥰

Change of place, change of perspective. When is the last time you went away without the kids?

Look who joined me…. They are always watching mama.

They will do what you do, say what you say….

What do you want for them - for their life?

Show them the way….. ❤️

My home gym… nothing fancy. But it gets the job done. And it has served me for 5 1/2 years….

Yup. I made a decision on my birthday in Dec 2016 to change how I was living.

I was tired of how exhausted I was feeling, how depressed I was feeling…. And the one choice to join a friend virtually - changed everything. 💥💥

And here I’m still at it - all the years later.

Why? Cause it works with my crazy mom life schedule. I have never been more consistent or had such strong results in my life.

If you are frustrated cause you know you need to do something -but you aren’t sure how to get started or you just want a plan figured out for you…..
I got you covered. 💪

My Fit for Life Bootcamp is exactly what you need. You will get access to the workouts and nutrition programs that I use as well as access to the private coaching group to provide inspiration and accountability.

Enrollment is open until next Friday and I have four spots left for one-on-one coaching with me.

If you are ready to make a change - let’s chat. I would love to get you feeling amazing and strong too.

Drop me a ❤️ below and I will get you all the deets. 💪

Need a fun idea for your veggie or fruit platter tomorrow? These are so too cute!!

And if you need a super simple veggie dip - mix 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt with 1T of EBTB seasoning (or more if you like!)! Soooo tasty!!

I have 10 years until she is 18.
10 years before her life starts to be much more about her own adventures than ones with us....

So I take all the pictures..... hold hands and soak up every time she sings “I love you, mama.”

Time is fleeting.... and sweet. I waited a long time to become a mama - and now I know why.

The wait is always worth it. Thankful that God made me a mama with this sweet angel girl. I will not take that blessing for granted. ❤️

If you are in a season of waiting - please know your prayers are heard. Gods plans are big, bold and beautiful. And His timing is always perfect.

What ever the worry - slow down, release your fear and anxious thoughts into prayer and believe. Then bloom right in the season you are planted.

Easier said than done - but it was the best advice I received - and that struggle - that desperate prayer-filled time built a faith that rooted me to be strong for her and her brothers - for my marriage. 🙏
Thank you Jesus.

And any time I wonder if a hard season will last - I just have to look at her beautiful face and know with every part of me that my God is a God of miracles. She is all the proof I need.

Have faith over fear.
And if you need to borrow some belief or words of prayer- I’m here to help. ❤️

Do you need some new ideas for healthy quick dinners that your family will love?

Ya - me too!
Mmmm....I smell a dinner challenge coming on!! Look at what we have planned!! Which one looks the best to you?👇

You are invited to join me in a five day dinner challenge next week that I’m hosting with my good friend Shana!

We will post a five day menu and grocery list Friday March 5 for the five recipes we will make starting Monday, March 8. We all cook the same dinner on the same nights! We share tips, tricks and subs for items we don’t like or enjoy. And we share what our family thought of the dinner (is it a keeper?)

It’s so much fin to cook with friends virtually - that we have been doing it for four years now!!

Want to join the fun - and try some yummy new recipes - that are super quick - healthy and yummy? Look below. 👇 and tag a friend who likes to cook - the more the merrier!