Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas! I am the only one up so far this morning. Even the little guy is sleeping fitfully. So between frying my eggs and eating my flaked barley I can post a couple of pictures of ...

Malachi Andrew
Born December 14th, 2010
7 lbs 12 oz 53cm

The last eleven days have been a bit of a blur. There was the birth, then some lack of sleep, then some more lack of sleep... you get the picture! But he is settling down a bit and sleeping for 4 hour stretches sometimes, and not fussing too much after feeding, which allows me to go back to bed at night! We got him circumcised on Monday and he was a bit fussier after that, and he was also not too happy the two times Michelle ate chili, but that might be coincidence. Michelle's mom has been very helpful and stayed with us the whole time until last night when her dad arrived for Christmas and they are staying at Stacey's place. Michael also arrived a couple of days ago and is sleeping on the floor in Kate's room, with a bedsheet strung up from the ceiling so she can't see him (if she could she would never sleep!).



And now...Christmas!!!

What goes around

I had a busy week and have not caught up yet--to the point that I called in sick to work today. Which is silly, because I have the rest of the week off starting Tuesday for baby reasons. But, I did not feel well this morning. Perhaps it was the busyness, or the change in diet (see below), or the food at my work banquet last night, or the nasty flu that Kate and Michelle had last week. Regardless, here I am, a bit weak but not too bad otherwise...waiting for Michelle to pick up her mom at the airport. Baby is arriving tomorrow!!!

I saw my naturopath on Thursday, 2 months earlier than my scheduled appointment, due to a cancellation. The purpose for this visit was a food sensitivity test that I had previously requested. It took about 20 minutes and there was no pain or blood drawn or divining rod. I just held the metal rod in one hand, that is wired somehow to the metal pen he would push on a part of a finger on my other hand. The graphs on his computer screens would be drawn as pressure was applied. Anything above a 70 range was something I was sensitive to; the food data was programmed into the computer. He went through a full-page panel of foods, starting with grains and going through fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, dairy, spices, additives, etc. While not completely comprehensive, just about every food the average north american can readily think of was on there.

There were a few confirmations of my suspicions. For example, Cows Milk made that graph shoot up past the top. It was subsequently labeled a '3' on my paper (don't eat it). Other cow's milk products had the same result. However, there were plenty of things that surprised me, as well. Goats milk products and soy products showed up as fine. Wheat and spelt were a '2', as in don't eat it but if there's some flour in your soup sometimes, that's okay. And there were a few foods that I was mildly sensitive to, such as yams, and radishes. Peanuts got a '3' (no more peanut butter!) :( Chicken and pork got 2's (that'll be a tough one). Eggs were fine, all the weird new grains I've been trying were fine, beef and fish were fine although shellfish like shrimp were not too good. The tomato/pepper/potato family was all 2's...strangely enough.

So, a few more things need to change, once again. I was just starting to get used to this Glycemic Index stuff...which will continue of course, as it seems to help.

Stay tuned for baby pictures in the next few days!

The snow has come

This morning the snow started falling. Beautiful! After a very cold, dry, windy week it is nice to see some fruit for our 'labour.' Kate doesn't think much of it (she seemed to think it was dirty and wouldn't walk in it). Michelle's last day at school with her kindergartners is also today. She expected they would be bouncing off the walls with the snow coming down...hope all goes well. Michelle goes on Maternity leave December 1.
In other news Kate chewed through her last soother (the kind that she likes the best that is) so I'm hoping she will be able to settle down and sleep. I just put her down for her nap but she is playing in there as I can still hear her hooting away (probably at Monkey).

