Journey With Jen

Well, we have been doing the GFCF diet for a couple weeks now. The question is: Is it worth the hassle? Can I tell a difference? The short answer would be: YES! We have been very constant with the diet change besides some exceptions here and there. We want those exceptions to just be once a week. (if that) It is not always that easy though. Suppers at home are easy to control and make GFCF friendly. And, we eat at home most of the time. However, it's things like have the 5 roast beef sandwiches for $5 coupon at Arbys. Sitting down and everyone eating, than realizing Luke's not supposed to be eating it! For some reason, I knew in my head that he could have Subway (which is what I wanted) so, we headed to Arby's. Yeah, I know. Go figure!! Grandma Yarbrough's birthday party was a couple weeks ago. I made a regular vanilla cake and cut it to make a flip flop. So, there were extra pieces of cake around the house. Which, of course, the kids munched on. Then, at the party, Lu...

Have you read this book before? It is one of my favorite children's books. "Sometimes I like to curl up in a ball, so no one can see me because I'm so small." Do you ever feel like that? I know that I am not alone in that feeling. We have all been there. Stress over kids, bills, work, even what's for dinner some times! I am an outgoing person. I love people. To meet new people. To help people. To talk with people. But, when it comes to conflict or feeling overwhelmed, I just clam up. I know this stems from my childhood. I know it but it's just a part of who I am. "I find somewhere soft, somewhere cozy and small... And that's where I like to curl up in a ball." Of course, that is not always the best thing to do. I realize that just because I put off that problem, it doesn't go away. The bills are still there. The kids are still hungry. (again!!) The job stuff will be there tomorrow. And, I still have to advocate for what's best for my kid...

Yep, it's midnight. Yeah, I've already went to bed once. I was laying there talking to God again. About the day...the week...what's going to happen. And He seemed to tell me to slow down ~ Breathe. Just stop for a moment ~ and be thankful. To appreciate the blessings He has already given me. Remember the song about Counting Your Blessings One by One? Remember the saying about God opening window when the door is closed? Sometimes I get busy looking for a ladder to get up to the window ~ that I don't Thank God for the window until much later. Breathe... James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" Usually when I think of this verse, I think of motherhood or about Jesus. What is more perfect than a screaming, beautiful bundle of joy? Or to have Jesus die on a cross for me? But tonight when I think of this, my heart and mind opens to my other good gifts from above. The blessings in my life or the windows that were cracked. I am thankful that t...

Let's start off with school. It starts on Thursday. Luke is less than thrilled. He's nervous like all of the other new sixth graders starting at a different school. Tonight was the meet your teacher and get your schedule night. Luckily, he does have a nice home base teacher. She was Joey's favorite teacher last year. Then, the bad news. He knows one other person in the class. She is actually Faith's best friend's sister. So, I know that she is a sweet girl. However, I know he'd like to have a guy in class just as much as she'd like to have a girl in class. The assistant principal has come up with some kind of pass where he'll be able to go and see his friends. I am willing to give it a try. Luke is feeling very overwhelmed, which is normal. Hopefully, in another week, Luke will be not just okay ~ but happy. Joey is happy because he has friends in his pod and he's starting band. Faith is happy because she has her best friend in her class and the teac...

I feel that music can touch you everyday in your life. Sometimes just hearing a song can change your frame of mind, give you hope, or make you cry. This is one of my favorite songs. It has helped me through alot. I just wanted to share. I hope you listen to the words ~ and it can touch your heart and bring you hope as well.

The Individualized Education Program... Luke started speech and occupational therapy when he was 4 years old. He had an IEP going into kindergarten. They wanted to start him out with no support because although they'd like the kids to write their name and know their ABC's ~ it's technically not required. Just let him fail for several months, then give him some support. That didn't go over well with me. It didn't make sense not to try and actually help him when it's clear that he's already a slow learner. I had to call in support from Springdale's special education department to go over the school's plan, but I did get him services starting in kindergarten. Every year there's more testing of some kind. Another IEP. New teachers. The worry of getting the right or wrong teacher. Now, Luke starts not only another school year ~ but another school. Middle School. More responsibilities. More kids. More classes. More teachers. More bullies. And yes, we d...

Well, it's been a little over a week since we've started the GFCF diet for the family. I won't say that everything has been rainbows and tasted awesome, but it's been okay. Luke has his gluten free cereal with rice or soy 'milk' for breakfast. The rest of us are still using skim milk. There are a few cereals at Wal-Mart or Harps that are gluten free like Chex (rice, corn, honey nut), so that has helped. I've been making a fruit smoothie with the soy yogurt, blueberries, and his 'milk'. They taste just like the other ones I made with regular yogurt. Faith knows they're different and acts like they don't taste as good, but I think they taste better. We did try some of the gluten free bread. And well ~ it's okay if you toast it. But seriously, if that was your only option ~ my sandwich consumption would go waaaayyyy down. I've checked out several books and got a lot of recipes for breads and even cakes that I can't wait to try. I...

Well, we are starting a new journey together as a family...going down a new path to see where it goes. The book I've been reading, "Healing our autistic children," has given me something to think about, pray about, and more things to look up. Dr. Buckley describes autism as a "series of malfunctioning - gummed up, rusty, broken - gears or cycles, interacting in a child's body. These dysfunctional cycles play havoc with the child's cellular chemistry." And ~ according to the theory ~ if we fix the broken cycles going on inside their body, autistic children have a chance to recover some of what they've lost. It has helped a lot of severe autistic children lessen their 'fog', improve their speech, and eye contact. What about the high functioning children? I'm honestly not sure. There isn't documentation about the effects on those children. If fact, the other books I've read about the autism diet didn't even sound very hopeful th...

The Center for Disease Control stated in 2008 that 1 in 150 children in United States were diagnosed with autism. (four out of five patients are boys in case you were wondering) However, when the CDC look at children diagnosed with other disorders on the autism spectrum, such as ADD, PDD-NOS, Asperger's, ect., the number of children went to 1 in 6. One in six children. Out of a class of 30, statistically five are likely to have an autism related disorder. That is not the only thing to think about. In the 20 years from 1975 to 1995, cancer rates for children rose by 20%, most rapid rates for children under 13 years old. A study also found that asthma among preschool children aged 3 - 5 years old rose by 160% from 1980 - 1994. That scares me. It really opened my eyes to think about what's really causing all this? I was living in the 80's. It doesn't seem like that long ago. Yet, look at how things have changed. I have a child that is one of the statistics. And actually at...