One Word - 2014

I've been missing this space. Spending my days running ragged, juggling too many things, trying to remember what I'm forgetting. I've really been missing this space, this sanctuary that is here.
Last week, Christmas night a dear friend messaged me to inform me that their baby had passed. Due in May it was to be the first born to this woman and her husband. Christmas 2012 was heartbreaking due to a miscarriage and so many of us were anxiously waiting May and this babe's arrival. Older siblings were excited, extended family and friends were excited, a babe to spoil and love. Christmas 2013 was overshadowed by laying this sweet boy to rest on the 26th. We'll see you someday, baby boy, some wonderful day.
In reflecting over this loss, the chaos of the last few months and knowing that tomorrow can be equally full of surprises I'm wondering what to do with myself. I feel lost, my heart is heavy, my brain is muddled, something needs attention here.
I was reminded that people pick one word to strive for growth in the new year. I am not a resolution maker, never have been. I am a striver, I like to have something to strive, reach and dream for. I am generally pretty sucky at follow through though, so here's where being here comes in. I'm doing this post today to set myself to task. I'd love to say "I'll blog once a week!" when reality is I"ll be blessed to pull one off a month.

So, here's my word - Devotion.

I struggled over what word to choose. Devotion, focus, patience, love, peace, faith...the list of where I can improve is always quite long. In the end I kept coming back to devotion.
Devotion - love, loyalty or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause
This I do somewhat well anyway. Baby loss, completely devoted to those facing those painful aches. Natural living, totally wrapped up in finding ways to better care for my family. Wifely-ing, been at it for nearly 14 years (yikes) and do a half-decent job, most days. Mommy-ing, manage these five like a momma bear, just don't get me growly and I've been growly more often than not lately.
So I think it's time for some devotion work in my life. Devoting my heart to my Father and letting Him guide me. Like a rushing stream I get all wound up and messy where I need to just follow the path that He has already designed for me. Getting all murky and sullied when the storms arise, losing my footing and sliding down the slippery slope of life. I love to be there for people, love to serve the ones I love but I need to better ground myself and focus this enthusiasm for life.

I look forward to seeing what 2014 holds. In devotion I step into a new year, a new day and anticipate what God will share with me. I look forward to coming back every couple weeks or so and capturing my progress. Devotion, exactly what this frazzled heart needs.

God Bless!!
Deo Volente
Nicki

Say What?!?!

I have never done, nor dreamt I would do anything like this.

I am going to offer a Black Friday special all on my own of the Young Living Premium Starter Kit.

If you're tired of battling a health issue - allergies, eczema, weight, anxiety, depression, dry skin, sleep loss, snoring - seriously, whatever it is, let's deal with it and leave it in the past. I am passionate about finding natural ways to manage my family's health. I've been exploring this for over four years. Exploring and loving what I'm finding and learning. Let's do the same for you.

Just this morning my daughter woke up feeling "yucky" some peppermint oil on her belly and thieves to battle what was ailing her and she is "so much better, Mommy" already.

You deserve this, of this I am sure!

Go to my Join Me page and explore what this opportunity is all about.

DV-NMV

Amish Peace

Okay, I totally signed up to help promote this new The One Year Book of Amish Peace devotional from Tricia Goyer and wow, am I so blessed to have done so!! This devotional is A-MA-ZING!!!
Seriously, take a quick peek!! http://www.triciagoyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/oy_book_of_amish_peace_sampler.pdf
The day it finally came was like celebrating my birthday. A special gift, just for me, only me and truly what a thoughtful friend it came from. I opened it up, turned to the date's devotion, October 17 and it spoke like a spear to my heart. I have a friend walking a difficult road and I have no idea how to reach her. This day's devotion as well as many between then and today have given me insight into how to pray for and help her.
I love the quiet moments of my day when I'm reading and pondering what Tricia has written. The proverbs, the messages, the scriptures, it all comes together so well, God's truth and wisdom surely shines through in every page.
So, I shall simply say, go find yourself a copy today, if you're close by and want to do a study with me, give me a shout. There is nothing more profound than a devotional that truly speaks to you of God's Voice in the Simple Things.