I finally visited the Naturopath

Last week I saw the Naturopath for a consultation. It was kind of cool. They took a fresh drop of blood and stuck it on slides right there in the office, and showed me the clumps of red blood cells on a TV screen as the doctor moved the slide around on his microscope. There were also white blood cells; he showed me pieces of plaque (and other stuff that's not supposed to be in there). He also had a nifty machine that somehow measures the energy levels to different organs and the levels of hormones and vitamins and toxins. I held a metal cylinder in my left hand while he prodded my right hand with some sort of sensor. I know it sounds kind of science-fiction-y...and there were a few things that seemed a bit out there...but he found that my insulin level was a bit high, just like a recent fasting blood glucose test showed. He also found that my small intestine wasn't too happy and that I wasn't digesting protein well. I was low in vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and D3. I was high in a few toxins, allergic to mould...interestingly enough my adrenals seemed just fine. After asking me about my health complaints (and actually taking the time to listen!) he 'diagnosed' me with Leaky Gut Syndrome and prescribed some supplements for me. I now take 3 'horse pills' with every meal: B2, digestive enzymes, amino acids, and some sort of anti-toxin thing. As well, he explained the Glycemic Index a little bit (sugar leads to inflammation) and as a basic guideline told me to only eat foods with a GI less than 80. From what I understand this will also help with my insulin resistance issues. He affirmed my suspected milk allergy but said we would test it and other food allergies in a few months after we've given my system some time to get better.

This leads to another change in my already strange and stringent diet. Instead of avoiding just sugar in its various forms, I need to avoid other high-GI foods, such as whole wheat flour and other processed grains (no more bread, tortilla chips, cheerios). Brown rice is borderline but I'm still eating that. Potatoes are very high, in fact one baked potato supposedly spikes your blood sugar as much as 17 teaspoons of table sugar! Vegetables and most fruits are fine...as are nuts, fats/oils, and meat. The Glycemic Index is tricky to understand in that it's based on percentages of carbohydrates as opposed to weights of foods, so I am still trying to figure it out. So what can I eat? I'm still trying to figure that out too! So far some of my staples have been rolled oats, red river cereal, quinoa, and rice. Michelle is excited to cook more meats than we've been having lately...she made pork chops last night.

Overall my naturopathic visit was encouraging and gave me information and hope...and also a huge bill; the visit and the supplements came to over $300. We'll see how much our insurance actually covers...

Jesus Holy Shepherd of the World (music video)

Jesus Holy Shepherd of the World
Fussing in a manger dark and cold
A lamb among the wolves
To sleep you're finally lulled
Jesus holy shepherd of the world

Jesus holy shepherd of the world
Gently bringing lost sheep to your fold
Stubborn, make our own way
Shoulder, carry home
Jesus holy shepherd of the world

Carry us Jesus, won't you carry all your lambs
Carry us Jesus, won't you carry all your lambs
Through green meadows and dark valleys
Your rod and staff make us secure
Jesus holy shepherd of the world

Jesus holy shepherd of the world
Standing in the center of your throne
The bloodied lamb is worthy
To open up the scroll
Soon you'll come again and
Make our half-lives whole
We dig our tear-stained faces deep
Into your pure white wool
Jesus holy shepherd of the world

__________________________________________

I wrote this song during the winter of 2008. Our daughter, Kate, had recently been born and I was struggling with a lack of sleep, lack of time to myself/with God, and stress at work. The dark was also getting to me (S.A.D.). In short, I think I was depressed, and possibly some symptoms of hypoglycemia were showing up as well...I really needed Jesus to carry me for the next few months! (It wasn't long after that my health issues with fatigue started.) I was encouraged by scriptures such as Psalm 23, first memorized when I was 6 years old, that has been a comfort to me for years. I noticed that Jesus is often referred to in the Bible as both a lamb and a shepherd, and I tried to communicate that through these words. I shelved it for awhile and edited it over time, trying to make it singable by a congregation (in the plural form, keeping it short, etc.). I eventually did lead it at church a few months ago and received much positive feedback, but haven't led it again as it isn't the sort of song you can just throw in a set (ala Lord I lift your name on high). I hope to share it with the world through YouTube and hope people enjoy my quirky video. :)

Early Ramblings

Once again, I am up way too early. Can't sleep. But unlike last month, I'm not feverish. I'm thinking about the recent layoffs at work and how close I am on the totem pole if things keep slowing down. Good things to ponder at 3 in the morning, right?!

I have been having a good run of things healthwise. My body is gradually recovering as I continue to avoid cheese (and yogurt, butter, etc.) like the plague. It's not as hard as I thought it would be: I made pizza the other night, and just didn't put cheese on one third of it; we had a pizza lunch at chuch--I packed a ham sandwich. Michelle and Kate are loving all the recent pizza!

