Tired But Trusting
Our fifteenth anniversary came and went, just like any other day. Except for the fact that early in the morning I was cleaning up vomit and didn’t get to bed until four a.m. Not exactly the way I had hoped to spend the day! We had planned to get away just for one night (something we haven’t done in over ten years), but sickness prevented that from happening, too.
.::Roses from my Beloved::.
I did find time to make a delicious cheesecake recipe (baked in a heart-shaped pan that I found at the Dollar Store last February), which we topped with this sugar-free strawberry jelly (both sweetened with stevia):
These recipes are both from Trim Healthy Mama, and I foresee making both the jelly and the cheesecake very regularly, as everyone enjoyed them so much. The jelly has many uses besides being a delicious cheesecake topping. I’ve also been swirling it in a cup of unsweetened yogurt, and it is so delicious. And very easy to make! I used frozen strawberries this time, but any berries can be used.
The key to enjoying stevia is to get the right kind. Most stevia has a bitter taste, but if you try this one and/or this one (I use both), it makes all the difference in the world.
We’ve had someone sick at our house for the past few weeks now, which is pretty unusual for us. The constant sickness has allowed a weariness to set in that is hard to shake.
One night I was up until three a.m., reading to a sick child (to distract her from the extreme nausea she was experiencing). I was so tired that I was falling asleep in the middle of sentences, and yawning so much that I couldn’t read clearly. Finally, I just had to stop.
As I headed toward the bedroom to finally drop wearily into bed, my daughter said to me, “You’re the best mommy in the whole world. Thank you so much for sitting here with me and reading to me.” ♥
My days are so full with laundry and organizing and home-keeping. We have a system that has been working for us with the laundry. I do all the washing and drying, and the girls do all the folding and then take the baskets to each bedroom. Then each person puts their own laundry away. I’d really love to have a family closet, but we just don’t have the right set-up for it now, since our laundry is in the basement/garage.
I have a list of projects that I’ve been hoping to get to, but with the constant sickness, I consider it an accomplishment just to keep up with the laundry and get some food on the table. Making soap has been on my list (since we’re almost out of my previous batches of soap), but it just isn’t happening. I was so thankful when I won a giveaway at Twilight Mountain Ranch last month, for a bar of their lovely handmade Honey Oat Goat’s Milk Soap. Isn’t the artwork on their tag beautiful?
I have been able to take my knitting everywhere with me in the van while my husband drives, and also if we sit down to watch a video at night (which we do more often when we have illness here), so I’ve been making slow but steady progress on it.
I’ve been really happy that Trim Healthy Mama has lots of ideas for crock-pot meals. I made these cabbage rolls in the crock-pot last week. Cabbage is inexpensive and good-for-you, and I used more of the beefalo meat in place of ground beef. It was fun rolling up the little packages of meat mixture and cabbage leaves. It seemed kind of like food art.
This is another Trim Healthy Mama recipe called Chana Dal soup, cooked all day in the crock-pot. I know it looks like corn with green seaweed floating in it, but it’s actually a very low-glycemic type of legume–like a lentil–and the green stuff is fresh spinach leaves.
I’ve already made the Chana Dal soup twice, mostly because it’s nutritious and very inexpensive to make. It isn’t my favorite thing to eat, but it’s nourishing. The second time I made it we didn’t have any spinach, so I didn’t add that.
Yesterday we made these winter tree watercolor paintings. I was looking for an easy art project, and I found this inspiration on my pinterest winter board.
I also wanted to give you an update on our pastor’s wife. If you remember, in my last post I asked for prayer for her, as she broke her neck and six ribs in a vehicle accident. Thank you all so much for praying for her! She is finally home, with a halo brace surgically in place, and she can use a walker to walk. She has a hospital bed in the living room, where she spends most of her time. She is still in pain much of the time, and on pain medications to try to manage it. Also, their family has been dealing with a lot of sickness, too. Please pray for healing for all of them!
Our church family has been taking meals to them, and a benefit auction event is planned for next week to help cover their many hospital bills and their totaled van. If you think to pray for the N. family, we would so much appreciate it! We were scheduled to take them a meal this week, but we’ve postponed it since our family is still sick. Now we have sore throats (including me), so it wouldn’t be nice to pass this around.
Before going to bed last night I was so weary and almost feeling like just throwing up my hands in desperation. But then I remembered this verse:
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.”
~Galatians 6:9
This is pretty much my inspiration verse for this year. My husband and children are so worth my every effort to be faithful and not lose heart. ♥
Joy ~ I am so sorry to hear that your family is still not back to restored health. It does make for a season that seems endless, but I am praying the Lord gives you continued strength AND protection as you minister to your family. Although, normal routines may be off right now, life lessons in compassion, serving others and managing {what needs to be done ~ like laundry and meals} ARE taking place through living and your example.
Happy belated Anniversary…the cheesecake was lovely…the roses, too. Let's just say, with illness, your 15th won't be easily forgotten. 😀
Blessings & prayers ~
Jarnette
So sorry for all your sickness. That is no fun at all! Congratulations on celebrating 15 years of marriage. My husband and I just celebrated our 20th year in January. A true blessing!
I don't know if it will help what you've had or not, but about 5 years ago our family got the stomach flu/virus and I took Bentonite clay. I didn't know much about it at the time and was afraid to give it to my little ones and my husband was already sick. But I took it because I was beginning to feel bad and I ended up being the only one to stay well. Now, that could have been God's grace allowing me to stay well and take care of my family, but I know that I will try it again if we begin to get something like that again.
Nancy M.
Congratulations on celebrating 20 years, Nancy! That is a blessing.
You know, I think I do have some Bentonite clay. I'll have to keep that in mind and learn how to use it! There are so many wonderful natural remedies that I still have yet to learn about. Thanks for recommending it!
Praying for you and your family. I have six,but four full time at home. I am a fellow trench woman! (Life in the trenches.) They are 17,15,12&8. Much grace and a lot of strength for the days ahead. Soon it will be spring! Christina
Thank you so much for the encouragement and prayers, Christina! Your comment was a blessing to me!
Hi Joy , I also have 5 children and find there is always so much laundry to keep on top off, with 5 kids plus me and my partner. Do you iron ? I have often wondered if mothers with lots of children find time to iron their clothes ? I find I can never keep on top of ironing, although my partner would like the clothes ironed its enough to just wash,dry and put away !
Well, I don't do much ironing! 🙂 If I have items like skirts or dress pants that I want to be wrinkle-free, I remove them from the washer and then put them in the dryer for 10 minutes. That seems to be enough to take most of the wrinkles out. Then I smooth out the garment and hang it on a hanger. If it's a skirt, I hang it from the waist band on a hanger with two clothespins at the top, smooth out all the wrinkles with my hands, and then let it dry. I do the same thing for pants.
We don't often dress up, so this has been good enough for us. But sometimes, if there's something special going on, I will take the time to iron my husband's pants and shirt. But I think I only end up ironing a handful of times in a year. Hanging things to dry while they are still damp works well for me! 🙂
Praying for healing for your family and the N family to! May the Lord continue to strengthen you as you care for your family! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for praying, Jennifer!
Are you familiar with Traditional Medicinals brand tea? They have something called Gypsy Cold Care tea. It is a combination of herbs known to fight influenza. Brew it just as directed. It's safe for kids too.
We use it every time we feel something coming on, with MUCH success!!
We've had the Gypsy Cold Care before, but we're all out right now! 🙁 We do have several other teas for cold/flu that I've been using. Maybe I should get some more of that tea if it's been such a success for you–thanks for mentioning it!