Stop inducing labor just because... I mean it! Stop!

proud mom with baby sofia

My little darling Sofia will be three years old in 2 weeks. I can't believe it has been so long. She is growing up way too fast! Her birthday and some other experiences that I have recently heard of bring to mind some serious thoughts regarding labor induction.

In a previous post I described my labor induction experience with Sofia. Here are some cliff notes if you are just tuning in. I was 4 days late the first time they wanted to induce. I just didn't feel right about it.... so I called the hospital and literally cancelled my appointment and didn't show up. I was 10 days late the next time my doctor called for induction. Being it my first pregnancy and that when the doctor talked to me he used the term "placental decline," I agreed reluctantly. My whole pregnancy I was waiting for my water to break in the middle of the grocery (clean up- aisle 4!) or to wake in the middle of the night - "I think this is it!". Unfortunately I got up at the crack of dawn on the day of my induction and packed the car and drove there- no pains, no urgency. To top it all off, at the hospital they insisted on wheeling me up to my room- as if I was really in labor or something. Talk about adding insult to injury!

I got all set up- dressed in my gown, "checked" for progress, hooked into an IV, bands put in place to monitor fetal heart rate and contractions. Enema- check! So much for moving around- it was hard enough using the bathroom. Next- induction drugs. I was given a 1/4 tab of cytotec vaginally every hour for 4 hours. Then the pitocin. Then my water was broken. Then the stadol (a narcotic administered through my IV without my permission that didn't help with my contractions and only made me feel less present during birth). Eventually an epidural. And, at 9:24 pm, my daughter Sofia was born with a little help from a vacuum extractor. Thanks a lot.

While I was overjoyed and super-thankful that we were both healthy, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in how things shook out. It wasn't until later that I realized how common my not-so-good experience really was. 

So, recently, I had the opportunity to come along side a friend during her pregnancy. It has been a joy getting to know her and being able to share with her what I have learned from my experience. She recently had a beautiful baby boy... via induction. The night before her induction we met and she told me what the doctor had suggested. She was 39 weeks and 3 centimeters. Oh, and her doctor was leaving for vacation in 2 days. I think I did a great job encouraging her despite the anger that I felt towards her doctor for a morally defunct decision regarding her patient. 

When I went to visit my friend, who did (thankfully) have a successful induction, she told me about 3 of her other friends who just had or are about to have their babies. All had been or had appointments to be induced. Including herself, 2 women had bad experiences with epidurals and one birth culminated in c-section. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing.

It is estimated that upwards of 20% or 1 in 5 births are induced in hospitals today, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. I actually saw 40% on some sites but could not find information to back it. keep in mind that less than 10% are medically necessary. The problem is that it is so common that we think it is normal now. Also, around 40% of all inductions will end with birth by c-section because the body is not ready. This rate could be higher among first-time mommas.  

Some risks of induction :

• Increased risk of abnormal fetal heart rate.
• Increased risk of fetal distress.
• Increased risk of shoulder dystocia.
• Drastically increased risk of your baby being admitted into the NICU.
• Increased risk of vaccum extraction or forcep delivery.
• Increased risk of a cesarean section.
• Increased risk of prematurity.
• Increased risk of jaundice.

If you are not a high risk pregnancy, here is an example of normal labor:

Between 37 and 42 weeks, you go into labor on your own. You labor naturally by breathing, moving, getting into different positions. If you are having a hospital birth you choose whether to proceed with or without medication. You push when your body is ready. Your baby is born.

I am not trying to minimize or idealize birth- it is a process that can take days and it hurts like hell. Straight-up, no joke. What I am trying to show is that our bodies were specifically designed to procreate and birth! Birth is an amazing experience and a gift, not to mention something that sticks with us for the rest of our lives. The medical industry is trying to sabotage the birth experience by shouting lies at us like:

• "Your baby is too big for you to birth on your own"
• "You don't have to suffer during birth"
• "Allowing the baby to stay in the womb past 40 weeks is dangerous"
• "The baby is going to grow too big"
• "You only have so long and then we will have to do a c-section"
• "Inductions are harmless"
•  "C-sections are no big deal"
• Oh, and here's some formula in case you probably don't make milk like most women (what?!?)