I see a Naturopath on Thursday. I'm hoping I can get some help and that it's not a waste of money and time...at a church prayer meeting a few weeks ago the guys prayed for me and my health (I didn't even ask them to)--that I would be able to say that the doctors that are helping me were wonderful, but that it was Jesus who healed me. Interestingly enough, the next day I had a perfect, normal, day. I didn't feel tired or dizzy or lightheaded or weird once! I can't remember the last time I had such a good day. Thanks God! Now, I haven't had another perfect day since...but I am very grateful for the one I did experience!

Here is a picture of my brother-in-law and me on the swings near my parents' house at Thanksgiving.

7 years

Today Michelle and I celebrated 7 years together as a married couple. I took the day off work and our friend Stacey took Kate for the night, so it really felt special! We went out for dinner and rented a movie last night, and went for lunch/shopping today. There were no cards or flowers involved except for a few little flowers that I cut off from the hanging basket outside tonight. Happy Anniversary honey!

Feverish

I've been feeling not-quite-myself the last few days. I think I caught whatever Kate had earlier in the week. Fortunately the worst days have been days I'm already at home so I haven't had to take any time off work--yet!

This morning I woke up at 3am something, feeling warm again. I downed a tylenol and left the bedroom because I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep for awhile. I checked my temperature: 99.8F--not too bad, but still feverish. I opened the patio door and some windows to let the cool night air in (it's been unseasonably warm lately). As I sat there in the dark, suddenly I heard a noise--bam-da-da-bam-bam-BAM! It was just Kate's toy piano's drums going off randomly, like they do sometimes. I hope they didn't bother Tweet (our recent budgie guest). I turned them off, then sat on the couch on my knees, relishing the fresh air from the open window and gazing out into the quiet, dark street. The world always seems so peaceful and quiet at four o'clock in the morning...

Suddenly I noticed a motion light go on at the garage of the house across the street. Nothing unusual, I guessed...just a cat...or maybe it just goes off randomly, kind of like Kate's toy piano...but wait, there was somebody there! A person dressed in black, holding a stick--a tinkling of broken glass--and the light was out again.

Now THIS had my attention, fever or not. I quietly removed the screen from the window and reached behind the couch for my nerf gun. It wasn't much but it would do for distraction processes. THWOCK! THWOCK! THWOCK! The nerf missiles soared across the lawn, the street, and landed near the neighbour's garage. CRASH! I barely had time to duck as a flash of light exploded below and my window collapsed in a curtain of shattering glass. I was being shot at! And those weren't nerf bullets!

I was putting my family in danger--couldn't have that. I grabbed the nearest weapon I could find--a dirty pot on the countertop--and scrambled out the door. Down the exit stairs I raced in my pajamas. The dewey grass felt refreshing on my warm feet. As the outer door closed behind me, I realized I didn't have my keys. I would have to buzz my wife from below later--and I didn't think she would be happy about being woken so early on a Saturday. Oh well, some things just can't be helped!

I was across the street before I knew it, large pot shielding my torso from any close gunfire. My gaze darted this way and that. No one was in sight. I must have scared them away. Relieved, I was heading back to my apartment building when the house porch light turned on, a man stepped onto the porch with a shotgun, and yelled, "Freeze, thief!"

"Thanks," I said. "This fever was getting a bit too warm. But the pot's mine, honest!"

A Quiet and Beautiful Day

Ah...Friday. Due to my sweet work arrangement where I get to stay home with Kate on Thursdays and Fridays, Friday feels like Saturday. It was a bit rainy out and Kate was in a foul mood this morning, but things gradually improved for her to the point that as I held her small sleepy body tonight before putting her to bed, I couldn't believe how sweet she is and how blessed I am.

I've also been feeling really good (not tired) lately, so that's helped good days seem even better. Avoiding milk products including butter and cheese seems to be paying off. I can enjoy unsweetened soy milk as long as I flavour it with heaps of carob powder! Mmm, almost like Nesquik! (I like the vanilla flavoured soy milk too but am wary of the sugar content) I'm still consuming large amounts of sea salt so should probably check my blood pressure soon, but I'm pretty sure the salt helps immensely with my orthostatic hypotension (lightheadedness upon standing) and adrenal fatigue.

