Confession: I drank the (oily) kool-aid

Essential Oils.  Most of my friends will read this post while silently chanting in their heads, "I told you so, I told you so."  I know, I know.  I'm very late to this party.  I was seriously the biggest skeptic out there.  I mean, it's oil.  It's "multi-level marketing".  It's all in your head.  It works just because you've made up your mind it will work.  Believe me, I had all the reasons why I was never going to drink that kool-aid.

So my skeptic friend, this post is for you. Especially if you have an ADHD child. 

I don't talk a ton about this but Reed was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 4.  I won't go into detail about the events that led us to have him evaluated but let's just say pulling a fire alarm at the day care he just started because he was kicked out of the last one may have had something to do with it. 

Fast forward nearly 5 years past this diagnosis and we still have not medicated Reed.  I don't really feel a need to justify the decision except to say that although his evaluation rated him "extreme ADHD", his ADHD has not had a negative effect on him socially, emotionally or academically.  He is not aggressive, he is not angry.  In fact, if you will allow me a quick mom-brag moment, Reed is actually in the advanced potential/gifted program at school.  But he just cannot sit still. (And a quick plug of encouragement to my fellow ADHD moms/dads who do medicate:  please hear me say you are a great parent and you are doing the best thing for your child.  I pray constantly about the decision not to medicate and hope that I will have ears to hear if the Lord calls me another way.)  With that being said, Reed does struggle with extreme impulsive behavior which certainly causes problems at school. 

We've never actually made it to the pre-set conference day since he started kindergarten.  This year was no different.  I sat down with several of his teachers just 2 weeks into the year and ugly cried my way through another conference trying to figure out how to accommodate my son.  I was so tired.  Do you ever feel that way? I was at a loss.  For years we tried natural solutions with minimal success. Although I will say our diet change made the most improvement overall and I've written another post about that HERE.  I was ready to try something new.  I started the conversation with a precious friend who sent me this video.  This video is a great explanation of how an ADHD and autistic brain works.  Food for my rational brain.  It's worth a watch if you are parenting a child on the spectrum or with ADHD.

In September 2015, we started using essential oils on Reed. I figured I'd try it until for a couple of weeks. Why not?

At Reed's normally scheduled conference, which was 3 weeks into his essential oil therapy, all of his teachers noticed a remarkable difference.  One of them even asked what I was doing because he wanted to try it on his own son.  He no longer comes home every single day with negative marks on his behavior chart. He is engaged in class and has better control over his impulsivity and his attention span.  Now, Reed even applies his oils and takes his supplements on his own because HE can tell a difference himself.  We are so thankful to God that we have found something to help him. 

Since we've had so much success with Reed, we started using essential oils in our everyday life.  Thieves and Peppermint helped Rowan rid a nasty cough in just 2 days.  We've used essential oils to combat the stomach virus, colds, headaches, car sickness, skin ailments and for just overall wellness.  None of my kids have been to the doctor for a sick visit since September. I have to admit, I'm still somewhat in disbelief they are working.  I mean they are just oils right?  But as I learn more, I've realized lots of interesting facts about essential oils. Did you know the bible makes over 200 references to oils for healing, for spiritual growth, and overall wellness?  I figure, if they are good enough for God, they are good enough for me and my family.  

So as I sat here tonight thanking God for the incredible positive change in my son, and all the ways essential oils have blessed my family in other ways, I couldn't help but want to share our experience. I guess I'm not the very last person on this planet to experience for themselves just how well essential oils work. My prayer is that our story can be an encouragement to someone else.  

*note: If you are interested to learn the specific way we are using essential oils for Reed and ADHD, just let me know. I'm happy to share!

I probably should be fired.

It's been more than a year since I blogged. I probably should be fired from this gig. But's it's 8:34 and my entire family (minus the teenager) is in bed so I figure I'll give it a go. My friend Sarah posted a blog about the evolution of pregnancies.  And I read it last night after church where the baby crawled around on the ground eating crackers (off the ground of course) and some random lady was very concerned about this runaway baby, and the absence of socks on her feet, frantically looking for her mother until I dismissively waved to her and said, "oh she's mine, don't mind her digging through your purse."  Unless you have a knife in there.  But really, only if it's one of those really sharp  knives.  So, anyway, Sarah got me thinking about the evolution of raising children.

Child #1: Don't touch the baby.  Only if you have showered, washed your hands, and sanitized may you touch the baby.  And then you can only touch her feet.
Child #4: Please touch the baby.  If you have some leftover Popsicle on your fingers she can lick to entertain her, by all means, please insert your fingers in my baby's mouth.

Child #1: Baby proof at 37 week gestation.  Everything must have a cover, latch, lock.
Child #4: Baby proof when baby attempts to insert fork in socket.  When baby learns 6 short weeks later to remove the cover, take lots of pictures.  You guys, I must document this genius baby of mine.

 Baby #1: First birthdays.  You guys, Thade had a special outfit purchased just for the occasion.  I labored over his cake for 2 days.  There was a theme.  Like everything matched.  Reed got the same treatment, I think.  (cut my memory some slack I was 8 months pregnant with Adalae).  I can't even remember Adalae's first birthday.  There might be pictures of it somewhere on our computer where every photo taken for the last 10 years remains stored and unprinted.
Baby #4:  I've been asked what I'm going to do for Rowan's birthday so let's see.  Rowan turns one on the day that Thade graduates high school.  (OMG) I'll go to project graduation all night Friday, then host a birthday party, followed by a graduation party on Saturday.  I was feeling proud to get a paper invitation in the snail mail for all of these festivities.  What will we do at these parties you ask?  I HAVE NO IDEA.  We will eat cake and open presents.  My only aspiration is too be awake.

Baby #1:  I am not kidding, but I bathed Thade EVERY TIME he ate.  Meal, snack, it didn't matter. That baby was squeaky clean 100% of the time.
Baby #4: Gets a bath on spaghetti night.  And maybe a bonus bath in the kitchen sink with the dish soap if I'm feeling particularly ambitious.

PACI......  There is no such thing as a dirty paci.

But I do have to admit, the rules for all the children become much more relaxed when there are so many of them.  I mean, I might've put up more of a fight for Thade's prom outfit if these people of mine didn't suck the life out of me  request my love and attention for all of the time of all of the days.

Stunning isn't he?