1. Hopefully it finally sank in. Will has been telling me and the kids that it is not my responsibility to do the dishes and that the only reason I should be doing the dishes is because I am teaching them how or because once in a while I want to serve them. Everytime in my head I've thought that sounds great, but it is not realistic and it helps for them to see me doing chores...
Today it finally clicked. I related it to something Dr. Shanon Brooks told me while we were planting trees at Monticello College last weekend. As I was carrying Levi and walking with the other Itty Bittys and Bella to a trailer parked on the campus, Dr. Brooks stopped me and said that he knows I want to be out there in the wind and dirt helping plant, but in taking care of the little kids I was doing something that no one else could do and it was my responsibility to do it. He said having them up there was creating culture. So, the older kids can clean and take care of the house without me doing it for them. I am to manage, teach, train, and see that it gets done, but my duty is to nurture the children, especially the little ones - a privilege only I can do. I feel I have been slacking with training the younger ones, so I am looking forward to implementing this new understanding. After talking with the kids about this at our family council, I felt a different spirit in our home... we felt more like a family working toward the same goal. 2. Every night, Rosie wants me to read to her before she falls asleep. Many times she will keep herself up until she is read to. She has a huge stack of books.... and falls asleep halfway through the first book.... every time. So sweet!
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1. Levi had a raised, bumpy, itchy rash on the back of his head. My nurse friend and neighbor happened to stop by. Her first thought was a heat rash... she suggested putting cornstarch on it. Who knew! I did it - and it seems to be doing slightly better!
2. We had mayocaba beans (soaked and cooked in a pressure cooker) for dinner. They were delicious! I added onion, garlic, salt, and salsa verde, 3. We started using Facebook for the literature circle with our cousins. So cool! 4. Rosie needed William's help. She asked for his help and he said, "Rosie, say fork." She responded, "I'm not a baby." I was laughing out loud. So cute! 1. Rosanna, barely 3, can swallow pills! The pills are small, but I am so impressed! We tell her to drink her pills. :)
2. Bella is mastering the pill-swallowing, too. Today was especially good. 3. Gregory set his alarm to 5:15 to wake up and dig a place to plant corn...and he did!! He, William, and Madilyn were up at 5:20 digging in the backyard while I was sawing logs in bed. They wanted to work on it last night, but it was dark after dinner and Greg was worried that the wet dirt would dry up before free time afternoon the next day. I told him he could work on it if he woke up and did it before everyone else woke up. He even figured out how to set the alarm on his computer. I am so impressed! This boy has a hard time getting out of bed at 8! 4. I zoned a friend today. I just love foot zoning! I enjoy the company, I feel like I am really helping someone, and I feel so happy afterwards. So thankful for my awesome kids who can look out for each other while I serve. 5. They didn't have William's awards or rank advancement at Cub Scout Pack Meeting tonight... he was disappointed, but felt comfort knowing it would get taken care of. He was looking forward to it and reminded everyone that he had Pack Meeting tonight. I could feel his disappointment of waiting for his name to be called and then it not happening. It made me sad, but I was proud of him for handling it so well. I told him right before that I still loved him even if they didn't have it ready for tonight... I felt that might be the case. 6. The kids and I (minus Greg) did our first skit ever. I was so happy that they actually did it!!! We were up on the stage and had an audience and everything! It was probably less than a minute, but it felt like we accomplished something big! (Special thanks to Grace, for helping out - I'm not sure it would have happened without you!). I friend commented on the obedience of the Downer children. I was just so impressed that they actually said something!! 7. My kidneys have been off - I tested for "Trying to control life.' Ha! So true. I want change and am trying so hard to make it happen... and all efforts are in vain. I'm reminded of the quote during General Conference: You can have what you want, or you can have something better. Sigh. 7.5 I felt like I was herding a bunch of cats this morning. Everyone was going their different direction. It was/is overwhelming trying to get everyone gathered as one. 8. I have been taking the powdered herbs in KT (formerly Kidney Toner) to help nourish my kidneys. 9. Will took William to 7-11 this morning to get him a slurpee for his one-on-one time. 10. I have been feeding the kids Amazing Greens in the morning - it feels good, especially on those days that they are not getting enough raw fruits and veggies. 10. I love Will! He was willing to turn around after heading to work to bring me his set of keys since Debra had mine in her purse....wait a minute, that happened yesterday...think I should be getting to bed. :) -Leigh Ann 1. Dr Wyatt, the orthodontist, gave the go-ahead for Greg to get braces..
1. I noticed a sweet message on the foggy mirror after the shower. It said, "I love you Mom." I'm not sure who wrote it and I'm not sure I was meant to see it, but I am thankful for it... a nice birthday surprise.