Here's a shot from the summer. We visited the Agrifair. What was Kate's favourite part? Not the horses, the cows, or the chickens...not the rides...no, it was the sandbox!

On buying the farm

I've always thought the expression 'he bought the farm' was kind of funny, although it isn't really. This expression probably originated among soldiers or pilots during WWI or WWII. According to urbandictionary.com, it means:

To die, especially in combat; most likely from the idea that a dead soldier's death benefit would serve to pay off his family's mortgage. Often shortened to "bought it."

There is, however, a story in the Bible about buying a farm--well, a field anyway, as told by Jesus in Matthew 13:44:

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

What I hear Jesus saying to me through this verse is that He himself is a great treasure--greater than any other treasure I could possibly find in my lifetime. Everything else falls by the wayside in comparison to reaching Him. To "sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (Luke 18:22) makes complete sense when compared to the uncomparable Treasure that I seek. To "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1b) and to "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14) should be my mindset and the mindset of every disciple of Jesus. Oh, that I would realize His value! Oh, that in my joy I might buy the farm!

The Much Anticipated Solution

Here is the answer to last week's puzzle. It is a jar of whole wheat flour that sits on the counter. Some weevils (little bugs commonly discovered in corn meal) have been living in it for quite some time. They have stripped the flour of the good stuff (germ etc.), put the husks in a pile, and left the white stuff! It is neat to see the little tunnels they made along the edge of the glass--kind of like the ant farm my brother had in grade 7.

I checked the bag of flour in the cupboard, and found a few more bugs but not too many. Say, anyone want to come over and enjoy some nice whole wheat buns, fresh out of the oven? ;)

What is this?

Take a guess. I took this photo today. Was I on Mars? Traversing the Gobi Desert? Landing on the moon? You tell me. A clarifying photo/answer will be provided next week, as well as the announcement of any and all winning guesses.*

*Immediate family members are not allowed to enter this contest, aka Michelle!

Charred 2x4

Before we left for holidays, I tried to turn off the water in our condo and noticed that the stud which the hot water line is tied to was a bit black. It looks like the heat from the pipe has slowly burned the stud away (maybe by about a quarter inch in 15 years). Should I be concerned?

Vacation it Twas

Hello! We are back from our mighty vacation. Here are some pictures and random memories.

The border wait was not two hours as I had suspected; in fact it was only 2 minutes! We drove south to Seattle and then east on the I-90. Our first stop was Wanapum State Park. Before we got there I noticed all kinds of neat wind turbines dotting the countryside. A word of advice: if you notice your campground is in close proximity to a wind turbine, do not pitch your tent there.

Our next stop was a forestry site somewhere near the middle of nowhere, Montana. It was very beautiful and quiet. Kate started to get a bit clingy and did not seem to be fond of car rides anymore. I took this neat picture of a pine needle. :)

We continued driving towards Yellowstone Park but had trouble soon after hitting the road. I drove over a piece of metal of some sort and slashed the front passenger side tire wide open. So, on the side of the highway, I unloaded our trunk of its meticulously-packed camping gear, removed the spare tire (which I had remembered to inflate before we left), and changed the tire. While it is about the right size of a spare (not a spacesaver), the rim is not quite right so there was a bit of a gap between the discs and the rim. Hmm. But it drove fine about 100 miles to Butte, where we located a WalMart Tire Centre.

Unfortunately WalMart didn't have our odd tire size, but we were directed to another place that did, and they changed it fairly quickly, and we went shopping for a few groceries at the Butte Safeway, and were on our way. We had a long drive to the park and we were behind a bit, but we made it to our campsite before nightfall. The campsites were crammed close together so our neighbours were quite close; otherwise it was a very nice campsite.

Kate was not doing so well, still clingy, whiny, etc. After a couple of very cold nights in the tent we took her to the medical clinic beside Old Faithful. She had blood in her ear so we suspected an ear infection, and the doctor confirmed this and gave us some antibiotics. Kate had a fever and was not going to sleep quietly through the night so we booked a shifty hotel in West Yellowstone for a couple of nights. And yes, we saw Old Faithful too! Our friend Rachel from Denver stayed with us as well on her way up to Glacier Park.

