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Category: purchase with purpose

#mailthatmatters/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box

On Purpose

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Jolie / 2 Comments

(I received products prior to making this post; all thoughts and opinions are my own.) One of my favorite things since starting Purpose Box is discovering new f...

#mailthatmatters/Adoption/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box

Story Cast Monday

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Jolie / 0 Comment

I am honored to be featured on Story Cast Monday this week with Traci and Rebecca! We had such a fun time chatting, and now it feels like we’re old friend...

#fridayintroductions/Friday Five/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box

Friday Five: Vacation Edition

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

We’re on a little getaway for the weekend. We kicked it off in Oklahoma for a work meeting Mr. Gray had going on. You can follow us around on Facebook or ...

Adoption/Friday/Friday Five/Legos/marriage/Marriage Matters/prom/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box/TV/vacations

Five on Friday: Link Edition

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

1. I really want to take the boy to this hotel. Even if we just hang in the hotel the whole trip. 2. When I wrote the post But I’m Not Pregnant last week,...

#mailthatmatters/celebration/date/Little League/Monday/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box

Celebrate Monday

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Friday I had every intention to celebrate some things, but my internet had different plans (hooray country living). So, what better way to start off the week th...

#buildingthegrayhouse/#mailthatmatters/baseball/Little League/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box/reading

Friday Five

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

1. The second shipment of Purpose Box is now available! It is so incredible to me to see all the orders roll in–they’re from people I know, people I...

#mailthatmatters/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box

Mail that Matters

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

I have so many things I want to share about our trip–I’m sure you’ll be tired of hearing about it once I’m done recapping everythingR...

faith/God/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box/songs/timing

Now, Never

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Yesterday someone was asking me about Purpose Box, and as I spent time answering, some words came out of my mouth that surprised even me: How many times have I ...

Adoption/dreams/goals/happy mail/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box/subscriptions

Life with Purpose

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

I joked a bit about my secret-keeping abilities last week, and then I promptly spilled the beans via social media. Are you in on it? I’m pretty sure my lo...

bike/date night/go/hair/happy mail/Instagram/move/purchase with purpose/Tuesday 10/Tuesday ten/water

Pink Hair, Don’t Care

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 3 Comments

1. I lost my largest skillet at some point in the move. It’s just gone. Lost forever (or something like that). I don’t even know what to think. Who ...

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Hi, I’m Jolie…

jolie-gray
Wife to Josh, mama to Hays (7), hopeful adoptive mama, and Jesus lover. I founded Purpose Box in July of 2014. I'm all about open sunroofs and coffee dates. Welcome to my space; have a click around. I hope you feel loved, encouraged, and empowered.

Texas forever.

Purpose Box

purpose-box

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If you saw my post yesterday, you know our endo ap If you saw my post yesterday, you know our endo appointment Thursday threw me for a loop. 

The best way I can describe it is feeling like the rug was pulled out from under me. I no longer knew which data was good. I had two data points on polar ends of the spectrum. 

My heart of hearts was telling me my large sample (the Dexcom data) was right. I know what we do day in and day out. I know what the math looks like for that size sample of information and the risk of error that large. 

My reading yesterday morning was about lamenting—crying out to God. As I journaled, I prayed, “Show me which data is good. Show me how to go forward in the best, healthiest way for the boy.” 

I had already shopped in-home A1C tests online. I called around and checked locally. One of our local pharmacies had one and pulled it back for me. Based on price and location, I was expecting a store-brand version—which still works. Instead, I was met with the better brand with good reviews all over the internet. 

All I needed was a set of numbers to match the info I had—or at least be in the middle to bring some light to the subject. I needed to be back on a solid foundation. I needed to know which data to use to drive decisions for the boy’s care. 

After school, we came right in and took the test. It matched our initial information from the Dexcom. Back on solid ground. Back to firm footing. Back to solid data-driven decisions. 

Mamas, trust your gut.

I’ll tell you, our doctor already knew I was leery before we left the office. She ran a second test for me (same machine) to verify. I am not upset or angry or even disappointed. We just needed more information. I’m grateful for the resources and opportunity to have it.
Yesterday the boy had his regular endo check up. I Yesterday the boy had his regular endo check up. I sort of left feeling a little bit like each one of our faces here. 

👨🏻 The face-value smile: On paper, what we are doing is working well. (Paper for us is our Dexcom info.) 

👦🏼 The hiding face: But—for some reason it did not translate to his A1C this round. 

💁🏼‍♀️ The absolute adoration for our boy: YES! He rocked his lab work yesterday. He asked good questions. He is growing and learning how to manage this condition on his own. 

Honestly, I left pretty disappointed and disheartened because our work on paper didn’t match what his lab info showed.

An A1C is not the only measure of what we’re looking for, but if that’s off it makes me doubt our readings, time in range, etc that we are always striving to improve and do our best with. If the data we are working with isn’t accurate, it’s not driving us to good decisions. 

I don’t say any of this for sympathy or a mom shout out or a hug or a pity party, but merely to encourage you if you’re walking through something similar. 

Today I’m going to shake it off, make a plan for double-checking our data and keep on trucking. Diabetes doesn’t stop for me to regroup and rethink. It’s all on the fly.

So, fly we will!
“If I wait on the world to tell me when to stop, “If I wait on the world to tell me when to stop, I never will.” — @handsfreerevolution 

As a family, we have made some choices that allow us time to be home more, time to be together more, time to be in our kitchen more, at our table more, you get the picture. 

I recently had someone tell me that I wouldn’t have all the time I had to get things done if I had their schedule. And they’re right. And it’s intentional. 

Each family has to find their fit. And for us, this is ours. We are over half-way done with the boy’s time at home. Soon he’ll have extra curricular obligations that we’ll have less control over the when and how of. So, for now, we’ll take the time to stop because it’s our time to take.
Rhythm. Once again, I came into the week of the Rhythm. 

Once again, I came into the week of the new year with no words or expectations. 

Lately, God has been showing me more about rhythm. Routine. Seasons. Cycles. 

2020 allowed us to take a step back. To focus on the important. To major on the majors. As things begin to return to “normal,” there are some things I don’t want to shift in my heart. I want to hold on to the rhythm of rest. The rhythm of grace. The rhythm of ministry and love and fulfillment. 

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30
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