The lifelong process of growth and experience one small lesson at a time. Through experiences and challenges I learn that life isn't hard...it's unknown and I'm the one writing my own text book.
There are lots of situations that make us feel as though our roots are dangling underneath us instead of surrounded by the comforting soil that was nurturing us. Situations like family separation or moving to another location. Sometimes these two things are one and the same.
Here are some traditions I’ve found that I like, but haven’t all tried, that I think can bring joy in these times of being uprooted:
1. If you are the ones moving, say goodbye to your house whether you liked living there or not. Go through each room and talk about a memory together that you had in that room. Go from room to room recounting memories and I promise that even the least-liked place you’ve ever lived will suddenly become a holy place for you and your family. When the home is all empty and basically all clean sit on the ground, picnic style, and have your last meal in the place that gave you comfort, growth, shelter, friends, additional family, and many memories. Bringing gratitude into a busy and venerable time will help to ground you and help you to recognize how far you've come and how much you've grown.
2. If you are the one leaving while those you love stay behind write “open when” letters to them. Or if you’re the one who is staying behind as your loved ones go off to do something incredible, write them “open when” letters. Open when letters are prewritten letters for a specific situation, time, or event that your loved one may experience in your absence. They get to open them whenever they feel they may need your words and love. Sure with todays technology we’re only a phone call away from each other but sometimes that’s not possible such as basic training, time differences, deployment, emergencies, power outages, passing away etc. plus it’s nice to have another written words sometimes. Some examples of “open when” letters include: Open when you feel sad, happy, anxious, lonely, bored, etc. ; Open when you: miss me, need a hug, need a friend, had a bad day, get mad at a friend, etc. ;Open when you want to: laugh, cry, dance, go somewhere, fight, blame someone, stay home, etc. ;Open when: it rains, seems too good to be true, you’re needing to make a difficult decision ; Open when you: start a new grade, get married, have your first child, graduate, fall in love, get your drivers license, etc. ;Open when you celebrate your birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, an accomplishment, an anniversary, first job, etc.
3. Be regular and consistent in connection. If your loved one has specific interests your aware of and you see it send it to them, take a picture of it and text it to them, call/video chat them to experience the item or event together. Thanks to all the many programs and technology that is available it’s even possible to send your family a meal or present from anywhere. You can even watch movies together, play online games, or share similar meals at the same time as the other. Whatever sparks your connection with them ignite it with consistency.
4. If you are the ones moving to a new place you’ve never been before find or create some art like state capital silhouettes. Find out what the area is most known for and create, buy, or observe it. Store those mementos in a photo book, scrapbook, jar, etc. However you decide to celebrate your new place of living do it soon after moving there before you get TOO acquainted with the area and start wondering what the significance of it was in the first place. On the other side of that however, is as you are moving take the pictures that seem insignificant. Take that time in the hustle of moving to take pictures of where you lived. It’ll become important to you later if/when you move again.
5. Once you've arrived somewhere new dedicate it with prayer, hopes, dreams, and good positive energy.
Moving to a new location physically can keep us from processing things emotionally and spiritually which are also affected during and uprooting. Sometimes the 'movement' can also only be emotionally and spiritually, without any physical upheaval necessary. Either way I loved these suggestions to take care of our emotional and spiritual experiences during times where we live in the midst of a paradox; knowing what is good for us while also mourning for where we are or have been.
Yesterday, June 24th we got our official orders from the Air Force. These are different than just being assigned to England as they have approved and signed off on our medical and other pre-paperwork. We have been cleared to get passports and start planning with TMO (Traffic Management Office) who help us arrange for all of our things to be packed up and sent over the Atlantic ocean within a 8,000 pound weight limit! They also help with all other aspects of moving over to a new base.
Today, June 25th, marks exactly three years since we moved into our home here on Beale, AFB and now we are about ten weeks away from getting on a plane for an eleven hour flight from LA to London! Ten more Sundays!
For months I've been feeling like a plant slowly being uprooted. I can feel the tops of my roots exposed to the uncomfortable and chilly unknown. I trust in the ultimate farmers hands as he gently pulls me from the nurturing soil that I had been planted in here. It has been well with my soul to be here with the kind and spiritually driven people of our ward and the compassionate and giving people of friends we have made in our base community. They have been exceptional soil for me to grow in and unfortunately I've grown as much as I can in this pot. I've been pruned, loved, and cared for. Now it's time for me to be repotted into some European soil! I know this is the way it goes and I'm excited to see what else I grow into there but in order for that to happen there has to be a moment where my roots just dangle in the air for awhile before I'm back into the new pot and soil prepared for me by my loving father in Heaven, the ultimate gardener.
To live within this paradox is accepting that things can be more than one thing. I can be sad and excited at the same time. I can love being alone and with family at different times. I can love two very different people the same but in different ways. I can be confident and scared at the same time. I can have faith and still not understand all things. I can be fine with moving on but also miss what I'm leaving behind. Life is designed to be in paradoxes. To know the good from the bad. To know joy and pain simultaneously. To be in despair and still hold out hope. It's what allows us to choose and sometimes those choices seem nearly impossible to make.
We can only live in a paradox for so long. Eventually a choice needs to be made. I choice to be brave and productive but my sadness about leaving welled higher inside of me until I talked to my sister and reflected with her how far I'd come. Once I choice to allow the sadness a place she visited and then she moved on too. Some choices don't have to be a one or the other. Life has a way of offering us the same opportunities again to choose a different path. Some choices are just a 'not yet'; each choice taking it's turn when the time is right.
For me, right now, that was being brave and then sad so I could come to terms with really being at peace.
As for being uprooted, just because our choice means leaving things behind, what it doesn't mean is that all of our connection to what we've built is now broken. It means we are going forward with fortification. It means we're trusted and strong enough to handle the transfer. It means this is our turn to be brave and someone else's turn to be open.
What you need always has a way of coming back to you. Somehow. Someway.
Now that we are all caught up for the past few years, we are back on schedule for some military family updates! I WISH I had been better at jotting things down as they came but I only have a few things that probably won't make a whole lot of sense. I guess I just thought that military life would be something other than what it was and that's why I didn't write down everything. Another possibility could be that I didn't understand everything that WAS happening so I wasn't sure how to write out a blog post about it. We'll see if that gets better with time I guess.
On June 13th, 2021 we arrived at Beale AFB in Northern California which I wrote about here. On June 25th 2021 we moved into our house on base and by June 25th 2024 we will have lived here for exactly three years. When I began writing and compiling this blog post June 25th seemed like months away. Now that I'm finishing it up it's only five days away.
Within these past three years we have (and not just collective 'we' but individually),
Bonded as a family as we had a house filled with nothing, awaiting our things to be delivered to us. We also were able to bond because we were all we had at the time.
