Continued journey...

Well, our journey continues as we are still working to find all of our allergies from stage one. We would really like to be able to try some stage 2 foods. In order to do this, we must figure out what is causing problems among the stage 1 foods.

Recently, we discovered that corn seems to be causing issues for the three youngest kids. Corn is definitely not a fun allergy. Corn is in everything. After trying to find a baking powder without cornstarch, and having no luck. I searched and found a recipe for homemade baking powder that we substituted the cornstarch with potato starch. This seems to work just fine. Some of the foods that contain corn are: butter/margarine, baking powder, chips, cereals, and breads. There are many other foods which contain derivatives of corn. We haven't had to eliminate those, yet. We are still working towards being reaction free for a week. We haven't actually had that occur yet.

We have recently discovered soy is an issue for the boys and possibly the girls. It is very obvious for the boys, but not quite that way with the girls. Soy is also in so many things. Soy can be in butter/margarine, pretzels, soy sauce, mayonnaise and so many other foods. We are working towards eliminating all sources of both, but this is a little overwhelming some days.

So here is a run down of our current allergies or things we avoid. We avoid molasses, malted barley, dairy, soy, corn, most citric acid, sulfites, MSG, and nitrites. We also avoid some stage 1 fruits which have caused problems or reactions, such as kiwi, pineapple, and grapefruit. I recently had an issue with a watermelon, but it was from Mexico and bothered another family member(not of my immediate 6) who is sensitive to stuff they spray on some watermelon. We will try a more locally grown one and see if it causes the same problem. We also avoid tomatoes, because of one of my kids severe reaction to some tomatoes. We are planning to test some stage 2 fruits and veggies this summer. Hopefully, we will have successful tests. We did test apples, but that test didn't go over well for the kids. I am able to have an organic peeled granny smith apple, but I can't have apples to close together...or I react from buildup of salicylates.

It is hard to believe that we have been on Feingold for nearly 8 months. It is also hard to believe that we haven't had any fast food since September. I actually really don't miss it, like I would have originally thought that I would. We have been making most foods from scratch, which I actually really enjoy. We are learning to enjoy many new foods...that we wouldn't have tried before. I am so glad to be on this journey. I praise God for all of the information we have learned and gained from our experiences. Our family has changed so much and we are thankful for this opportunity to learn so much about health and how food affects different things.

We look forward to trying new things in the months to come...until then. Blessings!

Second Chances.....

Have you ever walked down a path that you wish you could erase? Have you ever taken a journey that you wish to forget? Well, I am sure that many of you can relate to those feelings. I know those feelings all to well. There are so many choices in my life that I wish could be erased. But, as I stand here now as a witness....I realize that God doesn't ever give us more than we can handle. We are dealt cards that He wants us to have for whatever reason. All of the things that we go through are leading us to something better. It is when you accept the choices and the consequences that you are able to grow and change. God loves each of us and wants a better life for all of us.

I believe that sometimes God brings us back to a certain place to give us the opportunity to make a different choice. I would have never believed it, if I wasn't walking there currently. I am so thankful that I am not in the same place that I was in 3 years ago. God used my situation to draw me close to him.....just as he is using this long month away from my husband to draw me near to him now. I now remember how uncomfortable it was to be there before, but I feel so blessed to know that I can seek God with all of my heart and find Him now.

So many people struggle from this same battle, but they don't know what to do. So they seek comfort in food, alcohol, drugs...and even in other people. There really is a better way....His name is Jesus. He is the most amazing father that you could ever have! He will never leave you or forsake you. He will always be there, no matter what mistakes you make. He loves you just the same! Many times, the struggles that we faced as children come with us as adults. God wants us to be healed of those wounds. He wants us to be whole again. He wants the whole world to know how much he loves each of us. We just have to, say yes! There is nothing that you have to do, to earn his love! We are loved, because He is God...and we are His children.

Seeking happiness in things or other people will only lead to heartache. The only thing that can truly fill that empty place in your heart...is Jesus. If you seek Him, you will find Him waiting with open arms to receive you.

I pray that God will meet you where you are and that your life will never be the same.....in Jesus name. Amen.

Choices

Have you ever had a really tough decision to make, but you weren't really sure what was the right choice? For the last few days, I have had some tough choices thrown at me. I sent out some emails, seeking Godly advice from some of my closest friends. Overall, I got the same answers from most. But still I have been struggling with what that right decision was. This morning I woke up to David Jeremiah on my alarm clock radio. I normally turn it off when it comes on and get up. But today, something amazing happened....as I lay there and continued to listen....one of the answers to the many questions that have been floating through my head came in the voice of a stranger...who was speaking about Heaven. I welcomed his answers as he spoke from different places in the bible and how this answer was based on these passages.

As I would love to say that I am totally at peace with everything, there is still a huge part of me that is struggling. Although, I am more at ease about things....it is just amazing to me how God continues to speak to us, when we seek His will in our lives.

