Monday, December 24, 2018

Is it Christmas? Already?

This Christmas season has been unlike any other.  I'll never suggest moving the weekend before Christmas to anyone ever...especially pregnant and with three kiddos!

It just doesn't feel like Christmas yet, although I love the decorations that our kids put up.  They got the privilege of decorating because I knew I'd never get to it with all the chaos of moving two days before Christmas.

God has been gracious to us and we are very thankful to finally be moved and done with the whole process of selling and buying homes.  God-willing we won't have to do this again until we are nearing retirement...please, Lord!

I think I've aged ten years in one.  Both my hubby and I have gone to bed early the past several nights, it has just been an exhausting experience.  Just getting here has been an extreme effort, and now that we're in our new home, the task of unpacking and organizing a whole house that is nothing like the old one seems too much.  One box at a time...one day at a time.

I cooked supper for the first time in our new house tonight.  It was an interesting experience.  I had to unpack a box to find my whisk...all the other utensils were put away except those!  Then I was making a pancake mix and realized that I neglected to put eggs on my grocery list.  Thankfully we still had some gelatin powder left over with our pantry items and I could make some gelatin eggs to substitute.  They were flat pancakes, but still tasted good.

The good news is that Christmas doesn't have to feel like Christmas to be here.  The precious truth of God sending His Son to the world as a humble baby still remains.  My fatigue doesn't change the beauty of His love for us, and that is something to be celebrated and remembered.  Merry Christmas!

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Trusting God Update

The trusting in God challenge continues!  We have our ups and downs and outright failures in this endeavor, but God continues to be gracious to us.

Our house was appraised for an adequate price -exactly the offer price we accepted.  Kinda fishy in our thinking, but hey, it still works.  The inspection was finished and we are in the process of negotiating the items the buyers want us to fix, so the deal isn't done, but I am still feeling good about the process thus far.  I feel God's hand in all of this despite the challenges we've dealt with, and I continue to wait on Him to see us through to the end.

Our new home is nearly finished, we got to go on our first walk-through.  It was great to see our home and start to really imagine what it might be like to live there.  It is bigger than our current home with a full un-finished basement, so we have room for expanding and space for storage!  Mostly I am just ready to be done with the packing and waiting process.  I want to settle in and have a home again.

The only thing I'm unsure of is where I want to put all of our bookcases and homeschool supplies.  I have to consider baby proofing needs again, so I'm thinking we'll just have our movers put everything in the basement until I decide how to set things up.  Knowing me I'll change my mind twenty times before I settle on something I like.

We close on both homes soon enough.  I'm starting to pack up the rest of our belongings and am attempting to use up the remaining food in our house before moving day.  We've hired movers and this coming week I'll be contacting utility companies to switch over to the new house.

On the baby front, we've reached 12 weeks.  Now it feels like time is flying.  I am beginning to feel a bit better -less queasy and have increasing energy levels most days.  As far as pregnancies go, this one has been the easiest on me as far as the first trimester symptoms.  I've started to "show"...last pregnancy I popped out nearly right away.  This time, I know most of the belly that shows is my jiggly belly that remained after my C-section.  It doesn't feel right to say I'm showing a pregnancy when it really is mostly just my own belly fat!  LOL!  Either way, I've started the maternity pants.  Thankfully, I can still wear my regular shirts.

A lot of people have been shocked when learning about our pregnancy, but we got the best reaction from our Builder's Foreman.  When he found out we were pregnant unexpectedly, he said, "The man upstairs must think you are really good parents."  It's the nicest comment we've received other than the normal "congrats".  He went on to tell us his 'youngest' was 15 when he and his wife were surprised with an unexpected pregnancy.  It was neat to share stories.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Holidays are Here!

Life has been a whirlwind of chaos.  We've had house showings at all times of day, sometimes with very little notice.  When selling your house, an unexpected cost is all the dining out you end up doing because showings are often during the dinner hours and make it difficult to cook anything and still have time to eat it, while not making a mess or smells that a buyer might not appreciate...but in the next few hours, we are signing our a contract with a new set of buyers, and the showings will be done!  Hurray!

The new buyers are a couple from Louisiana who lost their home in 2016's flooding.  They have a little girl and boy -and fell in love with the custom paint jobs we did in the kids' rooms!  I think that is pretty cool, that my artwork will survive and be appreciated for a few more years.  Not that it was something I really cared about, but it is a neat development.

We will be closing on our current home with them just before Christmas weekend, and closing on our new house sometime that same week right before Christmas.  It's going to be nuts, but I'm excited to finally be moving forward!

In more sad news, we had to put down our doggy last Monday.  She was 6 years old and had always struggled with health issues.  We had recently switched veterinarians when she got sick because our former vet office was temporarily without a doctor for whatever reason.  I am very thankful for the time we had with our new vet.  Every single staff member was kind, patient, and listened well.  They never judged and always gave an estimate of costs for all options, something I really appreciated.

My oldest daughter came with me when we put her down.  It was heartbreaking, but really made the grieving process easier for her.  She sobbed and held her doggy for several minutes after she had passed, and the vet's office was gentle with her and helped her to say goodbye in a way that didn't make her feel rushed or undervalued.  Her grief was understood and carefully handled.  As a mom, I couldn't have asked for better service.  When we returned to pick up her ashes later, they gave us a beautiful card with lots of handwritten, kind-hearted words.  Best vet ever.

On the baby front, we're at 10 weeks along today.  I have minimal morning sickness symptoms, mostly I just feel yucky when I need to eat something...no nasty gag reflex so far...praise the Lord!  In fact, the worst symptom I have is feeling tired all the time.  I take naps a lot or go to bed early.  Next weekend, I plan on shopping thrift stores to find my first maternity clothes!  I'm just starting to have trouble fitting into my next size-up pants.

I think I'm just starting to get past the denial stage of this surprise pregnancy.  I half expected the doctor to tell me there was no pregnancy at my last visit.  It's just been such a shock to adjust to.  Even baby names, I look at them, but none of them feel real yet.  I'm just not fully comprehending everything that's happening internally.  It will come in time.  We talk about the baby, I feel the symptoms of its presence, so I'm sure my brain will catch up eventually!

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Time for a Little Story

     Wednesday, October 17th: Once upon a time, there were three.  Baby number four is tempting fate!  Complete and total shocker after having a tubal ligation during my C-section with our son two years ago.

The only catch is that it is so early yet that we don't know if this little one is viable.  Will he or she get to meet us here on earth or in heaven?  There's a high risk of ectopic pregnancy after a tubal.  It will be another two weeks before we find out if this little one is here to stay or not.

I knew I was pregnant before I even took a test.  I just knew.  Today according to the calendar, we are 4 weeks and 4 days along.  I'm still processing, but how can I not also be excited?  Who doesn't love babies?

     Saturday, Oct. 20th:  I told my hubby and I called the doctor.  I was immediately scheduled for a blood draw two days apart to check my HCG levels.  The blood draw labs are an indicator of the health of a pregnancy, but not the location of a pregnancy.  My levels more than doubled in the two days, which is a positive sign.  I'm starting to feel the beginnings of morning sickness...usually I get nauseous when I need to eat.  If I don't eat in time or don't eat the right things, I will feel worse and worse.  So far with this one, I just feel queasy.

I was super emotional and scared on Thursday.  I'd been reading up on ectopic pregnancies because I wanted to know what symptoms to recognize if I had any.  It is terrifying to think that something horrible might happen to you in front of your children or worse...change their lives forever by losing you.

I also cried over the thought of losing this life within me.  We didn't plan for it, but God did.  He knows.  He knows why He allowed this little life into our lives.  He knows if this one will live or die.  He knows our hopes and dreams and our fears.  I desperately want this little one to live -even though I can't comprehend what life would look like with this little person coming into our lives.  My hubby sent me to bed.  I was having some pain in my abdomen which only added to my fears.  Thankfully it went away once I laid down and it hasn't returned so far.  I know God has this.  I trust Him.  Whatever the outcome is.