We headed north and saw Mammoth Springs on our way out of Yellowstone Park. We found a sweet motel in a podunk town and the next day we made it to Didsbury, Alberta, where Michelle's parents live. We enjoyed almost a week staying with them and also with my brother-in-law, Michael. Kate loved playing on the farm with the cats, and I helped build a floor for a shed.

Despite the challenges and setbacks that we encountered, I found that there was always Grace in every situation. We were never beyond despair. It was great to get into a new space for awhile and see God's beautiful handiwork. Thanks to God for his Grace!

Mustard Rock

Today after church we are going to pack up the car and wait at the border for 2 hours and then start driving to Yellowstone. We have a few stops on the way as well where we will set up camp. It should be interesting with a 21-month toddler; hopefully there will be time for sitting in the camping chair with a good book in the shade, too!

Last week was fairly busy (for me); I almost worked a full 40 hours! 3 days were at Columbia, 1 day was split between a side job for my friend's mom's friend/watching Kate while Michelle went to a matinee, and 1 day was contract labour for my past employer Abbey Medical--that was a hot day to work outside! 32 degrees and we're not talking fahrenheit! I had prayed for strength for such a busy week, and God graciously gave me what I asked for.

Joey's Last Day

Today marks the end of a school-year of babysitting! Last September Michelle arranged to watch baby Joey during the day for her friend. Michelle took Tuesdays, and I took Thursdays. Joey is only two months younger than Kate and it has been fun to watch them grow up, reach different milestones, and learn to play together. Joey started crawling, walking, running, climbing, etc. several months before Kate did, but Kate was quicker to use her 'fine motor skills' to use a spoon, or do a puzzle. Michelle wasn't able to continue watching Joey in the spring due to her pregnancy sickness, but I continued on Thursdays.

As for me, it was strange enough in the eyes of our culture to be a stay-at-home Dad for two days a week, but to babysit someone else's kid as as well!?! Unheard of! But I enjoyed it. It gave me a chance to rest from my physically demanding job--still earning a few bucks--while having a chance to spend more time with my daughter.

Kate can't really say her own name yet, but she can say Joey's: "Dough-whee!"

It is the last Thursday of the school year today; summer vacation is coming and next September Joey will have alternate arrangements. So long, little buddy. It was good to get to know you.
Kate on Joey's last day

Norwex Car Wash

The weather was so nice today and I hadn't washed the car for more than a year so I took some norwex products and a bucket of hot water to the driveway area and gave the 'ol car a scrub. Wow did the windows look shiny! It worked really well and I didn't need a hose...however the paint job is getting kind of beat up so it can only look so good...maybe a wax would help...maybe a norWAX, ha ha.

Michelle is doing quite a bit better (almost 14 weeks pregnant), thanks God! We got out to watch a slopitch game on Wednesday and that was a lot of fun--we knew a lot more people on the team and in the stands than we had expected! Kate liked stepping up and down the bleachers too. Last night we got out for our first date in about 2 months, dinner at BP and we watched the A-Team at Silvercity.

In my continuing health soap opera--er, saga--I have discovered that I seam to be mildly lactose intolerant...so much for all my milk protein! Goats milk seems fine though. I had suspected it a long time ago but my symptoms weren't too severe so I wrote it off as something else.

What Kate Did

Kate sails in her diaper box
Kate likes to colour

Kate is usually getting her nose into something these days. As long as she has her nap and goes to bed at a decent hour we all get along! Michelle is doing a bit better lately so that is good! We experienced the goodness of the church lately with different people helping out with Kate when I was at work and Michelle couldn't take care of her. I'm doing pretty good too. Just don't mess with my schedule too much and I'm happy. :) Baby Potts seems to be doing alright too; Michelle heard the heartbeat at her midwife appointment last week. Lately Baby Potts likes California rolls and is not too fond of chicken.