Some success stories.....

For those of you that have been following my blog, you know that we have been testing things in and out. A few weeks ago, we decided that we needed to test out benzoates, because of a known sensitivity that Audrianna had to cinnamon. When she was exposed to cinnamon early on in our new diet, we noted that her concentration was markedly affected. She has been avoiding cinnamon, since that time. We recently decided to see if it was just cinnamon that she was sensitive too, or if the other natural benzoates were also an issue. When I say natural benzoates, I am speaking of foods that contain naturally occurring benzoates which includes: blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, cinnamon, cranberries, ginger, green grapes, greengage plums, green peas, licorice extract, ripe olives, spinach and tea. Some of these included are stage 1 and some of these are stage 2. Benzoates can also be found in food, as a preservative. So for a couple of weeks, we removed all of the benzoates from our diet and waited. Then we reintroduced them back into our diet. And this time to our amazement, we didn't react. Removing benzoates seemed to have virtually no affect on us. I haven't tried to reintroduce cinnamon with Audrianna to see if the issue still exists, because I am fairly certain that it does. This was a successful test, with great results!

We did report a failed test with an unpeeled organic golden delicious apple, before we did the benzoates testing. This was very disappointing to all of us. The funny thing is the same day that I purchased the golden delicious apple, I also purchased a granny smith apple. One day short of having it for a month, we decided to test the organic granny smith apple. The apple looked virtually the same, as it did the day that I purchased it from Whole Foods. This time we decided that we should peel the apple, because the majority of the salicylates are thought to be in the skin. This time some how, we were successful and no one reacted to the apple. So needless to say, we will be testing some more organic granny smith apples that are peeled. It was such a small amount, because we shared the apple between six of us. So this time, we will try a couple apples and hopefully we will have the same results. I will say that it was very exciting to not end up being sensitive to something we once loved.

Our testing is going well for the most part. We are nearing another testing, as Jaden seems to be very sensitive to something. Thanks to our charting, I believe that I have put my finger on it. This will be a bigger test....because it involves eliminating corn. We are going to ease into this one. This isn't the first time that I have suspected corn with him. I actually believed in the very beginning that it was something he was sensitive to. Then we found an alternative cause and thought that corn was no longer the issue. Over the last few weeks, corn has become pretty prominent in the kids diet with snacks, such as popcorn, corn chips and fritos. I believe once again that CORN just might be the issue. So, we will do the best we can to slowly eliminate those things which contain corn. I guess I would rather eliminate corn than gluten. That is the other thing that we have been contemplating eliminating. Wish us luck with our new test.

Homeschooling is going really well for us. I have created workboxes for each of the kids. It is a concept that I read about on one of the homeschool groups that I belong too. The workbox system was started by a lady named Sue Patrick. It was created to help her oldest son who had autism. If you would like to learn more about it, check out her website for more info about workboxes.. There are so many different ways that you can adjust the system to fit the needs of your family. I have created these great boxes and I fill them each evening and it makes our days go so much smoother. I believe that the kids are really enjoying it too. It also helps me to get the fun things into their day, that I had a hard time fitting in.....in the past. It also makes it easier for each of the kids to see what they have left to do for the day.



We are enjoying cooking, baking, watching educational films together and just learning more about God's creation. Learning is so much fun when you do it together! Jaden is such a wiz at math and was really bored with it, so we have gone all the way through his Kindergarten math book and now we are working on first grade math. It is so nice to be able to work at your child's pace and not put them in a box and try to make them fit. I love watching each of the kid's faces light up when a new concept is learned. I truly love having them home to be schooled......it is one of God's biggest blessings to our family. We have also been blessed with an amazing home-school group and a wonderful group of kids. I know that I wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't for the love and support of the wonderful women of our home-school group.

While You Were Sleeping

Have you ever been hit so hard by a song that you just don't quite understand why the impact is so great? This happened to me nearly two months ago. Last winter after Christmas, I went into the Christian bookstore in town to get a gift for someone. While I was browsing, I came across two Christmas CDs on clearance, of two of my favorite artists: Casting Crowns and BarlowGirl. So, I purchased both of them. I never even opened the CDs until around Thanksgiving time this year. While we were decorating the tree this year, we were playing our new and old Christmas music. We have done this for years, so it was nothing new to anyone. After a little while, this song comes on the stereo, that I haven't ever heard. I don't know what it was about the tune, but I was automatically drawn to the piano. So, I sat down and starting playing some of the chords. This is something that I never do, without printed chords. Something about it just drew me in. Over the next few weeks, we as a family began to listen to this CD a great deal. I am not sure what it is about this song, but our family seems to love this song(maybe because when we like songs we play them over and over). We did listen to the song on our trip to and from California over and over....along with the whole Cd. I'm sure by now, you are all wondering what in the world this song could be.