     Wednesday, Oct. 24th:  I haven't had any further pain, and for the most part I have been able to get through each day normally.  Sometimes I even forget that I am pregnant.  The stress comes out at night.  I wake up and the baby is on my mind.  I'm scared to lose it and scared of the resulting medical concerns if it isn't viable.  I also constantly have on my mind what it might be like being pregnant and moving, how we'd tell our family, and what changes it would bring to our lives.

This coming Monday we have an ultrasound scheduled.  I am hoping to learn the baby's location and viability then.  We also have a follow up pre-natal visit that Wednesday.  One day at a time.  Praying for health, strength and God's will.

     Monday, Oct. 29th:  Ultrasound day!  I've been anxiously awaiting this day, hoping for good news and trying to keep myself ready for the worst news too.  Then I had a horrible thought.  I'm probably going to see our baby for the first time today.  Today could possibly be the one and only time I see our baby alive.  Tear jerker!  I kept that thought to myself, I didn't think my hubby would appreciate any added stress over the possible events today will initiate.

The sonographer was very kind and was able to show us that our baby is alive, in the uterus, and had a healthy heartbeat!  Instead of feeling joyful as I had thought I would, I felt the same disbelief and shock I felt when I took the positive pregnancy test.  This little one is here.  Really here.  I'm going to go through another pregnancy and delivery.  That part of the reality check is still hard to swallow.  I love babies and the romanticism that goes along with them.  My last pregnancy was anything but romantic.  It was torture, and I was miserable for a good majority of it.  What will this one be?

This little one is such a surprise.  I honestly never imagined having more than three kids.  Three was always the silent number in my head.  Four is quite the shocker.  Whatever God has planned for this little one and our not-so-little family, I am spiritually and logically looking forward to seeing God's plans unfold.  Emotionally, I haven't left shock-mode and am still trying to absorb it.

     Thursday, Nov. 1st: We announced our pregnancy to everyone yesterday.  We told the kids who are shocked, but mostly positive about it all.  They are already thinking of names and room arrangements.  We texted our families -that felt a little distant, but it just kinda happened with the busy-ness that goes along with Halloween.  I feel better knowing that we don't have to keep it a secret anymore.  I hate secrets.  Now it is just getting into a new routine.  We told our toddler that there was a baby in my tummy.  He gave us a confused look and pulled up my shirt to see.  We all laughed, it was cute and funny!

Monday, October 29, 2018

Watching, waiting, on the edge of our seats anticipating!

That title is a portion of lyrics from a Phineas and Ferb song (Disney cartoon).  That's kind of how life seems right now.  We're waiting to see how God moves in our lives.

Our buyers dropped out due to problems with their financing.  It was very disappointing, but out of our control.  We had an open house this past weekend with a very small turn out.  In total, this first week of being back on the market we've had four groups that came out to see the house.  We've also gotten our new roof installed, and a new vapor barrier in our crawl space (part of the old contract we had with the buyers).

If for some reason, God doesn't allow our home to sell, we will be out a chunk of money, but we'll have the new roof and vapor barrier.  We also have the inspection report that showed some things we didn't realize our home was getting close to needing updates on.  So the new information is good to have.  It isn't how I want things to end up, but it would be do-able...trying to keep myself open and willing to God's plans instead of mine.

Being a planner, it is really hard to not plan out my ideal situations and beg God to do it my way.  This whole year has been just trusting God and waiting, waiting, waiting to see how things will unfold.  Not easy.  We've had some curve balls thrown at us and we're trying to take them in stride and deal with what comes our way as best we can.  It almost feels like stuffing your emotions, so I don't know how well we are dealing, but we are doing the best we can to continue to place everything in God's hands and let go of our own ideas in place of His.

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Starting Over

This weekend our buyers pulled out of the contract.  We have put our house back on the market and are waiting to see God's plan for our lives in this area.  There is still time for us to sell before our home is ready.  God knows best.

I learned long ago not to stress over things I cannot control.  So I simply live: waiting, praying, hoping and trusting in the Lord.  Sometimes it is frustrating.  I journal and blog, but mostly I wait to see what God is going to do.  I have to trust that His plan is best and His plan is going to come to fruition in His timing.

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Faith in the Waiting

Everything seems to be in standstill right now.  We're stuck in this long transition phase between selling and moving.

God continues to be a part of it all.  On our recent trip, my hubby's boss showed him a potential office space.  It was awesome and seemingly too good to be true...  If God allows, he could office with his team, in the same building and get this- it had a sliding glass door to a patio!  He loved it right away and could imagine himself opening that door up to smell the rain or get a nice breeze on sunny days.

Regardless of whether or not he gets the office space, it has been amazing the way that God has opened doors for us to move.  My hubby's job has been more than accommodating and positive in the idea of us moving.  We got to meet some of our future homeschool group on our business trip/vacation, and things continue to fall into place.

The waiting is the hard part right now.  We're unable to move forward until the right time.  Most of our things are packed up, but we can't just halt living either.  So we continue to wait on the Lord to see what He is going to do and make the most of what we have in the meantime.


Sunday, October 7, 2018

Labels

At church, the nursery is pretty good about food allergies.  They have a place to write them down and special stickers to notify workers that a child has food allergies.  Our children's pastor has purchased name brand Cheerios because he knows of my son's allergies to wheat and that he can have Cheerios.

Initially, I hated having to put a special sticker on my son's back.  It's neon yellow with big black letters saying "Allergy Alert".  Every time he wore it, the teachers talked about it and he became the 'kid with the food allergy' instead of just another kid in the play area.  So I don't always put the sticker on him.  They always give Cheerios as a snack which he can eat, so I haven't worried.

Today, I learned that he needs that sticker.  He had three young ladies as his teachers today.  I stayed with him as I have been the past few weeks.  They were short on teachers so the 2's and 3's were grouped together.  The ladies did a great job teaching.  There was actual class structure with songs, a story, and bible verse.  I loved seeing them implement that.  Usually in the 2's class, the kids play randomly without any structure until the last 15 minutes where they clean up and have snack.

My little guy was having a pretty good time, and I was too -helping out and using my childcare expertise in assisting with the large group of kiddos.  Then they broke out the playdough and suddenly everything changed.  I realized the young ladies were not aware of my son's allergies to wheat or hadn't correlated the allergy to a "non-food" item such as playdough.  I nonchalantly took him out of the class so the other kids could enjoy their time with the playdough and my son could stay safe.  He wouldn't think twice about munching on some playdough.

We later came back when they were done with the playdough, and I explained to the ladies why we had left.  They were surprised and apologetic, which I brushed off with understanding that they didn't know.  No harm, no foul...and then I got to thinking.  If I hadn't been there, he would have been given a chunk of playdough like everyone else.  He probably would have at least tasted it, and then he'd have been reacting and miserable all afternoon.  I'm going to have to get used to him having the "kid with the allergies" label so he can be safe and still have fun when he is in group care.  Little things can make such a difference.

Saturday, October 6, 2018

This Crazy Life

Since I last wrote, our house has gone under contract - yay!  I keep reminding myself nothing is for sure until we get to closing...another month and a half to go.  We've gone through an inspection and are negotiating with the buyers on what we are going to fix and not fix.  The roof is the big one, and insurance will cover it.  Praise the Lord on that one!

We took an overnight business trip to the 'big' city near our new home.  It was successful simply because our oldest two had a blast.  They really enjoyed it.

We've all been getting into a better routine with church on Sundays.  We switched back to first service, it leaves more time in the day afterwards for home life, and is less crowded.  I'm still spending service hanging out in the toddler nursery, although this last time my little guy didn't come to me as often and was interacting more with the leaders and other kids.  I see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Another death and more house news.

I found out that a past co-worker of mine passed away in her sleep.  She was younger than me.  She left behind an 8 and a 3 year old, her hubby and her ailing mother.  It was such a shock to learn.  It was hard to believe that it was true.  Our kids used to have playdates when they were younger.  Losing someone so young, it isn't just the loss of their presence, it completely alters forever her family's way of life...not only do they have to deal with her death, but they have to find solutions to the hole that her absence brings.  I simply can't fathom it all yet.  A take-away, I guess, is a reminder that life is a gift and never guaranteed.

