I started this post a week ago now, but couldn’t finish it. It was to be about some of the things that I did to keep the little ones somewhat grounded during our long and exciting trip. About how I brought some of the rhythms and work of home with us. How in addition to beloved bedtime toys, books and a special blanket from home, I brought a little jar of wood polish for them to have some downtime while caring for their wooden boats. How we traveled with jars of sprout seeds, letting the rhythm of rinsing them together 3 times a day act as a marker in days that could and did include almost anything. About trying to hold to quiet times and naps and bedtimes in so far as was possible and reasonable, to keep everyone at their best. About how we gave more leeway to the older ones, but still held some form for them and pulled them in when needed to keep them from being over-whelmed by too much. How I thought a lot about the work of Gordon Neufeld during that week and a half and about the role and structure of families in general and ours in particular. That’s what this post was supposed to be about and that’s the post these photos reflect.
But as it turns out, this post is about something entirely different. Because I came home with Lyme disease. And I don’t want to talk about that here either. What I do want to write about is joy. Joy in the everyday little things. The minutia of life that we so often take for granted. I want to talk about my heart swelling and being brought nearly to tears by being well enough to sit by my little ones as they have their bath. Of piling them onto my bed, all sweet clean and deliciously pajama clad and singing songs as I gently work the tangles from their hair.
I want to always remember what a blessing that is and how easily it could be taken away.
so sorry to hear it — hopefully it is caught early and you will have no lasting effects. and you’ll always have those beautiful children to enjoy
Hope you get well soon! Lyme dissease is treated with antibiotics, right?
Yes, I’m on antibiotics (for the first time since I was a teenager), also a powerful herbal blend and other supplements. I’m working with both a traditional doctor and a naturopath who is an expert on Lyme disease. Having spent years of my life struggling with debilitating chronic illness, and finally being well enough to live normally, I have no desire to let this get a stronghold!
Oh Melody. This is such a powerful post- your words always move me. I am so sorry about your illness- I am sending you healing thoughts!
I am glad you seem to have caught it early and are working out a treatment plan- sometimes there is no choice but to do antibiotics, which I learned when my children had pnumoccocal pnuemonia (spelling, I know).
Feel better soon <3
Yes, a powerful post indeed. Sending healing thoughts your way!
Oh Melody, I’m so sorry to hear you have Lyme’s. I had it 6 years ago, and didn’t catch it until the joint pain and flu-like symptoms set in. No fun and quite a bit scary. It took two courses of antibiotics to completely rid myself of it. But it worked and I’m healthy now. Its so sad that being in such beauty can have such a negative consequence. Hang in there mama!
I am so sorry to hear about your illness- sending healing thoughts your way. It sounds like you have good care to get well, and positive thoughts and joy are important parts of healing too. Beautiful shots of your wee ones focused on their work.
Healing thoughts and prayers for you and your family! I was just commenting this morning on fb how I feel lucky here in Ohio to never see a tick and not know anyone who has had lyme’s, just to have many voices pipe us that so and so has had it and how many ticks they’ve pulled off their child in the last 24 hours! We are never as safe as we assume, I guess. I will have to educate myself about lyme and start those bedtime tick checks I suppose… Anyway, thank you for your beautiful photos and post. How important to stop and treasure these moments! And what a creative mama coming up with these beautiful rhythms!
oh, wow. i too recently returned home from an amazing camping trip with my kiddos to find out, ten days later, that i have lyme disease as well. i am now on ceftin, the first antibiotic in over fifteen years, and am struggling with how i feel, both physically and emotionally. i am glad you have been able to find a naturopath knowledgeable of lyme, and that you are able to take time to remember the beauty of life that surrounds you. the special care you take with your children is inspiring and beautiful, please take care and be well.
thinking of you and your family – isn’t it a blessing to be able to relish in how truly good life is, even if it isn’t ‘perfect’, simply because we are living it?
Melody- sending you well wishes for strength and healing. You are such an inspiration to me as a woman and mother; thanks so much for sharing, even through the hard times. I love the creativity, openness and joy you bring to everything you do.