First, I would like to paint the picture of the time when this song takes place. It takes place in a tiny town that is very quiet and dark, but a bright star is shining in the sky. This song is of Bethlehem. But this song is so much more than that. It is about us as a nation, not paying attention and going on with life. And all the while Jesus comes back and we miss it, because we are too wrapped up in our own stuff to pay attention. The whole idea behind this song is amazing to me! This song is a constant reminder to me that we are to be the salt and light of the world, and not try to fit in and be like the world. We are to be different. Different doesn't need to be bad. And we aren't necessarily supposed to be comfortable. We are supposed to be uncomfortable for Jesus! After all, He was uncomfortable for us when He died for us.

Are you walking through your life at such a fast pace that you are missing all the little things that are happening around you? Are you cherishing each moment with those you love? Or are you so busy that you don't know which way you are going? Do you ever stop and just listen, or do you have noise going on constantly? It is hard to hear what He might be telling you, if you never have any quiet time. This reminds me of something that a friend pointed out tonight. A friend was commenting on how she never uses her good silverware, because it is special. Then, she went on to ask, "when are we special enough to use our special silverware?" What happens if we never use it? Is it really even worth having it, if it just sits in the cupboard?

I believe that now is the perfect time to mend those relationships that have been broken or strained. Sit down and write that letter that you have been meaning to write. Call an old friend and visit for a few hours. Why wait for tomorrow, what is wrong with today? Why get stuck in that rut, when you could change someone's life today? Is the pain of losing someone really better than trying to communicate through the problems and work through it? What will you choose?

The last six months have definitely been my wake up call. I have been so blessed beyond measure by bringing my children home to be schooled. You know when you make such a huge choice, sometimes you battle yourself. I have had to complete let go of control of the things that I can't change. I know that I am only a keeper of my children. God is their father and He is the one in charge. Bringing them home and letting God show me slowly what I am to be doing and not having it all laid out hasn't been easy. But the peace that I am getting, is far better than any plan I could have come up with.

I spent the past two years before that trying to change my future into what I thought it was supposed to be. I did consult God, but He kept changing things the whole time I was in school. Then when He suddenly told me to come home and bring my youngest daughter home.....without a second thought, I said okay. Okay, I did struggle for 24hrs or so, but that is exactly what I did. It isn't that I wasn't supposed to be in school, but the time wasn't right. God has already shown me some of the benefits and reasons for my partial education. Maybe part of it was just to reinforce in me, that love of learning that I already had. Someday, God willing...I will get a degree. I know that God is constantly changing our path and it may seem that one direction is the right way, when all of a sudden you make a U-turn and then you are back where you started. Maybe this is because you were on the right path and YOU chose to change it, not God....or maybe that is just my way of looking at it. Who knows? I know that all paths are bumpy and nobody gets a smooth straight road. So, when your road is bumpy or curved....just remember it will get better eventually!

I am going to include the song from YouTube. The song was written by Casting Crowns and is on their Peace on Earth CD. The name of the song is, "While You Were Sleeping". This song has been so heavy on my heart for two months...so I knew it was time that I posted something.

I pray that this song will touch your heart in the same way that it has touched mine! May God add His richest blessings to each and everyone of your lives!

Change is not always bad, but it is always different.

Well, life as we knew it seems to be drastically changing as far as our eating goes. The last time I blogged about our diet, I noted that we were dairy free. We are doing rather well with our new milks. We are currently drinking rice milk and coconut milk. Most of the family likes rice milk, but a few of us prefer the coconut milk instead. I personally love coconut milk! It is very yummy, especially since I know that dairy makes me angry, as a reaction. We have since tried tomatoes and an organic golden delicious apple. Both of these tests were rather unsuccessful. I was really surprised by my reaction. Both fruits that I have tried that were stage 2 affected me the same way. Both the apple and the cranberries that I tried made me sad and feel depressed. I didn't initially realize that it was a reaction when I tried the cranberries, until I got the opinions of others that had the same type of reactions to different foods. I had this same reaction to the apple. Very odd, but maybe this is why depression has been something that I have struggled with for a lot of my life. My youngest daughter had the same reaction to the apple that I had. It was odd to say the least. I think that we are going to hold off on any more stage 2 foods for awhile. We are all tired of the let down that happens when we all react. It is very disappointing.

Our lists of things that we avoid seems to be growing. We avoid dairy, malted barley, molasses, corn syrup, nitrites, MSG, tomatoes, apples, and sulfites(because of my extreme allergy to sulfa-which is related to sulfites). There are a few things that we believe are sensitivities, but we still need to retest to be sure. Those things include honey, maple syrup, grapefruit, and kiwi. Chocolate/cocoa seems to also be causing some issues for the majority of us too, which is frustrating. We are avoiding these sensitivities for the time being. We are still on stage one as I am sure you could imagine from our growing list of stage one issues. We are just hoping that someday we can go more than 3-4 days without anyone reacting. It has happened yet, since before Christmas. And even before Christmas about 5 days was the longest amount without any reactions. I guess when you have 6 sensitive people in a family, it is easy for someone to be reacting all the time. I haven't been faithful about charting like I was before we left.