These are things I enjoy sharing with my children, friends and family.
Find a way to slow down and enjoy the steps of your day instead of worrying about there being so many steps to go. Prepare for the upcoming holiday season by go about your days thanks-livingly instead of spending just one day in thanksgiving. This is truly the time of year to start the new habit of being the change you wish to see in the world.
No need to wait until January 1, 2014 to "start" something. Start it today. I have no guarantee for tomorrow much less a week, a month or more past today. Turn to Your Father and ask Him to guide you through, let Him lead you and hold your hand. Let Him shower your soul with the peace you'll feel in simplifying your life.
So, go to your local bookstore or jump over to Tricia's website (http://www.triciagoyer.com/non-fiction/) and click on the link to get your own copy. I truly think you'll find it inspiring!

DV-NMV

When the Loneliness Overcomes You

There are times in this life when loneliness just overcomes me.  Surrounded by five kiddos on a daily basis "lonely" shouldn't be even on my radar, I think, but all the same it slaps me across the face some days. 2am this morning was one of those moments.  It's never a sudden realization, more like a couple of lonely months that lead up to a hard reality check.  I'm quite seriously not one of those people that "can't be alone" and constantly in contact with friends or family but there are moments that being alone in this world nearly drowns me.
The thing I laid in bed this morning pondering is why no one wants me.  Since day one as an "accident" I have always know I wasn't planned and wanted, just dealt with as a consequence of some teenage actions.  Throughout life when someone needs me I am good enough to talk to regularly but as soon as that needy time is over I am left in the dust like a worn out shoe.  I will honestly say that I'm not all that great at connecting with others.  I don't know when your use for me is going to be "over" and therefore don't know how to handle the friendship sometimes anyway. 
It's was a long summer for me.  A girlfriend of mine that has spent the past few years dreaming and planning for the man God had for her met a man.  Is he what I pictured her dreaming of?  Nope.  She has fallen head over heels for him and moved on to another phase of her life?  Yup.  One of which I am not a part of.  I watch from a distance, heart broken over a friendship lost and a mother and daughter on a path that I (through my non-rose colored glasses) looks rough and scary.  Is she happy there, I assume so because she is going, going, gone.
We have friends moving into their new post-fire home nearly 15 months after a fire destroyed everything they owned July 7, 2012.  I have watched from a distance and enjoyed getting to know their family in the last 15 months.  I plan to take some food over and help for as long as my schedule allows.  This brings me to the root of what broke my heart at 2am this morning.  I sent a text saying to expect us around mid-morning.  The response, 'Oh, I didn't know you were able to help!'  Now it shouldn't bother me but I only offered about six times and said I'd plan to be there.
So in my laying awake wondering what makes me so disposable and why the words I say fall on deaf ears it dawned on me that it's okay.  I'm not alone as my Father is always with me.  It's a time for me to focus on my family, myself and my dreams.  I'm just not the kind to have a "bestie" and honestly that's just not my style.  So while I haven't posted like this in a long time, apparently it was overdue and on the off chance in your loneliness you stumble across this, know that you're not "alone" right now, you're just doing your own thing.  Several hours later I'm still sad and heavy of heart at this moment but yet I'm feeling better.  I like me, I like doing my own thing, I'm not a shopper, a girly-girl, a gossiper, a drinker, a work-outer or a bestie.  I am me, redneck woman, mom to five, essential oil/going natural mama, rescuer, helper, prayer, reader, blogger, blessing counter, cheerleader, dreamer, wanderer, God lover, I am me.
Who are you?  Be content in that.  It is good enough.  God will be your best friend, there's noone better than Him for the job anyway.  If you need another friend, well, I'm in Iowa, but I'm willing to be there in whatever way you need me, it's who I am.
DV-NMV

Beat the Infection!

Earlier this summer my 4yo was complaining that his foot hurt. I looked at it and inspected for splinters and what not (we're barefoot and fancy free around here) but didn't see or feel anything.

A couple mornings later he really complained again and this is what I found.  Of course it was a Friday morning and all that was available for doctor appointments was a trip to urgent care. No thanks! So I grabbed my Young Living essential oils and made a hour plan to watch it for the next 24 hours. You can see the yellow-ish puss pocket with the red ring around it. That area was so swollen it filled the palm of my hand. It was sore, sore, sore, of course and raging with heat. I still saw no "opening" where anything got in his foot so still had no idea what it was.

