

I recall one day being completely broke, only to find $20 tucked in a card in my mailbox which was just enough to buy a couple bags of groceries. Although Ross was only 20 at the time, he had the wisdom and nurturing to assign himself as my “secret pal” who regularly sent me cards with words of encouragement that sometimes included hand-written scripture quotes.

I was living alone, trying to navigate my way around both becoming an adult and being a mother – not an easy feat to accomplish at the same time. I can write a book about the love I have for my brother Ross, and my other brothers Darien and Judd, but I’ll share one memory of Ross that goes back 34 years when I was struggling as a single teenage mother. The girl who struggled with social anxiety, hearing and speech is now becoming a spokesperson for families with Kabuki kids, sharing publicly and even speaking at conferences. She’s been sharing her discovery, struggles, and even blessings with other in recent years. Jordan has had lifelong physical struggles including issues with speech, hearing, muscles and joints – and was relieved to learn there was a reason with this diagnosis. A few people talked about how he has positively impacted their lives, including heart-warming words from his daughter Jordan, who recently discovered in her twenties that she has a rare disease called Kabuki Syndrome. The celebration included family members and close friends from his church who have grown to love Ross as a person, and a pastor. His sermons can be accessed online if you ever feel like a refreshing and relevant (for today) look at the bible. Ross also goes by Pastor Ross as senior pastor of Calvary The Rock in Santa Rosa California. It is also what contributes to him being one of the best pastors and teachers I’ve ever met. Like many oldest siblings, he naturally carries that authoritative, leader kind of character which makes him a perfect and protective big brother. As the eldest of the four siblings, he has sort of morphed into the patriarch of the family despite only being a couple years older than me and my other two brothers. It was nice to celebrate Ross, who holds a very special place in my heart as my loving, older brother. If you are a cheesecake fan, I think you will especially appreciate this Italian version. My contribution to the spread was this Sicilian Ricotta Cake. For most adults, a healthy range for daily maximum sodium consumption is between 1500-2300mg foods should have 5%-20% DV per serving.This past weekend we celebrated my brother’s birthday at a delightful, surprise summer celebration at a private wooded area in Napa Valley. Too much low sodium is also associated with health problems. High sodium is believed to be associated with health problems such as heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, and kidney malfunctions. The organization recommends 2300mg of sodium as the daily limit. At 65mg, it's considered low in sodium according to the FDA's standard for %DV (daily value percentage), which considers any food with %DV of less than 5% as low sodium. This food's %DV (daily value percentage) for sodium is 3%.It's recommended that you track the macros of your daily food consumptions-this makes it easier to avoid overconsumption. Always take into account any foods you've already consumed. If your daily net carb quota is 25g and if this food almost equals that much, consider whether you're going to eat more food later. This meal falls within the range for standard keto diet guidelines (at or under 25g of net carbs).