I can say that with dairy and tomatoes out...many of my favorite recipes are out. One of my favorite types of food is/was Mexican food. I haven't quite figured out how to fix that, but I am not going to worry about things that I can't change right now. But what I will tell you, is that we have discovered some new recipes that we really do like. Our favorite recipe is probably White Chicken Chili. It isn't the same as regular chili which we loved, but tastes really good.

We are currently testing out benzoates. We have been doing this for nearly 1 week. Cinnamon is something that caused issues for one of the kids. So, we are testing all of the benzoates to see if any of the others cause the same problems. So far, I am not seeing a huge difference in anyone. But we will keep on this for another week or so and see what happens. I will be ready for this test to end. Some of the common benzoates that are found naturally in food are in broccoli, cauliflower, peas, ripe black olives, cinnamon, green grapes(S2), purple plums(S2), cranberries(which I reacted to-S2), and blueberries(S2). We are really missing broccoli and cauliflower, so hopeful there will not be a reaction when we reintroduce. Benzoates can also be found as a preservative in many foods and beauty products. It is generally listed as paraben or another type of .....ben in beauty products. It can be listed as benzoic acid, but usually contains the ben somewhere in the word.

I am sure all of what we are doing sounds a little crazy to most. I would have to agree it does sound crazy. The thing is that I am doing this for my child who has such a hard time focusing and it has been such a benefit for all of us, including myself. I know everyday that I am not doing this in my strength, but in the strength of the Lord, for without HIM.....I wouldn't be able to do this. Some days, it is extremely frustrating. But other days, it is extremely rewarding to see how avoiding some specific food can change your whole life and that I actually have control over my anger and frustration. I am not generally a yeller, but boy when I am reacting...watch out! I am human just like the rest of you and I make mistakes just like everyone else. I just want what is best for my family and it seems as though this road is working for us.

We are in the process of looking into some different supplements to help, but I have to be able to convince my needle shy child to be prepared for that road....before we can walk down it. We have been talking, but she doesn't like doctors to begin with....and most visits are not simple. I am just praying that soon she will have the peace to be able to go and be brave. We need base levels, before we begin any sort of supplementation.

The last few months have been pretty amazing. We went to California for Christmas and returned home a few days after the new year. We pulled the three other kids out of private school before Christmas, and I am currently home-schooling all of the kids now. It has been an interesting journey and we are just trying to figure out what works best for each of them and get into some sort of schedule. I know that the kids love being home. The kids have been able to meet some great kids in our home-schooling group that meets at our church. They are getting more involved and have been spending quite a bit of time with them. We are pleased as these friendships are important, especially through the preteen/teen years. I also attended a great meeting last night with a home-school group through the base. It was really nice to meet all the neat moms and hear about what things were working for their families. I really like hearing about what works and doesn't work for others, especially when you haven't found that magic formula. I know that everything takes time and I am not working on my time, but on God's time. I am being patient and trying to just push through things.

I know that without the support of some great friends and family, life wouldn't be the same. I appreciate all of the prayers and words of support that you have given me. They mean the world to me!

I am thinking of starting a new blog that will be linked to this one, but it will be more of our journey with homeschooling and more family oriented. I like blogging, because it allows me the opportunity to express myself and put everything into words that sometimes just floats around in my head for long periods of time. By writing things down, it frees up space in my head. So there you have it, I blog to make more room. Maybe it is stuff that I want to share, but calling everyone that I would want to share with....just isn't practical these days. So, this is my mode of messaging all at one time. Comments are welcome, please leave me comments if you like. I like feedback. Well, I will close for now. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules to come check out what is happening with us. Be blessed!!!

~Jenielle

Memories...

The past few weeks have been filled with new memories and the reminder of many old, but not forgotten memories. California is where I was born and raised and spent 23 years becoming this person that I am. It was all of the events of this time, that helped to shape and form me into who I am. There are not a lot of people that played key roles in my life. Some of the most precious memories that I have of my childhood took place at my grandparents home. I remember all of the time that I spent during the summers visiting. I also remember all of the miles that my brother and I rode on our bikes with my Grandpappy(and Grandmother some) around their neighborhoods. Those were some of the memories that I will hang on to and cherish forever. As this trip is quickly drawing to a close, I am trying to hold tight to those memories. Although, I am somewhat anxious to return home and get back into a routine....I am also torn up inside at the thought of leaving my family, especially my grandparents. It has been a year and a half since we were here the last time and I am uncertain when we will be able to return again. My grandparents are not getting any younger and my grandfather's health is quickly declining. He is 93 years old. This is the reason that this trip has been so difficult and important for me. I feel so blessed to have had them in my life for as long as I have. Thank you, Jesus! I don't think that I could ever repay half of what they have given to me over my 36 years. They are the most amazing grandparents EVER! I pray that I will have just some of the wisdom and love that they have bestowed upon me and my family for my grandchildren in the future. God bless them!