I know there are doctors who truly do care and take their profession and patients very seriously. Those doctors unfortunately are far and few between. The thing that pregnant woman MUST KNOW is that they are in control of their bodies and that their doctors provide information to be considered and that is about it. It is undeniable that doctors get paid more for performing c-sections than standard births- check your bill. You don't think they get paid by pharmaceutical companies for using induction drugs like cytotec or a narcotic like stadol? They sure do. Doctors can only have one master- their patients or big dogs who pay the bills. Who wins? Unfortunately it is not you and I.

Modern medicine has a place, don't get me wrong. There are certain situations that require medical intervention for the health and safety of mom and baby. Too much intervention is happening in a realm that should be more personal, exciting and empowering. Patients are being taken advantage of every single day. 

Labor induction is an epidemic. Women- be encouraged! Your bodies were made to grow and birth babies- on their own. Read, read, read! You are in charge. You can birth your baby. You can have a great birth experience. You are awesome! 

Please read more about inductions and the drug cytotec from the blog Pregnancy, Parenthood & Playtime

http://blog.ctnews.com/elwood/2009/09/15/labor-induction-what-you-may-not-know/

The risks of induction list from above was borrowed from this site.

Wanted!

Jamie: Wanted for bio-piracy?

Last week my darling husband picked me some flowers.... from  a vacant field near our addition. He actually went there to uproot some beautiful purple spring flowers to plant alongside our house. The lot used to belong to a Quaker church until they vacated 8 or so years ago. We have gone there before to pick apples and pears and get other flowers. We have never had a problem until the other day.

As my husband loaded up with his new-found flowers and bouquet for his beauty (ahem, that would be me) the neighbors closest to that field came out and started taking pictures. My husband asked if there was anything he could help them with and they told him that they were supposed to document anyone trying to take flowers from the field. Uh, ok. Whatever.

My husband says "that's fine, we live right over on that street right there so if there is a problem, you can let me know."

I love my husband. 

WATERMELON!

I totally heart watermelon!

Ever since watermelon season started, I have almost singlehandedly eaten 6 watermelons. Granted, the first couple were a little small, but, really!

Can you overdose on watermelon? Can too much of a good thing really be not-so-good? I wanted to know....

Some fun facts about watermelon:
(http://westchesterdish.com/2007/06/ten-facts-you-never-knew-about-watermelon/)

1. Not only does it quench your thirst, it can also quench inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis.
2. Over 1,200 varieties of watermelon are grown worldwide.
3. Watermelon is an ideal health food because it doesn’t contain any fat or cholesterol, is high in fiber and vitamins A & C and is a good source of potassium.
4. Pink watermelon is also a source of the potent carotenoid antioxidant, lycopene. These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing free radicals.
5. Watermelon is a vegetable! It is related to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.
6. Early explorers used watermelons as canteens.
7. Watermelon is grown in over 96 countries worldwide.
8. In China and Japan watermelon is a popular gift to bring a host.
9. In Israel and Egypt, the sweet taste of watermelon is often paired with the salty taste of feta cheese.
10. Every part of a watermelon is edible, even the seeds and rinds.

According to Self Nutrition Data website (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2072/2) One cup of watermelon balls contains the following:

46 Calories
0g Fat
0mg Cholesterol
2mg Sodium
12g Carbohydrates
1g Dietary Fiber
10g Sugar
1g Protein
18% DV Vitamin A
21% DV Vitamin C
1% DV Calcium
2% DV Iron

It seems to be that the worst thing about watermelon is the sugar. I say, well, at least it is natural sugar!

Eat on, people! Watermelon lovers unite!

God's grace

What do you see? This "angel" was leftover from lunch one day....

God is so good. All the time.

It's easy to get down and think of all the muck in the world and wonder where God is. It's really a glass half empty/ half full thing. You can wonder where God is or you can try and find a place He isn't. Some days it's easy for me to look past the flowers and the trees and the sun in my face and just focus all my energy internally on what is happening to me personally. Last week I really tried to be present with God and not worry about tomorrow.

