A Strep Like Virus

There's a virus going around...extremely contagious, that acts like strep. I just found this out from my friend Sherilyn this morning, which helped me understand my kids! Bomani was sick over the weekend--a lot of fever. I only gave him Tylenol at night to ensure a better night for all of us, otherwise, I let his body fight it, and it didn't last long, but it was nasty. Then Daisy came down with it this week. She had such high fevers I was frightened! And she was miserable. I wondered about her throat because she drinks a bit, then turns away, then drinks a bit, and turns away. Night before last I know I got one stretch of three hours of sleep, and that was when Craig took her downstairs and slept on the recliner with her on his lap. Otherwise, I got bits here and there. She was so miserable! I'd take her outside, and sit under the clear, lovely night sky, and she'd sleep in my arms. I'd put her to bed and as soon as I was nearly asleep, she'd start crying again. I kept her on Tylenol. She scared me. I am praying Hazel doesn't get it! Or the rest of us, although I wonder if Craig didn't have a bit of it last week. It's like this tough deal for the parents...you take care of your kids and then because you're so run down, you get sick. Maybe. I'm exhausted and my throat is acting funny, but I'm still hopeful. :) I mean, as many herbs as I was inhaling last week, how could I get sick?!!

As far as my healing diet, I am on the way up and out!!! This week I am taking huge amounts of probiotics, eating sourkrout and kefir (I haven't had the courage to do the cucumbers yet...Craig calls them "beer pickles" because they are so full of zing), and still mostly on the strict diet. I have started in with touches of dairy. Dairy has never tasted so delicious. Unfortunately, I still have stomach pain at times. I don't know what it is. But I'm optimistic it's healing the rest of my ills. :)

So! This is a rare experience today. Sherilyn and her kids asked to have my kids over before school starts. Did I mind??!!!  :) I was so excited I couldn't sleep late this morning. I probably wouldn't have anyway. :) But...I've been looking forward to it all week. I decided to do a coffeeshop morning all by myself. Of course, by the time you have hauled three kids into the car, buckled them in, hauled out a backpack, diaper bag, and your kitchen sink, and you're chunking the pack n play into the trunk, you start wondering if it's worth it. :) But as I sit at the coffeeshop, relaxing and considering sleeping for three hours, I know it is worth it. I dreamed of my coffee drink all week. I carefully brought my stevia along, because I'm still totally avoiding sugar (except for the worchestershire sauce I used yesterday in the meat). I decided to get an iced latte in decaf (I should avoid caffeine) and put a few drops of my own, healthy sweetener in. Unfortunately, my brain is on leave. I walked up, asked for an iced mocha with no sweetener (no wonder she looked at me funny) and totally forgot to say decaf. I took a few sips, but knew I would not enjoy it knowing I was drinking what I may not drink right now. So I took it to the bathroom and poured it down the sink. Just wasted $5. You know? Not cool. But when your brain is fried and gone, you do things like that. So I guess I'll go get the real thing soon--after enough time has lapsed that I'm not too embarrassed. :)

Next week we head for VA! I am very excited. We haven't traveled since January, and I am so ready. I really believe I will never be able to sit still in one spot for too long. Thankfully I married a man who is just like that. :) I blame the MK in me, but who knows...it might just be the way I am. It's kind of a Kuepfer thing though, so not totally my fault. :)

Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated...
Blessings on your week!
Rachel

You know you've been off sugar for a long time...

...if you think a tomato, or a cucumber, or cashew nuts...are sweet.

This diet is good! But I am hungry so much of the time...I just get tired of meat, vegetables, and nuts, and so I don't eat. The 5-10 lbs. I've dropped are nice. But I am so tired of it! I ate two fresh blueberries the other day, and nearly went to heaven...

I am still hopeful it will heal my illnesses. 35 capsules of herbs a day is a lot. :)

Pictures of the Week

Savannah and Bomani

These girls have decided the love climbing! Okay Daisy...make room. :)

Seriously...

Climbing again...

My Hazel bunny.

Daisy Annabelle

Looks like she's trying to eat out of the toy!

I still look at them and feel this sense of delightful shock...twins!

Okay...so is this climbing thing going a bit too far?

 

Fearless Faith

August 13

Yesterday, a year ago was the day I was due to deliver the twins. So they are now a year old! Sometimes I think preemies should go by their due date for birthdate. It seems to be more accurate. :)

Last evening Craig and I were sitting outside after the twins were in bed. Bomani was out there with us. It was a gorgeous evening. Still. Quiet. Cool. And the stars...they were so beautiful. And so we decided to sleep out on our deck! We dragged our mattress out there—it just fit with enough room the squeeze through the door to get in and out. Bomani thought this was too much fun, and did not want to go to bed! It was so lovely to lie there and look up at the stars as you fell asleep. We lost count of the falling stars we saw. God really put on a display for us. Sometime toward morning a brisk wind came up. :) It was below 60 degrees this morning...so we chose a rather cold night to do this! It reminded us of waking up in Pang Klang...and it's so cold you can hardly get yourself to move. That was worse, somehow. You had no promise of warmth anywhere until the sun was up and shining well. And before we had a ceiling in our room, you could feel the breezes flowing across your face... :) 

Daisy is walking a bit! We had a rough week last week kid-wise. Hazel got Roseola. Then they all three wound up with a cold. So yes, on Sunday I was a mother bear not allowing anyone to hold them. I still couldn't stop people from touching their hands. But that's life, I guess. They are being more shy and Wed. night at church wanted only me to hold them! They still do have a few favorites they go to, though.