Going through the Motions.......

Well, it looks like we are going to be remaining dairy free. Each time that we tried to add dairy back into our diet, we were unsuccessful. It is amazing all the new products that you find out exist, when you are faced with the challenge of dairy free. Life is such an exciting adventure with new challenges always around the corner. I am feeling extremely blessed these days that we were able to be able to figure out that dairy was causing a problem with our family. My original plan was to eliminate gluten, but I was told that it would be more difficult. I know this is probably true, but I guess maybe I wasn't ready to let go of dairy. I think that I am ready now. As we journey through this adventure of ELIMINATION....I continue to discover who is really in control. Although, I may think that I have control. I am constantly reminded that God is the one in control, not me. As scary as it, I find that as I let go of each thing.....it becomes less challenging to do so. God continues to show me where and how I am to move forward. He continues to be my strength everyday, without HIM...I would be nothing !

This year has gone by so quickly. It's hard to believe that we are nearly at Thanksgiving. A song comes to mind today, as I ponder what Thanksgiving really means to me. The song is by Matthew West and it is called Motions. In this song, he talks about how he doesn't want to just go through the motions in life. The song says, "I don't want to spend my whole life asking, what if I had given everything instead of going through the motions?" The more I ponder this song, I believe it brings me back to the whole reason that I started this blog to begin with. I started this blog, because my desire is to be like the wild horses that run free and without fear. This is how I desire to live my life, free and without fear. I have always said you only get one chance at life, you might as well make it the best that you can. We only have one life to live, I don't want to live in fear of anything. I want to live my life fully engaged with my family, friends and God.

Thanksgiving is such an amazing time of the year. There are numerous gatherings for friends and family to relax and enjoy one another. The main idea behind Thanksgiving is that we remember all of those things that we have to be thankful for. God has blessed me so richly this year! I have been blessed with a wonderful family! God has renewed some old friendships and brought me many new friends. Without the unconditional love and prayers of these friends, I would be lost. I have even been fortunate enough to reconnect with my cousins that I haven't seen since I was a child. I also truly believe that our dairy allergy is a blessing in disguise! This new allergy has given us the opportunity to find new dishes that are fun and exciting. I guess you could say that we are learning how to cook a whole new way. We have found so many great new recipes that we wouldn't have found otherwise. Besides the new food aspect, it has been nice to see the changes in each of us. These changes have also strengthened our family bonds. Another blessing in disguise was having to put my schooling on hold, God has shown me the benefits of this change and multiplied the blessings from it. Sometimes, I really don't understand the things that God asks of me.....but I have just learned that it is easier to comply than to fight it. I am just so thankful that I have made it to yet another Thanksgiving and God has blessed us so greatly! I pray that God will bless each and every one of you throughout the next year...Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Feelings about food allergies.....

I have been thinking a great deal about how everything in our society stems around gathering for food, and just sharing meals with others in general. Although sharing a meal would seem a simple thing, there are millions of people who suffer from food allergies, making this task complicated. I pray that those who deal with food allergies will be accepted and not feel misunderstood this Thanksgiving season. It is tough for all those involved, but allergies can cause people to be miserable before they are discovered. I feel blessed to have been able to figure out some of our allergies. Hopefully, over the next year we will be able to discover all of the foods that our bodies react to. I know this lifestyle is not for everyone, but it is a change that our family desired. We are all happy with the results so far!

As a family, we began this journey to help one of our children. In the process, we have discovered that food allergies were causing things that we didn't even know about. Our elimination diet has been an interesting journey so far. When you eat foods that you are allergic to for years, your body gets used to the affects that it has on you. Once you eliminate these foods and try to put them back into your body, they are rejected. This type of rejection comes in many forms, depending on the person. Sometimes the reaction even comes in the form of behavior(hyperactivity, anger, lack of focus, emotional, etc.). Some people will react with headaches. Some people react with stomach pain. A more severe reaction is tightness of the throat, which is a little more frightening. Fortunately, I am the only one that seems to have experienced that. I guess maybe I should be happy about that, but this isn't the first time that I have experienced it. I was in the hospital on Mother's Day this year, because of the very same feeling...that just wouldn't go away. I was never really told what caused it, but through this diet I believe now that it must have been something that I had eaten. Not every person will be sensitive to these things. But in a family where allergies are present, these sensitivities generally are present in most members, if not all. We have also discovered that the longer we remain on Stage 1, the faster that each of us react to foods we are allergic to.

