Introducing: Little Brother!

Bits and Pieces...

I'm sitting here typing to the background noise of Elmo's world video, and my 2 year old, Cute Child, is randomly screaming into the living room air "ANMIMALS!" and "MISTUH NOOODUL"... I figure it's a good time to do a short update.

This morning when I went to my doctor here, I told her for the first time (I know, I know, even she said I should have mentioned it months ago) about the nightmares, the anxiety/panic attacks, and the vitamins I'm taking. She asked me to explain in detail what it all is like, what I feel, don't feel, etc. And then she said with such firm resolve, that this is completely classic thyroid problems, and promptly wrote a script for me to go into the lab downstairs and get a full work up for my thyroid. I did this a few years ago, and it cost my insurance company in the US something over a 1,000USD. I paid cash this morning, it was 4,700KES. That's like 55USD folks. 2 things: why on earth is it so expensive in the States for blood work? and. I wonder if all of this is a thyroid related problem!!?

In 3 hours we will be at the airport here, picking my parents up. I'm so excited, and not just for the suitcases full of goodies. (such as the 16oz of medium cheddar cheese she is bringing!!!) I'm really excited to see them, for Cute Child to play with them. For the help with getting our new house ready, and the new baby.

Speaking of... I think we have chosen a name for the baby. :) But I will leave you all in suspense. Sorry, but it's been quiet up till now, why not wait till he comes!?

And soon, soon folks I will post pictures of our new house. Yes, an actual house. Stand alone. Not even a town house!! It's in a 9 house compound. SOooo excited! Tomorrow I think we will plant some grass there, pick up some paint, decide how to paint the kitchen cupboards and built in closets. (white). I just found out that there are no rollers here. Just paint brushes. REALLY wish I had known this a week ago, it would have been easy for my parents to throw that stuff in their suitcases! Oh well.

Anxiety, Curses.

We live in an incredibly active spiritual, supernatural world. Whether you like it or not. Whether you are in Canada, United States, DRC, or Kenya. However, when you are here, and random weird things start happening, that seem to be happening to no one else... sometimes it's worth considering the idea that it is possible someone has gone to a witch doctor and attempted to put a curse on you, your house, your cat, or whatever. Sounds much more freaky then it actually it is. But that's only if you don't have Jesus. ;)

We've been struggling with rats/mice for the past several months. About 2 weeks ago, I suddenly realized, 'how is it that out of 45 apartments in our compound, we are the ONLY ones with this problem?!'. So Hot Husband and I began to pray. . . anointed the house with oil, etc. And no more rats or mice... at least inside the house. . There has been some evidence of them outside on the window ledge. I can't say for sure either way what the dealio is. But I can say, it's definitely worth considering these things.

A friend of mines guard had his little girl die in the night, she was 2. According to his village tradition if someone dies, it's ALWAYS someone elses fault. This guard decided that it was his coworker, my friends house help. They're from the same village. The guard then went to a witch doctor and placed a curse on the house help. Now her house is in a bit of chaos. She fired the guard yesterday.

Stepping back out of these things a bit. I'm having weird dreams. For several months. Where I wake up completely overcome with stress. Anxiety. Though I pray, renounce, or whatever... it still can take several minutes to snap out of it. Lately it can happen in the daytime as well. Last night when it happened Hot Husband was trying to get me to relax while praying for me, and though I was relaxing all of my body to the best of my ability- my muscles were still tense. It took about an hour for me to fully snap out of it. It can often happen when I'm on the computer. I have come at it from every angle, and when I'm not struggling, I have no fear, no anxiety, I'm not stressed... The anxiety, even when in it, is completely nonsensical. Last night I started to wonder if this is a chemical/hormonal thing having to do with pregnancy. It simply has no basis for its existence. Because of that, it's either some sort of curse, or some sort of chemical imbalance.

At any rate, I ask that if you read this that you pray for me. That this would not be something I struggle with any longer, and that the baby would be protected from it. That I would not have this during labor and delivery. That if there is a supernatural element to it, it would be broken, and we would have wisdom to what is going on!

Aha! :

I was thinking after I wrote this, since all this morning, and this afternoon I've been having this sort of anxiety mind numbing, muscle tensing body sensations... And realizing two things. 1. It is happening purely to my body, if I check in with my spirit or my emotions, they are not in a state of turmoil or stress. 2. I've been taking a lot of vitamins, including a Shaklee immunity booster- Nutriferon in order to not get any more sick then I already am.
This is has made me wonder- Are the vitamins and their mixture causing a chemical reaction with my hormones? Definitely worth cutting them out for now at least!!!!

24 hours later:

haven't had a single "episode" today. and i'd say today i've had much more reason to. (more on that later). no nutriferon in about 30 hours... i'm more and convinced the nutriferon had something to do with it. whatever the case, i'm just feeling more 'sane' today! thank you Jesus! thanks for praying!