The Great Adventure

The smell of adventure was in the air. The rain had cleared. We set out.
We drove to the Bay with Kate in tow. They did not have what we were looking for.
We drove home.
Kate and Michelle had nap time. I played settlers online.
I won.
I lost.
I mopped the floor.
Then later we set out for part 2. We drove to Superstore (the rain had cleared).
We stuffed Kate into her stroller in the underground parking lot despite her roiling protests-
The pigeons flew to the next row of parking stalls-
We shopped. We found what we were looking for. We left.
Mission accomplished.
It was nice to get out with Michelle 2 times yesterday! 10 weeks. Things are looking up.
But we are not out of the woods yet!

Do Not Fear

Do Not Fear, I am still alive. I haven't posted anything lately because there hasn't really been anything noteworthy to post. Other than Michelle being sicker than a dog, I guess, which isn't really a noteworthy thing to brag about, except for the excitement related to the reason she is sick, which is she is nurturing a tiny person, currently about 1 gram in weight and 1/2 inch in diameter...yes we are expecting a baby in December! But as with Kate's first trimester (or two), things aren't much fun and Michelle spends her day lying on the couch--she can't even take care of Kate really so we have friends and family helping out on the days that I'm working. So I have been busy playing house, mostly...and it's been a bit of a stressor but not overwhelming--yet.

Keep the Faith, Fight the Fight!

Hypoglycemia, cont.

Hypoglycemia doesn't seem to be bugging me as much anymore. I can go longer without food and not notice. I can eat a little bit of sugar and still feel okay. My brain feels normal most of the time. I am thankful! Just working on building up some strength and energy, mostly.

I think consuming essential oils helped a lot (omega 3s and 6s). Also just eating well over a long period of time. The third thing that has contributed has been a lack of big stressors lately. Or maybe I'm more 'immune' to stress? Ha!

I have developed a taste for vegetables. Raw spinach? mmmm! (I get some weird looks when I pull out my bag of spinach sometimes.) Carrots--I used to like these more, they're still good, but they're suspect in favour of celery and romaine lettuce. I like bell peppers a lot more than I used to, as well.

Kitchen table finished

I finally finished the solid surface project I've been blogging about...it turned out quite nicely. I mounted it on a full piece of 5/8th plywood and screwed it to the oak post from the old table I found at MCC. It wobbles just a little...either the solid base has twist in it, or it might just be I need to level the legs better.

I'm happy to be done that portion of the project. To finish off the nook all I need to do is cover the bench sides with wainscot.
I'm tempted to re-do our countertops with solid surface but that is a project for another time.

Date with Kate

I took a younger girl out tonight...she's a beauty. I picked her up after dinner...and carried her down some of the stairs of our apartment; she climbed down some herself too. Then we drove by Ellwood Park to see if the ball game I was planning to take her to was indeed rained out (it was). Then to the Library for a hot date reading board books on the floor. She kept bringing me new books to read and (for the most part) put the old ones back. Around 19:30 we drove back home to her mother, who was in the middle of a Norwex party. So Kate and I just hung out in her room mostly, doing a new peg puzzle and playing with toys; later we got her in her jammies and brought her out to the living room to have her milk and some grapes. Then we brushed her teeth (she really does not like relinquishing that toothbrush!) and prayed with her and put her in her crib. It was great to have some quality time with my one-and-a-half year-old!

Dietary Regimen

Happy April Fool's Day. I confess I forgot to prank my wife (I had been planning to put a surprise in her lunchbox).

In my continuing quest to conquer food, I have found some interesting things. Carob powder: like cocoa but sweeter and isn't quite as loaded with fat and caffeine. For people who are addicted to chocolate, it supplies the same minerals that their bodies crave, without the side effects...it still takes a bit of getting used to but I somewhat enjoy mixing it in drinks and yogurt. Flax seed oil and sunflower oil: doesn't taste that great but loaded with omega 3 and 6 fats. I'm ingesting a tablespoon of each a day. I store it in the freezer. Salt water: I mix a teaspoon of sea salt into a glass of water once or twice a day; it's not as gross as it sounds and it is supposed to help my adrenals because salt is involved in cortisol. Sport drinks like Gatorade have salt (but also tons of sugar).

I had a really good day yesterday, at work. Usually by Wednesday I'm starting to peter (sp?) out a bit, but I had good energy all day. I think the Spring weather helps too. Everyone feels better when winter ends!