We have had two or three tests, since the initial dairy testing. We haven't been very successful with some test, and with others we will need to retest. One thing that I know for certain is that non-organic dairy milk is not something that we can handle. We may try organic and see if there is a difference, but we won't be trying regular milk again. We did try cheese, but some reacted. After trying the cheese, I realized there is natural annatto coloring in the cheese, which can cause reactions in some people. I had wondered why some of the kids had reacted to some suckers that contained the same ingredient. We will retest this later, to be sure. We have tried sour cream, which was rather unsuccessful. The sour cream we tried was not organic, which might make a difference. We are just trying to use up the stuff that we already have. I did find some things that can replace sour cream in recipes. We tried replacing the sour cream a few days prior to the sour cream test and it worked great! We didn't really notice a change in flavor. We still have so many things to test, but it is so difficult when everyone keeps reacting. We have been waiting for reactions to clear before trying something new. Otherwise, it would be difficult to tell what we are reacting to. Our allergies so far are from molasses, malted barley(which has so many other derivatives), and dairy milk. We are avoiding sulfa, due to my severe allergy. We are also avoiding Corn Syrup and High Fructose Corn Syrup, because it can contribute to hyperactivity. We are unsure about brown sugar, because it can contain molasses and we have reactions that we believe are related. We haven't tried the brand that doesn't contain molasses, that many with molasses allergies can still use. We suspect honey, but we are avoiding it until we finish the other testing. We suspect pineapples, but will retest to be sure. I don't know what everyone else thinks, but I find it fascinating the links between food allergies and our bodies.

We have been blessed with some great friends and family that have been so supportive through all of this. Even though, I am sure that they think that we are crazy! I guess that no one really knows how things are in other people's homes, when they don't live there. Our kids are wonderful kids! We have definitely had our struggles with each of them. It is so nice to actually have days where the meanness and anger, tears and sheer frustration are not apart of what is happening in our house. The next few months are sure to bring more changes, as we continue to figure out what each of us are sensitive too. As with the dairy surprise, I am sure that the other changes will be positive too!

I know for sure that my anger and frustration is completely linked with food. I have been able to be so even tempered, even when my children are mad and annoyed with me. I love that I can be who God created me to be, just by listening to my body and what it tells me! This is huge, since for nearly this whole year, I thought there was something wrong with me. I was taking tons of vitamins and trying to eat healthy, but yet...I still felt terrible and didn't understand why. God has worked a small miracle as far as I am concerned! He has given me tools to figure out things that I didn't have any idea how to fix. I went to the doctor and had test after test, but they all continued to tell me that nothing was wrong. I knew there was something wrong, but I didn't know how to fix it. I now know more about myself than any test could have ever told me. God used my child to open my eyes and inform me....and I will be forever grateful for that. Thank you, Jesus!

Welcome and Unexpected changes

Well, it has been 2 weeks since we initially started testing dairy. It has definitely been interesting! The first week was somewhat of a challenge, with our new milk being Vanilla Rice Milk and not cow's milk. It was also a bit challenging finding new meals, that didn't contain dairy, except milk(since we could substitute the rice milk). We have learned that we do not notice a big difference in our meals that we substitute with Original Rice milk. We have come up with some pretty creative things during the last week. I won't go in to that! :) Since we are still limited to stage one, until after we figure out exactly what dairy products we are allergic to, we haven't tried to introduce anything with tomatoes(stage 2). We are hoping to get sour cream, cream cheese, cheese and whipping cream tested before Thanksgiving. We are also hoping to be able to test cranberries and grapes before Thanksgiving too. Thanksgiving is the only time of year we have an amazing Cranberry salad with both cranberries and grapes and a few other items.

Since my last post, we have also been able to identify *something* that was causing a problem. The culprit was MOLASSES. In many organic foods, Corn Syrup and High Frutcose Corn Syrup and not used, instead other natural sweetners are used. Molasses was sneaky, but we finally tracked it down. After making some amazing Banana Bran Bread, everyone reacted(even Chance). I knew that we had made a break through. Because we have been on Stage One for a little over 8 weeks, our reactions occur pretty quick. They usually do not last more than a day, for most of us. We were able to narrow the reaction down to the molasses in the Bran muffin mix. I had some other unanswered reactions, charted on everyone's lists. I was unaware of what they were from, until I did a little research on the Feingold message board. I was able to discover that some peanut butters contain molasses. It just so happens that Jiff is the one we have and it contains molasses. This matched up with numerous incidents(reactions) that I had unexplained on my charting. After doing a little more research, I was able to determine that brown sugar also contains molasses. This two matched up with some other incidents. There is one brand of peanut butter, that I learned doesn't list molasses. We will try that one soon, but probably not before we get through the dairy testing a new stage 2 food testing. Every time we have a reaction, it delays us being able to test something new. I would like to just stick to the safe stuff and not take any chances, until we get the stuff tested that we need to. We did test cheese tonight, but it is really too soon for me to speculate as to how that test went. We should know more in a few days.

