Our Gluten-free Journey

This past May (2018), our son AJ was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. This has meant a complete lifestyle change on his part, and a lot of trial and error on ours. I was going to create another blog to post recipes and share our journey, but I changed my mind. It has been a process of submission, after all, to accept this reality and thrive along the way. So, the next few posts will describe how we have adjusted and where things have been difficult. I will also post our favorite recipes, as telling a four year old that he can no longer eat some of his favorite foods has been challenging to say the least.

Our first thought was that our entire family would eat gluten-free. That was the plan until we realized just how expensive gluten-free alternatives actually are. By the way, we are now a family of six for those of you who have read my previous posts. After three strapping boys, we were blessed with a precious baby girl! She is 13 months old now and she is the joy of our lives. She has completed our family with her dainty little ways, her sweet affection and her silly sense of humor!

So we began with trying different kinds of pasta. That was an expensive and difficult time, as AJ was frustrated that he couldn't eat the same pasta we all used to eat. Thankfully, we received an Educational Essentials Kit from the University of Chicago's Celiac Disease Center. They sent us a box of gluten-free elbow macaroni made by Barilla. It was a hit! He loves the homemade mac and cheese recipe I use with that pasta and it heats well as leftovers, too. As a matter of fact, that will be the first recipe I will post. Since then, we have realized that he likes Carrabba's gluten-free pasta and Tinkyada's brown rice Fettuccine. By the way, if you or your child has been recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease, you can fill out a request for the Educational Essentials Kit here: https://www.cureceliacdisease.org/educational_essentials_kit/

A Year Later...

If I wait another 12 days, it will be a year since my last post. This reminds me of my diary when I was younger. I would apologize to myself for waiting so long to write. I have discovered recently that writing is therapeutic for me. It has always helped me to journal and document my thoughts, however, I have decided that I am going to write more. I want to work on sharing profound stories, the most profound of which is the gospel. I intend to reach others through writing, and use every opportunity to share others stories to enrich, encourage, uplift, and inspire. Aside from homeschooling parents who are looking for an evaluator, my blog does not have much of a readership. However, if you are reading, my prayer is that your faith would increase, that you would forgive someone you have been holding a grudge against, or that you would smile or laugh out loud.

Since my last post, our family has been blessed with another happy little guy. His joy is contagious and although he will be a year old shortly, the four of us are still smitten by him. Each of us has a special relationship with him. Once again, I have fallen in love with Aaron in a different way. I was not aware of how my love for him would mature, and change with each child. My submission to him has become an honor and joy (except for moments when we are at odds and my rebellious heart gets in the way). We are currently are on one of our many road trips. We have quite a bit of family that lives far away so we travel to visit them. This summer has been extra-special. We went a different route and toted our three young boys across the country from south to north, and into Canada! I could post about 100 pictures of all the memories we've made and there are so many moments we did not capture. Aaron and I have had a lot of time to connect and have deep conversation. We have also experienced a few arguments that have stretched us and given us a greater love and appreciation for our differences.  

New Chapter...

I can't believe it has been two and a half months since my last post! We are a week away from welcoming our third son into the world! It has been quite an exciting summer! The weather has been gloomy but overall, we have made great memories with our family and friends. We have also been quite busy preparing for baby #3!
I had the amazing privilege of helping a dear friend of mine deliver her son on July 10th! What a miracle! I'm praying I have a similar experience next week. Her entire labor was 4 hours!
In the Word, God is teaching me to trust in the I AM. Reading through John and Jesus' I AM statements is reminding me of all the promises He has. I should not hunger or thirst or die,,, because my faith is in the Bread of Life, the Living Water, the Resurrection and the Life!