I realized that for so long now I have been trying to look to a time with less sadness, more sunshine, less financial struggles, more personal freedom, etc. I have been so focused on tomorrow that I am missing today. I am missing my kids lives and my life with my husband. I am missing opportunities to be a good friend to someone and nurture relationships I have. I don't want to miss out on one more thing.

I shared a couple posts ago about the dream I had about my mom playing with my girls. It was more than a good dream for me. It was an example of God's love and grace for me. He sees me struggle, he sees me try and hang on day after day if only by a thread. He knows the desires of my heart- He knows how much my heart hurts for the loss my family has experienced. He knows I am trying to be present with Him although it's hard not to look to tomorrow. God found a way to unite me and my mom and my girls and it is just beautiful.

Some may say, "well if that is something that you wanted and have your mind on, your mom being able to play with your girls, than of course you might dream about it." I agree with that to a certain extent but I choose to recognize it as a God-thing. His timing is perfect. I am so thankful that I deserve less than nothing and yet I have everything I need.

This is one of my very favorite passages from Matthew 6:25-34, about provision:

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?
²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

God wants for His people to live for today and not worry about tomorrow. He will take care of all of our needs- physical, emotional and spiritual.

Thank you God for sharing with me a glimpse of my mother, whom I miss so much! Thank you for letting me and my girls be near to her again!

Amen!

A vegetarian meal idea- almost the only one I have

When I was dating my husband, he used to make this meal that we appropriately called "bachelor stew." It is a vegetarian meal that is easily doubled or tripled and keeps in the fridge for a good couple of days (and even tastes better as it hangs out- one of those foods). He would make a big batch of it and then eat it with tortillas throughout the week.

Well, today is Sunday and for lunch I made bachelor stew. Here's how it goes for anyone interested:

"Bachelor Stew"

You need:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 cans black beans (drained)
1 can Rotel (or just tomatoes if you don't like it HOT) (not drained)
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 cup frozen corn (can also mix in peas and/or carrots)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp lime juice (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

How to:
1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in a large pan for a couple of minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Feel free to add a little water if needed. Bring to a good simmer.

3. Cover so it can heat through and cook down a little- about 15-20 minutes.
4. Serve with warm tortillas and eat like you would a taco or burrito.

This meal is so easy, fast and good for you. I love one-pan meals!

The right idea....

Today I sat Sofia down to eat her lunch. I decided to nurse Leila before I fed her table food and so I sat down and did so. The next thing I know, Sofia decided to do the same thing for "Icy," our local hockey team's mascot. She says, "look mom, I givin' Icy some milk too!"

It was darling. I said "you've got the right idea, sister!"

Sweet dreams

For as long as I can remember I have had vivid dreams. I remember dreams I had from way back when I was a child. I wanted to share the dream I had from the other night.

I had a rough night of sleep as both the girls were up at least once a piece. Before waking I had this dream:

It was very bright. Like it was sunny. I guess it was sunny, and my mom was there dressed in some of her favorite summer clothes: a pair of sweat shorts and a pink tank top. So typical. Mom was still older but she was perfect- there was no sense that anything was wrong. In every other dream that I have had about her since she passed I have always known at some point in the dream that she wasn't supposed to be there because she was gone. I remember that my daughter Leila was crawling around my house and climbing up on the couch and jumping off into my mom's arms. She was doing that over and over and they were having a great time. Sofia was there too and they were all playing together. At the end of the dream my mom was taking the girls down the street for a walk in the wagon.

I woke up in tears. What a beautiful gift I was given through this dream. In the dream, like I was saying, I never felt this underlying dread, of loss. I felt whole again. Overjoyed. Content. Like everything was right.

God knows my heart and He knows that the sadness I still have is more for my children than for myself. The desire of my heart is that I would see my mom and my girls to play together. I have now. Until we all meet again, I will take it. I feel so blessed.

I still miss her so much. 

