a refreshed spirit.

For the past month, maybe longer, I've been having a strange allergic reaction to something. I have no idea what. I have been feeling like something is crawling on me, I scratch and immediately my skin is turning into hives. Wonderful. Well, it has been getting worse. My ears itch and even my eyelids! How insane this sounds, I know. So last night I put on a pair of skinny jeans and I literally felt like my legs were going to just crawl out from under them. I went to the doctor this morning and they gave me a steroid shot to try to instantly stop the hives that were all over my legs. Of course my doctor asked me the typical questions of did you change your laundry detergent, get a new animal, etc. I have never had an allergy in my life. I sneeze a few times a month maybe and I actually think it's fun! I love sneezing! Okay, now you really think I'm crazy... but ya, my sisters and my dad have horrible allergies and live on allergy meds. I have never understood what they have gone through, but I do now. For all of you out there that suffer from allergies... oh my gosh I feel your pain and I'm SO sorry you have to deal with this! I would post pics of my legs, but that would just be gross. lol.

So now I have to get on allergy meds myself and then start journaling. I have to note which days of the month this is happening on, when it seems to get worse, and if it does get worse, what things I ate that day, etc. It could even be stress related. Interesting huh? This sounds so tedious, but it's going to be my life for a little while. I have to start eliminating things for a week at a time and then seeing if my symptoms improve. As if I don't have enough going on being a wife, a mommy and the owner of a small business. lol. Such is life. If anyone has any insight on allergies that come on later in life, I'd love to hear! I feel a bit overwhelmed even thinking about where to begin eliminating things...

A read an excerpt in a cute book I have called Day-Votions for Mothers. I got this from my friend, Fay, and she did a guest post for me last week about her daughter with Down syndrome. If you didn't get a chance to read her story.. check it out here. It's a good one. Anyways, it's a great little book and you can literally read it over and over and still gain something from each chapter. Today the topic was too little resting, too little nesting. How us wives and mommies get going and going and sooner than later something will have to give.

Sometimes it will even be our health that will give.

A passage read:

God will give every mom the resources she needs to accomplish what he wants for her to do. 

Ahh.. if I can only just try to remember that. I'm not doing this all on my own.

"It's useless to rise early and go to bed late, 

and work your worried fingers to the bone. 

Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?" 

Psalm 127:2

There's a time to work and there's a time to rest... if we don't rest, something is gonna give. Maybe this is what my allergy is all about, I'm not really sure. But it sure is forcing me to slow down and take care of myself, which I often neglect because I'm more worried about my kids and everything else going on.

The prayer at the end of the little 2 page chapter was this:

Lord, forgive me when I try to cram too many hours into one day. Thank you for reminding me that as I rest in you, my children will sense my refreshed spirit as well.

I love that. I know my kids can sense when I have too much on my plate. I don't want to tell them to hurry up. I need to slow down.  If I can't stop cramming too much for myself, I will do it for them. ♥

And in light of the world series... how about a little t-ball practice in the backyard!?

Getting serious...

The wind-up..

And Sawyer makes contact!

Oh and you can follow me on twitter now! I'm a rookie on there, but it's fun!!!

@amomwithoutFB