This Classical Life

I desperately need to update the girls’ blogs. In the midst of parenting, planning for the future, teaching, grading, photographing, cooking, laundry and cleaning, I’ve got a lot of stories to tell I don’t want to forget.

People frequently and genuinely ask me how I am doing, health-wise. I don’t really know what to say. I’m not feeling as well as I was last month. That’s disappointing. It’s frustrating to feel badly and more frustrating to feel as if my pain is impacting so many aspects of my life. I don’t want to be a whiner, or spend my time feeling sorry for myself, I guess I’m starting to get adjusted to the fact that this is going to be a long journey for me, with no easy fixes. I have a regularly scheduled visit with the rheumatologist next week, and there’s a great deal more to do and to try.

If you are a friend or longstanding kind reader, you know that Michael and I seem to gravitate towards transition. We got engaged, planned a wedding, got married, I moved halfway across the country, started a job I had no training for, and then we conceived Kate all in a five month period. We then moved halfway across the country again with a 4 week old less than a year later. Our girls are 17.5 months apart. We’ve moved three times in less than four and a half years of marriage. We’ve been members of four churches. But who’s keeping score?

We’ve been fairly stable the last eighteen months. We own a home. We’ve stayed in the same church. But beneath it all, we’ve been contemplating a big change. (more…)

Kate has decided in the last few weeks that she loves Josh Ritter. If we play music in the car, it must be Josh Ritter, and she often sings along. If I try to nonchalantly play something else, this is what happens:

Kate - “Who sings this song?”
Kristen - “Wilco.”
Kate - “Wilco is not my favorite. Josh Ritter is my favorite. I need to hear Josh Ritter.”

Sorry, Jeff Tweedy.

I’m going to read everyday. Read the Bible, read to the kids, read to learn… just read.

I’m going to love better. Starting with my husband and my children but including all those around me.

I’m going to actually do yoga, because I care about feeling better.

I’m going to take an obscene number of pictures.

Watch over thy child, Alexine, O Lord, as her days increase; bless and guide her wherever she may be, keeping her unspotted from the world. Strengthen her when she stands; comfort her when discouraged or sorrowful; raise her up if she fall; and in her heart may thy peace which passeth understanding abide all the days of her life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This year I am going to participate in the December Photo Project. Hopefully posting a picture each day will help to motivate me to post something else, too.

Tomorrow is my long awaited appointment with the rheumatologist. I’m not sure how to feel. Chronic pain and constant fatigue has done a number on me this fall, on our whole family. I can’t remember what it’s like to wake up feeling good. We haven’t had anyone over since August. The house is a mess. The girls watch more television than ever before. But this seems so normal now. In this fallen world, with its troubles and pains, mine seem somewhat insignificant. It’s hard to even hope that things could change. I remember Abraham, and his hope against hope. I pray those three words I seem to pray more often than any others. “Help my unbelief.” And I try to remember that God cares for me.

We had a wonderful thanksgiving with food and family, the girls had such a marvelous time Kate asked if she could stay a little longer and have her grandparents drive her home later. In somber tones we heard “I miss my grandmother and grandfather” for several days afterwards. My parents took us and the siblings, etc. to hear Rob Bell on Thanksgiving Eve and he did not disappoint. I recommend going to hear him if you have the chance.

Praise God, we’ve passed the 36 hour mark of being rid of the sickies and Michael was spared.

The female members of our family are all stricken down with a stomach virus that manifested itself the second we stepped through the door after church (literally.) Of course, the stomach virus is a dread of every parent, but it does have its sweet spots of cute requests and cuddling in the bed. We await the return of wonder-dad, who will come bearing liquids with electrolytes and we will pray that we avoid the dreaded trip to the ER.

I went to the allergist Wednesday, and he read my profile, talked to me for awhile and did a physical exam of allergy prone areas. He then told me I had no indicators of allergies, and he would do two simple blood tests that are good markers for allergies instead of scratch testing me since he was pretty certain I did not have allergies. He then declared that I had classic fibromyalgia (he did do the pressure points test) so the allergist was not the place for me to be. (more…)