On the home front, we decided to drop the price of our home and had an open house this weekend.  Our realtor repeatedly told us how people who stopped in were impressed with how well kept our home is.  That was nice to hear that our hard work paid off.  God willing we'll get some good offers now.  Our realtor is hoping we'll be under contract within 2-3 weeks in order to meet the timeline for when our new home is scheduled to be ready.  Timing is the challenge.




Sunday, September 16, 2018

Death and Divorce

Death is never fun this side of Heaven.  Neither is dissolution of a marriage.  Both of those happened  this week and I am still processing.

My former head boss, a senior pastor, passed away this week.  It wasn't clearly stated, but suicide is the inclination stuck in my head.  Perhaps it wasn't suicide, but I can't shake the feeling that it could be.  That thought grieves me more than if he had simply passed from other causes.  I knew him as an insecure man, fearful of failure, fearful of loss of influence, and unsure of his calling.  At the same time he was passionate about bringing the lost to know Jesus as their Savior.  He deeply cared about people finding faith in Christ.

There were moments I admired him and moments when I didn't.  I never felt he was a good leader, but he was the man God allowed to lead.  His team protected him and worked around his issues.  They managed the running of the church while letting him believe he was in control of it all.  It may possibly be the most dysfunctional church leadership team that I've been witness to.  And yet, God was continuing to work in the situation and make a difference in the lives of their congregation.  He impacted many lives for Christ, proving over and over that God can accomplish His plan despite human failings.

I grieve for his family.  I grieve for the struggles he faced that brought him to his death, and most of all, I grieve for the church -God's people who he pastored.

The other sad issue is closer to home.  From the vague and cryptic Facebook posts, it seems my cousin's marriage is ending.  I am very sad.  His wife is witty and fun.  I don't know what went wrong, and I've only been witness to social media from her perspective because he doesn't communicate much.

Family issues are never much talked about when it comes to painful things like this.  I know how much they loved each other, and I only have seen glimpses of struggles.  They were married shortly after I was.  I know there are things that could have torn my marriage apart if it weren't for our faith in Christ and being able to look to the Lord for our guidance and our strength.  She doesn't post much about faith, so I don't know if she has that support in her life.  A marriage dissolved always brings me sadness no matter the circumstances.  Marriage is such a beautiful thing that God created and we muck it up so badly.

I grieve for each of them, for their children, and for another marriage that Satan ruined.  I pray for their reconciliation.  I pray for their individual walks with God.




Monday, September 10, 2018

Listing this Week!

Wowsers.  It is surreal to be finally at the place that our home will be placed on the market for all to see, and hopefully come and put in an offer!

We had one final weekend of chaos to get ready for the photographer, who came this morning.  The professional cleaner our realtor usually uses couldn't come, so she got a referral for another lady who came out Saturday.  I have mixed feelings on how it went.  On the one hand, I learned some great tricks and tips from her, and she accomplished somethings I hadn't had time for earlier.  On the other hand, I'm so detail oriented and perfectionist when I clean, I think I could have done a better job and a faster job if I had known her tricks ahead of time.  It also took her twice as long as expected so I was in a mad rush to finish things up last night.

Our realtor loved the finished product, she and the photographer were very pleased with the work we'd done on the house and how well we'd prepared for the pictures.  They had very little to move or adjust to make things look just right for the pictures.  It was neat to see the things that they did tweak for pictures.  The current thing is to shove the kitchen table close to the wall to make the dining area seem larger, seems silly to me, but then my momma trained me to keep a keen eye out for those types of marketing tricks.  (I still remember the day she pointed out that something for $4.99 was only 1 penny away from $5 and stores use that little trick to make it seem like you are spending less.)  Anyway, they added some fake greenery here and there, and a large print of a painting in our bedroom where we'd removed our personal pictures from the wall.  I think they did a good job, and I'm looking forward to seeing the pics!

The rest of this week I'll be focusing on organizing the closets, refrigerator and pantry...all those hidden places not seen in pictures, but you know those homebuyers will be snooping in!

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Frazzle Day!

Pete's Dragon song that Nora sings with Pete is in my head, except I didn't have a 'razzle dazzle day'.  Mine was frazzled.

After today, we have two weeks left to finish getting the house ready to show.  I feel so far behind and overwhelmed!  When I look at my list, I see that we're doing okay...it just feels like so much when I see the unwritten tasks that I handle in addition to working on the house.

We woke up to our doggie covered in poo and a mess in her kennel.  She's gotten into something that has made her sick.  We got her cleaned up, threw out the rug and her bed...it was dried and ruined.  Eewy!!!  I cleaned her kennel and the kids cleaned her.  We tried to make it to church, but just didn't have the time after all of that.  So we all listened online with my laptop hooked up to the TV so everyone could see and hear service.

We painted our stairway railing, around the new kitchen window, our window seat, and our fireplace mantel (which is enormous).  I also spent way too long wandering around Lowe's trying to find a drain grate cover for our basement and a ceiling cover plate for an old light we removed.  They had the painter tape I needed, but no luck on the others.  I ended up ordering them on Amazon.com.

Next weekend we'll be shampooing our carpets and hopefully finish all the major painting that needs to be done.  Painting has become a bigger task than we had originally planned.  The white primer paint we are using on all the trim inside the house is much brighter than the old color the previous owner painted, so when we painted the railings, we also had to paint the baseboards all the way up the stairs and into the hallway.  It looks great!  It's just a lot more work than anticipated.  Fortunately, we were able to match the wall colors since we had repainted the whole house when we first moved in, so we won't have to do too much of the big walls.

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Go Time!

And downhill we go!  We have 4 weeks before we list our home on the market.  Our realtor is going to hire a professional cleaner for us right before we list and take photographs of our home.  I am happy about it, although it will be very strange letting someone else clean my home.  It takes a big load off my mind to know I can just focus on homeschool and packing/organizing these next few weeks.  We have a short list of projects to finish -mainly touch-up painting here and there.

Our first month of homeschool is going well.  The girls are enjoying their new curriculum for the most part, and we are working out a routine.  The challenge right now is our toddler.  He is very hands-on, wants to be constantly doing and moving.  I've made a few sit-down projects or tried talking things with him, but he isn't interested in doing that for very long.  I have to figure out some more ways of engaging him in learning and giving him activities that he can experience kinesthetically.

Potty-training is developing.  Into what, I don't know.  Hahaha!  After considering going full blown cold-turkey.  We decided he wasn't quite ready to control his bladder as needed, so we're continuing with talking about bodily functions and the bathroom with opportunities to sit on the potty and flush the potty.  Duct tape is an option if he continues to take off his diaper at naps though...we shall see!


Monday, August 6, 2018

Two-year Well Visit

Well, our little guy checks out as a very healthy and very tall 2-year-old!  He is estimated to reach around 6'1" tall, given his current height.  That's taller than his daddy!

Our pediatrician's office has a "commitment to vaccinations" and the paperwork they had previously given me said that all children needed to be up to date on their vaccinations by age 2.  I went prepared to have the discussion and say goodbye...hoping they wouldn't be callous about it.

I needn't have worried. The doctor asked my reasons why we didn't want our son to have the vaccine.  I explained and he listened.  He was very calm and professional.  Not aggressive.  Not helpful either.

1.  Most kids can tolerate vaccines.  However, our son is not most kids.  He has had bad reactions in the past to vaccines.

2.  It's proven that some kids cannot tolerate vaccines, reasons why are not fully understood yet, but the MTHFR gene and leaky gut are high on the list of suspects.  Children have lost function, physically and mentally regressed in development because their little bodies can't handle the toxic ingredients.

3.  There is no research, at least none I could find or other mom's I've talked to have found, to show the difference between vaccinated vs. non-vaccinated kids.