Motherhood

I am sure that I have mentioned the joy I have been given in being a mother. I am so grateful, first to my Lord, for giving me an opportunity to raise children. I am also grateful to my husband for his love and dedication as a father. He motivates and inspires me. He gives me the opportunity to be home with our children, even though we sacrifice a lot to do so. This year on Mother's Day, I was reminded once again how precious my own mother is. Her faithfulness to the Lord has blessed me my entire life. Each day, as I submit my life to the Lord, I pray my children will see the power of God in our lives and family.
This afternoon, I took a much-needed nap. Our little one was up till 4:00 am with intense gas pain and bloating. Being sleep-deprived, I allowed our three year old to rest next to me while I napped. I awoke to a picnic of play food, spread out on my husband's side of the bed and a very cheerful "Happy Birthday Mommy!" My birthday is not for another three months but the love that filled my heart at that moment defied all facts. He had prepared a "meal" for us in celebration of my birthday. What a sweetheart! I ate plastic pancakes, felt sandwiches, and a rubber canoli to his heart's content! It was a special moment. Another picture of the immeasurable grace of God on my life. Lord knows I don't deserve to be a mother. Much less to almost three precious boys who fill my life everyday with their love. These are glimpses of heaven, I'm sure. As I worship the Lord this evening, I can't help but wonder how children will play a part in what makes the worship of our Heavenly Father so grand.

Psalm 8:2The Message (MSG)

2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
    toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
    and silence atheist babble.

April Showers...

So here we are. already halfway into the month of April…how did this happen so quickly? Unlike the place I grew up, April does not bring with it rain in Florida. We are experiencing breezy summer-like days with flowers blooming and the earth turning green before us. In our marriage, our experience has been similar this month. The Lord is growing new life in our midst and we are enjoying a time of peace and refreshing joy. Our newest little blessing is halfway here and we are preparing our family for his arrival! One of the lessons we have learned during this time has been to live a life of gratitude. We take in moments with each other. Moments with our children. Moments in deep worship to the Lord. We are ever so grateful for the atonement we have received through Christ's sacrifice allowing us to experience life abundantly. Do we own a lot according to society's standards? Not at all. But we sense the glorious riches Paul talked about in Scripture. We have been one for exactly four and a half years now. It has not been without pain, but it has certainly been worth very minute!

In sickness and in health...

I will love you and honor you, all the days of my life.
While I was engaged to Aaron, I read a book entitled "Seven Reasons Why God Created Marriage," by James Ford Jr. It was such a powerful reminder of the holiness of marriage, and the lifetime commitment we were about to make. Over the past five months, our family has faced one sickness after another and it has often taken it's toll on our marriage. Living in a home with two teachers, we are exposed to illnesses of students at the public schools they work in. It is surely a natural part of parenting to have young children who fall ill often. However, this week, my husband has fallen ill. It is the worst illness he's had since he had meningitis in high school. He is in excruciating pain. He is limited in what he can do at work and at home. In his book, James Ford shares the story of his deep love for his beloved wife. For years, she has been bed-ridden and unable to carry out her duty as a housewife. He has been blessed beyond measure by loving her through the difficult times. But even if he didn't see the blessings right away, his commitment to her was "in sickness and in health!" When she felt overwhelmed by his love and became frustrated at her inability, she threatened to leave him, to make his life "easier." He lovingly told her, "If you leave me, I'm going with you!" In our four plus years of marriage, that idea has often been at the back of my mind. If and when one of us ever feels like we want "out," the other one is coming with! It pains my heart to see my husband in such pain. For the last three days, he has gone to work, despite his excruciating pain. I find it an honor to serve him, pray for him, and help him in whatever way I can. There is no telling how long this illness will last. If it progresses, it becomes a danger to our unborn child so my physical contact with him will have to be limited. Am I having a hard time with the increased workload? Am I anxious for him to feel better? At times, yes! However, my prayer is that I would bless him with my attitude; my hope is that we would love him through this difficult time in his life and lighten the load so that he can rest. I am certainly not aiming for perfection, but I am truly hoping that the Lord would love him through me, sacrificially and completely. For His glory.