Tiny prayers

What I would give to be a child again. I was just saying to my husband when my 10 month old daughter woke up 5 minutes after I laid her down last night- "If I were her and I had nothing to worry about I would be sleeping. I want to sleep!" As a child hopefully all you have to worry about is playing, snacking, going outside and watching your favorite movie. Life is, more or less, pretty easy.

As you probably well know, adult life is way different. I am increasingly disappointed at the amount of stuff I forget and misplace just because my brain is so full of other stuff I just can't manage one more thing. My stepson (10) gets angry and says "you guys make me do everything myself" when he goes to take a shower and then calls from inside the shower, in the bathroom, that he needs his towel- and we won't get it. We aren't living in a Life Styles of the Rich and Famous house. Our bathroom is 20 square feet (an estimate). He doesn't understand that asking him to get his own towel is not some sort of parental torture, it's just taking one thing off our plates to do or remember to do. Not to mention, it teaches him responsibility. He has no idea what we do in a day's time. Here is an example of what my morning looks like:

Sofia gets up and gets me up. Shhhhh don't wake up the baby. Get out of bed. Get Luke up. Open blinds. Start breakfast. Clean counter off. Start dishwater. Read stories while breakfast is going. Oh, wait, Sofia wants to help with breakfast. Get a chair. Measure and explain every action. Get down. Put chair back. Is that the baby crying? Luke, go get dressed. Sofia, you have to go potty? You already did? Did you wipe?

This probably sounds vaguely familiar. It's a wonder that I've only left my house once without shoes on.

Adult life is great and all, but some days it would be nice to be a child again. By having children of my own, I kind of get to regress a bit when I play pretend with my girls or read princess stories. You'd think I would be the "teacher" in my relationship with my kids but so many times they are teaching me. Many of the lessons I learn speak to my faith.

When I was a little child, I didn't know about praying. We prayed at dinner time and before bed but that was it. I didn't know that there was a God you knew me personally and that I could talk to him directly through prayer, as if talking to a friend. I decided that as a parent, I wanted to teach my children about prayer early on. Sofia is becoming a top-notch pray-er. The other day she fell and skinned up her knees on the sidewalk. We prayed together before nap time that Jesus would help her knees to heal. So, when I got my wisdom teeth out a couple of days ago, she prayed for God to heal me:

Dear God
-pause-
please heal my mommy's mouth
-pause-
and her chin
-pause-
and her tongue
-pause-
and her mouth.
-pause-
Help her to feel better
-pause-
and be with Grandma Judy, because she died
-pause-
and the Little Mermaid. Amen.

I thought it was totally sweet. Everyone can learn from the innocence of a tiny prayer like this one. We don't need to use a bunch of fancy words or say "God" or "Jesus" a lot. We just need to say what is on our hearts. Even if it is the Little Mermaid. :)

***

But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

Matthew 19:14

It takes a village

I found this picture and thought to myself- how perfect. It is an amazingly beautiful picture of probably a grandmother with her grandchild or great-grandchild. Look at the difference in skin. Have you ever thought about how similar people are in their first years of life and last years of life? I think that is interesting.

It Takes a Village

In my life I have heard the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" many, many times. It was not until I was older and now have a family of my own that I really understand what that means and how true it is.

When I was about 7 months pregnant I felt called to be an advocate at a local organization that provides assistance, support and education to woman who are pregnant and their families. I wasn't really sure about it but I went through with the training. I know for sure now that it was a total God-thing. My volunteering there has grown in my heart a serious love for mothers and children- one I never knew I had before. I have heard the advocate coordinator say before that she believes that God sends specific people through the doors of the organization to talk to specific people there. I believe it. I have met some very beautiful, very broken women. Some with great support systems and some with none. Some who are married and some who have several children by several different people. Whatever it is, the joy that fills my heart to be able to share a glimpse of hope with them is immeasurable. My experiences have really got me thinking, where is this so called village?