4.  There is no medical avenue that I'm aware of or path that any doctor has presented to us to determine whether a vaccine would be safe for our son.  No tests, no high risk factors to consider, nothing.  The medical community seems silent on this issue. The fact is, not all vaccines are safe for all children.  And the risks are high.

He had no rebuttal.  No response at all to our concerns.   All he said was that he'd refer us to an allergist for allergy testing since our son has food intolerances and hasn't been officially tested.  Maybe then, he said, we would learn more about the safety for our son having the vaccine.  He hoped we'd do the testing as soon as possible so our son could have the all important vaccine in the near future.

I didn't bother telling him that food 'intolerances' don't show up on a scratch allergy test.  I find it concerning that of the three pediatricians I have spoken to about vaccines and concerns, none of them have ever had a response to address our concerns.  Only that they hope we will consider giving the vaccine as it pertains to their guidelines.  How incredibly not reassuring.

Anywho, we are moving and have to find a new pediatrician in our new town regardless.  We will wait and see what our new pediatrician recommends.  I don't think a scratch test would tell us much, an allergist might have better knowledge about food intolerances and vaccine safety.  All I know is that it is disappointing that better medical knowledge and open-mindedness isn't readily available.  I would have liked to hear about options and factual information about the MTHFR gene concern or Leaky Gut syndrome...I guess a generic pediatrician may not be educated well in those things yet.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Never Ending Paper & Boxes!

Been working on my paper mess.  Career and training certifications, memorabilia, important 'official' type papers, homeschool papers and resources, warrantees and manuals...it never ends!  Packed up three boxes this afternoon, filled one large trash can, and asked my hubby how things looked.  He says, "It looks like you made a mess."

I can see where I made the dents, and I know that those dents will turn into empty spaces and cleared shelves.  The floor is slightly clearer and my piles are fewer and smaller.  Another 2-3 hour stint and I think it will be finished.  I have a pile of warrantees and manuals to sort through to see what to toss and what to keep for us and what to give the next home owner.  I have a pile ready to be packed up, but not enough to fill a box just yet.  Slow and steady, steady and slow.  Making progress, one step at a time!

Friday, July 13, 2018

VBS - Vacation Bible School

We made it through 3 out of 4 VBS days.  My little guy ended up with a tummy bug the last morning so we had to miss it.  It was a fun experience overall, and an eye-opener too.

Two of the eight kids in our group accepted Jesus as their Savior and that was pretty exciting to see.  I got to lead them in prayer.  When I asked one of them why they wanted to have Jesus in their life, he answered that he didn't want to do wrong things any more.  Very cool to see how a few short days of bible time can touch the hearts of children!

I also was reminded of my days working full time in childcare.  In leading my group from activity to activity, I got to practice my guidance strategies and discipline.  I never had to get very firm, but I did have to get serious with a couple kiddos who were letting their sillies get the best of them.

One young man had struggles with paying attention to any activity that was verbal or sitting still.  He was a very sweet boy, but stretched my mental skills in keeping him challenged and (mostly) obedient.  Asking him to sit still was beyond his ability.

I'm not very experienced in working with kiddos who have different needs, but I know enough to understand that he wasn't intentionally misbehaving, he simply didn't have the ability or maturity to spend lengths of time being still.  He excelled during our outside activities and also during arts and crafts.  After the second day I used one of my life-lines for help and got some tips, and then I asked our children's pastor if they had any fidget toys I could use to help this little guy get through the more challenging activities.  They did and I was all prepared, and then he didn't show up...he had gone on vacation!  I know I'll see him occasionally at church, I'm glad we made a small connection.

Little Man did fairly well in the nursery.  The first day he didn't stop screaming for me, so they called me and I sent my oldest to check on him.  She stayed with him for about a half an hour to help him feel more comfortable.  After that, each day she would stay with him for several minutes after I left before joining me with our group.  He liked "playing toys" at "chuh-ch"but was consistently waiting for us at pick up time, eagerly searching the faces that came in the door for his family.

I thanked my hubby again for letting me be a stay-at-home mommy and raise our kiddos instead of working full time to raise someone else's kids.  That was always a source of angst when I worked full time...I spent so much time and energy focused on other people's children, that I didn't always have much left when I got home with my own beautiful children.  I'm grateful that I can use my teaching skills at home and pour myself into giving them the best I have.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Short Summer

Summer is going to fly by so fast.  Due to our upcoming move and home sale, I've decided to start our school year August 1st...meaning we've already started our last month of summer vacation! Yikes, it feels a bit like getting the short end of the stick, but I know it will help in the long run after taking breaks mid-year for selling and moving...  I've been going through our curriculum and preparing things so it will be as easy for me as possible to stay on track and get school done in the midst of home showings and packing up.

This year I've tweaked our routine a little.  Instead of "bible time" we will have time set aside for Faith & Character Building.  We'll be reading about the life of a missionary once a week and having a morning set aside for Worship once a week.

In Science we'll do a semester on Zoology before moving on to Earth Science.  I'm also excited about History this year.  We'll be continuing from the Revolutionary War that we learned about in depth last year to early American History of the pioneers, abolishing slavery, and how our government works!

We're going to try a new Language Arts program this year, I'm excited for it, but uncertain of how it will play out as we do it.  Only time and experience will tell.  For math, we found a good program last year and are sticking to it.  We've already finished the first 30 lessons during our summer school session and will continue it through the school year, hopefully starting the next math book in the spring.  Since both of our girls are in the same math book, it will push our younger daughter ahead in math (she catches on quickly anyway), and help to catch our older daughter up to her public school grade level.  She had some gaps in her learning due in part to her brain injury and in part due struggles with how math was taught to her previously.  Math has never been easy for her, and I've enjoyed watching her grasp concepts this past year!

Next week we have VBS and I volunteered again.  This year my oldest will be my co-teacher.  She and I will lead a group of up to 10 elementary kiddos around to the different activities and my little guy will be in the nursery everyday for 3-ish hours.  He goes to nursery during service now, so he'll be familiar with it.  Going so many days in a row will be interesting to see how he handles it.  My middle one will get to participate in all the VBS fun!


Monday, June 25, 2018

Houses, School, and Potty Training

Summer is here and we've started our summer learning routines at home.  Nothing too big, but enough semblance of structure to help us prevent becoming lazy couch-potatoes, I hope!

On the housing front, after much prayer, stress, and talking over everything a million times, we found peace in signing the contract for purchasing the new construction home.  Even though it could be a very scary prospect, that deep unseated peace persists.  It's a peace that only God can give because not much changed within our circumstances or the pros and cons, only our perspective has changed.  It's been my goal to spend daily time with God and purpose to submit to His leading vs. my own inclinations...something that is easier said than done, but well worth the commitment!

We've sent in our down payment and made appointments to visit the design center, etc.  I'm not sure exactly when they will break ground, but we plan to visit the site every couple weeks to see the progress being made.  Tentatively, our home will be ready around the holidays.

We'll start our school year in this home, take a break to sell, take a break to move, and then pick up our school work in the new house.  It will be a challenge, but we can be flexible and adapt as needed.
We're also moving forward with potty training.  I hadn't done much just in case we moved this summer.  Moving is almost a guaranteed regression in potty training and I didn't want to start just to have to start over again.  But, now that we have several months, and our little guy is showing signs of readiness, we are moving forward.

Monday, June 18, 2018

Summer Fun

Summer has begun...or at least will officially be here in a few more days!  We took two weeks off from school and projects.  Now, we start getting into more of a routine for the summer months. 

We are doing our own homemade reading program this summer.  I've challenged the kiddos to read 10 books this summer...books that are at their reading level.  They'll earn a prize after book 3, 6 and then after the 10th book!  Basically, they are hoping to read a book each week.  Their first goal is to earn a trip to Dairy Queen. ;-)

I'm also sneaking in some more history lessons with some fun audio books by Rush Limbaugh - his Rush Revere books are excellent and so much fun!

The girls have opted to continue doing math this summer.  They want to get ahead in school, so I'm more than happy to help them!

