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Introduction Text My story - I was born and bred in the Midwest, to parents who valued hard work, honesty and integrity. My mom, a dietitian, was before her time as a working mom of three who somehow managed to juggle it all. My dad was a general contractor who shared in all responsibilites 50/50...he too was before his time. From them I learned a lot of life-lessons about being independant, working hard, not worrying about what others think, taking the bad with the good, that relationships are more valuable than things, being strong, helping others, planning ahead, moderation in all things, that everyone has a job and can contribute, that faith is essential, and that all things are possible. I met my husband in Chicago while working at a church...we are a great match and now that we have our own children, we are learning even more about ourselves, our faith, and what we are here on this earth to do. Through mission experiences throughout my life in almost all 50 states and in Africa, I have learned a great deal more about wealth, gratitude, justice, war, evil, life and death. I've also had some great wilderness camping, back-packing and survival experiences that have taught me a lot about what is essential and what is non-essential in life, not to mention the simplicity and beauty of God's creations. After my kids were born I was plagued with joint pain and symptoms similar to Lupus. Since my mother also has Lupus, it is likey that it is the aut0-immune disease that I have, although tests over the years have been inconclusive. (I get both positive and negative everything.) Now, I'm completely changing my life. Getting back to a weight I can handle, exercising and being more active, making career changes, and continuing to strip away any uneccessary baggage. I continue to be a writer for a Christian youth curriculum, and I teach beginning piano lessons from home. I continue to learn about and try to help my daughter deal with anxiety and ODD issues. And I continue to cut out processed foods and eliminate all kinds of chemicals from our home, choosing simple home made foods and cleaning solutions. So far with SP I've lost about 35 pounds and would like to lose 10 more. Through it all my well of faith continues to go deep and to keep me afloat. I look forward to the next chapters of life...especially with less weight and hopefully less pain and fatigue!

Lose weight I gained after having two kids, getting healthier so I can fight an auto-immune disease

Track and Reduce calories, burn more calories, & change some habits

I love a lot of outdoor activities - walking, biking, gardening, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, hiking, and more, but some arthritis is interfering. Also working and parenting leaves little time for working out, but hoping to change that!

I'm also a writer, piano teacher, wife, mom, and a person who generally thrives on challenge & change

Add a Link Melissa Lupus-Team Butterfly co-leader
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