The whole purpose for my post today, is to express my joy in the little unexpected changes. In all of the changes that have occurred, something that was completely unexpected has happened. My oldest son has always struggled with temper and anger issues, has recently discovered that he feels different since stopping dairy. He told me this morning, that he always thought that he got his temper from both his mom and dad, but now he believes that it was an allergy. I have noticed a *HUGE* change in him. I was beginning to wonder if this would ever happen. I noticed changes in the others pretty quickly. Nothing really seemed to be changing for him, for the most part. In the last week, my angry child who has struggled with being nice has become so different. I can't even explain it. He is actually helping me and has become just really loving and sweet(not that he wasn't inside, but that rarely showed). At first, I thought it was my imagination....but when he brought it to my attention today. I knew it was real. I am just so amazed! Thank you, Jesus!

So, I guess that I will close for now. I will keep you all posted as to the changes as they occur. Life is too short to waste a single day with regrets. Make the most of each day. You only have one life to live....why not make it the best that you possibly can!

Our first big testing....

Well, it has been about a week since I last blogged. We past our one week mark for elimination of dairy. This morning we decided to test milk back into our diet. We all had high hopes. I am not sure that today was all that we had hoped for. At this point, we have determined that all four of the kids reacted to the reintroduction of milk. It appears from our first test that this is a dairy allergy of some sort that we are dealing with. We experienced numerous different symptoms as reactions today. Some of the symptoms included stomach pain, headaches, feeling emotionally out of control, and hyperactivity or wildness. We are not done with our testing. Everyone was happy to go back to the Vanilla Rice Milk tonight. The boys have been home with sore throats and coughs, because they haven't been feeling good. They should be returning to school in the morning. Sydney hasn't felt well the last two days and has been home also. We will try again with some other type of dairy(cream cheese, sour cream, cheese, etc.) in 3 or 4 days, after this reaction has some time to go away. Through my research, I have learned that there are different types of milk protein and they might be allergic to a certain one and not all of them. So, we will test different dairy products until we have a good idea of what works and what doesn't. Some friends I have talked with, have even been able to have milk, if it is heated(like in a casserole). I am definitely learning so much about how food can be linked to so many behaviors. I would have never believed it, if I hadn't watched it with my own eyes.

We will also soon be testing in some stage 2 foods. We are all looking forward to adding some much missed foods to our diet(like berries). Hopefully, we will have better luck with those! :) Well, I pray all is well with all of you!

What is your purpose?

Have you ever wondered why things happen the way they do? I wonder that all that all the time. Have you ever wondered if you were doing what you were supposed to be doing? How do we know if we are truly doing what we are supposed to?

Life is filled with so many changes....the most important thing is how we deal with all of the changes that we go through. It seems to me that we really only have two choices. The first choice is to ignore the changes and fight them the whole way. Or, the second choice is to embrace the changes and find a way to make them work the best in every situation. You may be wondering where I am going with this. Well, I am one that has always tried to find a way to find the positive in every situation. Sometimes, I am sure that it might be irritating to others, but it was something that I was blessed with. I believe that all of us were blessed with gifts. Each of us has qualities that we were given to contribute to this world, in order to make it a better place. Do you know what your gifts are? How do you plan to make this world a better place? Do you even think that we can change the world? My answer is YES! We can change the world. We can change the world one person at a time.

Everyday we have opportunities for changes other's lives. Did you know that a simple smile to someone may change their life forever? You just never know what might be going on in their life. How hard is it to say a kind word and smile at someone? Challenge yourself to one simple thing a day, whether it be a smile, a note in the mail, or a phone call. Try just one deed a day and see what happens. You never know when your small deed might affect someone in a much greater way than you could imagine.

Unexpected Turns in the Road......

Well, it has been a really long time since I blogged. I guess it is time for me to fill you in on some details that have changed drastically in my family's life.

First of all, approximately one week before I was to return to College fulltime for the Fall semester....I came across a bump...that thwarted me from that journey. I discovered over the summer that Audrianna was struggling with being able to focus in school. When school started for the kids in August, I discovered that my once happy-go-lucky sweet girl was very upset and struggling more than I ever knew. She couldn't seem to be able to keep herself focused on her work, without the world pulling her away. The week before school started she began to tell me how much she would really like to be homeschooled. This was a path she was familiar with, because we had homeschooled 4 years prior to this. At the same time, during the summer God had begun to work on my heart. He had again returned the love of homeschooling to me, that I once had. After just two days and hours of homework in the evening and morning, the solution was obvious. The only problem was the answer that I was seeking didn't seem to come, just the answer that I already knew.....and that was that I was suppose to homeschool her. It wasn't that I didn't want to homeschool her. I was just having a difficult time giving up what I loved and that was learning and getting my degree.