In the age of facebook, twitter, myspace, cell phones, status updates, email, etc., we are a nation of comfortable communication. 93% of what we say is non-verbal communication such as body movement, facial expression and eye movement. If we are doing most of our communication through means other than face to face, we are losing a lot of communication. The above mentioned kind of communication is easy. We can fake happiness, excitement, sadness or sympathy over the phone or in an email. I am sure that most of us have at one point or another. The greatest problem is that it is damaging our relationships by keeping everyone a computer screen away.

Here is how this relates to the village. Before the age of computers, women in families actually had to visit each other to find out what was new. They had a meal together and spent time together. Maybe they saw firsthand that a new mom in their family was struggling and found it hard not to offer help. They bonded, experienced community and their children always had someone besides just mom looking after them. Flash forward. A woman and her husband who recently moved to a new town are expanding their family and they have a child. Maybe the woman's mother comes and stays with them for a week at first but then returns home. No need to make the trip for the new mom and dad's siblings (the child's aunts and uncles) because they are keeping up on recent activities and pictures via facebook. The neighbors around them work or have their own children to worry about. See what I am getting at? I don't want to discount the use of the computer and social networking to find other like-minded women. I am a part of some very special groups on facebook that I value dearly.

Another aspect of this is so much bigger. It's getting to be my least favorite time again- election time. Where we watch the people who want to run our country spend unGodly amounts of money on stuff that matters nothing when they could be feeding the poor or housing the homeless or something. It's disgusting. Anyway. I always get honked off that all of the sudden abortion is an issue again. Convenient, eh? Just so that there is no confusion, I am pro-life and I don't identify with any given political party. I hold the idea that if you are truly pro-life then you should also be against the death penalty and for gun control. Most people don't hold these views, I understand. However, back to the point, I find it interesting that people are so concerned about the preborn but once they are born, "you are on your own" and "no way universal health care" and "let's cut funding for welfare." Where is our village? I want to know!

We, in our communities and nationally, need to come together for the good of each other. We need to give people a hand-up and occasionally the hand-out. Especially mothers. Mother's are raising our future workers, teachers, leaders. If we don't start caring for the village, this village will be in ruins. And p.s. you live in it.

If this fires you up, get moving. Look around at how you can support one another. Can you be a support to your own mother or a friend who is a mother? Can you watch your friend's kids so she can have 5 minutes to herself to regroup? Can you encourage someone through a situation they are experiencing that you have already experienced?

Keep your eyes open at the opportunities to start building the village in your community.

Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."
-Mother Theresa

A little less wise today

A couple of weeks ago, my impacted wisdom tooth on the lower left side of my mouth flared up. I have had this happen before but it was never this painful. It hurt terribly and the flare up lasted for 5 days- yuck.

I eventually called my dentist and talked to them about the next steps. I am always hesitant to get anything done to my mouth due to a bad experience I had when I was very young. I had this dentist who was enormous (especially due to the fact that I was like, 4 years old!) and had hands that looked like he just got done working on his car before he came into his real job. Yuck. And he didn't wear gloves. It took me like 10 years to get back to the dentist after that.

My dentist, which I love now, referred me to a local oral surgeon. I proceeded to make some calls to the oral surgeon and the insurance company. It was a combination of terrible customer service, waiting time, a whole lot of muzak, and confusion over all that left me in tears. After several more terrible interactions with the oral surgeon, I just wasn't feeling it anymore and asked for a new referral.

I found a new place and today, I had my extraction.

I had my teeth out at 9am and just looked at my watch at 12:49pm and wondered where the last almost 4 hours of my life went. How did I get home? When did I go out? When did my husband do lunch with the girls?

I kind of look like a chipmunk but at least chipmunks are cute :) My beautiful husband just made a special trip to the local Smoothie King to get my Lemon Twist with Strawberry smoothie. It hit the spot for sure. On to recovery....

Memories of momma

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I feel like it was like impending doom all week, knowing that it would come soon enough and I would be reminded of my mom's absence. You won't believe this but I still can't believe she is gone. My heart hurts.

I have gotten to a point now, very recently where I know it's alright to be joyful in my day to day life although I am a mess most of the time. I can have a joyful heart and still a heart that hurts. It does me no good to slump around and give a variety of sad answers to "how are you doing?"