House News:  We are still in the negotiation stage with the new construction realtor.  We finalized the major construction choices, but haven't agreed to everything in the contract yet.  The contract is written mainly to protect the builder because he is constructing a home built to our specifications and we won't officially own it until closing.  Some of it we want to tweak to also protect ourselves in case something doesn't go well during the process.  We've seen it happen before where a builder took short cuts and the quality of the home suffered, although so far, this builder seems to be a reputable builder.

Health News:  The illness my hubby has had for months now, has been determined as a staph infection, not MRSA, but a difficult to resolve one.  After an initial misdiagnosis of an allergic ID reaction, he completed two separate rounds of antibiotics which have helped, but not removed the infection.  Currently he is going through phototherapy for 12 weeks.  Two or three times per week he goes in and stands in a special room to expose his body to special lights that are known to kill staph.  According to the internet, staph doesn't have resistance to light.  Although his doctor said that the treatment may only put it into remission...yay.  Only God knows.  We are praying this kills the infection so he doesn't have to live with it anymore.

Last night we were discussing healthcare and what happens when we move, whether he would switch to closer doctors or keep going to his current doctors.  Then it dawned on me that for most people it is unusual to have 6+ healthcare professionals that you see on a regular basis.  One of those things that just become normal when you live with chronic illness, I guess.  On the positive side, his new diet seems to really be making a difference.  He's having less pain and fewer flare-ups, and he hasn't needed his cane for a few weeks now!


Sunday, June 10, 2018

Decisions, Decisions...

The prayers for discernment and wisdom continue.  We have spent a weekend viewing existing homes, an afternoon driving up to meet the new construction builder, and another weekend traveling for our nieces' dance recital...everyone is tired of being in the car!

As common wisdom states: the perfect home does not exist.  There is always a compromise.  Of the existing homes we saw, none of them hit the mark.  Perhaps we are too picky.  However, we feel that we can be picky.  Nothing is making us move, or we might have settled on one of those homes.

After talking to the builder, we learned a lot more about what our options are.  The builder is in the process of selling the final plots of land and completing the community in our favorite small town.  The town is land-locked by farmers who are highly unlikely to sell their land, so the town will not be expanding much more, if at all.  We can afford to purchase a new build, but it will make finances tight the first year as we would have to put in landscaping (fence, grass, tree, etc.) within the first year of living there.  We would get the floor plan of the home we really loved.  We wouldn't have the money to finish the basement right away because the builder intentionally over-charges to finish the basement -he doesn't want to do that work...part of the perks of being a builder I suppose.

We started the process of "negotiating" what the home we would buy would be.  Basically he talked to us about the features that we want construction-wise and then he sent us a formal bid of what each change or addition costs and how that effects the final price of the house.  Then we can reply back any changes we want to make to that bid and he'll adjust it and send a new form back to us.

In the meantime we can keep house searching if we want, or we can decide that we don't want to go with the new build home after all.  We really like the town and the neighborhood.  The home we'd get would back to a small greenspace and be in biking distance from a park and a rec center for the kids.  It's also 15 minutes from the big city for shopping.  We've been praying for God lead us to the right choice.  The compromise with this house is the price and timing.  The house wouldn't be ready until the of the year.  So does God want us to buy this home and trust Him with our finances, or let go of this home and trust Him bring us to another home, or not move at all?  That's our current conversation with Him.

Sunday, May 20, 2018

House Hunting

We went on a full day trip to look at the new construction homes this weekend.  It was a long day, but I did enjoy seeing the homes we had perused online in person.  Surprisingly, one of the builders we had liked online looked awful in person.  Compared to other builders, these homes were not built with the same quality at all, but their prices were just as high as the other higher quality homes.

Some homes were beautifully built, but crammed into tiny lots with itty bitty backyards.  Most had small bedrooms with the majority of the square footage in the living areas.  We learned a lot about what we really want and need in a home and which features in a home really were important to us.  As usual, most of the ones we loved were a little out of our comfort zone financially so we aren't putting our hopes in getting a new build home.  We haven't scheduled a next time for househunting, but we will go see existing homes next time.

At home, we've finished up our enrichment program for homeschool and just have two weeks left of curriculum to finish at home.  I've put it all in the hands of our girls.  I explained how many days of school we have left and what they need to accomplish in that time.  It's been refreshing to see them take that information and become motivated to push for finishing early rather than procrastinating.  Next year they will be 5th and 7th graders.  Old enough to be more independent with their workload and old enough to make me feel like my time with them is fleeting.

I'm hoping that we can be moved and settled into our new home before school starts next year.  Everything for starting the home search has fallen into place in better ways than we had hoped for.  Now we are praying for God's timing and guidance for buying and selling.  God has been generous and gracious to us and I am continually motivated to remind myself to keep close to Him.  I know my own tendency to start out with God and get comfortable or excited and move out on my own power without Him.  So my prayer and goal is to keep my heart willing and seeking His will for our family.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Taking Time to be Me

Every week is new with new challenges and new things to be excited about. 

With the house selling/hunting we are continuing to work on checking off items on the to-do list.  Today we dropped off our little dude and spent the day working on the house.  I deep cleaned my kitchen cabinets and the top of the cabinets too -somewhere I haven't seen probably since we first moved in!  It was one of my biggest tasks to accomplish and took most of the day.  I also packed four more boxes from my cabinets too.  Being ready to sell feels a lot closer...just waiting on the preapproval for the new loan still...we shall see what news that brings.

On a more personal note, it was a rough week emotionally.  Having so many things on my plate got to me.  I seem to have a self-preservation instinct.  I handle things and handle things and push through even when it isn't easy...and then I hit a point where I simply shut down.  I stop caring about making the effort for the hard stuff and I have a few nights of feeling sad until I can work through it and figure out what it is that is bugging me.

This time it was mostly about 'adulting' on my own for a long period of time.  My hubby's been sick and because of his illness, I've been working on getting things done all on my own.  He helps when and how he can and feels awful that he can't do the things he wishes his body would let him do.  I don't mind the responsibilities; at times I just get overwhelmed and tired.  I don't have a lot of free time.  I am, and will increasingly be, his caregiver.  Granted, he is very self-sufficient right now and mostly I only help his health by cooking him healthy food and nagging him about making wise (realistic) choices about what he can physically do. 

His recent illness has been more than a lot for both of us.  It has forced him to stop taking his arthritis medication so his immune system can help fight the new illness, and that has caused him an increase in pain and decreased mobility due to it.  He bought himself a cane with his birthday money...he isn't even 40 yet and he has been walking with a cane.  He doesn't always need it, but when his body is hurting, the cane is very helpful to him.  He loves it.  Me...it's the idea of it that gets to me.  He knows that his later years in life will most likely be shorter and with increased disability.  I understand that, but don't want to spend time concerned with what might be, and take my learned-approach of dealing with what comes our way as things happen in life.

It was also the long duration of time that we've been unable to have our normal together-time.  His pain forces him to spend evenings on the heating pad in his ergonomic computer chair.  Zoning into his computer games enables him to temporarily not think about how much pain he is in.  It's a medication-free way to cope with pain.  So I've been missing the physical closeness, the adult conversations (I'm home with kids all day), and wasn't communicating with him because I didn't want to add to his struggles with dealing with being forced to be away from his family.  He doesn't enjoy these times either.

I went to mid-week church service and enjoyed the quiet kid-free time and positive message.  I planned more lunches that I am looking forward to rather than simply planning meals that cater to the budget or to other nutritional needs.  I spent more time watching my tv show on my phone when I had a quiet moment from the kids, and I spent more time praying and reading my bible.  Basically I took some time out to focus on my own wants and needs.  I give so much (and give willingly and cheerfully), but I need to refresh and refill my own cup too.

Thankfully, we had an appointment to go and his mom was watching the kids for us.  Our appointment ended early and we were able to go out to lunch, just us.  It was like going on a date -something we haven't done in a while.  We talked and enjoyed being on our own as adults and not parenting at the same time.  I was able to share some of my struggles in a way that didn't  emphasize any negativity.  What a difference communication makes! 

