My little sister moved away to go to college a little over a week ago. The whole process reminded me of this post I wrote, just after I graduated from BYU.

Those first years away from home are quite crazy, in good and bad ways. A lot of stretching and growth happens... but it is also so, so fun. I am so excited for her! She is awesome. I can't wait to watch as she makes memories of her own.

fame and fortune

I've been in the paper a couple of times over the past year, and thought I should post links to those articles. You know, for posterity.

A couple days ago an article was published in the Daily Herald, which highlighted the baby-wearing class we teach at WIC. Link here.

And at the end of October last year, an article was published in the Daily Universe (BYU's student run newspaper) with details about WIC's breastfeeding classes, which I was nominated to talk to the reporter about. That one is here.*

Both classes are free to anyone who wants to come! I love that about WIC. It's all about helping people.





*the classes are now offered at different times, as a side note. i'm sure you were all about ready to attend the very next class.

Wish I could go to this:



Even just the promo is stunning.

Article on it, here.

sickie

...is what my father used to call me/us when we were sick as children.

It was the first thing that came to me for a title for this post, because, well...

I am sick.

I don't get sick often, thank goodness (the last time I had a fever was almost two years ago). I blame that on good genes. And the fact that my mother breastfed me for my first three months. I think it is an ear infection/cold this time. I woke up with a fever, though I think it has gone down from this morning.

ps. having a fever is the weirdest feeling.

I have used the following natural remedies to try to clear it up quickly:

• echinacea tincture (2x already today)
• mullein tincture (for my cough)
• xylitol sinus/nasal spray (2x already today)
• apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons in a glass of water. this is probably the grossest one of the whole list)
• onion juice in my ear (don't worry, that is a reputable source. though putting things in your ear can be potentially dangerous, i imagine, so try that one at your own risk)
• homemade garlic and onion broth (this actually tasted pretty good)
• not eating sugar (even in fruit form)
• not eating much, and only whole grains, vegetables or protein when I do
• drinking lots of water
• staying in bed (mostly), with my head propped up to help with sinus congestion

I will probably try some garlic in my ear next if I have more problems, though the onion juice helped quite a bit. 

Something's got to work, right? I've had good success with natural remedies in the past. I don't even remember the last time I had to take antibiotics, so let's keep that trend going! 

I don't want to have to get a sub for school tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'll take advantage of this excuse to stay in bed all day and catch up on the books I need to read, so I can decide which ones I want to teach in my class. 

I woke up this morning a little after noon! It was a total shock, but I was definitely pleased. I have been behind on sleep for quite a while now, so a couple of extra hours are welcomed.

I think it was the result of the weather being cooler than it has been. All summer I've been sleeping with a wet sheet at night to stay cool, then waking up around 8 (9 if I'm lucky), even on days when I don't have to work, simply because it gets too hot in the house to sleep anymore (our current house is air-conditioning-less).

It seems fall weather just might be coming to join us! I cannot wait.

Sometimes (actually, most times) I feel uncomfortable in this "new" and different life of mine (my life has changed drastically in the past year). My "new" life, is a life of a big house with my own room, a car of my own, money to go out to eat if I want. A life of big beautiful picture windows in my living room, and nice, new, clean carpet. A life of traveling to Madison to visit my best friend, just because I feel like it. A life of having a full-time, salaried job with benefits. And, get this - it's a job that I actually enjoy.

Not to complain, of course. I have worked hard to get where I am, and most days I love it. Even if it does feel a little unfamiliar.

I often yearn for the cozy closeness of my old life. The smelly basement I lived in. The terrible, old, dark green carpet, thrift store clothes, permanently dirty kitchen. The broken down furniture. The familiar summer evenings on the couches on our front porch, large-bulbed Christmas lights all aglow, listening to Colin or Jana play guitar. Often singing along.

It reminds me of how it feels when your favorite pair of jeans finally wears out. You have to buy a new pair of jeans, but it takes a while to wear them in. And even then, once they're worn in, they still won't feel quite how those old ones did. Which doesn't mean the new jeans aren't great, of course. They're just different.

I'm sure I'll figure out how to infuse my current life with the things I loved from my old one. And hopefully it will grow to be just as full, and rich, and interesting.

This is just a time of transitions, I suppose.