Table Progress

The breakfast nook I am working on is progressing slowly. Above is a picture of the first seam of many for the solid surface table. I used 6 sink cutouts from a big apartment job we did last year at work; I had to cut the edges straight and mirror-seam them together in the workshop at home. I bought a triple-chip saw blade for my skil saw, then used a router to trim them perfectly. The seams worked out wonderfully despite my limited equipment--a ziploc bag to mix the epoxy; masking tape and pencils to hold the seam tight while it dried. After I had put enough pieces together for size, I cut it to shape--it looks like a spaceship or a flat football. I brought it upstairs to check the size/shape; it's a bit big but should work. Now I have to glue the edges on--including using our oven to heat up some of them so I can bend them around the curved edge!

Kate is up to some new tricks including feeding herself with a fork and spoon, and going down little plastic slides. She is such a sweetheart--not a baby anymore.

Potts Potty Potpourri

Grandma and Grandpa From brought a Pooh Potty for Kate when they visited us two weeks ago. Kate likes to sit on it sometimes. This was further entrenched in her mind when we went to Silverstar last weekend. Ollie was being potty trained (and doing quite well I might add). Kate watched him curiously at times but I wouldn't let her touch Ollie's potty. That's just gross! ...It certainly added an interesting dynamic to the weekend. I would be reading my book in the living room, relaxing and having a great time, to the background sounds of potty vocabulary. Just shows how you get comfortable with uncomfortable things once you have kids I guess. Also we forgot one suitcase in the hallway when we left on Friday. It had all of Kate's diapers and wipes in it! Luckily our friends from Kelowna were able to pick some up for us on their way! The suitcase was still sitting in the hall upon our return. Guess our neighbours weren't too hard up for size 4's.

Adrenal Fatigue

So, I think I have a mild to moderate case of Adrenal Fatigue.

This fits with hypoglycemia since cortisol (or lack of) affects blood sugar, and vice versa. I am reading a book recommended to me by a friend with a more severe case of this (and also my mom has this book); it is called 'Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome' by James Wilson. Basically it happens as a result of prolongued stress and a few other factors. Like hypoglycemia, healing is possible and is lifestyle and diet-related in most cases; certain supplements are recommended. Right now I am continuing everything I have been doing and feeling a lot better; I've started mixing 1/2 tsp of sea salt in a cup of water in the morning, and am intentionally consuming more vitamin C (from fruits and vegetables) throughout the day. I'm also cutting out some of the protein I've been eating so much of because I think I've overdone it and it's affecting me adversely--but I'm still eating more than I used to back in the day. I'm also eating more good fats like butter, olive oil and homo milk as much as I can because those last awhile in my bloodstream (plus I was losing too much weight). The key is to find a good balance of carbs/protein/fats and to do so throughout the day in small meals. Also a big key is lots of vegetables!!! And, as always, cut out as much stress as possible...

On turning thirty

I turned 30 years old yesterday. Birthdays make me feel old but at least there is always someone a bit older than me so it's not that bad. This is, however, a new decade..."thirties" I think of a chubby bald guy in shorts and a t-shirt with hairy legs, don't ask me why!

Jesus was thirty years old when he began his ministry. Somehow I'm not too confident that the same will be true of me. I often feel that my 'ministry' ended with youth pastoring, maybe prison visiting...although I do lead worship at church still which is kind of an official ministry. Jesus, however, was not a youth pastor or a worship leader...though obviously considered a religious teacher (rabbi), most of his ministry consisted of backpacking around the countryside, healing people and teaching in the synagogues. Is a backpacking trip in the works? Not likely...my health would not tolerate it for long.

When you pray, or picture Jesus in your head, is he older than you? He always had been for me...a youngish Jesus, not an old man...but I wonder, does his physical form stay true to his body age when he died/resurrected/ascended to heaven? In other words, is he about the same age as me (three years older)? Just an interesting thought.

I had a good birthday. I worked a weird shift to accommodate the cabinet shop showroom, sanding the reception desk from 4pm to 8pm...but had my sugarless muffin when I got home (sweetened with applesauce and carrots--quite good!) Last week I went to a Heat game and on Friday my brother and his family visited.

