...is something we do daily don't we? We whine and gripe and complain about this and that. Some people throw hissy fits if their cell phones are out of commission for an hour. Some people have no idea what it would be like to lose everything.
Yet again, our nation is struggling with the aftermath of another natural disaster. Irene came close to us...however we are thankful it weakened before it did and that we are inland. It could have been so much worse if the hurricane stayed more over water and stayed strong. Albany and the surrounding communities are struggling. Not as bad as the coastal towns by far, but still, homes were lost, cars flooded, and a lot of damage from fallen trees and high water. We prepared ahead of time - battening everything done securely and taking our children and few prized possessions to a hotel. We were not sure if our 25+ year old travel trailer was going to hold up in this weather. No big trees around and we are on higher ground....but still. We were not taking any chances. So we stayed 2 nights in Albany close to work. We survived the restlessness that comes with being indoors for a few days in a row. :)
Today we came back home and found everything intact - not a wet spot inside. I was so utterly thankful! I nearly cried! The thought of having to go through wet belongings and find a new place to live was an overwhelming thought. But God blessed us and our home. :) The thing is for the last 2 months I have done nothing but complain about our little home. I have cried and stamped my feet over not having a suitable kitchen and bedrooms for the kids. Mind you for a year up to that point, I rarely complained, seeing the fruit of our labor and sacrafice. Not only did we pay off nearly all our bad debt, but we came closer together as a family. We have bonded like none I have come across. I still marvel at the transformation sometimes. However we have had some negative effects like poorer eating habits and some bad attitudes from the kids. I can't possibly make my own home made things like bread and kefir and yogurt. I have absolutely no room for those ventures. I miss making things from scratch and mine and hubby's waistline bulges are paying the price! I have stamped my feet at having to take down the table at night and put it back up in the morning - EVERY morning and EVERY night. It get tiresome and it has worn on me.
BUT today I rejoiced at seeing our home standing and dry! I am thankful to have a dry roof over my head tonight. I am thankful for the electricity still running and the food in my fridge (however small it may be). I will be thanking God for sparing our home and keeping us safe and will do my ultimate to not complain anymore. I am thankful for my children, no matter how crazy they may drive me some days! I will not take things for granted anymore. Every day is a gift, no matter how trying it may be. And it is our duty to make sure we make the most of each and every day to show God just how thankful we are.
Kentucky or Bust!!!
Well, the decision is made (however not finalized)....we are on our way to Kentucky! We prayed A LOT about this decision - either we go back to Rochester and live in our house for the next 2-10 years, then build in KY, or sell our house and make the journey to our land. We prayed that when we talked to our tenant, the decision she gave us would be our answer. We told her that we either needed her to move out at the end of her lease in Nov. or buy the house. We explained we couldn't afford the upkeep on 2 properties. She understood and stated she would talk with her husband and get back to us in a few weeks. About 10 days later she got back to us and stated they were planning to buy the house! Mind you, there are a few of us that would have loved to go back to Rochester for a few years, but we have been and will continue to let God lead us. We know He has our best interests at heart and will guide us.
So now comes the waiting game...continuing to travel until we have the house sold....then we can begin the building process. We know that while we have an "answer", God still works in mysterious ways. Will the sale fall through and we end up going to Rochester after all? Only God knows and we will trust Him completely. We are hoping that our tenant stating she is buying our house is our answer, but God does not always answer our prayers in our desired time frame! :)
Anyway, in the meantime, we will begin some planning....planning to take travel jobs near or in KY so we can begin work on the property....clearing out areas, setting up a no-till garden, and planting fruit trees and bushes. We will also be doing some heavy financial planning. We need to make sure that we can work with what God has given us. I still plan to stay home. I have started working on an internet business, and plan to have a natural healing business from our home.
For my GAPS training, I am re-reading the GAPS book. All I can say is OH MY!!! I cannot believe all the stuff I have "forgotten". It could not have come at a better time! The other day I was expressing my frustration over our diets and my slowly declining health to hubby. He took the reigns, went shopping, and decided to keep us on a path to whole food eating. I have been having a lot of cravings, but with reading the book, and knowing what is going on in my gut, I have been able to keep those cravings at bay (for now). With still having to work outside the home for now, going on the full GAPS diet may now be possible, but hopefully we can stay as close to it as possible.
Well that is all for now. In the process of trying to get bills and paperwork done. It is a rainy day and the kids are having fun playing with their toys inside.
So now comes the waiting game...continuing to travel until we have the house sold....then we can begin the building process. We know that while we have an "answer", God still works in mysterious ways. Will the sale fall through and we end up going to Rochester after all? Only God knows and we will trust Him completely. We are hoping that our tenant stating she is buying our house is our answer, but God does not always answer our prayers in our desired time frame! :)
Anyway, in the meantime, we will begin some planning....planning to take travel jobs near or in KY so we can begin work on the property....clearing out areas, setting up a no-till garden, and planting fruit trees and bushes. We will also be doing some heavy financial planning. We need to make sure that we can work with what God has given us. I still plan to stay home. I have started working on an internet business, and plan to have a natural healing business from our home.