Training for daily work in the SCOI shop to help the entire base with networking or communication device issues.
Applied to the BTZ program for the opportunity to be promoted to Senior Airman six months early. The whole process included offering a bullets package (like a resume with points of interest revolving around any accomplishments or work you've done within the military). Following the submissions of the package there were two mock board interviews and then a finally one with the Wing. The wing is the highest level of the base with a committee of chief master sergeants. Unfortunately Da Beast did not get the early promotion.
"June 21st- Dax: You know the BTZ program where I could become a SrA early? Well TSgt Irwin said my BTZ package isn’t that strong however the Chief is putting me up for it and I found out at about 8 that I was suppose to be in blues for a mock review board. It was me and one other person who was told about it yesterday and was in blues.
We did a crash course on how it all works and then did a dry run on the actual board. Luckily I didn’t go first because I took notes on his feedback.
It was then my turn and I tried really hard to immediately apply my notes and in the feedback they all noted that I did that.
So now either Wednesday or Thursday we’re going to practice again and on Friday I could be going to the Wing for the actual board.
June 22nd- Dax: It’s been confirmed, I am going to the Wing for BTZ on Friday. I have a second mock board tomorrow which is when I need to be in full blues.
June 28th- Dax: I found out that I did not get BTZ. Irwin said that whenever I’m ready we can have a conversation to start pushing my preparations to promote to SrA which is automatic but should still be prepared for. Everyone says it’s the best rank but there are plenty of responsibilities that come with it. "
Got promoted to Senior Airman and we all got to be apart of the ceremony! The kids even had the opportunity to pin their dad with his new rank!
Da Beast got to be apart of a retirement farewell for a Senior Master Sargent. He folded a flag and was able to present it to the SMSgt and thank him for his twenty-three years of service!
Been able to have plenty of leave to travel to family events like family reunions, birthdays, holidays, and weddings! We have also been able to travel to Oregon and Washington and see National Parks for free with the military 'America the Beautiful' pass they offer.
Had plenty of family visit US as well! We LOVED being able to show everyone some of our favorite places here like the new Feather River temple in Yuba, CA; a bee themed shop in Auburn; Grassvalley and Empire State Mine; Bishops Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland, CA; exploring Sanfranscio for my thirtieth birthday; Sacramento Capital Building and Lincoln, CA.
A Few of our OTHER favorite places we have explored more locally is Terrnero Olive Orchard in Lincoln, CA where we held a homeschool co-op; The Historic Bridgeport Covered Bridge over the Yuba River in Pennvalley CA that we went for a rainy mothers day picnic; Beale Falls Hike in Grassvalley; Coloma Pioneer History Day that we did the first year we were here; Oroville Dam Train Tunnel Hike that we did for a Primary activity; Galleria mall in Roseville for movies and a birthday party for a neighbor
A few of our favorite places we have eaten at is the Happy Viking in Yuba, CA; The Enchanted Forest Dining Experience in Placerville, CA; Old Town Pizza in Lincoln, CA; Mr. Pickles in Lincoln, CA; Blue House Korean BBQ in Roseville, CA where a robot cat delivered us our meats to grill ourselves; and the Bambu Garden in Roseville, CA which is the first place we ate at when we arrived here and were house hunting. We have discovered that California is generally the place to go for really good Oriental flavors just like Arizona is the place you go for Hispanic flavors. We haven't so far had any good Mexican food while here.
had opportunities to have what is called a resiliency day where he and his shop go and do team building activities together such as white water river rafting through Sierra White Water along the South Fork American river; Rock quarry climbing in Rocklin; and Paintballing in Sacramento.
gone to Collins Lake in Browns Valley, CA every year for the Squadrons summer event as well as other Squadron holiday events for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. In 2022 we had a adult only formal charismas party while our kids were watched by some members from the security forces. We also had some from our squadron watch their kids for the charismas party.
celebrated veterans day the past few years by going around to different restaurants in mostly the Roseville area for free food! We ate at places such as Krispy Kreme and Dunkin for a free donuts, Ihop for free pancakes, Outback for a drink and blooming onion, TCBY for a 6oz yogurt. Texas Roadhouse for a certificate valid until the end of May, and free play at Dave and Busters to name a few.
learned how to bake and gave away many loaves and rolls to neighbors and friends. I also had the opportunity to teach our neighbor across the street what I had learned. It was a gift I truly never thought I would get the opportunity to have.
Saw a therapist and learned how to be more confident in God, myself, and the gift of choice.
Had my testimony awakened and learned how to use it.
In summer of 2023 Dax found out he was going to go on a deployment in the fall of 2024 at the same time that OCONUS was opening up. This is the opening of job opportunities for the Overseas Permanent Change of Station. We decided to change our PCS (Permanent Change of Station) wish list to all the bases we could in Europe and just see what happened.
In fall of 2023 Dax called me and breathlessly told me that we had gotten an assignment that we would learn a bit later is different than 'orders'. Our assignment was to a base called Molesworth in Huntingdon, England, within a few hours north east of London. In that moment we were both bombarded with thrilling nervousness about our uncharted future that lay ahead.
For the next few months we slowly let family know that we were moving to England in September of 2024! It seemed so far away and yet we knew it wasn't going to be a whole lot of time at all. At the time we had a Disneyland trip planned for the beginning of March and we told ourselves that's when it'll really start becoming real.
We lived in this denial of moving for months, went on our trip to Disneyland, and when we returned things indeed became more real. We had forms to fill out to be cleared medically to move over seas which took some time but was required to get official orders. At the end of May when we got the information and plane tickets to England on September 4th denial slipped into the paradox of excitement and depression all at once. It was difficult to hold such opposing emotions at once and because of it I was unable to know what to do with myself.
I loved my life here, and not just the physical one of being in Northern CA, at a base no one seems to like, but also what I've been able to build for myself internally. I would miss it all! It wasn't until I expressed all of these things to my sister that I was able to let not just one of the emotions rule me but that I could hold both closely and mourn for this beautiful life we're moving on from. It's time for a new adventure. As my sister put it, "Look at all you've done so far! I can't wait to see what else you are capable of!"
Since April so many internal things have continued to shed off for me and I know it's all in preparation for what is coming next and for the vulnerability that lies during this transitional time. Communication has been brought to a whole new level between Dax and I, I've discovered peace in what I felt like was complex, I found a deeper love for others and for myself, patience, and a lack of envy. It all keeps coming back to God's plan of happiness for me. Every answer I receive: being a disciple of Christ which I will dedicate a whole future post to, loving God and Neighbor before the reminder of the consequences of choices, temple importance, where I belong in His work and other inspirations and dreams.
I'm settling into something beautiful that I'm letting God work within me that I would otherwise be to afraid achieve or even thought was possible almost eight years ago.