Tonight we are watching the Olympics and taking it easy.

Torch Run

The supposed event of a lifetime: The 2010 Winter Olympics. We walked a few blocks on Sunday night with Kate and Stacey to watch the torch get carried by.



While we didn't attend the ceremony afterwards, a lot of people did--up to 25,000!

In other news I attended an Abbotsford Heat game (for my birthday) last night, with a few friends. It started off a little slow--lots of scuffles with the Marlies--but things improved with the 3rd period, overtime, and the shootout. Abbotsford seems to get themselves into lots of shootouts for some reason...

There's a Surprise in the Bathtub - and Other Tales of Glorious Ignominy

The other day as I took items out of the fridge in preparation to make my day's lunch (with snacks), I paused and decided it was worthy of a picture. Back in the day I used to take two peanut butter sandwiches, a granola bar, an apple and a carrot, maybe some cookies, and that was my lunch for a day's work. Now with eating protein every 2 hours and trying to balance that with enough good carbs and vegetables, I get out the almonds and the cottage cheese and the whole wheat bread and the cooked grains and the leftovers from yesterday's supper and the apple and the carrots and the spinach and the cheese and crackers and the mayo and the meat...and I'm still hungry at the end of the day, and I'm still losing weight! Hmph.

And now that we've talked about lunch, here's another photo and I hope it doesn't make you lose yours:


I was giving Kate a bath and had just decided to get a book and let her play for awhile when I noticed a look of studious concentration on her clean, wet face. "Oh no," I said with great dread. "I hope you're just making bubbles." Alas, it was not so.

Worship

A few people have asked how I am doing lately (healthwise). Depending on how I am doing at the moment, I answer accordingly...overall I am doing quite well (better than I have been in ten months), but I still have moments/days that are not as fun.

Last night I experienced the interesting phenomenon known as 'crawling skin.' It literally feels as though my skin is crawling. Apparently it shows up in people who are lacking sleep and under stress, but is known to the hypoglycemic as well. As I had been short on sleep the night before, I guess that's why my skin chose last night to crawl... fun hey?

This morning at work I was also feeling a bit off, and was praying to my Father to help me make it through the day. I seem to feel closer to God when I am in greater need (desperation). It shouldn't be that way. But I also noticed that this afternoon when I felt much better, I was thankful and praising Him for that. So I guess I felt close to Him then, too. It is worship to need God, because He created us to be dependent on Him. It is also worship to thank him for every breath. Hallelujah!

Hypoglycemia Book Reviews

The first three books I read when I suspected I had hypoglycemia are briefly reviewed below. They are all available through the Fraser Valley Regional Library.



Hypoglycemia: The Other Sugar Disease by Anita Flegg
This is a good primer to hypoglycemia. The author identifies and sympathizes with many symptoms. The real-life examples of people in different stages of struggle are encouraging, as many of them show that progress is possible! It is also a Canadian book, which is nice...It is written in easy-to-understand language and explains things such as the Glycemic Index. I e-mailed the author to thank her for her book, and she actually e-mailed me back! Recommended if you or someone you know thinks they may have hypoglycemia.


Hypoglycemia: The Classic Healthcare Handbook by Saunders & Ross
This book has been around for many years (in fact the MD coauthor has since passed away). It is quite heavy on the 'health nut' side of things but explains the reasons why. The author rails against the evils of sugar, processed foods, etc...which gets a bit tiresome. I enjoyed the medical side, though, such as the explanations of why some glucose tolerance tests get misinterpreted, and the three stages most patients go through (I was in the middle stage and getting quite discouraged until I read that my symptoms were expected). A good technical book with some good health-nut ideas too.


Hypoglycemia for Dummies by Chow and Chow
This is another good primer for hypoglycemia. It is written in easy-to-understand terminology. I enjoyed the coverage of the 'sugar blues' side of things (depression) and was glad to read more about the impact stress has, and how to manage stress through various exercises (though some were a little too far out for me).

Overall I got something new out of each book and am glad I read them all. A friend I know from high school youth group recommended another one about adrenal fatigue, so I have requested that from the library. Incidentally, this friend is struggling with the same thing I am, though he has it a bit worse right now...it is good to know I'm not alone!