Working Mom Blues and The Medicine Woman

The other day, after my husband bought me my bike, he brought it upstairs in the living room to work on. I didn't mind. I'm getting used to having him work on bikes in the living room. It seems to keep him happy while he's watching re-runs of The Beverley Hillbillies, The A Team, or whatever semi-wholesome tape or dvd we can get a hold of. This memory is a particularly fond one because after he put a new tire on it, he put the baby seat on for me. Then Miss Moona wanted to sit in it. Then he decided to give her a ride. Through the dining room, down the hall and back into the living room he peddled her while I watched half amused. A couple of years ago, maybe even a couple of months ago I would have protested loudly. Now I couldn't have cared less. Its funny how our perspectives change. Miss Moona was happy. My husband was happy. I was happy. Can't think of anybody who wasn't happy at the time, so who cares if my husband is riding the baby through the house on my new (used) bicycle?! :-) Its stuff like that that just sticks with me.......
So anyway, I don't usually write about ailments, but i'm undergoing another one of those ironies, so I had to tell about it. Almost a month ago, my daughter went running in the rain. She runs 5-10 miles at a pop. The girl is just incredible. Anyhow, she came home with muddy feet from the holes in her shoes (which I have since thrown away and replaced). When she got home she had a rash across her toes. For the first few days we sprayed her toes with anti fungal spray. Within a week, it had turned into a full blown cellulitis with swollen reddened toes and feet and ankles and pain going up her calves. Scared the crap out of me. I took her into prompt care and she got on keflex. Within days the cellulitis left her feet and legs but her toes remained red and giant bloody blisters formed on the top of each toe. I showed pictures to the Doctors at work who thought it was maybe a staff or strep bacterial infection. They recommended to continue on antibiotics and do foot soaks which I did. On the 7th and last day of antibiotics I took her back again because it was still there. It had been weeks since she could wear shoes, go for a walk or even be out in the sun without an outbreak. Thats when we got a referral to a dermatologist. We drove her to a big city where they put her on stronger antibiotics and steroids. Would you believe new, smaller blisters formed the other day?! Prayers of many, scripture confessions, foot soaks, elevation, antibiotics, steroids..... what else do I do?
So anyhow, I have prayed daily for God to heal this awful malady on my beautiful girl. Today, a possible answer came from an unexpected source. I talked to a very wise co-worker who has spent years studying medicine on many levels. With more confidence than ANYBODY I've talked to, she says continual poultices of ecchnicia and plantain will heal her along with elevation. Now the last time I heard about poultices was from Granny Clampet, but I had to consider that modern medicine with all its remedies has not been successful. Our Mist, also suggested poltices which I poopooed (sorry Mist). Thinking back, thyme healed me last year from an ailment I'd had off and on for years. I felt humbled and dumbfounded. Would simple weeds really help heal those toes? I don't know. Generous Georgia, after detailed instructions, went outside and brought me back in some plantain leaves from the hospital grounds. Then she instructed me to go out and pick the rest that were growing there. Sheepishly I ambled out into the fresh, warm air. I looked all over where she told me to go but I couldn't see any. I even retraced her direction steps no less than five times. I began to panic so I prayed. "Look down" gently came to me and I realized I had tromped through the stuff five times - lol!! I felt really really silly. It occurred to me how ironic it was that I, the nurse, was outside the hospital harvesting free weeds to treat my daughter with when even the best specialists hadn't helped her. A whole hospital of things were available inside but none of them seemed right. Would the weeds growing outside be the key? Generous Georgia seemed pretty convinced they would. So as the cars drove by, I ignored my brain telling me that I was crazy to be doing this, and harvested a big bag of plantain............ Now to keep trusting in God and try this ancient remedy.

Going to the Sun....

Contrary to your thinking, this indeed, is no middle aged crime boss, but it is our very own "Art Dog" during intermission from the "buzz" Archer was giving him ;-)

Here, he has been ruefully assigned a kitchen cleaning job.....

