Rest for the Weary

Laid low. Low energy. Our bodies are doing their job and need rest. Magic happens when we rest. Lucky to live in a town where you can buy such good food at a food store. Lucky to have the resources to have choice about our food. Grateful. On-line reading. Off-line reading. Knitting.  And a continuous side car of sipping. 

Living & Creating

Avoidance. Avoiding what needs to be done. And yet, hadn't been doing a whole lot of what I wanted anyway. Needs to be done? Who says? Isn't what I am doing in the the moment, exactly what I need to be doing? Moving towards the edges of loving what I'm doing while I'm doing it and letting go of everything else. Keeping my energy on what I love. Loving where my energy is at. And learning that it takes less time to get something done by just doing it. Simple and oh so challenging.

As winter settles in, we're settling into a rhythm for the darker days. I'm over the half-way point of overhauling my studio. Owning my artist within. She's so excited. Reminding me daily, that I can make art anywhere, for any length of time. (sighing with joy)

Home care and Family care are always on the agenda. How much, for how long and to what extent remains flexible. And the whole family is participating. Almost as awesome as making stuff.  The family is moving more and playing more. The smeench is working on stretching and growing his comfort zone and those hard developmental milestones where we learn to find joy in everything including care of self, care of belongings and care of the furry family members. Learning to love what we do so we have lots of time to do what we love. As always, the boy and I are in rhythm together. The Big Handsome Fella has been getting up at the crack of dawn and playing at the gym. Interesting how that has brought joy to all of us.

Just shy of one year since my last post. Lots of living and no writing. Sad and true. The Little Handsome Fella had his tonsils and adenoids removed. The nuttiness that is my life, included my mother falling down our stairs the morning of his surgery and breaking her ankle. One month later, she promptly fell and broke her other ankle. Same surgery on both ankles. Lots of me caring for them and PT appointments for the boy too. Both are recovered and thriving. We took care of each other and we healed.

Sometimes you wait. Sometimes you plan. Sometimes you do. Sometimes you are fast. Sometimes you are slow. Sometimes you are bored. Sometimes you are creative. All times you are living. I hope you are loving and having joy. Here's a peek into some of our past year of living, loving and joying.

Lots of Football...

literally told me, "not cool"

love the 'tude

Lots of out door time camping and exploring...

Kohler Andre State Park

Lots of growing and cooking...

part of our garden

our first pick, many followed

roasted 6 pans of these

Lots of Community Time...

Willy Street Co-op Party

Pride Parade

Cycropia

Wicked

Lots of people's voices being heard... 

President Obama

DC Rally for Sanity

Lots of making stuff...

bird mobile for baby Bennie

ball for Abbie

Lots of fun...

the only way i play golf

science & fun

more art

zombie & "scared to death"

Lots of Family time...

George Webbs & Milwaukee Zoo

gave in to his joy & let go of my fears

To Thine Own Family Be True

We had a ruff and tumble couple of months. Just sorta sucked my energy and focus. We've all been sick on and off.  I've got a chronic auto-immune disease that flares up and makes illnesses challenging. But worst of it, my little handsome fella got sick. So sick with Croup, he was in the hospital. Then it became a bacterial sinus infection which led to a reaction to antibiotics. That one bout took him 5 weeks to get back to his normal self. By 8 years old he should have grown out of this but it actually has gotten worse. In all of this, there was a happy accident as we learned he had Sleep Apnea which has just completely changed our lives.

Now we know what's going on. His tonsils and adenoids have always been quite large. Introduce a virus and often his air way is the size of a straw. He's always been a light sleeper both waking often and not waking up completely, even being combative at times. He has had night terrors for most of his life. He hates going to bed -- fears it actually. Never wants to wake up. Complains of tiredness and inability to focus all day. The list goes on and on. Hmmmm... sleep apnea is the root of all these problems?  May be not all the struggles but it was a great reminder that he's doing his best and maybe, just maybe, many of these things are out of his control.

Just having him sleep in a position that keep his air way open has moved things forward. The ENT said that children in his situation, haven't ever experienced the complete person they are because every day is tainted with lack of sleep. Not just not enough sleep. Lack of sleep. Our sweet boy doesn't get REM. That takes a toll on your body and psyche. Did I mention, he sleeps 8-11 hours each day!!!

He'll have a both tonsils and adenoids removed in March. We've had lots of judgement in both directions. Why wait so long? Why do it at all? Haven't you tried alternative methods? What about this? What about that? It's all very annoying. 

I'm so very glad to know who I am. My life is alternative methods which the reason he's done so well for so long. He's seen several alternative practitioners. We've tried herbs, oils, supplements, rinses, gargles, foods and energy work.  He's been sick twice more since the hospitalization. I do not sleep soundly as I'm always repositioning him while he sleeps. Worth it, but taking it's toll on me.

The point of this ramble? To thine own family be true!! You are all always doing your best. You know that feeling in your belly? Listen to it. Teach your child to listen to it. Have talks about it. Learn to pull back the veil of fear and get to that belly feeling. That knowing... often called intuition... will hold your hand and guide you in every situation. While it is very challenging to remember that others opinions of you are none of your business,  I do find it easier to remember that others opinions are always a reflection of their journey and their need to learn about themselves. Compassion for your self and others, will never lead you astray and neither will your intuition.

Here's one of my favorite authors Sonia Coquette and one of my favorite books "The Wise Child".

Snow's a coming...

The wee one doesn't feel well. Tired. Sore throat. Dry mouth. Fever. Good day to snuggle at home by the fire, so we did. Tomorrow looks like the perfect day for more snuggles and baking. If my job is closed I'll spend my day smeenching on Q. If I go to work, I think I know a Big Fella who'll gladly smeench Q all day.