For my GAPS training, I am re-reading the GAPS book. All I can say is OH MY!!! I cannot believe all the stuff I have "forgotten". It could not have come at a better time! The other day I was expressing my frustration over our diets and my slowly declining health to hubby. He took the reigns, went shopping, and decided to keep us on a path to whole food eating. I have been having a lot of cravings, but with reading the book, and knowing what is going on in my gut, I have been able to keep those cravings at bay (for now). With still having to work outside the home for now, going on the full GAPS diet may now be possible, but hopefully we can stay as close to it as possible.
Well that is all for now. In the process of trying to get bills and paperwork done. It is a rainy day and the kids are having fun playing with their toys inside.
A Simple Life Should NOT Include Processed Foods
I know there are many people out there who think this title is an oxymoron. Buying processed food is cheaper and quicker to make, therefore "simplifying" life. I will totally and utterly disagree! Eating all that processed food causes disease, hence causing sickness, missed days at work and school, and so forth. Life is not simple when the family is sick. Yet with life getting hectic again, I have to say I splurged on processed food this week. A horror for sure. We typically end up eating out 2-3 meals per week because of convenience. So I am keeping some cheap convenience food at home to prevent this over spending we have been doing. Here's what I bought: tuna helper, mac and cheese, and pizza maker. I doubt we will go through this in a week....hubby and I cannot stand the thought of eating that food again, but eating out is killing us financially and of course killing any healthy eating.
So I am in a fact making things more complicated by buying this food. I know this and I feel awful about it. But with working full-time, I simply cannot do it all. I want to go back to the 100% whole foods living where I spent the majority of my time in the kitchen, when we were sooooo much healthier! That to me was SIMPLE. Working full time, homeschooling, and trying to eat right is consuming my whole life. I have not had time to blog or launch my business. I know it is only a matter of a few more months and I can quit working outside the home. :)
What will I do? Well once we are settled somewhere (be it NY or KY), then I will start us all on the GAPS diet. I have given attention to quite a few different diets....they all include the most natural way to eat. But the GAPS diet is special in its approach. I am blessed with a wonderful husband who has literally pushed me to go to a seminar offered by Dr. Campbell-McBride, the founder of the GAPS diet. She is offering only 4 seminars in the US this fall before heading to Europe to give seminars there. Once I go through the seminar I will be a certified GAPS provider. Since I will be starting my own nurse/health consulting business soon, this will be an amazing credential to have. After the seminar, I will then start my training for TBA (total body analysis). I am VERY excited about all this and look forward to working from home, doing something that I believe in and enjoy.
Well I have to go run and pick up puppy from the groomers. Puppy is no longer puppy size. He is almost 8 months old and still growing like a weed!!
I will leave off with a few pictures of my quick trip south to see my sister and family:
So I am in a fact making things more complicated by buying this food. I know this and I feel awful about it. But with working full-time, I simply cannot do it all. I want to go back to the 100% whole foods living where I spent the majority of my time in the kitchen, when we were sooooo much healthier! That to me was SIMPLE. Working full time, homeschooling, and trying to eat right is consuming my whole life. I have not had time to blog or launch my business. I know it is only a matter of a few more months and I can quit working outside the home. :)
What will I do? Well once we are settled somewhere (be it NY or KY), then I will start us all on the GAPS diet. I have given attention to quite a few different diets....they all include the most natural way to eat. But the GAPS diet is special in its approach. I am blessed with a wonderful husband who has literally pushed me to go to a seminar offered by Dr. Campbell-McBride, the founder of the GAPS diet. She is offering only 4 seminars in the US this fall before heading to Europe to give seminars there. Once I go through the seminar I will be a certified GAPS provider. Since I will be starting my own nurse/health consulting business soon, this will be an amazing credential to have. After the seminar, I will then start my training for TBA (total body analysis). I am VERY excited about all this and look forward to working from home, doing something that I believe in and enjoy.
Well I have to go run and pick up puppy from the groomers. Puppy is no longer puppy size. He is almost 8 months old and still growing like a weed!!
I will leave off with a few pictures of my quick trip south to see my sister and family:
Cousins, cousins, cousins, and a grandma!!!
This is me holding "Squishy", my sister's youngest. My sister, mom, and 2/7 of her children left for a few hours and I was in charge of the remaining 8 children 3 of those were mine). This picture is a testimony to the fun one can have making children clean. I became the evil aunt/witch, hence the cape. I walked around with 2 swords (one large and one small - they got a swat with the small sword just for the fun of it and the large sword was to be used for the one's not working and cleaning - that was used only as a threat, as it never touched one of the children that day). Below are the smiling faces of the children hard at work!
G's favorite chore in the world: vaccuuming!! She loved it so much she had everyone else dying to get a turn! No joke!!
Ummm, Jed, I can see you!!!
Terribly hard at work this one!!!
E should have been smiling as she was actually saying she was having a great time, but she did not like having to pause for a picture....once she starts a chore, she HAS to get it done and done right!
Here was one reward....dress up time!!!! They were all done cleaning and had a blast playing all sorts of games!
Not sure if the boys here were cleaning or playing...either way, lots of smiles!!!
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