I rubbed tea tree oil, thieves oil and lemon oil onto it (gently) and covered it with some bandages. I repeated that four more times throughout the day.  By the evening it was less swollen and the heat was dropping away.  By the next morning it was nearly gone.  Seriously, there was a little "knot" that was very obviously the core of the issue but the redness was gone, the yellow had faded, the swelling was nearly gone and no more heat coming off of it either.

I kept up with the treatments throughout the weekend to just make sure that everything was gone and whatever it was, we healed it.  Mind you I really did consider taking him in to urgent care.  I knew they'd give me antibiotics and send him home to which I'd BATTLE getting them in him for the next ten days.  This seemed the far less traumatizing option and I'm SO happy that it worked.  Mind you I have been treating minor wounds like this for years and had complete faith that it would help but was ready to put five kids in the car and head to town at the hint that it wasn't helping.

I share this story so that you know there are options, great options at taking care of your family and keeping them healthy.  Explore what that means for you.  For us one of the tools is these Young Living Essential Oils.

DV-NMV

Lavender YLEO - First Aid in a Bottle

I have five kids, I need easy and amazing first aid. I know how long an injury must be to qualify for stitches, I know that we prefer stitches over staples and I will NEVER allow my children staples again. I also know that the amazing natural first aid options I've found are much better than the ones I used to use. My first aid kit contains Young Living Essential Oils - lavender, tea tree, peppermint, single oils as well as peace and calming and valor blends.
Anyway, here's the story of how I handle injuries these days. I started using Young Living Essential Oils in March. They have become the "first aid kit" I take EVERYWHERE. My youngest had a bloody nose back in April. He wouldn't let me touch it so it dripped for the better part of eight hours. Finally at bedtime I convinced him to let me swab his nose with a lavendered q-tip. Instantly the bleeding was done and what a blessing that was! In July we decided to grab the tubes and go float down the river. Right at the end (as we are out of the water and ready to head home) I lost my balance and dive back into the river to save myself major injury. When I got home I had this huge red mark across my leg from landing on a chunk of cement that was hiding in the water. I lathered these marks (that hurt horribly) with lavender and knew that I would heal fast.

 

 This second picture is of the same leg mark as the first picture six days after the incident and lavender application. This last picture is of the mark that I didn't get lavender on also six days post injury. What a crazy difference that lavender essential oil makes, huh?!?!

  

Even today I put lavender to work. My husband plays slow pitch softball in a local church league. Today was the season final/tournament. One of our team members hit her head on the bat bracket in the dugout. Not hard mind you but we all know how bad head wounds bleed. By the time she realized what she did she had blood every where. I grabbed my lavender and applied a could drops and it instantly stopped bleeding. Even watching it with my own eyes I was amazed. Then when we got home I made a coconut/lavender oils mix to put on DH's heat rash.

I am completely serious when I say this YLEO, lavender is the thing to have. We use it for allergies, burns, sunburn, deodorant, sleeping - EVERYTHING. I don't think a day goes by that I don't use it for something or another.

Young Living and their essential oils are rocking this family's world!!

Deo Volente

Nicki

Taking A New Direction

Joining up with some "friends" over at http://www.conversiondiary.com/2013/07/7-posts-in-7-days-a-blogging-challenge.html and jumping in to join the seven posts in seven days challenge.
Yeah, this could be interesting.  Regular blogging?  Yeah, sadly, not around here.
Anyway, so today's post is about taking off in a new direction.  The direction of more natural living.  I've blogged about how I stumbled onto my current cleaning/personal care/vitamin company.  Having enjoyed that now for 2-1/2 years I am leaping into the world of homeopathy and essential oils.  I really know very little at this point but I am LOVING what I have learned.
Just yesterday morning I work up with a raging sinus infection.  In the past I would have  waited 3-4 days (as required by a doc) before calling about an appointment and attempting to get antibiotics.  Instead I took some Hyland's Cough and Cold liquid (which didn't make me puke) and lathered up with peppermint and Thieves blend essential oils.  I got in with my (AMAZING) chiropractor and happily say that the sinus infection is definitely clearing out.  Before this I would have spent three or four days miserable, got antibiotics and then been miserable with yeast infection after that.  (I know, I know - TMI!)
So happy to be taking this direction of more natural living.  It's a process, let me admit it.  Though I will NEVER go back, NEVER.  More testimonies as the week goes on.
DV-NMV