New Habits

Before

This past week has been really inspiring. So many things happened in one week that have been increased my testimony that we are not as in control of things as we think. I decided that some old habits have got to die, and some new ones formed. Both of which are easier said than done. But I'm not going to let that discourage me.

We listened to General Conference at the beginning of the month. This is a bi-annual 2 day span of meetings that we attend in our church that include talks full of advice, stories, inspiration and Spirit. It helps me to take inventory of our life and try to be a better person, mother, and wife.

I thought I would chronicle some of the good things that have changed for us. First thing that seems to rule our life now is Celiac Disease. Since I was diagnosed in June, the allergic reactions to wheat, trace amounts of wheat and foods that have been processed on machinery that contain wheat have gotten to a knee-jerk reaction. Within a few minutes to hours of ingesting any of that, I'm sick. Sick with migraines, joint aches, stomach cramps, and hives. I've been getting horrible acne breakouts now too but thankfully clear up rather quickly and are not leaving scars like they used to. I found out in July that the wheat allergy had been causing internal bleeding and because everything was so damaged I wasn't absorbing nutrients like I needed to. Anemia showed up, and by September I was sent in to get IV iron infusions. I finished my last injection today, and I'm feeling LOTS better. I have energy. I can think! I've gotten so that I know what I can and cannot eat, and if I do get wheat, while it's miserable, it will clear up within two days. Two days is still a long time to be down, but compared to weeks like it was before, this is a major improvement. I was also able to find out that the migraines are from a mineral deficiency (Magnesium). Tonight I figured out that I was taking magnesium, but not enough, so that has been remedied. Vitamin D is another thing I've very deficient in as well, but I have started to get myself in a habit of taking those everyday, which I hope is helping things heal too. I've not been sick yet this fall like I usually am.

We got our school room finished! I finally feel like I can stand on two feet firmly with my decision to homeschool. This has been a hard decision that I struggle with every fall. Why do I do it, how do I do it, and where do I do it have all been hard questions for me to answer in the past. Once the kids were diagnosed with Autism, (we have 3 now!), it was hard to wade through the chatter of the benefits of schooling or homeschooling. I made the decision that if I had a room we went to every day for school that I would be able to get it done better, with all our supplies in one place, each kid had an individual space, and a door that locked so they couldn't get into it "after hours" and drag stuff out of it. It's not been a perfect system, but it's been working! Our method of choice is still in unit studies, so we are doing one I'm developing as we go for Lewis and Clark. Against suggestions of therapists and family, I choose to continue homeschooling our kids, because overall I trust that the Lord will not steer me wrong. I haven't been told to put them in school yet, so until I am told to do that, I will continue to homeschool.

I was told to keep journaling. I have one that I've been working in for 10 years and it's about half full, but I took some time to add and organize some things in it that I had just stuck in and if the kids got ahold of it all of my pictures, notes and memorabilia would fall out. I'm not writing every day but at least a couple times a week I am writing. And keeping blogs. And did you know you can make your blog into a book?! Ideas are flowing....

We got another dog. I know, I know. You all may or may not be keeping count. I'm a closet dog lover. I love their goofy grins and ear positions, their clumsy running on slick floors, their quiet contentment to lay under my desk allowing me to roll over their tail. Cookie has been wonderful (except when she drags a diaper under Joshua's bed), and I've wanted to get another heeler mix since Justin was put down 5 years ago. Well, I found him! He's a red heeler and collie mix. He has darker coloring than Justin did, but he has the same grin, goofy cock-eyed ears, and he's SMART!! A little too smart. He figured out how to open the screen door and back door and he cleans. He brought us all the toys laying in the back bedrooms one day. He'll bring me dishes laying on the floor. Who could ask for more in a dog?! I think Cookie is happy to have another companion too. She's been pretty happy, but wore out from playing with a frisky puppy. Fox is 6 months old. He loves to play with the kids, so when they haven't been out to play with him in awhile, he will bust open the door and come looking for them. It's been great, mostly. He piddles when Curtis pets him sometimes, but it's pretty funny to watch him try to climb onto Curtis' lap (Fox is about 35 lbs) and if he can't get up he say "Hi" in a huffy dog way. And then helps himself to Curtis' water cup. Isn't that showing some love?

So, these are some of the things we've been changing and working on. If we could keep the laundry kept up and the floors clean, that would be stellar, but two year olds don't really help in that department, or 36 year olds for that matter.

These pictures on here are from our first snow of the season. So different from Nebraska, where I hear the leaves are gone and they already had a snow storm earlier in the month. While the days get shorter and the weather colder, I still feel like something went too fast...the summer? the days? We've been super busy so I guess that makes time feel like it's zooming by. I am looking forward to our fall and winter days. I feel like I get the most work done in the house and school departments because of the shortness of the days. I'd say at least November isn't looking so busy, but it's not even begun yet. I know I've said in other posts I always feel like the fall is my new beginning, not the New Year, so it's nice to feel productive in our new habits and changes.

After