The Girls Camping

Miss Moonbeam doing who knows what?!? and with a lot of attitude ;-)

My Motocross Men

And our beloved Artdog again.....

My boyz out riding today.....

There is this place in Glacier National Park called "Going to the Sun" road. It is fitly named because it feels like you might be driving there. Its a beautiful place. Some of our friends are coming out from MN to go to a camp near there. After that they are coming to visit us! If I can butter up my husband enough, we just might get to take in a few days of that family camp ;-) Anyhow, as I was saying, "Going to the Sun" road got me thinking.........

Over the past several months, I've been through more than my share of challenges. Lots of feelings flood my being to the point where I don't know what to believe. Emotions are just emotions and they aren't reliable to what the truth always is, but they always feel real. That's when "Going to the Sun" road comes in. Theres this path, old and well travelled where I can go to find the truth and rest I need. Its the road where my battles cease and the destination is away by but moments......

Today, as I walked through the forest paths, the lupine were just coming into bloom. The purple splendor against the forest green carpet was just breath taking. I walked along that all familiar path until I reached an intersection. To go left or right would just take me down the dusty road, but following it ever so slightly to where the path can be found again, I headed down to my all familiar favorite place, maybe in all the world. Its a path along which the lupine bloom amongst other wild flowers. As you begin to descend you can see the crystal clear waters of my favorite mountain lake. Its the best kept secret where few venture, but many return. There I sat and found myself "Going to the Son". Something amazing happens every time. I just have to remember that path. When I close my eyes in meditation, any place on earth, and purpose to enter into His presence, He is there. Suddenly the sonlight splashes through my soul and the heart that seems so broken finds rest and restoration once again.

As the once empty, once devastated, once broken woman found peace near the waters, I was reminded that the reason we share our faith is so that others, too, might find that peace and wholeness. It was then that I wanted to post about finding that road called "Going to the Son"......................................

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Loony Camping Adventures

As you can see by the look on the first picture - Moonbeam had her share of sugar euphoria ;-)

Rabbit and I on a swamp safari

Sacked Out!

Can you see whats wrong with this pic?! The marshmallow high has now crashed ;-)

My Amazing Son "The Archer"

Us Girls!

Me and my Love

Sock Fashion Expert and Company

The Sock Fashion Expert had determined she would not be cold on this trip!

Camping this weekend was a lot of fun. Our family, Mist's and Elasta Woman's all spent hours upon hours preparing for the big event. Elasta Woman told me she'd spent 7 hours in the kitchen cooking for it. We all piled into our respective vehicles and headed out. Nobody had finalized any plans of where we were actually going. This was a minor oversight. They figured we could decide when we got to the next town. This seemed a bit more carefree than I was used to, but I am trying to learn how to be more spontaneous. All us girls had prayed hard that it would be a good trip and we felt confident it would be. My husband suggested a lake we usually camp at in the spring, but the rest were rather hesitant about it. It may have had to do with my casual passing comment that I'd once swam over a water logged tampon there ;-)
Anyhow, after spending the afternoon in pursuit of Northern Pike at a reservoir, reluctantly they agreed to try out our spot. When they got there, they were all pleased and loved the place as much as we do. We spent hours and hours laying out on the dock reading and chatting while the guys fished and the children chased after turtles. The weather was perfect! Elasta Woman read us chapters of the latest Bill Johnson book and we basked in the Sun and got refreshed by both kinds of watery depths......

The kids were so thrilled that Matthew had cooked them one of the turtles they'd caught over our campfire. They were pleased to eat the roasted meat, though I politely declined a share in those spoils ;-)

On the last day I woke up early and snuck off with my Bible, camera and kayak. It was such a beautiful morning that I wanted to get the most out of it. After I paddled to the end of the lake, I read for a while and prayed in the stillness of the morning. What a wonderful way to start out that last day. On the way back, I thought it strange that a loon was calling and swimming right toward me making all its amazing sounds! I was in no hurry so I watched it and captured a lot of video and camera footage. Soon I saw another one behind it. Next I spotted 2 baby loons. After the babies swam under, the mother and father swam around calling loudly. Then the father jumped out of the water spinning and almost walking on the water in a crazy manner. It was the most amazing thing! I wish I could upload it all, but I think it would never all load.