I thought that in honor of Mother's Day I could share with you some memories of my mother...


I remember when I was 3 or 4 and we lived in an apartment. Mom was going to school at the time. I went up to her and ran my little hand into the end of her cigarette. I still have the scar.

I remember being in middle school and coming home one day with my best friend Kirstin and mom was home. She worked a lot and odd hours and sometimes she wasn't home when I would get there. That day she was there.... and she had dinner going... and she bought for me the new backstreet boys cd. It was so special. I remember jammin' to my new cd and dancing around and thinking how out of the ordinary it was and how special that moment was.

I remember moving to Vegas with her. I remember visiting the fashion mall while we were there. I remember our ride home and when she and her cousin Phil got into it because I had to use the bathroom so much and he was tired of stopping. I remember how she picked us up out of the dirt after Vegas and made a new life for us.

I remember when she became my best friend- when I left for college. I missed her so much. I literally talked to her twice a day. She worried about me and I worried about her. I remember the time she came to stay with me in my dorm room and we went to the on campus movie theater and watched Shrek 2 and cracked up. Puss n Boots got us good.

I remember how proud she was of me when I graduated. I was the first in our family.

I remember her on my wedding day. She couldn't have been happier to walk me down the aisle and give me away to Jamie. She loved him so much.

I remember when we used to go to flashbacks (local old-school music playing bar/dance club) for her and my birthdays. She used to work it. She was such a fun dancer and all the younger men would try and dance with her.

I remember how brave she was when she had treatment and when she lost her hair. She wore those head scarfs and we had some good laughs trying on the wigs...

I remember when we took care of her on hospice. I remember Lisa's house and the pumpkins. Then the thanksgiving decor. Then the Christmas tree. I remember how she used to tell Leila that she just wanted to squeeze her when she wasn't even strong enough to hold her. And how, close to the end, she called Sofia over to watch the Mickey Mouse Club on her TV- so they could watch together.

I remember how it looked the morning she passed as I drove to Lisa's, not knowing what I would find. It was beautiful. The snow on the grown sparkled as I drove past. When the sun came up that morning it shown so beautifully into the room where she lay.



Thank you, mom, for having me and training me to be the mother I am for my children. You are not forgotten! Happy Mother's Day.

Sprouting seeds

I am involved in a holistic living group here in town. At our last meeting a lovely woman talked to us about sprouting seeds- who knew? I was very intrigued by this and have finally got on the train to sprout my own.

I am sure you have heard of sprouts- the most "famous" being alfalfa sprouts. If you have never eaten sprouts, now may be a good time to enter them into your diet. Here is why:

• They are an amazing source of nutrients given that they contain everything needed to sustain life
• They have an alkalising effect on the body, working against free radicals (cancer causing agents)
• Aid in controlling hot flashes, PMS, menopause and fibrocystic breast tumors
• Contains highly active antioxidants
• Prevent DNA destruction
• Protects from the effects of aging
• Prevents bone breakdown and osteoporosis
• Contains oxygen for healthy cell life
• Provide living enzymes
• Good source of essential fatty acids
• Being a chlorophyll-rich food they act as a blood cleanser

It's not all about alfalfa sprouts. Other common sprouts are broccoli, radish, various bean sprouts, clover and more. For more information about the different types of sprouts and their benefits, see the following websites:

http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-sprout-information/so-good-sprouts.html
http://www.living-foods.com/articles/sproutbenefits.html
http://www.isga-sprouts.org/

Growing your own sprouts!

Growing your own sprouts is super easy! You don't need anything special- just a jar, a breathable cloth, seeds and water. Here is how you do it:

1. Put 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite sprouting mix/seeds in a jar and cover with cheesecloth or other breathable fabric.

2. Rinse with water and drain. Then fill jar up with water a little above the seeds and soak over night. Dry seeds are dormant. By soaking the seeds, you wake them up.

