Rex's Hands

As many of you know, I have been using and selling essential oils.  I am amazed every time they work for us.  I was a skeptic and still am at times.  How can a simple drop of oil fix this or take away that pain?  It works - trust me.  Here is an example of a recent result of our use of essential oils.

Rex's hands have been chapped, cracked, and bleeding this winter.  It was painful for him.

 This is a picture of his hands on January 28th.  What you don't see is the blood that normally dripped from his knuckles.  Super painful.  I really felt bad for him.  We started using some essential oils on him every other night.  I covered his hands with fractionated coconut oil then applied one drop of myrrh, one drop of geranium, and one drop of melaleuca.  The myrrh is used for soothing the skin.  The geranium oil promotes clear, healthy skin.  The melaleuca is promotes immune functions, minor skin irritations, and has a rejuvenating effect on skin. Rex did complain that the melaleuca had a stinging effect when I applied it first.  He did not like the smell of the geranium at all.  After a few times we decided on applying myrrh first, geranium second, and melaleuca last.  We did this only once a day, right before bed.  I had him put on a pair of light gloves so he wouldn't accidentally get the oils in his eyes.  (PAINFUL!)  I also had him wash his hands using ONLY a special bar soap.  I used this myself one night and noticed even by the next morning that my dry skin had improved.

This picture was taken on February 4th - just one week later.  Can you see the difference?  Its amazing how quickly it healed.  I could have taken the picture after 5 days and it would have looked like this.  He is a much happier boy.  Thankfully I am hearing less and less complaining on it.  He has not even asked to put on the oils for a few days now.

We have had experiences like this over and over again.  I hope to post a few more of them in the coming weeks.  If you have any questions about essential oils please contact me!

A Person's A Person, No Matter How Small

December 11, 2012.

What did you do that day?  I lost a baby.  At least I think I lost a baby.  I had all the signs of pregnancy, even Darren thought so, and yet no positive pregnancy test.  Of course I'm the type of person who waits and waits to take a pregnancy test thinking I'm just late.  I do believe my body has to have a negative pregnancy test just to get the ball rolling sometimes.  This time was different though - this time I felt pregnant.

If you can recall, I have lost two other babies.  I named them "Patience" and "Faith".  This baby is named "Charity".  In fact, my children named this baby for me.  After I considered that as an option it did really fit the situation.  A mother's life is all about charity to others.  She works for her husband and her children.  She takes care of their needs before her own.  She loves.  This baby was created by God through an act of love. This baby is the very meaning of true love.

My dad always says that true charity begins in the home.  If you cannot practice charity, or love, in your family you cannot truly practice it anywhere else.  What better place for a mom, this mom, to practice true charity than to share the loss of her baby with her children and tell them how much she still loves God.  The two greatest commandments: Love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength; and love thy neighbor as thyself.

Losing this baby gave me the chance to talk about a mother's love, a mother's charity, when bearing children. We talked about the pain that a mother experiences.  We talked about the discomfort being pregnant brings to a woman.  We talked about the other babies I have lost.  We talked about true charity.  We talked about how God knows EXACTLY what He is doing.  We talked about how if I hadn't lost my first baby we wouldn't have my wonderful Rex.  That brought a smile to a boy's face.  Had it been my way and I not lost that first baby, we wouldn't have Rex.  That makes me sad to think that I could have missed out on Rex because of my selfishness.

I'm sure there are many of you out there saying "Poor Karen," or "How sad," about this situation.  There is nothing to be sad about.  God has taken this situation and blessed us.  What I do find troubling is that when you lose a baby most people do act sad and say how sorry they are.  YET, those same people will turn around and give us the hardest time if we get pregnant again and carry the baby to term.  Explain to me why that is.  A Person's A Person, No Matter How Small!  If the baby is 5 weeks 2 days old or 39 weeks 4 days old - its still my child that I love and wish to have.  I don't want to hear "Are you trying to be like your mom?" or "I can take care of that for you so you don't have to go through that again," or "Don't you have enough already?" or "You do know how that happens, right?"  A mother, this mother, deserves a "Congrats!" or "I'm so happy for you."

Now, if I was practicing true charity, I could assume they don't understand my point of view.  I should forgive their careless words that wound my heart.  I should pray for them and not judge them.  I could explain to them exactly what that baby means to me.

In the middle of winter it is such a comfort to hear the birds singing.  Spring will come again.  In the blazing heat of summer it can be such a comfort to feel a slight breeze.  Fall will come again.  These little triggers remind us of something and we look forward to it.  A positive pregnancy test is a trigger that reminds me of something and I look forward to it.

I look forward to:

the first kick I feel
the rolling around in my tummy
the kicks I swear come from a soccer player
the little hand or foot that sticks out far enough I can almost hold on to it
the first contractions that mean business
yes, even the hard ones that insure it is almost over
the last big push
the first loud cry
the first latch-on of that nursing baby
the first snuggle
the first time the other kids get to meet the baby
the first night home
the first smile
the first bonding moment with each of the baby's siblings (their own thing)
the first time the baby finds their feet
the first roll over
the first giggle
the first time they sit up
the first time they stand
the first word they say (or sentence in Stephen's case)
the first time in the highchair
the first step they take
the first day they go to the bathroom in the toilet
the first story they read
the first Lego invention they build
and the million more firsts a child experiences.

When someone asks me why I want to put myself through 10 weeks of intense morning sickness, 9 months of various degrees of discomfort, 12-16 hours of labor and delivery, and 18 more years of children rearing - I think of all those firsts, and seconds, and thirds that I will share with them.  What mother who practices true charity wouldn't want to go through that time after time after time!!

God wants all sizes of families.  He loves small families, middle-sized families, big families, and really big families.  God has a plan for everyone and it isn't the same plan, thankfully.  Our family will have as many children as God sends us.  Our family will give back, with love and trust, as many children as God decides He wants with Him.  I'll let you in on a secret - not one of you out there will change our minds with what you say to us, be it positive or negative.  God is in control of this and He tells us how it will be.  I would kindly request that you remember that next time you comment on the size of our family.  We have not chosen to have six kids, plus three blessings with God.  In fact, God has blessed us with six of His precious creations because He willed it.  Remember what would have happened if my will had been done (Rex).

I know many, many families who have lost a baby in womb or child after birth.  This was a fresh reminder to me the need to pray for you.  I have prayed.  I will continue to pray for you.