We have all come a long way in our family and I couldn't be more proud.
"To honor something is to be grateful for what has been received and to be humble towards what has been given."
So until we meet again, here is a list of the places we've enjoyed eating at where we've lived in the United States:
On May 31st 2019, I wrote a blog post about five ways you can find the lessons in your life which you can find by clicking here.
On June 15th 2020, I wrote a blog post about how learning is a life long process which you can find by clicking here.
On November 14th 2023 in correlation to this blog post I wrote about all of the lessons I learned about myself from therapy. I didn't want to make that blog post two long so I split it into two separate subjects because now that I have had many years accepting lives lessons and being prepared to continue to shed off more layers to expose a real and stronger me as I mentioned in my blog post back in 2017 about the Pride Cycle which you can find by clicking here. I think it's interesting to note that I clicked on that blog post on accident trying to find my life lesson blog posts and it ended up being very applicable to this past year of 2023 which I have deemed as a "season of purging" for myself.
Picking up where I left off in the last blog post, which you can find by clicking here, the year of 2022 ended with the last quiz from my "school of self" or therapy appointments. My therapist had to leave which was difficult for me but I also saw the benefit to it. One of my therapy goals was FRIENDSHIP including the friendships that I had which had ended and I was having a hard time letting go of, especially the deeper connection I felt to that individual. The fact that my therapist also had to leave my life looked an awful lot like a test from life. It was Heavenly Fathers nudge saying, "okay now what have you learned?" It was a practice for me.
Soon after my last session with my therapist I met a girl where we became instant friends. I've had this sort of spontaneous quick connection with a few others before and they have always been short lived. I'm still not sure exactly why this happens but it has, now three times. This time I think I was more ready for it because I knew she was moving soon. It was with my short and deep connected friendship with her that I was again tested. Perhaps these quick and deep connections with few individuals is the fact that I see myself in them. We are drawn to each other because we are unable to actually see ourselves the way others see us so we need someone to give us glimpses into what that is like. They are the closet thing we may run into that isn't a mirror to ourselves externally but internally. When I met her I felt like I met more of me and this time I understood why it might be hard for me to find friends. FRIENDSHIP ,being a therapy goal of mine and a repetitive life lesson for me such as in these blog post here and here, was a goal of mine where I was really actually looking for myself and what a rarity it was to find someone like me!
Now I know from an outside perspective this might all sound self centered but in reality it was a breakthrough for me. It helped me to give myself the self compassion, leniency, and forgiveness I rarely gave myself. It also took off the harsh lens that if I hurt people they wouldn't also be compassionate, lenient, or forgive me. It was an unrealistic lens I was holding onto, was unaware that it existed for awhile, and then wasn't sure how to remove. I kept learning, discovering, and writing until finally in December 2022 I was able to remove it because I saw myself in someone else and could at that point be more comfortably in myself, mistakes and all, in front of others knowing that generally speaking what we all want is a group of friends to make connection with and to communicate together. For the most part we all understand that others are going to disappoint us, make mistakes, make us upset, and confuse us! Generally speaking we all think that's worth it. Friendship needs the start of being yourself with someone else. I was finally able to do that.
It wasn't long after my friendship life-semester "final" that I was invited by a new friend of mine to a bible study. I knew with every part of myself that that was my next "class" I was to "enroll" myself into. It would also be a good place to continue to test out friendships with those of "like minds" but "different beliefs" which would very soon become my next lesson. Bible study ran from January 2023 to May 31st 2023 and towards the end I knew that bible study would not only end just for the summer for me but for now. I had felt it coming to a close. I had felt something else was going to call out for my attention. I believe a part of that was my calling in young women.
Over the summer my life tests started trickling in.
Parent to a Friendship. Living on Beale AFB with kids who are old enough to be making friends primarily on their own has led to an abundance in friendship. It had made me so happy to see my kids with FRIENDS! Which actually makes more sense seeing as friendship has been a big thing for me lately and not just for myself! For most of the friendships flourishing with my kids I've seen my kids truly bloom! Some other friendships have been more challenging but I'm so stinking proud of my children and how they handle these instances! However, I know it's been taxing on them and there have been a few times where I've had to get involved and communicate with the other parents about it. The texting conversation was civil and each situations has been a test of character, my boundaries, and my mothering methods.
On July 4th 2023 a movie called "Sound of Freedom" hit theaters and even before it did there was controversy about it swirling around. I didn't learn about this until a texting thread among our family. That was when my testimony woke up. It was as though what I believed was in a dormancy because I was worried about "keeping the peace" and I genuinely believe that people are good and we're all trying our best. This conversation, however, knocked me off of my fence. It didn't make sense to me that there would be such negativity surrounding a movie that was highlighting the humans who take advantage of the purest in our human race: children. This made me MAD. Another one of my therapy goals, besides friendship, was to "being angry in a healthy way" also under the category of boundaries and maintaining that balance of being kind while firm. It was through this group chat that I was able to stand up for what I believe, I recognized the difference between anger and a testimony, and my dormant testimony erupted! I felt the truth from God's spirit light me up in a way I hadn't felt for awhile and it was because of this conflict and controversy. After passing this test I had months of just feeling my testimony burning verses the calm and steady flow of the spirit that I had been living off of for years. It was a test because God felt I was ready to graduate into my further purpose BUT I had to learn it was OK to do so, FIRST. I had to learn ownership and responsibility over my own actions before using the gift of words God has given me. I had to learn how to use His gift.
