Food Allergies and Discouragement

Some of you may remember my post awhile back about Superman's diagnosis of Celiac Disease. His life has improved dramatically since he cut gluten out of his diet...he's gained 20 pounds (which was very needed!) and feels so much better. But still not better. He continues to have issues that plague him. And it's discouraging. I know how discouraging it is to me, and I have to multiply that multiple times to get to the angst he feels. 

He recently went to a doctor, well, actually, a chiropractor who came highly recommended by a colleague. This colleague's son was plagued by many symptoms like Superman, and after exhausting all the conventional medical avenues, decided to try the "naturalistic" path. We have, I'm somewhat ashamed to admit, always turned our nose at the "natural" remedies found in unconventional medicine. Maybe because neither of us have really been exposed to it before...I don't know. At any rate, to make a long story short, this doctor says Superman is sensitive to corn, dairy and soy as well as incapable of processing wheat. Wow. If it's true, it'll explain why he just hasn't felt healed yet...but I must admit, I'm a bit skeptical.

With this news comes new responsibility for me...I'm the one who has to feed Superman; it's in my job description. And as much as I'd like to just say, "Well, you're on your own..." I have to find meals that the kids and I can enjoy that will also be edible for him.

To be quite honest, I feel overwhelmed. I have a hard enough time thinking of something to make for each meal when there are no diet restrictions. Coming up with new ides that don't have any of those ingredients is going to be, well, a challenge. I think I said before I like a good challenge every now and then. Well, I don't think I'm really on board with this one yet.

I feel bad complaining. I mean, it could be so so so much worse. And it's not. But still, this is my reality, and it is hard for me not to be a bit discouraged by it. This coupled with the fact that our kids have been pushing me to the edge of sanity this past week...I've completely fallen off the "no sugar" wagon and resorted to replacing almost all my meals with sugar. I'm not exaggerating, either. This past week, I have barely eaten anything of substance. I've eaten plenty of chocolate, cookies, tootsie rolls, and any other sweets I can get my hands on, though. I feel stressed.

I think my mood could be the dictionary definition of the word "slump." It irritates me that I feel that way. Here I am, living in my dream world on property...our kids are healthy...our roof didn't leak when it rained over the weekend...there's a fire crackling in the stove...I'm making a pumpkin pie from scratch (whoops! More sugar...). What in the world do I have to complain about? Sigh.

I suppose we're all allowed a few "off" days every now and then. I think I'm just ready to be back "on." 

Changing the Title of My Blog...

Seeing that my life has evolved into much more than solely adoption, I've decided to update the title of my blog.

Superman has been calling me "Country Wife" to remind me that I'm not responsible for all the manual labor that needs to be done on our property. Believe it or not, it's actually hard for me to stay inside and cook food or wash dishes when I know everyone else is outside lugging brush or working on a project.

So, I figured I would throw that term into my new title. I'm hoping I'll be able to update more often now that we're "settled" ("settled" is a relative term, right?) into our home. Hope you'll come along for the ride!

Time's Still Not Standing Still, But I Feel Compelled To Update...

I'm officially a country wife. I've tossed out a dead chicken, listened to {hundreds} of rats run wildly in our sub-floor (and then become used to the decaying smell of their flesh...), pick-axed a garden, hauled branches, and hiked through Yellow Star Thistle wearing my oh-so-wonderful Muck Boots. I've cut the head off a {small} snake, taken a cold shower (not by choice), started a fire in a wood stove all by myself, and learned to tune out the 5 a.m. rooster calls {yawn}.

I've watched llamas mate. And turkeys. And chickens. I've hurriedly ran to my car while it's dark, wondering what that sound was in the bushes. I've fulfilled a life-long dream of ringing a dinner bell and yelling, "Cooooooooommmmmmmmmme and gettttttttt ittttttttt!"

I've learned that dirt is not going to kill anyone; in fact, it just might make the day of a cranky toddler.



I've roasted marshmallows. On a Tuesday. Just because we can (and it feels like we're camping every time, no matter how many times we do it). I've gone on hikes on land we call our own and marveled at the beauty of God's creation just by looking out our front window. I've stood at the top of our driveway and thought, "How in the world did I get so lucky that the Lord blessed me with this amazing life?"

I've realized there will never be a shortage of projects. We will always have something to work on. And most importantly, I've re-learned that this life is so short, and we just never know when it can change drastically.

Yesterday, my father-in-law (who I have considered my own "dad" since Superman and I started dating) was in a freak accident. While helping Superman haul some branches with the tractor, one branch became stuck on a tree, and the tractor flipped over on top of him. I was inside the house when it happened, so Superman had to re-tell the story to me. Suffice it to say, he was sure his time on this earth with his dad was about to be over. It was nothing short of a miracle that saved my father-in-law from certain death. It's amazing he walked away with a broken rib and some bruises, and kept his life.

And it reminded me just how fragile we are. Had that spinning wheel gone one inch further, I would be helping to plan a funeral instead of worrying about my broken dryer or what I'm going to make for dinner.

And so, friends, that is a brief recap of what has been going on at our little farm. We've been here one month, and it has been an exhausting, thrilling, life-altering, amazing experience so far. I can't imagine what excitement the Lord has planned for our future...but I'll just hitch up my britches and jump right in!