Anyhow, it was an amazing weekend and we all had a good lot of fun!

Moonbeams Mission

The Boys on a Hike

I have been doing a lot of decontaminating in my life lately....... well not with this suit ;-) I wanted the kids to see me in this get up though!!

On a bike ride with my honey......

Super Catman came too.....

Miss Moonbeam with her pretty polka-dot dress from Geaba

So the other day I went to a special class at the hospital. The boys agreed to watch Moonbeam so The Sock Fashion Expert could have some well earned time shopping in town. Apparently, while the boys were playing video games, She some how climbed up on her Daddy's dresser and helped herself to his supply of beef jerky and Jolly Ranchers. The Archer found her chewing on jerky and took her back into the living room. After making sure he was distracted, she went into the dining room and proceeded to push a chair into the bedroom so that she could climb back up on his dresser and help herself again. "Didn't you feed her?" I quizzed my sons. "Yes" they said she asked for spaghetti and "cheese in a purple bowl". She was naked when I got home and cruddy. "She has gone through half a dozen diapers" they informed me. "Oh?" Yes, she doesn't keep them on as fast as they apply them. I smiled a knowing smile thinking maybe they would razz me less next time they saw her streaking through the house. Once she figured out how to remove her clothes and start using the potty chair, clothes became an inconvenience which she didn't want to bother with. I can dress her and fix her hair up and in minutes she is buck naked with wild hair and crud all over again ;-) "Did she poop?" I asked. Super Catman rolled his eyes "Well Archer pretended to be busy and he made me do it!" The rest of the evening, Miss Moonbeam stuck very closes to us girls, though she did say the boys were nice to her.

Another week has gone awol and I haven't the foggiest where it went to. We're getting ready for a big camping trip this weekend and have successfully packed up half the house ;-) I'm sure i will have a lot to tell.....

Floodwaters Rising!

The buzz word around here has been "river" for sure, with all the cresting going on here. It all started a couple of weeks back when we had a streak of warm sunshine for a day or two. It melted up in mountains and soon torrents of water had overtaken the riverbanks........

After that, a lot of rain has been keeping it high. Back when we lived on the other side of the river, when I was pregnant with Super Catman, the flood waters overtook our road. The only way to get in and out was by boat. My mother called 911 to tell them I was expecting. It wasn't for 4 more months, but she wanted to be sure that they knew about me :-) Anyhow, this year, we're living wayyyy up on top of a tall hill and I don't have anymore dreams about floating away in my bed while I'm asleep.

After the first rising, the kids, giddy to explore took off with the neighbors kayak and a trolling motor. The Sock Fashion Expert delivered cream pie to one of the neighbors who could only boat in and out. After that every few days somebody wanted to go out and see what was new with the flooding. I even got crazy enough to try taking my little kayak down river. My sense of adventure overtook me and I just had to see our old place. Once I hit Mr. Narley's bridge wires I knew I'd made a mistake. The river was fast and I had to curl down in the bed of the tippy thing just to let it pass by without getting close lined by the thick cable. For a few short seconds time stopped and I felt gravity calling me under. I knew once I tipped the kayak would be gone for sure and I'd have to pull myself down the wires to his house with horrible embarrassment if the river didn't carry me away. Oh I'd have eventually drug myself out, but it would be minus my kayak. Anyhow, with gritted teeth, I barely made it through the harrowing experience and questioned my sanity once I was free floating on the other side. On the way back, not having a motor, I had to work hard against the current. I figured I could always pull her out at a neighbors if it was too hard, but I liked the challenge. There was no going back through the fast moving current with the guide wires, so I kayaked through his yard hoping it wasn't too rude.