October 5th-7th, 15th - A test for my testimony. Furthering the lesson of my therapy goals around boundaries I had a lengthy conversation following the October 2023 General Conference talks. The very last talk, specifically, in which President Nelson spoke about focusing on where we want to go starts now. Social media blew up about it both within the church because of how remarkably relatable the talk was to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as well as from those who have left the church and no longer participate in the ordinances and functions of the church as a member but are still very much involved either by choice or because of church member, family members, who share the talks from general conference with them. I saw many exclaim how hurtful and unreasonable President Nelson's talk was and I felt I needed to share my more neutral insights. I'll link his talk here so you can read it or review it for yourself. The message's intended audience was for everyone by saying we all have a choice to make. He urges that we make sure that the life we are creating now is the kind of life we really do want because the lives we create here will represent the lives we have in heaven. If we "Think Celestial" we are reminding ourselves that our goal is one of a celestial life. We wish to be with our Father in Heaven and families together. We wish to be like God. We try to think "What Would Jesus do?" To me it was clear that if you were truly happy with the life you were creating for yourself and that you'd want forever than it wouldn't bother you that another is living the life that makes THEM happy, even if you think the Celestial Kingdom doesn't exist. Even if you think the church is wrong. In my stories on Instagram I shared a similar response which initiated a conversation through personal chats. With this other person I learned that there was more than just "thinking celestial" that bothered people about President Nelson's talk. There was also a line about "not taking counsel from those who do not believe". A few other accounts that I observed had similar things to say, that 'members of the church were told to only believe in what the prophet had to tell the members of the church and not our own minds'. What President Nelson actually says is that we should "follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost". This is using the intellect God has given us, our intuition. What I tried to convey to this other person was that what President Nelson WASN'T saying that we were only supposed to talk to those who are members of the church or those who disagree with us. Everyone has their value, teaches us, and has knowledge and experience to share. Through our conversation parts of me came out in ways I wasn't expecting or intending and I tried my best to correct my mistakes and continue the conversation with them. It wasn't until the end that I realized what President Nelson had meant. This was another TEST of my boundaries and standing up for what I believe. President Nelson said to "not council with those who do not believe" because if someone's intent it to only seek out our mistakes and faults that is all they are going to find. There is no longer a "council" because at the core of the conversation the same belief to try and find connection and good within the other was missing. Remember that conflict and controversy is NOT the enemy. These two things help our testimonies to grow and after this conversation my testimony grew once again. It was hard for me to just let go of a conversation because I DO believe that everyone should have a chance to express themselves and I LOVE other peoples stories. I DO believe that each induvial is right where they need to be at this moment and that there is a REASON for EVERYTHING! By the end of it all, this conversation ended up being a test for not only my boundaries, but letting friendships go, and finding that balance between accepting responsibility for MY part, sharing what I believe, and holding to what I believe in.
And then my writings started up again but this time on Instagram as a "Looking for the Good" project was born. It's a project I've started up to continue to share all the topics that are still showing up for me that I'm gaining deeper understanding on such as
Light & Simplicity - Often times we feel, or at least I feel, that I must rearrange or add to make things better. I spend countless hours researching and developing methods to help my home run smoother or for my children and husbands to feel more loved when in fact I am doing the exact OPPOSITE. I keep being reminded to "simplify" which has begun a "purging" season for me. Some has been easier than I thought like the things that we watch or listen to as a family. The best part? I've seen these "releases" and "replacements" affect not only me but the rest of my family as well. It's through "letting go" that we "let MORE God". His light is allowed to work through us all should we let it.
The Opposition to All things like ANGER vs TESTIMONY or JUDGE vs UNDERSTANDING. In 2 Nephi 2:11 it says "For there must be opposition in all things". I'd heard this so many times but I feel like being within instances of controversy I finally understood this which has freed me to take better care of how I react to certain situations. Since these opposites are so CLOSELY related they are HARDER to distinguish. Unlike HOT and COLD which are clear cut opposites, ANGER and TESIMONY feel the same. They are both intense and passionate but their purposes are VERY different. Anger comes from fear or hate and has the intent to cause suffering or to hold onto bitterness. It tends to be loud and harsh. A Testimony on the other hand comes from a place of faith and love with the intent to find resolution through being stern and direct. The adversary, Satan, Lucifer, whatever you call him, lives for these oppositions because it is often hard to tell the difference. He likes to claim that your anger was testimony or that those who are actually bearing testimony are heartless and acting out in hate. Knowing this technique of the adversary has helped me to fell more bold and confident in the battle for my soul, home, and heart.
Looking for the Good, especially when it's hard to see it.
Sometimes you need to be a witness to gratitude verses a participant. What if your day is filled with nothing just so that you can be ready for the very BEST something? I specifically thought of waiting for my children or husband to come home. If I'm in the middle of something I deem as "important" or that I'm "busy" I miss out on being able to greet them they way they TRUELY mean to me. When I'm not filling every second of my time I allow myself the opportunity to prove that the best part of my day didn't involve a screen.
Sometimes you are meant to absorb and observe more like going to a library first thing in the morning to see the sun come through the window or pulling yourself into a hug by closing your eyes and applying a little tension.
Replacing "this is wrong" with "how is this a blessing?"
These were just a few tests I've taken in my life, and even fewer that I've been aware of and have been able to report on. These tests will also not be the only ones I will ever experience in my life. I will continue to learn and grow and take more lessons from everyone and everything that I meet. I will continue to expand, change, and withdraw even with past lessons I've learned enough about, for now. Everything I have experienced prepared me for now and everything I am experiencing now is preparing me for the next right thing.
I'm going to lean into this new found boldness with faith that God is working a marvelous wonder inside of me and that someday I will see even more clearly than I do now the completed test of me just living my life.
For the past few years blog posts have been nearly non-existent besides the one I posted in January of 2022. For the rest of the 2022 year and all of 2023 until now has been silent and not because there hasn't been anything to write about.
If anything I have had TOO many things to write about. For example I wrote a lot in my paper journal for most of last year to help me process emotion's and experiences as I went through therapy. I also wrote and self published a book called the "Veiled Conscious" which you can purchase at Barnes and Noble by clicking here or on amazon by clicking here or even Thriftbooks by clicking here. It's cheaper at Barns and Noble and Thriftbooks for a physical copy but if you're looking for a kindle version or audiobook I'd click the link for Amazon. I honestly didn't even know you could buy my book through Barns and Noble, so that was a neat find for me!
Besides my journal and my first published book I've been continuing to write more books which will hopefully published soon. Most of my writing time I feel has actually been tied up in homeschool lessons for my kids. Then there has been my more recent Instagram's posts and stories that has actually followed along the same standard I've been holding this blog to since it's beginning: to write what I've been learning.
These past 22 months, almost 2 years, I've had a LOT of intake and not a whole lot of output. I've been learning about myself which really started when I started therapy in July of 2022. The most interesting part of that was how I finally got into therapy. I had mentioned it off and on for five years before that and I guess I needed some divine intervention to help me get there because I got strep and then right afterwards a cold which I thought might be strep AGAIN. It wasn't, but because we went to my Primary Care Manager (PCM) on base to get the whole family tested this time I was given a mental health evaluation form. As terrifying and emotional as it was to fill that out it's what helped me to finally take that leap of faith which led me to my very sweet therapist. Her main goals was to help me with my three therapy goals, help me to self soothe, find self comfort, self compassion, and to create a network of friends around me. Since we had just moved onto base and the excitement of moving somewhere new in 2021 began to wear off in 2022 the loneliness kicked in. To add insult to injury as the saying go I also haven't been able to make friends very well my whole life. FRIENDSHIP was a BIG therapy goal of mine but I could also tell that my therapist genuinely wanted me to have a local circle of people that I could console with.
From July to December of 2021 I learned
To ride the wave of my emotions. Each emotion has a time limit and at the peak of an emotion is usually the most untrue and unhelpful. I learned how to tell myself that "this emotion is temporary".
