So….For anyone who is interested in what’s been going on around here. We are definitely in the thick of it. We have gotten so much accomplished, but still have so far to go. By the gracious giving of our church, our friends and family, we were able to put some wood on the floor downstairs. It’s tough wood to work with, filled with knot holes and cracks and uneven places, but it will have some real “character” when it’s finished. There’s a perfect analogy for our lives right there….. We are so grateful to have had the help of my brothers and dad. Man, it’s a blessing to have carpenters in the family…. All of the “moldy things” have been removed from the living space of our home, so we hope, and we’re using HEPA filters to catch any spores that may have escaped. There is one ominous cloud hanging over in the form of the off season closet. I will have to get in there at some point and pull everything out and go through it all, keeping the sentimental stuff I absolutely cannot part with, and throwing out the rest. Sounds like a good spring project.
So, that’s where we are on the house….where are we with our health? I am still struggling with many symptoms, but since we moved all the junk out I have felt more clear-headed. If I could choose which symptom to get rid of first, it would be the brain fog, so it is an incredible blessing to see some healing here. Weakness continues, but I am learning to be grateful for the strength to do what I must. That’s more than enough anyway…. As far as the kids go, we have seen many improvements. Attitudes are better. Elliotte is much more graceful now. She used to bumble around, bumping into walls and tripping over things or even over nothing and falling onto her face. She has the brown tooth in front to prove it. This was a constant issue with her. Over Christmas she had a clumsy moment, and Richard and I both noticed that it had been a long time since she had fallen for no good reason. She is also more responsive and clear headed as well. There have been many other positive changes that we have noticed and are SO grateful for.
We have been slowly transitioning to “natural” living, as far as what we eat, hair and body care, cleaning products, etc…As for the latter, we only clean with vinegar these days. It was a little weird at first, and I wasn’t crazy about the smell, but I don’t mind it at all now. It brings peace of mind, and that goes a long way around here. The kids can even use it to clean the bathrooms or whatever. Plus, I don’t have to freak out whenever Silas climbs under the kitchen sink and goes through my cleaning basket. There’s no longer anything toxic there, so no worries. Also, something I’ve learned. Pesticides are horrendous. We used them a lot in our old house to get rid of ants and roaches (frightening I know, but I think they just come with 100 year old urban houses). I know insects are gross when they’re in the house, but seriously, would we really rather have harmful chemicals that we’re breathing in and absorbing through our skin??? The more I learn about all this, the more I am completely fascinated how ignorant/naive I’ve been about….well….everything. What will I think of myself in another year? It’s a humbling thought…. I can only hope that I will keep learning and growing.
As far as food goes, that’s a story and a half. We have been slowing moving toward living organic, but it has been difficult. It’s just so expensive for our budget. Thankfully, I have gotten some great advice from my sweet sister-in-law Alyssa (thanks ‘Lyssa!) on how to save money while eating more healthily. It will also help when we get our garden in the ground. We are currently gearing up to begin a LONG cleansing diet. It will change our lives in many ways, but hopefully all positive ones. Si and I will start on February 1st and the rest will start the following month. I could be as long as 2 years to work through this (I’m aware of how crazy this sounds), but hopefully only around one. The diet itself doesn’t frighten me too much, but it’s going to be inconvenient. For example, if someone invites us over for dinner, we’ll have to bring our own. Yikes. That just sounds offensive. However, we have total peace about it. I want to write more about this said diet, but not today. It needs a post of it’s own.
We would be ever so grateful if you would continue to pray for us as we are on this road to healing. It’s probably going to get hard as we begin the detoxing process. Thank you….Oh, and I do realize that this post is especially scattered….Forgive me.