By Thursday(day 4), I had fully engaged this decision and by the afternoon I had spoken with all 4 of my kids and given each of them the decision to come home or stay where they were. Everyone decided that they would like to remain at the Lutheran School. On Friday, I informed the school and Audrianna was able to say good-bye to her classmates. I spent the day at the college dropping out and talking to my professors about what was going on. It was a really rough day, but I made it through...with God's strength.

We started our homeschooling journey on August 17, 2009. We have good days and bad days, which is to be expected in any situation. Her focus has improved and continues to improve, due to some more changes that we are going through.

After a great deal of research, we decided to implement a new eating plan for our family. All of the information that I researched led me back to the same place and that place is www.feingold.org. This company believes(as do I) that there is a link between the food that we eat and behavior. This company is also a non-proft organization. From the company, you get information that helps you to remove all of the harmful preservatives and artificials that are in our food. These preservatives are used to keep the food in the stores longer. The problem is that many adults and children are sensitive to these chemicals. These preservatives are made with petroleum. Petroleum is for cars, not for us! You may think this is crazy and yes it is crazy! What is even more crazy is that the government knows about this and won't do anything about it. These same artificial colors, flavors, and sweetners have been removed in other countries, but not in ours. What is wrong with that picture? Okay, I am done complaining about the government. The research is clear that there is a HUGE link between Behavioral, Learning/Development, & Health/Physical reactions to artificial colors, flavors, sweetners, BHA, BHT, & TBHQ.

The Program is basically an elimination diet, consisting of 2 stages. The first stage helps you remove all of the above harmful items, plus a certain amount of natural salicylates. Salicylates are naturally found in many fruits and veggies. Salicylates are things that people that are allergy sensitive, tend to be allergic too. The first stage is approximately 4-6 weeks, but it really depends on when you or your family stop having reactions and become stable on stage one. This really will depend on how faithful and consistent that you are with the program. It is different for everyone. If you are still having symptoms when you reach the 4-6 week mark, you must continue until you have determined what is causing the problem.

This is the point that we are at. We reached the four week mark of charting. You chart each meal and reactions such as: physical or behavioral symptoms for each person. It is amazing how you can track down specific things that bother each person. Currently, we are trying to figure out why Jaden continues to have a rash on his face. We have been consistently charting for 4 weeks and having changed our diets, personal products(such as toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, etc.), but he continues to have a rash around his mouth. I know that we need to figure this out before we move on. After some research and some advice from fellow Feingolders, we have decided to remove dairy for one week and see if his symptoms improve and then we will reintroduce and see what happens. We started on Saturday, but a slight glitch has caused us to restart our week again this morning. We are currently drinking Vanilla Rice Milk, which isn't that bad once you get used to it. Hopefully, this will be temporary....but we all know that the possibility exists that somebody just might be allergic or even lactose intolerant. We will just have to wait and see. The changes in the children have all been noticeable, somedays they are more apparent than others. Reactions are my least favorite part of all of this, but I am learning that they expose the changes....that I didn't notice at first! It is amazing when the old behaviors return with a reaction, when I was questioning if there were changes at all. I would love to give anyone more information about this amazing diet plan. Please feel free to ask anything!

A New Journey....

I have decided to approach my blogging as a way to express myself. The title and purpose for my blog came to me after searching through my music. If you know anything about me, you know that my love of music is what drives me. When I was nearly ready to give up hope, I came across a song, "Wild Horses", by Natasha Bedingfield....that I feel represents where I am headed or more importantly how I intend to get there. If you are familiar with the song, you may be wondering how I could relate to this song. Well, I am going to tell you.



When the song starts, there is a feeling of life not being what you expected it to. You may be feeling like you have hit a brick wall and you want to make changes. You are sure that things could be different, but you just don't know how. I have felt this way many times. Whether from bad choices, or just from lack of direction. These feelings can be overwhelming and sometimes even frightening....but there is hope!



Then the song changes and it begins to talk about greener pastures. In my mind, greener pastures would be referring to the positive changes that can be made to make things brighter. Life doesn't always have to seem so overwhelming. There is no need to go far away, because hope is right around the corner. All that you have to do it believe!



These changes are possible when you let go of the things that hold you back. Run freely like the wild horses! Don't be afraid of things to come.... Don't be afraid to let go of your fears.... Don't be afraid to forgive.... Don't be afraid to be the person that you are supposed to be.... Look in the mirror and see the person that you are, not just who you want to be....and stop living in fear! Don't let fear be the fence that holds you back from your dreams....and destroys your hope!



Live your life to the fullest, as though each day is your last! Make the most of everything! Don't have regrets, because at one time....each choice was something that you wanted! Don't lose hope, because it brings joy for each tomorrow! Don't be afraid of failure, because it is only a small stepping stone for success!



I wanna be like the Wild Horses and run freely through my life without fear or limitations......for the only limitations that I have, are those that I place on myself....