Frizzy Hair-F is for Friday

F is for Friday
Friday is basically a free for all.  I plan on posting about things like Food, Fitness, Family, Fun, Festivities, etc.  It doesn't have to be about "F" things, but look forward to me doing my best to make (ridiculous) links to the letter F.

Proverbs 17:22
A joyful heart is good medicine.



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My F today is Frizzy! I have dread locks. Mostly dread locks. Some of my hair is still free. I haven't counted them...but I guess I probably have like 60. The bottom bit of my hair in the back is STILL undone, 4 months after the two week long process of slowly backcombing them in (it took me 2 weeks because I have FOUR kids! Ha! And I did it all myself here and there during the day when no one needed me, otherwise I could have busted it out in about 8-10 hours solid probably, but who has 8-10 hours?). I also undid the 2 at my ears because my glasses were just mutilating them and the 2 above those ones because they just didn't want to stay in. And my bangs are not done. I don't know when I'll finish up the back. Maybe soon, I hope. The distance between the bottom of the dreads and bottom of the undone hair is now about 4-5" and looks kind of silly. I usually wear my hair up in a big blob anyway, so it's not a huge deal.



I don't have dreads because I identify with that culture...in fact far from it. I have dreads simply because I like the way they look. I have a lot of hair. Unruly hair. Semi-wavy when it wants to be (usually on days I want it straight), semi-straight (usually on days I want it to be curly). I don't like using product to get it to obey...well, ok, my hair obeys WITH product about like a 2 year old, and without product about like a cat. It's just unmanageable. Except when super duper short. Which is cute, but I've always wanted it long and this seems to be the best way for me to have it long. Without dreads, it lays flat on my head at the top and gets all bubbly and yucky everywhere else, I can do ponytails, but they're just "eh". I've never been able to get my hair to hold an updo, it just falls out because I have a lot of fine hair. But dreads are awesome! I can do so much with them (when they don't need to be toned down a bit...they're trying to merge in the back right now and desperately need some attention...that I don't have time for at the moment), and when I can't do something cute, a simple wrapped up ponytail is still super cute.
I've had dreads before, actually about the same time of year last year (March to the end of June last year, this time end of February to now and beyond) and I tried doing the whole "un-poo'ing" thing with them, which is basically letting your hair regulate its oil on it's own and just washing with baking soda a few times a month. That didn't work for me very well, my hair was just too oily and too flaky at the same time. My husband was less than impressed, and I want to be pleasing to him. So I combed out my dreads (ouch) and went back to "regular" shampoo. Regular for us anyway. We use Avalon Organics Volumizing Rosemary Shampoo and love it. My husband likes it because it cleans all of the mechanic-y greasiness out of his hair, and I like it for the kids because the ingredients are free of things like sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate , and I like it for me because it takes away that oily feeling and keeps my scalp from drying out too much and getting flaky.
I've read over and over again that when you have dreads you should avoid common shampoos and not overwash your hair because the hairs will have a hard time binding together and you'll wind up greasy, but I have not experienced that this time at all. In fact, as far as binding, I'd say washing my hair 3 times a week (as opposed to 3 times a month, plus rinsing another 4 or 5 times a months last time) and using this shampoo has HELPED my dreads tighten up faster! And it's definitely doing a great job keeping the oily grossness away, and the flakes too. It's just awesome stuff. I have the complementary conditioner too, but I don't use that on my hair very often because I know that will untangle my hair and I don't want that. But pre-dreads, I did like it very much. Awesome stuff.

Daily Themes

I want to start doing some daily themes here.  I want to encourage others, and I want to learn from others also!  Feel free to grab a button and link back to me when you participate.


Media Monday
On Mondays, I will be sharing a bit of media-Bible verse, song, television show, movie, cartoon, news article, blog post, anything media-ish that has inspired, convicted, or encouraged me.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.



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Transparent Tuesday
On Tuesdays I want to make myself transparent and share something that God has been working on my life, whether it be small (like cleaning my Suburban so I'm not humiliated when I open the door at the grocery store and trash falls out) or big, like submitting to my husband on an issue that needed to be addressed for many years.  You don't have to share this as many of these matters may be very private, but I encourage you to participate privately if you so choose.