It will still take time for his illness to heal, but I'm feeling better.  We are also going to take a day to look at some homes with the realtor soon.  I'm excited for that!

Monday, May 7, 2018

Waiting with God

We've been busy as expected.  We signed a contract with a realtor for both selling and buying because she gave us a good discount for combining services.  We haven't heard back from the lender yet about pre-approval for a new home loan, so we're waiting for God's timing on that one and whatever results it may bring.

After signing the contract with the realtor, I felt very overwhelmed.  It took me a while, but after spending some time talking to God about it and hashing out all the feelings, facts, and happenings going on, I think we figured out why. 

I was feeling a bit rushed to get the house ready to sell and a bit overwhelmed with how daunting a task it seems when I think of my busy days at home with three children living regular life, trying to finish our final weeks of school, and also trying to prepare the house for moving/selling/and somehow living 'normally' in the transition of the two. 

God reminded me that I'm not required to meet any other person's deadlines.  Just signing the contract doesn't require us to sell, it doesn't require us to list by a particular date either.  It was just one more step forward.  We have some minor work to do around our home for maintenance and fix-ups.  I also have decluttering and cleaning left to do.  One step at a time...a reminder for myself, too...one step with our hearts and minds geared towards God's will and not letting things rush us into stepping out on our own without Him.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Waiting for speed to pick up...

Getting ready to move feels like slowly climbing a big hill on a bicycle and as soon as we reach a certain point, we'll start the downhill portion and once we get rolling, it's going to pick up speed and take us on a wild ride.

We contacted a realtor this week and will be setting up a preliminary appointment to look at what our house might be worth, what we should or shouldn't fix up, and how the selling process might go.  A lot hinges on this first big step.

If it all goes well, we'll make appointments with mortgage loan officers and start the process to get preapproved for a new home loan; contact a realtor from our desired area to move to and look at what the process of buying looks like. 

Then I believe life will become chaotic as we go through the active part of the journey to move.  I'm nervous about it, excited about the potential, and looking forward to settling back into a more normal lifestyle again after everything is all said and done. 

We dropped the kids off with family today and spent the day working on the house and packing.  I've packed almost all of my fragile items and a good majority of our non-essentials.  I'm constantly amazed at the amount of STUFF we own.  Despite the numerous trips to the thrift store donation station even!

We're also in our last month of homeschooling.  We have the flexibility to delay things until later in the summer if needed, but I'm hoping we can finish most things before the moving process gets crazy. Only God knows and I pray for His guidance as we take each next step!

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Horses

Riding lessons are going well.  After the first day, all doubts were banished and both girls couldn't wait for the next week's lesson!  They tack their horse each lesson to prepare it for riding.  They learn about horses in history and the equipment they are using for their horses.  They spend time riding their horse and for the most part, they are in control of their own horse the whole lesson when riding.  The teacher takes four kiddos on horses at a time and teaches in the moment as they learn inside a large stable arena. 

This week they learned to trot and sit properly while trotting.  My oldest's horse was very interested and actually started loping, which brought a huge smile to my daughter's face.  I really appreciate that their teacher trusts them with the horses and didn't try to stop the horse, she watched to see how my daughter handled the situation first...and she did beautifully!

At the end of each riding lesson they have  a bible lesson and the teacher hands out a week's worth of daily devotions and a memory verse for them to work on.  It's really neat.  We have to drive quite a ways to get there, but for the lower cost and the awesome quality of the lessons, I'm very happy we were able to give the girls these lessons.

Our little man does super too.  He sits in his big stroller and points at all the "neighs" and loves on the four dogs that come and check him out.  He has a blast watching the horses.  He also enjoys snacking during the lessons on his gluten free cereal and dried fruit.  The first week he was nervous when he got close to the horses and saw how big they really are, but this last time he loved me helping him to pet the horses' noses.

I am pretty tired out after a long day of driving and keeping my little guy busy, but it is all worth it!

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Each Next Step

When life is overwhelming and when the future is unknown...you just keep taking the next step!  We have committed to continue to take the next step towards moving until God closes the door.

I keep on chipping away at packing up the house, little by little, room by room.  Our need for boxes was wonderfully solved with two huge truckloads of boxes from my father-in-law who works at a warehouse!  God is so good.  So far, He seems to be leading us towards moving. 

We've done some painting and tons of decluttering.  I've taken so many loads to the thrift store...and yes, I know I could probably make some money with a yard sale, but I don't want the stress of managing that kind of a project and am perfectly at ease dropping my items off for someone else to have. :)

My hubby's job has been so very positive in his desire to move.  They have told him they would find a place for him wherever he decides to live (meaning office space...a rare commodity for his company!).  They have also talked to a manager of the new building they are putting up in the town we are looking to move to about the potential of him being there and the manager was excited!

Then, we were surprised to learn that they had reviewed the market research of what people in his position make on average and gave his team a raise out of the blue!  Whatever God is doing, He continues providing as we take each step.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Busy Easter Weekend!

He is Risen!  That is the highlight of the day today - Happy Easter & Happy Resurrection Day!

We enjoyed an intimate family morning watching service online and enjoying an egg hunt in the backyard.  It was chilly, but not chilly enough to force us indoors.  It was fun to see our Little Guy collect eggs, he didn't really get it, but he enjoys putting things into containers and dumping them, so it was right up his alley.  He really loved tasting jelly beans for the first time!  Our girls enjoyed their candies and we watched our new movie -The Last Jedi- as a family over dinner.

Our big surprise for the girls didn't get quite the response we had expected.  We used some of our Christmas money to purchase horse riding lessons for a month.  Our youngest daughter wasn't excited.  She says she enjoys riding horses, but she's done that before.  Our oldest is more excited and looking forward to it more.  We shall see how it goes.  I think they will enjoy it more than they think they will.

My hubby and I were DIY Weekend Warriors again this weekend.  We painted our bathroom ceiling and patched up some holes from our old cabinet that we then replaced with a simple glass shelf and hand towel rod.  It really makes our small bathroom look more finished and larger.  Then today I spent the afternoon packing up more boxes and reorganizing some of the toys into our daughter's room.  As I pack up I'm working on keeping things "show" worthy and still livable.

My hubby wants to contact a realtor in the next few weeks to see what they think our home might sell for and what improvements are worth investing in to get the best price for our home.  It's too unknown to have a solid confidence in how I feel about it all.  I'm just taking each step as it comes along and preparing in the most practical ways that I know how.  The more I pack up, the more it feels real that we might move. 

The biggest challenge is finding boxes to pack with.  Buying them is crazy expensive and I don't have a job where I can find lots of boxes like I did when we were younger and moving apartments every other year.  Craigslist has shown the most promise, and of course when I order from Sam's Club or Amazon, I get some good boxes.  Diaper boxes are also a wonderful size!

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Spring Break!

We are all so thankful we made it to Spring Break!  We have a playdate/sleepover planned with friends for the girls and a week of going at a slow pace...except for me, maybe.  I'm busy working on the house and planning, but it's all what I want to be doing -so we're good!

It was exciting to see our oldest's cholesterol levels significantly lowered at her check up. (she inherited the high good-bad cholesterol levels that run in our family)  She dreads the yearly blood draw, but it was so good to see the results.  She hasn't focused on her diet all year and it went down by a lot!  I attribute it to our diet (mainly low carb and less eating out).  The doctor says it is also in part due to her age and growth.  Kids her age tend to see their cholesterol dip in these early teen years, so we'll keep a yearly eye on how she's doing.

The Keystone Approach book came in and I read the majority of it in 2-3 days.  My brain was overwhelmed with the amount of information, but I was so motivated to learn that I didn't want to take a slower pace.  I took pages of notes and learned quite a lot about what foods help/hurt individuals who have arthritis and the science of why these foods react those ways.  She gives a lot of helpful tips and hints, but not a specific diet to follow.  I appreciate that because I always feel so skeptical of people who say that a specific type of diet is the "be-all, end-all" of ways to go.

