April 2013 Update

Holy Mackrel! This may go down in history as the busiest April we (ahem, I) have ever had. Seemed like I had a major project to accomplish every week. There was no getting ahead. The only option was to take it one thing at a time but I do have lots of exciting things to report. Warning, long post ahead.

First, (drum roll please) MY Publix finally opened in Donelson. Yes, I’m calling it MY Publix because I truly believe they built it just for me. I have been harassing the poor real estate department at their corporate office for YEARS. I’ve been driving 30 minutes across town to shop at another Publix for YEARS because I refuse to shop anywhere else. It’s the customer service. Once you go Publix, you never go back. MY new store is absolutely beautiful! It’s a hybrid store meaning that they carry more organic and natural products than a regular grocery. My favorite department is the natural health section. I had heart palpitations when I saw all the tinctures and herbs and homeopathics and flower remedies. It was like icing on the cake (And we all know that Publix makes the best icing. In fact, I may not RSVP to your child’s birthday party until I confirm the maker of the cake is going to be Publix. Not even kidding.)!

Second, (wait for it) nurturing YOU naturally is now producing and selling homemade natural products. I debuted this new venture at our women’s retreat during the open market and it was a huge success. I sold out of several items and came home with orders for more. I am really excited about this and anxious to start testing out some new recipes as well.

The retreat itself was actually fantastic all around. In fact, I would dare to say it’s the best one I have ever been to. It was the perfect mix of fun and soul searching and I came home feeling refreshed and renewed with a new perspective of serving others. Here are my roomies from the weekend.

I also had the opportunity to speak to a group of ladies about couponing and I had another article to write for FUSION. Skylar also had surgery so I had quite a bit of research to do for that as well. I’m telling ya, I was covered up this month.

So, the surgery. tLG’s 6-year-old molars didn’t develop properly so, as soon as they broke through the skin, they were attacked by bacteria since they were not mineralized and had no enamel. We tried some natural remedies for about 3-4 months but we couldn’t get ahead of the disease process. We tried to put in fillings but the damage ran too close to the nerve. I weighed several options including continuing natural remedies, putting crowns on the teeth, and extracting the teeth. I had countless consultations with different dental providers and with anesthesia. I researched medical journals and studies so much that my brain literally hurt. In the end, I was finally able to get the information that I needed to make an informed decision, which was crucial if I was going to subject my child to anything involving Western Medicine. I take this parenting gig pretty seriously. I am her only advocate and I don’t want it to ever be said that I did something that wasn’t in her best interest. I can’t imagine not being informed about every detail, risk and benefit of her medical care. For me, not knowing is more scary. I’m not a fan of the “ignorance is bliss” philosophy. It’s not my style.

The surgery went fine and, if everything bonds well, the teeth will be saved. The general anesthesia made her quite cranky. The surgery center staff and myself offered her ibuprofen multiple times when she complained of discomfort but she always refused and opted for homeopathic Arnica and essential oils instead. Talk about make a mama proud! Then, she defied all odds by returning to school the next day. I was a little surprised but I also know the healing powers of homeopathy and oils.

In other tLG news, she just finished her first week of state testing and we had a pillow party movie night to celebrate. Yeah, I find it a little difficult to believe that they have started standardized testing for Kindergarten but our girl told me she thought it was fun so we decided not to opt-out. However, during the real thing, she kept getting in trouble for trying to move ahead to the next section in her booklet. LOL!

No monthly update would be complete without a note about Mike. He’s been busy with work and also with their softball league. The games are on Sunday afternoons so we get to go and watch him play. They also have a big fishing tournament coming up that he’s pretty excited about. I can’t remember if I’ve posted about this previously but he also finally has a set schedule each week and that has been such a blessing.

Earlier this month both Mike and tLG tested to receive their yellow belts for Tae Kwon Do. Be sure to check the videos page for a look at one of the patterns they had to perform.

We are less than a month away from the end of school and start of summer. Yea-uh!!! We’ve already been practicing by having summer dinner.