3. Drain and prop at an angle so leftover water can drain throughout the day.

Prop at an angle to drain

4. Continue to rinse seeds twice/day by swirling seeds with a little filtered water and draining and propping up.

5. Sprout for 4-6 days or until the root is 1-2 inches tall.

6. Rinse and place in fridge to be eaten. Consume within a couple days. Yum!

I grew something- yay sprouts!



You can also purchase a sprouter which helps if this is something you plan to have going all the time. Please check out the website http://sproutpeople.org/ for more information.

Here is to better health!

My green thumb

I don't really have green thumb but I am working on it. Sofia, Luke and I planted these about a month ago. The top row is basil and the bottom row is parsley. I love to watch them curve towards the window in order to catch some better sun. We relate in that way- we LOVE sun!

I am so looking forward to farmer's markets and garden goodies this summer.

Dear Summer:

I know that you are on your way although Mr. Springtime really hasn't brought the sunshine and warm weather like I originally thought he would. I am holding out that in no time we will go from 54 degrees and frigid breezy to 90 degrees, humid as crap and sweltering like only Indiana can really do. I long for you, weather of golden skins, vitamin D to go around and bare feet (and sometimes butts) in the backyard. Come soon! Amen!

Food diary of the scared to die

I gotta tell you, that title took me a while....

Me, my sister Lisa and niece Whitley

In my last post I mentioned how my sister Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. This came as a shock given the fact that I'm not done grieving my mom's death, and neither are my sisters. Through my mom's experience my sister has done a lot of research about cancer, treatment methods conventional and non-conventional, etc. She has made the decision to not take any conventional action right now, not surgery, not radiation, not chemotherapy. She is on a super-duper cancer fighting vegan diet with other supplements in hopes that it will create an environment where cancer cannot survive or prosper. This might sound like a death sentence to people who have only known conventional treatment or know little about cancer. It is not. If you stop and think and drown out the noise of the conventional medical system (where profit plays a role), it makes all the sense in the world to put only good stuff in your body to fight cancer. It is a risk but people who do conventional treatment die everyday. My mom was an example.
With that being said, I have decided to make some drastic changes to my diet as well, to come along side my sister. Here are some things I am doing or eating now:

• Drinking water and 100% fruit and veggie juices, no pop
• As much organic raw veggies and fruits as possible, or frozen but not canned (I have read that most cans are lined with a BPA plastic which can get into the food)
• Organic brown rice, not white rice
• Whole grain pastas
• Almond butter instead of peanut butter
• Continuing with organic milk (looking into raw milk)
• Making my own soups and sauces
• Staying away from high fructose corn syrup, aspartame and MSG
• Doing my best to stay away from anything in the processed food aisles between the dairy and the produce
• Very limited sugar intake
• Looking into getting grass-fed meats
• No processed meats

Another thing I did was get rid of anything that I didn't want to snack on. It usually happens around 2 or 3pm and 10:30pm when I get the "snackies." I reach for something easy which is usually junk. It only leaves me feeling like I want more. And because I am an emotional eater anyway, this really was not good. So I threw those things out.

Another challenge has been having stuff that my kids will eat but not have junk around. I realized that my kids have the habits they do because they have watched me eat in front of them for their whole lives. When I am eating a piece of chocolate and Sofia looks at me, squints her eyes and says, "please can I have some chocolate, mommy?" what am I to do? If I don't have junk in my house I won't be lying when I tell my kids I don't have any treats but they can have a piece of fruit. I can do it! So can you!

So, this is day three and I feel good. Here is what I have eaten for the last three days:

Day 1: Breakfast: blueberry bagel with almond butter and milled flax seed with a tiny bit of apricot preserves, a banana and some watermelon. Lunch: Chicken salad with low mayo and steamed veggies mix. Dinner: Turkey burgers on whole wheat buns, veggie salad and baked sweet potato fries.

Day 2: Breakfast: Oatmeal and fruit. Lunch: Rosemary chicken salad on wheat, orange pepper slices and watermelon, sun chips. Dinner: Caesar salad and bread (catered meal I helped serve at church, not the best pick) and apple juice.