She acknowledges that a low starch/carb diet is very helpful and gives ways to help achieve the best results possible.  So my take-away from her book is learning some good specific ways to tweak our current way of eating to help my husband's health.  I'm going to be decreasing nightshades, increasing cruciferous vegetables and antioxidant fruits, adding a fish oil supplement and vitamin D3 supplement, adding collagen peptides, and we'll try her suggested blend of probiotics -something that has been a hit or miss type thing with other AS sufferers in our FB group.  I found it interesting that many fermented foods are not helpful for those with arthritis.  That's part of why I really liked this book.  Foods that are beneficial for many people, are not as beneficial for those fighting an auto-immune disease.  Many of the Paleo Auto Immune Protocol recipes are a good match or simple to tweak for the foods she suggests.  PS. Most of the supplement tweaks are specifically for my hubby, they are a bit on the pricy side!

I'm hopeful that my hubby will not only see relief from his current symptoms -oh, and I nearly forgot!  He was diagnosed with an ID allergic reaction to his HRT patches, so it is NOT psoriasis, praise the Lord!!!  I am hoping he will see an overall increase of feeling better with less pain and fewer flare ups.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

New Path for Healthy Eating!

I am very excited about a new book I just ordered!  It is written by Rebecca Fett and called, "The Keystone Approach."  It specifically speaks to my husband's type of arthritis and his current struggles with what appears to be psoriasis symptoms.  He's been struggling with this recent development and we're both very motivated to find some way to help him. 

I read several reviews and the first three chapters of the book online.  It has recent scientific information tied to the microbiome and more specifically how individuals with autoimmune diseases can eat real foods that promote a healthier system.  I can't wait to read more on the "how" and "why" our bodies react the way they do to the foods we eat.

I know my hubby thinks I internet-diagnose, but in reality I research in depth so that I can understand a topic and then formulate my own opinions.  I read the positives and negatives, I look for repeated themes and common ground in the various articles and websites I use.  My favorite is to find references to a specific professional in the health/medical field because they often have the best in depth information to share when I specifically read what that professional has published.

We also received a gift of some Essential Oil samples that I am keen on trying once I am able to figure them out.  I think diet is our highest priority, and the oils will be an additional help for symptoms as well.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Health Updates, Food Updates, Etc.

Life continues to go on taking us along for the ride!  My hubby has developed an allergic reaction to something, we believe it to be related to his arthritis somehow, but it also interferes with his current method of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) so it gets muddled into a complicated mess.  Finding the source is not as easy as I would hope.  It could be a reaction to his biologic arthritis medication.  It could be that along with the added increase of histamine in his system too since he has had to stop his HRT until we hear from the doctor...his appointment is next month...reminding myself to be patient!  It could also be just an arthritic complication of his disease -it's a progressive disease and compared to others with this disease he has been doing quite well before this happened.

I'm finding that our son still has some of the sensitivities he had as an infant.  He can tolerate more of the offensive foods before reactions appear, not sure if that is progress or just that he is bigger now.  Raisins were the most recent.  He absolutely loves them and begs for them.  He eats them by the fistful, literally grabbing as many as he can possibly manage and stuffs them into his face!  Unfortunately, they are causing a minor rash similar to the one he had from the chicory root milk.  He was eating organic raisins, so I'm going to try another brand to see if it makes a difference before giving up on raisins all together.

Chocolate is another food that he can tolerate in small amounts, but it is easier to avoid.  It is a food that I have had trouble with when I over indulge or if my system is already struggling.  Big bummer because I love chocolate!  I am noticing that wheat and dairy still bother me when not eaten in moderation.  I find it is easier to avoid those ingredients and indulge only at special times -in small amounts.

Finding a nutritional meal plan that meets our needs is challenging.  There is so much conflicting information out there.  I've basically resolved to focusing on a real food diet with less processed foods and less grain products..  I buy organic for the "dirty dozen" and focus on making the best choices in other foods as my budget allows.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Finish Line In Sight

We had our science fair this weekend and the girls did a wonderful job with their presentations and answering questions about their projects to all ages of audience members!  I am so proud of them and the hard work they put in.  It was a very busy several weeks and I loved seeing the spark in their eyes with the motivation they had to work on their projects.

I've been striving to stay rationally focused on our work and seek the Lord with our schooling.  Homeschooling is funny...all of January and February you fight the "homeschool slump"  where it feels like you've been doing school forever and everyone is feeling the burn-out, and summer seems so far away.  Then March 1st hits and all of the sudden you realize you only have 10-13 weeks left to fit in everything you've planned for the year!  To top it off, curriculums and planners start going on sale for the next school year and it only adds to the pressure to figure everything all at once...easy to get overwhelmed with everything going on in your brain.

It reminds me of the verse where God tells us not to worry about tomorrow.  Matthew 6:26-34 is the passage.  If God cares for the lilies of the field, why would you worry about your own tomorrows?  Seek Him first and He'll give you everything you need.

I've been asking God what He wants for us this coming year: whether or not we move, whether or not we stay with our current enrichment program, what to add or remove from our lesson plans, etc.  I've got a lot of ideas and am waiting for his guidance for the right choices.

On the plus side, today I was able to review our goals for finishing out this year and we're mostly on track.  A little behind in some areas and ahead in others.  My goal for this year was to be more organized and I feel I've been pretty successful in that.  Next year my personal goal is to keep organized with school, and add in being more purposeful in our learning and how we spend our time. 

I've also got to figure out how to add in toddler learning time too for our little guy...he'll be on his own track of learning and I'm not sure how yet to incorporate all of the variables into my available time and energy each day.

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Science Fair Excitement!

We are participating in our first homeschool science fair this coming Saturday.  The girls are very excited and for the first time in a while, they have been begging to do school work.  Their projects have lit that desire to learn and discover!

Our oldest is doing a project on homemade dog foods to see what foods are healthy for dogs to eat and which of the recipes she has chosen will be preferred by our dog.  First she had to do research by looking at books from the library and websites online.  We found a lot of recipes, but I was surprised how little there was on the actual nutrition for dogs.  Mostly it was "avoid these foods and use meats, veggies, some fruits and little fats."  She chose two recipes to try and created a recipe of her own.  Saturday we spent the afternoon cooking the chicken (her meat of choice for all the recipes we are trying) and today we spent several hours (yes, hours of school on a Sunday -at my daughter's request!) putting the recipes together and then doing the first of three experiments to see which our dog preferred! 

Our younger daughter is doing her project on the consistency of different play dough recipes.  We've made one recipe so far and have five others to create in the next day or two.  Then she will compare the recipe ingredients and their dough consistencies to create her report and display.  Some of her recipes are not toddler friendly, while others are.  She even chose two gluten-free recipes for her brother to play with!

I love that they are so excited and interested in these projects.  I only wish I had more time to give each of them.  We've had to work in bits and pieces over the past few weeks.  It has been a great experience so far.  Our oldest asked me what place I thought the judges might give her for her project.  I told her I thought she had an excellent project, but I wasn't focused on the judges.  I was more proud of her for the hard work she was putting in and the learning she was getting from the whole experience.  She thought about that and then commented on her previous science fair at her charter school where she didn't really pay attention to the teacher and picked a project that allowed her the most play time at home rather than striving to create a quality project.  It was good to hear her tell in her own words what she was gaining from this experience compared to her past experience.  I'm proud of both of our girls and looking forward to seeing how things turn out for them. 

This is our final week to complete our projects so my lesson planner is basically gigantic words across the whole week of "SCIENCE FAIR", LOL!  They are doing math: measuring for their recipes, using real time, and will be making graphs for their displays.  They are doing language arts: preparing to speak to adults and peers about their projects, writing notes on all of their experiments, and a several items for their displays.  They are obviously working on science with the scientific method in their experiments as well as the chemistry and physics in their project topics.

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Day to Day Stuff

The past few weeks have been complicated by illnesses.  Our little man brought home a nasty cold that took him nearly two weeks to recover from.  He kindly shared it with the entire family, leading to several sick days where we didn't do school and our middle child gained an ear infection from.  I can tell we are finally getting to the end of it, but there are still times that it just wipes me out.  Yesterday I felt pretty good.  Today I took a three hour nap and barely functioned before that nap.  I'm hopeful that we'll be able to keep our school schedule this week -we've got a dentist appointment and two homeschool outings planned!

