Michael was born with itchy skin.  For 7 3/4 years of his little life we have treated it like excema, applying creams and lotions, antibiotics for when it got really bad.  In the back of my mind I knew that it was more than just itchy skin, but for some reason I hadn't gotten around to really figuring it out.  After a pretty difficult and itchy summer, I approached his pediatrician with the possibility that maybe Michael had a food allergy. As the pediatrician's head was nodding, I tried to ignore the little voice in my head asking me why I wanted to open up THIS can of worms...

And wormy it has been...

And so good at the same time.

Turns out, Michael DOES have a lot of sensitivities and allergies to foods... and animals... and molds and grasses.  Boy oh boy does THIS boy have food allergies.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, we took him to the allergy and asthma clinic to do a skin test.  Michael was a super hero as the nurse lightly punctured his skin about 40 times, then proceeded to place drops of serums with potential allergens all over Michael's back.  As she finished, she told him that he had to lay still without scratching for 15 minutes.  Are. You. Kidding. ME???  Michael has the tendency to be LOUD when he is upset.  He doesn't particularly love being messed with (later I might write about the latest dental cleaning!), and I knew this situation had "upset with being messed with" all over it.  And really, can you blame him?? We had come prepared with the IPad and a new favorite game, and the 15 minute countdown began.  And Michael was amazing.  He handled the intense itching better than I ever could have.   And the timer ticked on and on... as his back got redder and redder and the hives grew larger and larger.  It was clear to me that yes, we were dealing with a few allergies.

Once the skin test was over and the nurse put some anti-itch medicine on Michael's back, we met with the allergist to go over the initial results of the test.  His words were something like this... "Yeah, he's really allergic to a lot of things." And "Its amazing that he is 7 and you are just starting to look into this."  Yeah, I felt really great about that one.  I had tried.  Really tried to treat him over the past 7 years!  I was just walking down the wrong road.

I remember being in the doctor's office and this cloud of discouragement and absolute overwhelmedness came over me.  "I can't do this..." was my pervading thought.  Over and over... "I can't make sure that he doesn't have these allergens in his life.  He hasn't had any serious issues (other than itching head to toe - HELLO??) yet, so lets just ignore these test results and get the heck out of here."

Thus began the world of living without wheat, corn, soy, sesame, and sunflower to name a few.

This has stretched me.  I realize that it is not the end of the world, and I am so very grateful that the challenge we face every day is not life threatening.  However... for me, this is a BIG mountain to climb.

We have spent hundreds of dollars on "new foods".  I have baked tortillas and granola bars.  I have gone to multiple stores looking for one corn-free item.  I have cried in the parking lot of Sprouts, teared up in the bread aisle in frustration.  I have spent hours on the internet searching for recipes.  I have found a club of people who share Michael's allergies and more.  I have become exhausted and exhilarated  in the course of a minute.

And just when I felt that I was going to lay down and surrender to this challenge,  I felt the Lord tell my spirit... "We can do this... one meal at a time.  YOU, Heather, have to stop trying to plan for the next 15 years, and we are going to just take on the next meal ".  With this revelation, the mountain became something that I felt like I could climb.  When we first started the climb, I would wake up in the morning worrying about what I would feed Michael all day long.  Now, I only think about the meal or snack that is before us.  There isn't a lot of variety, but there is quality.  And we are climbing, climbing, climbing.

The entire family is supportive of this project.  We all are learning how to read labels, protect Michael from the things that bother him, protecting him from well-meaning people who give snacks to him.

We are going to make it.  We've got a cupboard full of "gear" (gluten free flour, corn free baking powder, etc.) and one meal at a time, we are all  climbing victoriously up this beautiful mountain in front of us.  And when it gets too much, BY FAITH, we will say to this mountain... MOVE. (Matthew 17:20)

 

Nostalgia Moment

Yesterday, I drove up behind a small SUV.  I could see  that there was an infant car seat occupying the middle of the back seat.  A wave of  "I remember that" washed over me.  I remembered the feeling of overwhelemedness that infant car-seats produced in me.  The fact that I had to do everything for my babies.  I also remembered the snuggly way that I could nuzzle my babies faces when they laid on their backs looking up at me. The fact that I could make my babies smile and giggle with just a tiny gesutre.   I was in complete control of their lives, well mostly, and that comes with its positives and negatives for sure!!     When the kiddos were super little, I never had to worry about my children running out into the street, or seeing something inappropriate on the internet.  I didn't have to think about whether their grades were good, or their friends were the right ones or whether their self-esteem was rock solid.  The flip side of that coin is that I also never got to have interesting conversations with my kids when they were tiny.  I didn't get to see the world through their eyes, hear how they approach their relationships, what they enjoy about their teachers and friends and classes.  As my kids go through stages, their mom goes through stages too.  Every few months, I feel a change in the air with one or more of the kids.  Its exhilarating and exciting and exhausting all at the same time.  I love this gig - its really the best job in the world!!

She turned 13, He turned 8!!

Our family has 2 more celebrations more than most people added to the last week of the year.  Maddie's birthday and Michael's birthday.  Special celebrations of very special kiddos!!

Maddie turned 13 and Michael turned 8.

Maddie went roller skating all afternoon and had friends over for her birthday.

Michael played soccer and spent time with friends for his birthday.

Both celebrations were so much fun and full of things that the kids loved.

Maddie has such a heart of joy.  I can hear her laugh all over the house, and it is a contagious one.  She is a very emotional, social person who is friendly and generous to almost everyone she is around.  I love being with Maddie because there is never a moment of quiet.  She is talking, or laughing, or asking, or arguing, or crying, or giggling the entire time that we are together.  She brings a smile to my face.

Michael is my thoughtful, compassionate child.  He is serious and reserved in one moment, and than crazy and wacky in the next.  He is intelligent and his perspective on life is very mature.  Michael can build a Lego set faster than anyone I know.  He is organized and focused on everything that he does.  This little boy is growing up into a sensitive, kind young man.

It is a blessing to parent both of these children.  They both challenge me to be my best.  They both add so much fun to our family.

Happy Birthday blessings to you, Maddie and Michael.

Mama loves you!!!!!