The stuff of [my] life::

:: I'm off sugar. For real.

Well... (you knew a well was coming, didn't you???) except for on the weekends.

I can't make a rule like Except For Special Occasions, because when you're part of a big family and a big church and have lots of wonderful friends and family members, there's a special occasion most every day of the week. Like tonight. Like yesterday. Like the day before that. And like the day before that. (I kid you not...) And the problem with just saying I'm off sugar with no exceptions is that I would fail. Probably tomorrow. But if I know I just need to hang on until Saturday for a chocolate chip cookie or a serving of apple crisp, I think I can make it.

Ask me how I'm doing on Wednesday afternoon when my body is absolutely craving a sugar rush and, please, tell me I can make it.

:: I've got thrush again. (You knew something besides good conscience spawned this no sugar thing, didn't you?) This is the second time since I stopped taking my probiotic faithfully. I ran out in July and I haven't felt like spending the $30 to get more. But I've been paying for it in a major way.

Seriously, anyone who gets thrush as much as I do needs to do her body a favor by reducing her refined sugar intake and just. spending. the. money.

:: Jackson has impetigo on his bum. Poor kid. I would never have known what it was except for the cloth diapering forum I'm part of. I saw a thread about staph infections and when I first realized that Jack's sore wasn't going away, I got curious. A few questions and one google search later, I was pretty sure he had it.

I spent the last week treating it with colloidal silver, but I brought him to the doctor today for something a little more potent. Fortunately, I do think the colloidal silver kept the infection from spreading because the doctor was fairly confident that a skin cream will do the trick and that an oral antibiotic *shudder* won't be necessary.

:: my friend got amazingly good, put-a-smile-on-my-face news today! I am so incredibly thrilled for her.

And I'm excited for all of us who have stood in prayer with her. I know for sure that I needed the reminder that God doesn't have to work on our (or our doctor's) timetable in order to give us the miracle we need.

:: Aubrey has learned  how to crawl up stairs. She's only gone so far as the first two before deciding to back down, but for those of you who are familiar with our house, you know that once a kid learns to scale our steps, s/he can handle any steps anywhere. (They're against-modern-day-code steep.) Last week she figured out how to get her first knee up the step, but then she gave up for a couple days. This morning while the 3 big kids were upstairs doing their morning chores, she resumed her anxiously awaiting position at the bottom of the stairs. I guess the desire to be up there with them totally overtook her, because the next thing we knew she was going up.

Aubrey's also gotten downright grouchy when she wants food and we don't share. Like the cake at Mom's house yesterday. My goodness did she know it was yummy and let us hear her displeasure about not being allowed to partake!

Little reminders that my baby is growing up every day.

:: I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again: I'm so thankful for Daniel. My sister sent me this photo today with the following note:

"ohmygosh.  best picture ever. you're so in love.  seven years and four children later and so in love.  awesomeness."

God has really blessed me with a man who loves me stubbornly.   Daniel doesn't give up on me or quit no matter what. I'm so thankful.

(But wait a minute, seven years? Ummm... where did the time go????)