Our homeschool group does "Presentation Days" once per month and this month's theme is "Poetry".  Both girls have memorized something to recite.  Our oldest is reciting the 'Toddler's Creed' poem by Dr. Burton White, and our youngest girl is reciting John 3:16.  If our little guy cooperates, I hope to video tape their presentations, and at least, I hope I am able to keep him busy so he is not an interruption to them.  He did well last month sitting in my lap and playing with his pom-pom balls and wipey box.

With the potential of moving this year, I have in my spare time...the little I get...been packing items we aren't ready to let go of, dropping of bags and bags of stuff to the thrift stores, and de-cluttering the house to make it more "show ready".

Whether or not we actually move, this process has been really good for me and has provided a good perspective for working on our home.  I re-purposed my prized desk as a tv stand because our little guy was biting the paint off of our hand-me-down desk we were previously using and I didn't know what kind of paint he was eating.  My desk actually looks nicer and fits better in our living room anyway.  I miss having the surface to throw clutter on, but I'm enjoying the forced organization it is making me do to adjust.


Sunday, January 28, 2018

Odd Allergy Symptoms

We ended up taking our little guy to see the pediatrician over the weekend just to rule out any medical concerns that I wouldn't know about...I don't like acting opposite the recommendations of the medical professionals, even when I doubt them strongly at times.

We were fortunate to get to see the pediatrician he has seen every visit since birth.  She knows his history and her first question to me was "What is new in his diet?"  It was such a relief.  She completely agreed with my assessment of the situation and did not think a scratch test was needed at all.  She didn't specifically state that she thought it was the chicory root, but she did agree in avoiding the new milk and rather than trying new milks when his is not in stock at the store, he's okay not having it for a day or two.

We went home reassured and relieved.  His rash took about a week to completely clear up, but it did.  She also suggested mixing his Aquaphor and a hydrocortisone cream rather than using Benadryl and worrying about the potential over dose.  It worked wonders in relieving his itch and we only used the Benadryl tablet for naps and bedtimes.

Then this past week, we went out to eat and even though he had a gluten free meal, something must have been cross contaminated because he reacted badly to it.  Tummy pain, gas, not eating and just drinking, and the strangest one of all was a low body temperature.  He has had all of these symptoms before.  His low temperature never goes low enough to reach the concerning levels posted on the internet, but it makes him cold and uncomfortable.  It only happens when he's had wheat.  And only lasts as long as it takes to get out of his system (usually 3-4 days, starting around the second day of a reaction).

I researched it in my free time for two days, not finding anything that fit his situation.  Then I searched under the FPIES (Food Protein Induced Entercolitis Syndrome).  There it was.  Allergic reactions and low body temperature in the same paragraph and connected legitimately by other parent testimonies and by medical professionals.  It's only listed as an unusual reported symptom, but it is listed as happening in severe reactions.  I was hoping to find some more scientific information about why it happens and what is going on internally.  At least it is documented that it is in relation to an allergic reaction to food proteins.  I hope that I remember, but I want to bring it up at his 18 month well visit to see what his pediatrician says.

More on Applying God's Will

I'm finding that applying God's will to my life easily fits the current trending word of "adulting".  It involves a maturity and a spiritual development level to know God's word and obey it, even when you don't feel like it, or find it uncomfortable.

For me, I realized this in my church attendance.  With my son, it was hard to attend because he was so young, so attached, and too loud to allow me to attend service in the sanctuary.  Recently on Wednesday nights, my hubby has been able to take care of our son at home while I take our older children to service and attend myself.

I found myself not wanting to go.  I wanted to hide in the back row, keep my secluded introverted ways...but our church has a 10-minute period of prayer each Wednesday night service and openly encourages all to pray together in small groups during that time.  They also have an open communion at the front of the sanctuary.

But, I know that God wanted me to attend.  He wanted me to participate, so even though it was uncomfortable and strange...I went.  I pushed aside that fear and trepidation to do what God asked me to do.  I still can't say I'm happy to go and interact with people I don't know.  Maybe someday they won't be such strangers to me.  In any case, I am learning.  I am growing in my faith.

Friday, January 19, 2018

Surprise Hair Cuts and Allergic Reactions!

The first few weeks of our January have been pretty busy.  The girls requested more field trips so we have been on two already this month and potentially another one next week, although this momma is pretty worn out, so we might skip that one.

Our oldest hasn't been enjoying her once-a-week day with the extra curricular activities as much...it is public school based and she has realized for the first time in her life that the world isn't "mostly Christian" as her life has previously been blessed to be.  She's been witnessing to a boy who is atheist in her class and has chosen to continue to attend classes so she can continue to be a light to him.  It's inspiring and something special to be a part of as her mom through this life challenge.

Our younger daughter surprised us by cutting her own bangs.  She hid it for two days by wearing a winter hat saying she was cold...I thought she did a pretty good job on her bangs, just a little bit on the short side.  So I helped her even them out and finish the edges.  I can see her getting into the salon business when she is older.  Then her sister, whose bangs have finally grown out, begged to have bangs again so I did hers too.

Our little guy is nearing 18 months old and has finally hit the vocabulary explosion that is typical of toddlers his age.  It is so much fun because it has only been the past week and a half or so that he has suddenly started chatter-boxing like crazy!  He has a few phrases that he says and several single words, but he is trying new ones all the time and has learned that when he calls us by name, he can get our attention.  I often wake up to him calling "momma" from his crib in the mornings.

He has been having a reaction to something in his diet the past week or so and I wasn't sure if it was just a virus or an allergy.  He'd have random spots on his body that seemed to fade away and return.  Some would make him itch.  Last night we learned what was going on -at least I hope we've found the only source. 

For dinner I made him oatmeal and as usual I used his nut-milk to mix in and help cool it down for him.  He's into feeding himself now, so he had that oatmeal everywhere...his shirt, his hands, his ears, his eyebrows, and even the back of his head mixed into his hair.  I gave him a bath afterwards and noticed that he was beginning to break out.  He had red blotches on his cheeks, one eyebrow, some spots on his nose and several behind his ears and on his neckline above his shirt collar.  He started itching by rubbing his hand and scratching his ears and neck constantly. 

The milk I had used for his oatmeal was a new one.  The week before, the store was out of his normal milk, so I bought the same brand with a new formula that included "prebiotics".  The only unusual ingredient in that milk was chicory root inulin.  So I did a quick google search of chicory root side effects and not just one, but several websites had warnings about checking with a doctor before using chicory root because it is known to cause severe dermatitis and is part of the family of plants that include ragweed, marigold and other seasonal allergies.  My hubby has consistent hay-fever every year due to those specific allergies.  That was enough to convince me that it was the chicory root.

His rash and itching was so bad that we decided to call the after-hours line to see if we could give him some sort of antihistamine cream or medication to help him through the night.  The nurse I talked to quickly discarded my chicory root idea saying that it was just a tuber and not likely at all.  She was more concerned with the almond/cashew mix of the milk even though I explained to her that he drinks almond/cashew milk every day, and has for the past 7-8 months without incident.  She gave us permission to give the antihistamine meds and also recommended we not give him any more tree nuts without getting an allergy scratch test done and explained to me everything I already knew about allergies.  I thanked her and hung up. 

Never before this past year have I ever questioned those in the medical profession like I do now that I have a child with food sensitivities.  Doctors seem to know very little about how food interacts with the body.  I know my child best and I know that it was not the tree nuts that bothered him.  Bananas are also exacerbating his rash, and I know that bananas can cause reactions to those with seasonal allergies like ragweed, it only confirms in my mind that it was most likely the chicory root inulin that his body is reacting to.

As of tonight, his rash had faded to more of a pinpoint rash on his neck and ears.  The blotches on his cheeks remain.  His body is still working through it because the rash fades with the topical cream, but returns red and itchy when the effects start to wear off.