Welcome Autumn

The trees are donning regal colors as the air chills. Golden flowers and leaves dot the landscape, along with lovely reds. Pook is already planning on playing in the leaf piles.

Welcome, welcome!

Dealing with a life storm

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."-Vivian Green.

Yesterday, we took our 1YO to the allergist. She still won't eat baby food. She flat out refuses it. She won't put things into her mouth either. At first, we thought it was a texture thing, or that she wasn't ready for food. Turns out it was something more than that.

She's had weird reactions to 2 foods, so we suspected something. Apparently, when a baby refuses food, it could be because it is an allergy, as was the case with our babe.

Things have been working out for us, in a very synchronistic manner. Due to the implementation of a new computer program, we ended up with a different doctor (the other one we happen to like). Turns out, he has a child with food allergies. We ended up going to the allergist he recommended, and ended up getting in yesterday due to a cancellation.

They did the prick test on her back. Her tiny little back was filled with welts - poor babe was even sensitive to the saline. We've discovered that she's extremely allergic to wheat and egg, following comes coconut, rye, oats, and probably barley.

Knowing she had food allergies was daunting, though not nearly as scary as learning how to use an epi-pen, and finding out each one gives you 15 minutes before it wears off. That's 15 - 30 (you usually are prescribed 2) to get your child to the hospital. That was the scary part.

At first, I felt really overwhlemed. Today, I am feeling better about things. I am deciding to be positive about this and look at it in a creative sense.

I get to figure out new recipes, and maybe even do so with a friend. The amount of support I've recieved has been seriously overwhelming in a good way. We've decided to make a positive dietary change for all of us, and try new things.

There is a chance, and the hope, that she'll grow out of this. Until then, we are choosing to make the most of it. It's a good thing we like to dance - when it's dry and in the rain.

Moments 17

I don't think that words are really needed for this:

It's coming...

There is a hint of autumnal chill in the air this morning, and I am soaking it up. Oh, I enjoy and am helping summer to last as long as possible. This morning though, filled me with the excitement of possibilities. Crisp leaves, long walks (without getting so hot), hot tea, lentil soup...

Just this morning, I celebrated with a bowl of howl oatmeal, a fresh peach, and cinnamon, with a chai latte. I soaked it in.

The kids around here have headed back to school, and our home schooling has begun again. There are new adventures in store for us this season. Many visitors, new friends, and new activities.

Our Bit of Earth

In June, I watched Pook scatter seeds. We had no real plan, we only wanted to get them in the ground and hoped they'd grow. We didn't even water them. At that point, I'd given up on gardening. Remember this post?

And then, today, I went to our bit of earth, our "veggie" garden.
I came back with this:


To be fair, my husband's already planning how it will be more organized for next year. Me? I'm just plum happy that I, little old me, have a vegetable garden. It's weedy, and I'm not exactly sure what's growing in it, but today I harvested cucumbers (and there are more!) and lettuce, found mini corns, a mini-melon, have chives and mint...

And did I mention... that I also put in an order today for autumn bulbs to be used in tandem with a project based on the Secret Garden movie and book? But you see... I'm not a gardener... ;)

Best Compliment Ever

This has been an interesting year for me in terms of relationships. There has been a lot of pain, a lot of joy, and a lot of healing. As summer comes to and end, I have realized that I've been truly blessed this year.

I've reconnected with old friends, made new ones, and found something that I was missing. I've found people that I can let go and just be me with. There's no fear of judgment from them, nor that feeling of inadequacy as a friend or person. There are no limits or measurements. I can just let go, and be me. And the beauty is, that I've been discovering more of me in the process.

This has been a full summer of traveling, family and friends. It's been a summer of healing, of pushing boundaries, of whirlwind travel. It's been a summer of fun and love, of creating JOY. Where as my heart was once feeling the pain, it's filled to the brim and pouring over with love. I've been so scared to open my heart. And then when I did, I found only love.

And then this morning, I read this in my email:

"It's rare to find people that we are just free to be ourselves around. You are definitely one of these people for me, and I am SO happy to be one of those people for you. I feel at home with you. It's that simple, that beautiful, and that profound. "

Yes my friend, yes it is.

Interesting discussion

Today, I've been taking part in an interesting discussion involving this article:
Do you complain too much?

The author of the article tries to stop complaining for 5 days or so according to the popular program outlined in the book A Complaint Free World and tries to curb negativity, one gripe at a time. In the end, she chooses to continue griping and complaining.

This brought up some really great food for thought involving how we define complaining, when or if it's okay to complain, how a few people feel that denying there is a problem and holding it in is not good... lot's of great things to think about.

I had been thinking about challenging myself to 40 days of gratitude and awareness of my own complaining, until my friend Ed offered one that feels more suitable: instead of dwelling in the thing you want to avoid, move on. When you notice it creep into your life acknowledge it and yourself as human, recognize it's not on the path of where you need to go, and move on. Why give something you don't want associated with you such power over your life for 40 seconds, much less 40 days?

Powerful stuff, yes indeed.