1. Remembering the Plan of Salvation- including resurrection - at the cemetery. Can't wait to hug you, Mom!
1. Loved watching General Conference!
2. I spied William admiring the receipt that had his store name on it - William's Home Store. He said, "It feels so good to have my name on something like this." He has been planning and waiting for a few years to be the manager of our home store. Will bought all the supplies necessary to scan the barcode, calculate payment, and checkout/pay for the items. So cool! William has big plans of opening his home store to friends and neighbors who don't want to have run to the store for a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, or a can of tomatoes. Think of the bliss of having a drive up mini mart in your neighborhood - all the while supporting the sweetest little nine year old who is learning first hand how to run a shop. I love it!!! 3. I'm scheduled to go out of town next week, but I'm not sure I can leave my kiddos- especially Levi. I didn't see him much yesterday - I was at the DMV - and he just seemed depressed all evening. 1. Ezra Wallace was born today!! I have a new nephew!!
2. Rosanna finally went poop! It has been a few days which is very untypical of her. In addition to having her smell inside out and dill essential oils, I gave her Calcarea Carbonica homeopathic -three drops under the tongue and count to ten before swallowing- and RC-L glycerine tincture. 3. Most of us stayed home from church. :/ It has been a long time since I haven't taken the sacrament weekly. I usually go to another ward if the kids are sick, but I wasn't feeling well either and didn't make it. Bummer. I need the sacrament. 4. Greg was the discussion leader for his quorum. He was given the assignment late the night before. The topic was The Plan of Salvation. He said he enjoyed it. Yay! ...even though the video he had prepared to watch didn't work out. 5. I am so proud if Greg and his courage!! 6. I had one kiddo who was acting up at bedtime. It took her a bit of standing in the corner before she was ready to submit to my will. But once she was finally ready to close her teary eyes and count to ten, she was ready to do the other three chores she had earned during her loud, silly act. This reminded me of the scripture Mosiah 3:19. So far, all of his labwork and stool samples have been normal-ish. I still feel like something is wrong. He still has congestion and a cough...doctor wants him on a Zpack antibiotic, but every time I go to start it, I don't feel right about it. I didn't think his cough was a big deal - I felt it was drainage from his ears/sinuses. It is concerning, however, that he has had some ill symptom for about two months. I think it might be a reaction to the lactose in my milk. (Monday I should know for sure when the stool culture results come back). I don't want to start him on the antibiotic, which destroys the lactese enzyme on the tips of the intestinal wall, making his intolerance worse, if I just need to stop nursing him. I stopped nursing him on Wednesday and he seemed to be improving. The next day he was depressed and wouldn't eat or drink much of anything. Worried about him, I nursed him at dinner and he perked right up! I cried happy tears!! Truth is, my day had a gray cloud, too. That night, my milk supply was low and he didn't want anything but to nurse. So sad. He, I mean, we are up all night every night. Every time he tosses or turns, he wants to nurse to get back to sleep. I gave him 1.5ml of Children's Ibprofen. First time ever - that's why I halved the dose- but it didn't help. The doctor thought I had a black eye! lol! No, just sleep deprived. Sigh.
He hadn't pooped since Tuesday morning when I took the stool sample in. And he hadn't urinated for eight hours or so. I called the nurse. She said he was probably dehydrated. I recalled I bought some Pedialyte frozen pops a few days ago (totally inspired- a tender mercy of the Lord). After giving him a pop, he pooped and peed!! I later had the realization that he didn't sweat those two nights that I didn't nurse him because he was dehydrated. I am drinking red raspberry leaf herbal tea to increase my milk supply. I put dabs of fennel essential oil on my breasts, too. He was sweaty last night. I felt like my milk had increased (somewhat) and I had been nursing him all night, but he isn't peeing like he used to. I almost took him to the ER at 5am. Will talked me into waiting a few more hours. At the ER, they will probably just give him an IV until he pees and then release him. I want them to run more tests to find out why he is always sick and why constipated and restless at night...he also bites like crazy. He had a slight wet diaper at 8am so I haven't taken him in yet. Perhaps this is normal when transitioning. His wet diapers aren't yellow or smelly due to concentrated urine. Maybe I was overly breastfeeding him... He had a few wet diapers today, including a good wet one before 4pm. I have been nursing him frequently. It looked as if wheels were turning in Rosie's head as I held her in the study. I asked what she was thinking about...
"Jesus" "Really, what about Him?" "He wants us to follow Him." "What else?" "Say our prayers. Be nice to our family. Read the scriptures." "You are so right!! He does want us to do those things!!" |
I'm a DownerA Charming Wife to Will. MEAL plansMondayFruit Tray & Juiced Apples
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March 2018
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