Some of my favorite grounding, or comfort strategies, are rubbing fabric between my fingers, virtual/real nature walks, warm showers, connecting to my breath while eating, hug pillows, music- specifically focus, instrumental, or enchanting; changing location, write , doodle, making a plan, the smell of laundry detergent, hand soaps, hay, rain, and finding new recipes to try. At first I thought many of these might be childish but then I thought that perhaps that was the point; to reach and soothe the inner child.
That I am an Enneagram 9: The Negotiator. Not only was the description for this fairly accurate to me there is also the added bonus that the number nine has been our families number. We find it everywhere, especially in important situations.
That I am a highly sensitive person. I took a test recommended to me by my therapist and I only needed to answer 14 questions in correlation to their answers to be considered highly sensitive... I got 25. I then read at least most of "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aaron and found a lot of connections to myself through that book!
"Don't Believe Everything You Think" by Joseph Nguyen This was a book I read and discussed during therapy which taught me a LOT about myself the biggest thing being to "go with my first thought" because the rest of the thinking after that is justifications and rationalizations. It was easy for me to tie in my spirituality and that God is the instigator of those initial thoughts.
That my core values are Authenticity, Adventure, Balance/ Inner Harmony, Creativity, Spirituality, and openness. This was another test my therapist suggested I take.
from my therapist that she has noticed that I am always looking for something new to learn, I usually take the harder route, that I'm a great storyteller.
to honor the anniversaries of traumatic events with good memories and experiences.
to honor my confident self which was suggested in therapy and then enacted when I went and did a photoshoot for my birthday April 2023.
to try and get comfortable with embarrassment by accepting that I'm going to get embarrassed. I'm going to make mistakes and others are going to be witnesses TO those mistakes and even call them out but that THAT is OK. My therapist shared that one of her favorite quotes is "stay awkward, stay brave, stay kind."
about the dream completion theory that helped me also with research for my book that I mentioned above.
that I live in a variety of paradoxes and am I willing to accept that for now?
that I share similar qualities to that which a good teacher has. My therapist brought it up and she wasn't the first. She suggested that I write down a list of what qualities I had that others might see in me that suggests "a teacher".
examples of how to communicate with others. I have yet to practice these to their full potential but I've been tested in 2023.
Boundaries are flexible. I remember this being a big lightbulb for me because the word boundary seemed so firm and stubborn. This line actually came from the book, "The Highly Sensitive Person" that I linked above which I didn't finish because I left blank pages if I ever wanted to go back and finish it. I was renting it from the library and had to return it.
Our strengths can also be our weaknesses if overused or used incorrectly.
that therapy is a school of self. I was taking a class to learn from someone who had a degree in phycological tactics and materials I could look over and write reports on. Within my class I had life quizzes to help me practice the tactics and materials I was given throughout the class. My life tests would then come later to really see how much I learned and expose where I needed to continue to learn. Thinking about therapy in this way helped me to see it's cost was worth it.
To learn more about what I was tested on click here for the next post.
If there is one thing I'd like you to know about the overall consistency of this blog it's that I write when I feel the topic has bubbled up, baked, and is ready to serve. This may give the blog an inconsistency. I myself have been disappointed from the disrupted perfection of posting once a month. Perhaps one year I will get twelve in a row but this year isn't one of them and I have come to accept that because through contemplating the "why no post" these past few months I've come to the conclusion that the topic I needed to write about next just wasn't ready yet. Now that "it's time" it doesn't mean that it is a completely understood topic, at least by me, it just means that I'm ready to share what I do know.
Now that I've summed up my whole blog in one paragraph lets get into the past few months review and then the actual topic: Support Vs. Love. I'll go ahead and bold each section of the blog so you can scroll down to whatever you wish to read about.
OCTOBER
October was the start of a very weird time for us. Between Baby getting sick September 27th, to finding out Wednesday September 29th that she was exposed to COVID-19 from a fellow Sunbeam September 26th, and to having to get our whole family tested for COVID-19 October 1st. To say we started off October with "a bang" would be an understatement.
For the first two weeks of October we primarily stayed at home as ordered to do so until we got the results back. During that time we had General Conference, had our conference camp-out
where we roasted marsh-mellows and played with Melissa and Doug Outdoor adventure toys, and then basically played Minecraft and watched TV shows while we all went crazy but none of the rest of us got sick. Then on October 12th Da Beast had his first day back. We had gotten the negative results back and we were allowed to go back to our normal routines and finally get out of the house. Little did we know that that afternoon we'd be rushed out of our house by a fire on base near the housing complexes.
We ended up sitting in a parking lot for a business on base while the kids played in the grass finding sticks and using their imaginations while we waited for the "o.k." to return back home. We sat there for about 2.5 hours or until the rest of Da Beasts work day. For the next week and a half we just worked on getting back into our routine of home school and work and I also added in some Halloween themed anatomy posts on my yoga Instagram account Story Telling Yoga with Megan:
October 22nd was our first real event on base that we went to. It was a trunk or treat where we dressed up, drove to the neighborhood center, collected candy, and then voted for the best decorated Halloween trunk we saw.
After that all of our holiday festivities began.
On October 23rd we went to Bishops Pumpkin Farm.
There we bought some tickets to the events they had from riding the carousel
To panning for marbles
To riding the train around the farm
To watching the Olypigs:
to picking our own sunflowers,
eating barbecue, drinking fresh apple cider, picking out the best pumpkin,
and bringing home some pumpkin muffins and the memories of the best fall day in 2021. On October 29th we had our Ward Truck or Treat where we ate hot dogs and a bag of chips that reminded me of a Halloween a long time ago...
and if you notice a few pictures up on our on base trunk or treat Baby is wearing the same clown outfit. This picture on the left is my first trick or treating experience and out of a whole pumpkin-head-bucket of candy I wanted the potato chips. This clown costume also used to be my moms so that three generation of little clowns for Halloween. This year instead of actually going around and getting the candy the kids just wanted to hang out at the balloon animal table and then we went home.
November
For November we celebrated Cookie Monsters birthday on November 2nd with a giant cookie, vanilla ice cream, and some natural blue food coloring.
On November 6th we went to Caloma, CA for a Pioneer day which loaded with crafts, activities and knowledge from different cultures and backgrounds. It was so much fun to make our own bricks, rope, cloth dolls and to get to taste homemade dutch oven bread with honey butter and bbq. We got to learn about early settlers, gold panners, different sizes of barrels they would carry on ships, pickling limes, and the toys they would entertain themselves with. We got to listen to a band play music and then as we were leaving we realized we missed a whole section of the state park events! Oh well maybe next year! ;)
Most of my month's energies were spent on gearing up for Christmas out of state and posting everyday on the Instagram account above something to be grateful for that went along with some yogic words of wisdom I was reviewing/learning.