Psalm 51:1-4
1)Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
3)For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4)Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.



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F is for Friday
Friday is basically a free for all.  I plan on posting about things like Food, Fitness, Family, Fun, Festivities, etc.  It doesn't have to be about "F" things, but look forward to me doing my best to make (ridiculous) links to the letter F.

Proverbs 17:22
A joyful heart is good medicine.



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Service Saturday
Saturdays I'd like to talk about ways that we can serve our families (as a whole, or an individual), our communities, and our God.  Or about ways that someone has blessed us!  Please be mindful that this doesn't become an opportunity to boast.  I want this to be us sharing ideas so that others may bless their family/community/God in similar ways.

John 12:26
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.



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10 Thanks
On the 10th of each month, I plan on sharing 10 things I'm thankful for.  Big or little, new or old.

Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.



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20 Questions
On the 20th of each month, I'd like to post those questions we have for God, like "Why did You pick blue for the sky?"...I'm sure the kiddos in many of our lives will inspire many questions.

Habakkuk 3:3(b)
His splendor covers the heavens,
And the earth is full of His praise.



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Stress, shingles and garlic

I had shingles in the fall of 2008 while pregnant with my 2yo.  It was not fun.  I got it from being OVERLY, extremely, "oh-my-gosh-the-world-is-ending" stressed about the presidential election.  My parents had gotten so head-over-heels into prepping and "end-of-the-worldness" (not saying they ALWAYS go together, I think responsible/reasonable "prepping" is great) and were CONSTANTLY talking about how if the election went a certain way that we'd need to move to the mountains and burn our vehicles and live out our last days hiding from the government and how I'd have to learn how to perform surgery and do stitches, on and on.  Here I was, just turning 26 (figured out it was shingles the morning of my birthday), having the absolute time of my life.  I was married to an amazing guy, had 2 beautiful kids and another precious blessing on the way, we had started homeschooling, work was going great for my husband, we'd just moved to a bigger apartment less than a year before, got the vehicle of my dreams (older and it just about fell from Heaven the way all the details worked out)...everything was so great and here my parents were telling me day in and day out that I was going to have to take my kids to the mountains and raise them in seclusion (seriously, they talked about how they'd shoot anyone who got too close to our dwelling)...in this life my parents were painting, my kids would never get to experience love, they'd be hermits and have no idea how to be around anyone outside our family.  Unlike my husband, I daydream about my children courting and marrying.  I'm out of this world EXCITED and ECSTATIC that they might find someone to love as much as I love their dad.  Giddy.  But my parents were completely dashing that dream.  I couldn't even pick a homeschool curriculum because anything that required computers or library access would be out because we'd be in the middle of the forest, secluded, for the next 10+ years according to their plan.  Thinking about it now it makes me sick the lack of faith they had and the effect it had on me.  How did I fall for it all?  I was absolutely sick with worry and scared out of my mind.  I know I drove my friend crazy talking about it.  I'm so thankful that eventually she told me that she couldn't be a part of the conversation anymore because it was worrisome and overwhelming...it gave me courage to eventually say the same thing to my parents. 

My "reward" for all the stress...shingles.  It all started with some severe pain in a small spot just to the right of my spine at about my bra line.  It was terrible.  I'd check it once an hour (or more) fully expecting to see a deep purple bruise.  I was certain I had to have backed into something and not remembered (which is easy for me to do, I'm constantly noticing new bruises and am left wondering how on earth I got them).  No bruise ever came and eventually little blisters did.  The morning of my birthday I spent hours researching rashes and blisters and all sorts of scary things and came to shingles.  It fit.  I sent a picture to my friend and her wonderful in-laws confirmed it.  I decided at that point to treat it holistically.  I was probably already beyond the time limit for antibiotics (which we try to use only as a LAST resort) and found that garlic would be great.  So I took a ton of garlic and endured the pain for days.  I found too that apple cider vinegar was great for the itchies.  I thought for sure it would burn, so I took my sweet time trying it out, but it didn't.  It cooled and eased the itchy sensation.  Wonderful!  My husband noticed a second patch of blisters starting to surface after several days, but the garlic knocked it out!  Amazing.  They never fully came up.  I did end up with some nasty scars, but that's ok.  At least they're on my back.