In other news, The Archer is working a lot for the building crew. He loves learning all he can. I got to go to a women's conference last weekend with my good friend "The Ruthster" She's awesome and so much fun! The Sock Fashion Expert spent the weekend with her friends in the city. She had a great time. Moonbeam some how survived that weekend, but seems even more partial to us girls ;-) The boys have been building forts and playing video games along with motorcycles and building boomerangs...... My dear husband has gotten a lot of mechanical projects from locals lately which has kept him busy. He also decided to find me a good bike. After 4-6 hours on the Internet, I suggested he look at some pawn shops hoping he'd find a better deal. The other day, he was happy to find one at a used sporting equipment store that fit the criteria he had in mind for me. I was excited, but I tried to stay cool "why don't you think about it and we'll come back?" I asked nonchalantly. Then we checked out a sporting goods store and saw it was a $500 bike for only $100. Thrilled, we went off and bought a bike rack to haul it home. When we got back to the shop, it was gone....... Oh the agony. We've both been regretting not buying it right away ever since! My dear husband was back at the ol' puter looken again for another hour that night...... The dear man - at least he is dedicated to finding me one.

Oh, and i almost forgot some really exciting buzz.... a big ol' grizzley bear barged into some peoples chicken coops a couple of weeks ago as well. It got ALL of The Archers Bosses chickens, it got half another persons chickens AND it left a deer back of somebodies garden. The wildlife people tried trapping it unsuccessfully so it is still roaming around as far as anybody hears. Hopefully he has moved on.

My Son's Grizzly Bear Encounter

Art Dog's Fort

Silly Miss Moona

Sock Fashion Expert checking out the progress, while she sips tea in her favorite cup...

On Monday (a week ago), it was a beautiful day. The mild weather accompanied by sunshine beckoned our children outdoors. A soft wind played through the trees and everything seemed alive and good. As we awaken from our winter slumber and find new life outdoors in Gods country, markedly, so do the other creatures. Namely, the bears awaken from their slumber, and they wander off in search of food sporting voracious appetites...........





On Monday, in another state, far from here, my mother saw something bad..... She felt a burden to pray...... She prayed for a certain child in the wilds of Montana, her own grandchild whom she dearly loved..........





On Monday, mom and dad felt it necessary to make a trip to the city. I put on a pretty dress and fixed my hair to have an outing with my dear husband. While we were frolicking without kids, shopping and even dining out at a restaurant I had long awaited eating at, our kids were finishing up their schoolwork at home. We had told them it would be okay to go outdoors as long as they said where they were going and when they would return. We have worked with them in establishing safety rules and they do always obey them.





On Monday, a certain boy screen named "Art Dog", after finishing his school work and chores excitedly headed out to one of his favorite shed finding places. The sunshine kissed his face and he felt glad for the freedom. He marched along the beautiful day in all his youthful glory..... Here is his account :


"I was walking along an old logging road, heading to a place where I was going to look for sheds. Suddenly I heard a "jump crash"! I put my hand on my pistol and I slowly walked up a couple of steps to see over the brush. I saw a gigantic brown head looking at me, with a shoulder hump behind it. It was only 20 yards away! First I thought it might be a cinnamon black bear, and then I thought "darn I didn't bring my bear tag or gun or orange". Then I saw how big it was and that it didn't look much like a black bear. So I slowly walked backwards loading my .22. Once I couldn't see it because it was behind the brush I heard it running. I hoped it wasn't running towards me. Then I heard it getting quieter so I knew it was running away. Then I realized I was shaking and I walked back home looking behind me every once in a while. The grizzly bear delayed my shed hunt. On the way back i thanked God I got to see a grizzly bear that close without getting eaten. "


On Monday, when I got the call, I thanked God for His marvelous protection. He is so good, and it isn't all He did this past week. He worked other miracles too. Yesterday, I talked to my mom on the phone and she and specifically asked "okay what happened to one of the kids this week?" Then she explained and so did i.........

2011 Bloomsday Run!!

http://liteonthemtn-fitness.blogspot.com/2011/05/bloomsday-2011-run.html

Heres my fun update on participating in my first 7 1/2 mile run :-)