On November 11th was the last picture I really took for the month and it was for Yuba Counties Veterans Day parade. We met three nice older ladies that made sure our children went home with LOT's of the leftover Halloween candy that was thrown from those in the parade. Afterwards we went to a local sandwich shop called Aj's Sandwiches which made very delicious sandwiches. On November 16th we celebrated National Fast Food day by going to another local restaurant known as Elkin's Frosty. We got some pretty decent hamburgers and their oreo frosty was very tasty. On November 17th I went to my first relief society activity where I talked about similar topics as my blog posts "A Friend indeed" and "You Are Enough". The day after I got sick and then for the following week the whole family was sick. We were lucky enough to feel better in time for our travels down to Universal Studios and then to our end goal where our family all was for Thanksgiving. The trip went by way too fast but it was nice to see family, to spend all that time together, to learn new things, to support each other, and to remember how far we've all come.
SUPPORT VS. LOVE
It was on our Thanksgiving trip that I had a really good conversation with my mom that made me really think about the lesson I must be learning because I didn't feel anything specific to blog about. It must be a lesson much broader than a day by day, week by week or even a month by month kind of lesson. This lesson had to be a major one I've been learning all year.
I first started picking at the pieces of the topic and I'm still figuring it out but I’m pretty sure this year's theme has been the whole “Support VS. Love” dilemma. There is a popular saying in religion to “love the person but not the sin”. Something felt off about that saying but it’s been the easiest to explain MY OWN PERSONAL INTERNAL DILEMMA.
Personal internal dilemmas are created when our belief is challenged by an outside circumstance. If we are faced with a circumstance that we felt unprepared for or don't know much about our initial reaction might be to declare it as incorrect. What if instead we trained ourselves to shift that initial reaction to one of curiosity? There is a sense of magic and wonder on the opposite side of the coin from fear and ignorance when we enter the unknown and undiscovered. We can turn our fear into wonder and our judgement into understanding if we are brave enough to venture into the world unknown to ourselves. Especially the world we thought we knew completely but are now being challenged to revisit to either change our direction or solidify it. Luckily there are those experienced in this unknown, after all they are the very people we disagreed with in the first place.
When first writing this blog it was at 2am a few days ago when I couldn't sleep because the blog was writing itself in random pieces that I now have to put together. It wasn't until today when I took a step back and observed the year as a whole that I realized I've been learning this for awhile. This breakthrough is what I needed to bring all the random pieces together. Or at least I hope that I can.
When we say "Love the person not the sin" I feel like what the statement said in ignorance is saying is to only accept parts of who someone is. A few months ago this became very personal to my own self discovery because for years I've felt like I wasn't seen and loved as a whole. I've said things like "what if who I really am no one likes? Because the real me is a real jerk?" It made me feel like I was living three separate identies. 1.) The face you know me as 2.) The Mr. Hyde "real" me I was a terribly afraid of was true and 3.) The peaceful, calm, confident, caring, joyful, intermediary, playful, creative, story-teller, and God fearing woman I saw myself desiring to be more of. I could see her, I wanted to be her, but I felt like the other "me's" got in the way. I was on a search for people to see the complete me and I know I'm not the only one.
It is terribly uncomfortable to face others who only accept bits of you. I think that’s why many of us are on the search to find those who accept everything and it is a relief; even if we know what we are doing doesn’t necessarily line up completely with our purpose (because we’re still trying to figure that out ourselves through trying and eliminating); but to know that this one person or group of people accept us even through our misshapen discoveries makes us comfortable enough with time to let the things that really aren’t US, go.
We feel accepted.
Acceptance, or support, is oftentimes mistakenly connected to love. There is this idea that people need to earn or deserve love or that it has to line up with our beliefs. That is our misunderstanding, our ignorance, our fear to not learn more about the circumstances around us. What we are really saying is not "my love has conditions" but "what if my belief ends up being a lie? What if I learn that my belief was wrong? What if my belief changes?" We are SO UNCOMFORTABLE with that idea that we want to PRETEND that the circumstance doesn't exist. And then we put out our boundaries and conditions in the name of love. What we don't realize is that it won't ever "go away". We essentially have three options to choose from when presented with a challenging circumstance:
a.) Go into it; meaning to participate in the acts.
b.) Go out of it; meaning to disregard it's existence.
Or
c.) Accept it; meaning to question it's purpose for the intent purposes of gaining understanding and grounding on belief.
Regardless of what we choose we will keep being prodded by new circumstances with the same choices to make: learn now or learn later. This is to refine our lives. If we are so afraid of our beliefs being changed by external circumstances is our belief really as complete as we thought? I don't believe so. I believe this is the exact reason why it needs to be challenged. By being challenged we draw closer to our pure potential if we choose to learn from it verses run from it.
So what is real acceptance?
In my opinion, because this is my blog where I express those, we truly accept someone when we can lend our support to them by asking questions to gain understanding verses to use against them as proof that their way is wrong and ours is right. With the right amount of curiosity we can accept a belief contrary to our own without having to disregard it or participate in it. Or if the circumstance is presented to correct our direction to our purpose we can be open to accepting it and all the discomfort of disregarding what we feel like we've built our whole identity on. We can mourn our past existence and we can bring with us the bits that are our more rooted beliefs that have already gone through refinement and that still serve us. By following through in this way we can stay steady on our own course of action, our own purpose, while honoring those who are following their own path. By accepting them wholly we then have also accepted ourselves completely.
This is the meaning of the word "namaste", "The divine light in me bows to the divine light in you." To do this there is a level of understanding, there is no one side trying to convince the other.
Of course there will be consequence to action. We see this all over the place in life with many different names. In the yoga world alone it goes by many names such as Karma and dharma. When our tendencies are inconsistent, problematic, or strays to far from the truth Dharma is then presented as different situations offering similar choices we struggle to make. Dharma helps to iron out the karma and our karma cultivates our next dharma. This push and pull between dharma and karma is known as Lila; the divine reminder of our specific purpose and path we often forget we are on, also known as avidya (ignorance of our true nature or having an attachment to the illusions of life).
Regardless of what name it goes by when we are presented with a choice to make there will be a consequence. Either we will draw closer to our divine purpose and the choices will become easier and more clear to make or we will face it another day through a similar situation. Either way we will face the consequences of the choices we make each day.
Because this is so versatile and uniquely made up for each individual we cannot say one way or another on another persons choices whether they are right or wrong, they just are. We are each here to combat our own karmas by going through our dharmas which connect at many different points and at different times with those in our lives. The karma of another may ignite our own karma but that doesn't mean that they have to continue down the path of your own karma, they have their own to finish! Two may share the same dharma with different things to learn from it. What is does mean is that you have the opportunity to address your karma. You take responsibility for your part, you accept the situation (or dharma) by asking questions to understand, you communicate clearly each role played, and then you move through your own karma. In the end you should end up with a slightly more clear understanding of your purpose and path in life, at least one small aspect of it. This is why everything is a teacher. We have constant learning opportunities but are we being persuaded to follow whatever comes our way with no real direction? Are we avoiding it because it is painful in one way or another? Or are we accepting it as it is and letting it work in our lives for our good and the good around us?