Day 3: Breakfast: Egg white bagel sandwich and orange juice. Lunch: Tuna salad on whole wheat, sugar snap peas and strawberry/blueberry mix.

This might not seem very drastic but just the amount of stuff I am not snacking on during the day is serious and to my benefit.

I am trying not to get crazy or stress out about it. I understand that a lot of stuff in my life is totally out of my control. I understand I am not my mother or my sister. I also understand, though, that if I can make some positive changes in my life with something that is in my control, I should do it. There is no time to waste! I guess you could say I am scared to death to continue eating like crap. If you eat like crap, you should be too.

Today, take a look at your life to see where you can make some positive changes and go for it. This is it, you have one life.

Sisters

The other day I caught my daughters like this and thought it was so sweet. This is what a I wanted- to have daughters so that they could be sisters like I have sisters. I hope they remain buddies foreverly.

When my husband and I started thinking about children, I had sort of an anxiety. I was ready to have children but I was not ready (or so I thought) to have a little boy, and as you know, you can't really choose ahead of time. Little girls, no problem- I was a little girl once, I grew up with sisters, I had a mom, etc. I didn't know a thing about boys.... only that I had a stepson with whom I had a roller coaster of a relationship. I never had a dad around, he was killed when I was 5 months old. My mom was married once but before I was born and she didn't date a whole lot when I was around.

We found out what we were having with both pregnancies. I was excited with both, although surprised with Leila because I was certain she was a he. As it turns out my darling girls both look just like each other and just like their dada, which isn't too bad since he is a good lookin' guy :)

I love to watch their budding relationship day to day. Sofia and Leila greet each other after a night's sleep as if it has been ten years since they have seen each other. I have had to get on Sofia more about smothering Leila with hugs and kisses than for kicking her in the heard, or putting a bucket on her head and then beating on it, like the other night. I can tell already that they love each other and I am so excited for their relationship as they grow. I know there will be some pretty intense drama times but when the dust settles, they will have each other and I am thankful for that.

Me with my sisters Sondra, Aisha and Lisa on Easter

Like I was saying before, I have three sisters of my own. We have a very interesting family dynamic. My two older sisters, Sondra (44) and Lisa (41), are "true" sisters of the same mother and father. My sister Aisha (31) right above me is from a different father, as am I. From an objective standpoint, I am sure it looks funny but it's not too much different than many families today, good or bad. It has always been my sisters and my mom for me. The dads were never around and after my dad died, I think it was hard for my mom to get back into it.

We have always been very close and I have learned to love my sisters for the unique people they are.

Sondra and I's relationship has been a long time coming. She is 18 years older than I am so I actually ended up being closer to my niece (who is 3 years younger than me) for most of my life. When I think of her, I think about how her personality shines. She is easy to talk to, outgoing and hilarious. I used to love when she and my mom would get together because they fed off each other amazingly and someone would always end up peeing their pants. I have always felt like maybe my opinion didn't matter too much because I am a lot younger. Now that I am an adult and I have a family of my own, we can relate better and I look forward to what our relationship has in store.

My sister Lisa and I have always been very close. I cried at her wedding because I thought I would never see her again. I had morning sickness with her when she was sick with her first son, Jesse. She sowed so many seeds of faith within me that I hold her responsible for where I am today in that way. We walked together, caring for mom in her illness. We just found out last week that she has breast cancer. So we begin a new walk together. Her light shines and I am so glad it has shown on me.

I could write a memoir of my relationship with Aisha and people would laugh, cry, and be in awe. Growing up, she was the person I looked up to... and the person from who I learned what not to do. I loved riding around in the car with her and her friends and bumping some loud music (play Fugees here). I could bore you with stories of her tying me to chairs and locking me in the basement, but I will spare you. Now that we are older, she is one of my best friends. She truly appreciates my nerdiness and I, hers. She cracks me up and it feels good to laugh. I am so excited to see her emerge from a previous life to a new beginning.  

I don't pretend to know God's plan for me- I am definitely not big enough. However, I am so glad that God has surrounded me by a beautiful pack of women and given me daughters to train into beautiful women as well.