Last week we had friends visit for several days! Jason and Emily Atkins, and their daughter Savannah honored us with a visit. We were together for three weeks at MTI two years ago, and the friendship stayed with us. We had a most delightful time together. Bomani and Savannah really started playing together the last day they were here. Savannah talks well, and Bomani started talking more too! God really blessed us through the visit of our friends, and we're grateful. Blessings to you, Jasons, as you go back to Africa!

8-16

Ahhh...it has been delightfully cool the last mornings and nights. So cool that I get up in the mornings and close most of the windows. :) Still no rain to speak of. This is a bit strange, but ever since I found out that there will be a three year drought I have relaxed about the rain. Anything from God is given/allowed in His wisdom. (Someone in church told us that he heard from God that there is a three year drought. Others confirmed it.) I admit that my livelihood does not come directly from the land, so it is not hurting me in the same way it is hurting others. It is very difficult for many.

Recently I have been thinking a lot about faith. And wondering a lot about it for me personally. I just finished the book Wonder 'O the Wind by Phillip Keller. That is an excellent piece of literature—incredibly worth your time. I learned so much about God in that book. And about man. Phillip lived a very high energy, enthusiastic, wildly adventurous life—without God in the center, for 40 years.

Anyway, not to give a book report here. But in the end, Phillip came to the place where he knew he either needed to go on living his highly successful, awesome life with great emptiness in his soul, or completely turn his will (heart) over to God. And after he did that, his life was not a piece of cake. It had some real pain and struggle—but, he had God within. And the adventures continued—only different, because they were God's adventures.

And then there is more. In reading our Bible story book, something is confirmed that God brought to my mind the other day. I was driving to town and He reminded me that in some places, He did not do much because of the people's unbelief. Now that is scary. Could my weakness in faith limit what God wants to do? I just read the story of the man who was let down through the roof and Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven. Get up. Take your mat and go home.” Because He saw their faith.

Hm.

I love the picture I get of Fearless Faith. Not only faith, but fearlessly believing!
The other week something so cool happened. We had this Bible Story Book that I had picked out at GBFS and was a gift from them for Bomani. I really liked it. It brought out God in truth--in His gentleness and love. It had very short stories and excellent pictures. We lost it! I could not find it, and longed for it recently. Bomani is now the age where I can start filling his mind with Bible stories. I wanted to read it for myself! And it was nowhere that I looked. I didn't think I had our name in it, and knew I had taken it to church for Bomani sometimes. I despaired. Then one day, I was thinking of how God had recently told me to stop praying about the 5-6 huge decisions/things in our life right now, and simply believe that He is working. So I told God how much I wanted this book. Why I wanted the book. And I decided to believe His power. It was a bit scary. Soon after that I thought of looking under our bed--things can accumulate there. It was not there. As I straightened up, I looked at the stack of books on Craig's night stand. There was no logical reason to look there. There it was. !!! It was one of those times you know it was from God. Not just a happening. Thank You, God!
Okay, enough rambles! Lata...

Lacto-Fermented Salsa

Lacto-Fermented Salsa

Yield: ½ Gallon

• 1 large onion
• 3 small bell peppers
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ c. packed cilantro leaves
• 2.5 lbs. roma tomatoes
• juice of one lemon (I use bottled lemon juice)
• 2-3 T. salt
• ½ t. cayenne pepper or one – two chilli peppers
• ½ c. whey

Combine chunks of onion, bell peppers, garlic, and cilantro in food processor. Chop coursely. Chop tomatoes. Pour contents into large bowl. Add lemon juice, salt, hot pepper, and whey. Stir well. Pour into jars. Leave several inches of head space. Close lid tightly and leave at room temperature for a few days, until bubbly and fermented. Several times a day, shake the jar to submerge everything. Transfer to cold storage.

Enjoy!

Thai Rain

Thank you for your continued prayers! It's so exciting when Craig and I come on our date, and start talking about our visions and dreams. I often get discouraged, but then we come back to the fact of what God is calling us to, and that we need to believe Him. And that gets exciting.
Recently He (God) told me to stop praying about the 5-7 huge things in my life right now, and simply believe that He is working. I'm happy to do that. :) But it's not really that easy all the time. Why not? I wonder if there are more lies I am believing about God that He wants to replace with truth. I think so. He is so full of love, wisdom, goodness, and places our dreams within us. I want to believe truth.
God told Elijah to prepare for rain.