Fast forward now, 2 1/2 years later and here I find myself with that all too familiar intense pain on my back.  This time it's on my left shoulder blade near my arm and also on my left front about where the hooks of my nursing bra hit.  I noticed the pain late yesterday and within a few hours checked the mirror and saw nothing, so I cut up a garlic clove.  I used softgels last time, but I have none right now and I wanted to get started on some right away.  Plus my friend has told me MANY times how much more effective plain old garlic is.  I just have to cut the clove up very small or I choke (so pathetic!).  I took 3/4 of a clove last night (my 4yo daughter beat me to the last 1/4 and chewed it up excitedly!) and 3/4 of a clove this morning and would you believe me if I said the pain was MORE intense this morning than last night, but it is LESS intense this evening?  I don't know if I'm out of the woods yet or if I'll end up with some blisters, but this sure seems promising!  Thank you to my sweet friends who are praying for me, and to Jesus for being the ultimate healer.

And the reason for the stress this time?  I think it's sleep.  I've never been a sleep fan, always had a hard time falling asleep, and I just operate on less than most people.  But as a mommy to 4 kids I am tired a lot and I do cherish those 6ish hours each night.  I've been struggling lately though.  My 2 yo is still in bed with me (and that means no room for my husband who has made a huge sacrifice and slept on the couch since the night my labor started with our 5mo) and he likes to kick a lot and put his arms under me.  I don't want to hurt him, so I'm always waking up and pushing him back to his side, and I also don't want him to hurt the baby-or for her to roll off the bed while she's on the other side, so I sleep with my arm around her.  My hair is also driving me crazy at night too.  I roll on it and it gets pulled and wakes me up, or I'm afraid that it's on the baby and I wake up to move it.  I'd wear it up, but my scalp is so darn sensitive that that would just give me a perma-headache, plus I have dread locks and it's important that they have time to breathe so they don't get yucky.  Then there is my poor bladder that has been so abused by 4 successful pregnancies-especially the 3rd.  He just really nailed my bladder for some reason and it's never recovered...so I'm up several times a night to go potty.  And of course then I have to think about my 4yo who sleeps perpendicular to my bed...well, at least that is where her mattress is, she is usually on the floor next to it, and I've almost stepped ON her head several times.  And then there is my 7yo who sleeps perpendicular to the 4yo and his allergies.  He snorts and sniffles and coughs several times a night, which also wakes me.  But this is all important stuff that is non-negotiable as far as I'm concerned.  I'm not going to boot the baby and the 2yo from my bed (though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't longing for the day that the 2yo is ready for his own bed...we've tried and he wakes up and cries for me until I let him back in bed with me), and I'm not going to boot the 4yo and 7yo from my room either.  The hair, I could always cut I suppose, but I've worked SO long to grow it out, I'd be really sad, and so would my 4yo who says that girls should have long hair.  So I need to find another way to deal with this stress, obviously.  I'm going to start reading my Bible in bed (well, ok, I'll be reading on my phone on biblegateway.com) and praying more.  I know that I can still be aware of all this stuff without letting it stress me out so badly.

What a neat resource!

Faith on the Go

I got this on my Facebook feed a few days ago and I love these ideas!  We've only done one thing so far, but we're definitely going to be doing many of these.  We talked about the word patience (from #1) and the older two kids drew pictures that showed patience.  My daughter drew a picture of herself "patiently" waiting for a carrot and then wrote the word "patience" as I spelled it for her.  My son drew a picture of Thomas the train "patiently" waiting to cross a signal, and then wrote a sentence describing it.  While they did that, I held the sleeping baby and drew whatever letter my 2 year old asked me to draw.  We've been trying to talk about patience ever since, and I need to get some Bible verses for reference for them.  I think today while we run errands I'll talk to them about #11 too!  Have you done any of the activities from this?  I'd love to hear about it.