This is why one of the greatest commandments is to "love one another". If we learn to accept wholly we learn to love completely. No one has to hide parts of who they are, no one has to seek acceptance elsewhere, and no one is alone. When love increases, hurt decreases, and great healing comes forth.
Hello again and welcome to my blog where all thoughts and opinions are my own and may or may not be shared with others! 😉
Let's just remember that as we go along together today on our adventure through the information jungle on a high speed train with lots of twists and turns...okay?
First let's go through our families updates from the past month:
Military
As far as Da Beasts job goes nothing has changed. He is still being trained by following others around on their "tickets" or jobs where something is not working and they need to go fix it; and completing a sheet of tasks. The secretary of defense issued a mandate for military members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to which the Air Force has complied and set in place dates in which these vaccine(s) need to be completed by. (Complete article: click here.) Other than that there is only one more "update" for the military but this one is more personal; as of today, September 22nd 2021 we have been a military family for one whole year. Last year on this date Da Beast took his oath and flew to Texas where we began this wild and intensive learning experience!
Life
Speaking of anniversaries, Da Beast and I just celebrated our tenth one.
To celebrate we pattered our evening after our reception which was Beauty and the Beast theme with a menu outlining the reception events and food so for our anniversary I made another menu which is pictured above.
As a tradition every year for our anniversary we have the food that we had at our reception: party meatballs, raw vegetables and dip, brownies and cheesecake in some variety or another. Because these are more "snacks" I usually alter them to make more of a dinner like we did with reception leftovers on our honeymoon when I found some bow tie or farfalle noodles in the cupboard of our vacation rental. However, with this anniversary being the tenth one I figured it was time to write down a fancy 3 course dinner. If you're curious, and maybe even so I can reference this later when I forget what I cooked, here are the links to the recipes I used for dinner or similar ones I found because I already don't remember what recipe I used, exactly:
Honey Garlic Meatballs - The Frugal Girls mixed with another recipe I can't seem to find that involved tomato paste and chopped jalapenos. It basically looked like this:
26oz frozen meatballs
1-6oz can of tomato paste
1/3 cup soy sauce
2-3 cloves of minced garlic (half of recipes suggestion)
3/4 cup honey
~No Spices added from recipe~
1 seeded and diced jalapeno pepper
Add all ingredients into a crock-pot and mix well to evenly coat meatballs. Cook on low for 8 hours stirring meatballs about halfway through if you can.
Brown Butter Farfalle is just that basic because I wanted to use the barbecue like sauce from the meatballs to go on the noodles and in order for there to not be too much conflicting or overpowering tastes I just browned some butter and coated the noodles in it.
Autumn Roast Vegetables - I usually just do whatever vegetables I have on hand to roast. It's always some combination of red pepper, sweet potato, carrots, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and/or broccoli. I coat them in olive oil, minced garlic, and salt and pepper and then cook them in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 min, mixing halfway through.
Brownie & Cheesecake - Instead of cake for our reception we had our two favorite desserts: cheesecake and brownies. I didn't make these but instead bought them from the commissary.
After dinner and dessert Da Beast and I read or referenced notes from the past ten years and how much we care for and admire each other through it all while the kids took pictures:
And then we looked at all of the picture books and binders you see in the the above pictures and told the kids our wedding story.
We finished off the night with our reception video since it was getting late and then the following night Da Beast and Baby had their dance to Bob Carlisle's "Butterfly Kisses" and Bubba and I had our dance to Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years". After that we had a little dance party and that was it!
There really isn't much more of an update than that from this past month. We are continuing our normal routines which is normal for us but if you want me to write it out in the next post of what we do on a "normal" day for us then comment below!
Now that the updates are done we're going to move onto the topic of this blog post:
Vaccinations
*gasp*, hurry grab your defense mechanisms, comfort strategies, justifications, and panic button... you know...just in case. Did your heart rate go up a little or stall just now? Did you clench your teeth or your butt cheeks just from reading the very word?
Don't worry, I cringed a little as I typed it all out too so now that we're on the same page let's put away all the defenses, justifications, and the panic button because I really don't think you'll need them. This post will hopefully add to your library of comfort strategies you keep on hand. If not you can stab me later with your verbal pitchfork that I know you're probably still holding onto but hear me out first before you do that okay?
Okay.
Let's talk....
COVID-19 Vaccine
Oh yeah. We're going to start big because this has got to be the most controversial vaccine talked about right now even though vaccines of any variety have been in the hot seat of conversation for years. I wanted to start talking about this one because then I feel we can work our way backwards from all the confusion surrounding it and due to the recent mandate to be fully vaccinated as an Airman. Da Beast HAD to get it but that doesn't necessarily means he wanted to. Why? Because of all the unknown, misinformed, and equally persuasive information out there. We are in a world were information is vastly available but with it comes confusion and anxiety because we are told to "do our research" to make a correct decision but there isn't a clear formula for accurate and correct researching because everyone can produce what they want you to know. At least not that I know of. It's really hard to find actual truth and with this vaccine that truth seems to be buried in politics. If you disagree, that's fine, you don't have to think it's political. Whether you disagree or agree I'm going to explain why I think it's political.
Those on the "right" say it is dangerous, ineffective, suspiciously timed, and invasive of personal privacy AND constitutional freedoms.
Those on the left say it is safe, effective, a miracle, and our duty.
Both sides have evidence that justifies their claim and both sides produce a response from the other "side" that justifies their evidence. For example the left says there will be "restrictions", "proof of vaccine" and "mandates" that need to be had for safety and efficiency. The right would see this as proof that this takes away our freedoms as choice and is pushed because of an agenda. This would then further frustrate the left and more incentives and restrictions result. It's a never ending cycle of distrust that causes the truth to be unclear.
Another thing that is suggested to do when you are about "researching" for what to do concerning the vaccine is to consult with a medical professional. This is also hard when there are medical professionals leaving their jobs because they weren't ready to take the vaccine but were being forced to OR when they declare that they have been working elbow deep in it all and they know for sure it is necessary. Which medical opinion is more accurate? It is unclear because of all the push and pull surrounding the vaccine.
So if you can trust no one because they are all trying to accomplish their own goals or push their goals on another, if you cannot trust your own research, and if you cannot even trust a medical "expert" then what CAN you do?
The answer is the title of this blog: preparation. The very thing I hear so very little about that isn't also surrounded by something that sounds like it's trying to persuade you one way or the other. And I'm going to tell you how I think you can prepare yourself.
Childhood Vaccines
To do that I think now is the time to go to go backwards to the beginning and work our way back to the COVID-19 vaccine because we have to clear up a few things first. We, first, have to understand the purpose of a vaccine from it's creation: to help people. Trying to immunize your body from something that wreaked havoc on many lives has been practiced in many different ways for many years. While I was reading the two history articles I linked I was envisioning the scene in the movie "Princess Bride" Although this is a movie I think it's applicable to vaccinations, immunizations, and more natural ways of protecting your body from viruses and diseases. The difference between Wesley and Vizzini was not "who was right and who was dead" but who was immune. If you read the articles linked and highlighted above, specifically this one, you will see all the vaccines administered during childhood at specific times in history and will even see that there are a few that are no longer on the list as time goes on. The immunity became so strong society no longer needed the vaccine for it. And that I believe is the goal and center point of those who create and administer vaccinations. Every other belief and fear stems from that center point, but the main purpose is to help our bodies to heal and protect them from further harm. Most who enter the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry, chemistry, and/or microbiology in pursuit of studying, researching, and creating vaccines is to help people. I haven't talked to any one personally, of course, this is just my opinion as stated at the beginning of this blog but digging around in my memories of watching interviews of anyone who goes into the medical field to learn more about the human body is so that they can help others. It's my best guess. Do I also believe that opinion, fears, and corruptness can still penetrate into the medical field including vaccines? Yes, yes I do. It happens everywhere and with anything. But that is straying away from the core belief of the vaccine and in order to clear up the confusion that is what we are trying to focus on here in this blog post. Then afterwards you can take it how you like and figure out what is best for you.
The Missing Piece
So now that we've talked about why and what vaccines were created and administered for let's talk about what I think is missing from this game of tug of war: you. That's right, you, the one who actually decided to give this blog a chance and have read it up to this point and trying to hold yourself together. What both political sides keeps missing (as far as I am aware) in their calculated responses to vaccines is the individual. And this has been a on going poo-flinger debate for more than just this past year. Many claim that natural methods are the way to go and always have been. We have been given the Earth and it's resources to keep us healthy and that's all we need. They fling their distaste and foul opinion at those who disagree with them. Others claim that scientific methods are the way to go and that we have evolved to provide for ourselves. We have been given our minds to keep us healthy and that's all we need. They fling their distaste and foul opinion at those who disagree with them. Then there is the third party that believes both cannot possibly be right. Finally there is the fourth person who believes all are right.
There is a story that Jack Kornfield shares in his book "A Path With Heart" that goes right along with this example I have given. His story is about the right way to practice spirituality. There are two men who believe they are practicing spirituality the "right" way and the other is wrong. They go to their master to end the debate but instead the master says both are right. The third man i the story is confused and says that they both can't be right. The master smiles and tells the third man that he is also right. The point that is being made in both my example and the one Jack Kornfield presented in his book in Chapter Three on page thrity-two, is as Jack perfectly wrote, "There are many ways up the mountain and each of us must choose a practice that feels true to our heart. It is not necessary for you to evaluate the practices chosen by others. Remember, the practices themselves are only vehicles for you to develop awareness, loving kindness, and compassion on the path towards freedom."
Taking this and applying it to how you should maintain your heath is something only you know and can take control over. It is not our responsibility to cross examine how others choose to take care of themselves. Each "vehicle" of heath is available for each individual to take. If you don't know how to drive the car you shouldn't be forced to sit behind the wheel and drive it. If you don't know which wine the iocaine powder is in and you haven't immunized your body against it you shouldn't be drinking it, and if you don't know if your body will be able to handle a vaccination you shouldn't be forced to have it. Instead you should be learning more about yourself. I feel like there has been only two voices heard when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine: the one that says you will be apart of the healing of society and the other that you will suffer and possibly die. Neither voice seems to care about the person in the middle of this tug of war.
Preparation
The best way to know if something is right for you is to research and study yourself. The vaccine, should you decide is the right thing for you to get, is not going to fix everything. The sheet you get with the information about each vaccine will even state that they are unsure for how long each vaccine will last and if it'll protect everyone. It hasn't been proven because there hasn't been enough time to provide evidence of how long or effective they are. Just being told to get the vaccine is only a band-aid solution. Here are some things I think should be consider. I am not a doctor, nor do I have evidence of these suggestions working, nor am I saying that any or all of these will cure you of ailments, diseases, viruses, or the like. This is all my own opinion.
What are you doing now to help promote your health? Do you exercise, get sunlight, eat a balanced diet, take vitamins, use essential oils, seek counseling, clear and clean your space often, etc?
Research the ingredients in the vaccines and determine if you are allergic to any of them. If you are unsure take the list of ingredients to the doctor and ask specifically for a way to test if you are allergic to those ingredients...not if you should get the vaccine or not. I would also seek to see how helathy your heart and liver are as these two main organs will help to flush out the vaccine. It is my belief that most deaths or severe reactions to a vaccine is because the person was either mandated to get the vaccine when they already know their body does not handle vaccinations well OR they had no knowledge of what they were allergic too and found out the hard (and possibly) deadly way.
Once you have evaluated and prepared yourself in those two areas AND have prayed, sought counsel, and decided it is safe for you to take the vaccine I would recommend to do the following:
3. Determine the best time for you to take the vaccine. I would recommend to schedule your vaccine
for a day(s) of the week that allow you to have ample time to deal with any side effects. Also for
females with menstrual cycles or if you believe in lunar cycles, I would recommend getting the
vaccine after your menstrual cycle or after a new moon when your body is in it's highest recovery
state. I would not recommend getting the vaccine right before a period as this is a time where your
immune system is at it's lowest and your body recovers slower. Again...my opinion. Should you
decide or have to get the vaccine you will know when the right time for you is.
4. Once you have the day you will be getting the vaccine begin to increase your health (see above
examples if you need to) about a month before. Then the week before I would recommend taking
morning of the vaccine I would take the fenugreek and thyme supplement as well as place the
lavender essential oil on your neck, eucalyptus on your ribs, essential shield on your upper arms, and oregano on your feet using a carrier oil. Then after the shot before bed I'd place the recovery cream on the arm with the shot.
5. A few other things I'd recommend keeping on hand are quick meals like soup, some bananas, bread, and a reheat-able hot pack for ache muscles.
Hopefully this blog post helps clear away some of the differing opinions surrounding vaccines so that YOU are able to make the best decision for yourself and your family. And even if it has been mandated for you to get the vaccine and you feel as if your choice has been taken away just know that you will always have choice. You can choose another job, you can choose how you educate and prepare yourself, you can choose the day you receive the vaccine, and you can choose to have hope and trust in your intuition.
