Our Essential Oil Journey

I was reintroduced to essential oils recently and I knew they were the answer to Corey's restless leg syndrome. Corey's RLS was the sole purpose I bought my Young Living premium starter kit in March. There have been no medications available to him because of drug interactions to being on anticoagulants due to factor V Leiden. I found very few RLS relief testimonials from oils so I researched what single oils we were going to experiment with and then surprisingly found the YL blend Aroma Siez contained each of the single oils we were going to try in the blend. He received his Aroma Siez and immediately began using it.  He has had NO restless legs! Success! We are both sleeping much better!
I was amazed with his results, I was determined to see what other chemical-free and natural remedies these oils had to offer. I am thrilled to say that I have been prescription and OTC medication free since March 30th! I never dreamed this would happen with using my oils alone. I had been on Adderall for ADD for many years. The side effects of Adderall are numerous and serious (lack of sleep, dry mouth and eyes, lack of sex drive, headaches, heart palpitations to name a few) but had outweighed the focus I was receiving from the drug. I tried many oil combinations: cedarwood/tangerine, lavender/cedarwood/vetiver, and Clarity/En-R-Gee. I felt the oils helped and the combinations were the best it could be (happy to no longer have the Adderall side effects) but I was still missing the focus. I received a Zyto scan last month resulting in Brain Power bringing 18 of 21 biomarkers back into range! This oil is the answer to my missing focus. Amazing! My first day at work with Brain Power on, I had a coworker ask if I was back on Adderall because she thought the "old Jen" was back! I have eliminated my prescription nasal spay, eye drops, and pill for seasonal allergies and replaced them with LLP (lavender/lemon/peppermint). Tylenol PM has been replaced with my homemade bedtime rub consisting of whipped coconut oil and peace&calming/cedarwood/lavender. Motrin has been replaced with oils specific to each ache or pain. Corey used Thieves and clove for two root canals he has had in the past month.  Children's Sudafed decongestant has been replaced by RC and Thieves.
Corey received a Zyto scan also and scanned for Celery seed and Tsuga. The ND that scanned him explained the celery seed is commonly used for acid reflux. Corey's dentist has been requesting him to use Prilosec for several years!  She explained Tsuga was for circulation. Upon further research, we have learned Tsuga is not only for poor circulation but wounds caused by poor circulation. Corey has a stasis ulcer on his ankle that "healed" after a year of treatments and surgery at the wound center only to open back up after a short time. He is faithfully using his oils!
We have been using numerous other chemical-free remedies using our Young Living essential oils that I will continue to share with you here on our blog. If you would like more information on Young Living oils, please leave a comment or message me your email address. I'd love to share this valuable information with you!

38 Acts if Kindness

My 38th birthday was this past Saturday and this year I completed 38 random acts of kindness and service.  It was a wonderful experience for myself and my family. My parents gave me cash for my birthday to put towards my 38 random acts of kindness and my gift from Corey and Rhianna paid for the remainder of the items listed. Here are my 38 random acts of kindness and service:

1) Made some "explosive Rolo" encouragement for my coworkers at the office.

2) Donated groceries to a local food pantry. My sister went shopping with me and gave me more groceries for my birthday gift to donate. While bagging them together, I counted 38 items. Coincidence? I say it's God working out every detail.

3) We delivered a bouquet of flowers to a random house. A gentleman was the recipient of the yellow roses. He was surprised and thankful.

4) We delivered another bouquet of flowers to a yet another random house.  This time, we brought pink roses to a woman and she was absolutely thrilled.  She did not stop smiling and saying thank you! Her response will be forever treasured in my heart.

5), 6) Paid for 2 people's coffee drinks in the drive thru at Biggby Coffee. We were inside at the counter so we could hear their responses.

7) Bought ice cream cones for a little girl and her dad at McDonalds.

8) Brought apple crisp donuts, pumpkin rolls, and apple cider to the Wyoming fire department.

9) A coworker gave me the opportunity to trade our work days so I would not have to work on my birthday. However, my husband would have missed a breakfast gathering with two friends he has not met with in several months. So I took our daughter to school the morning of his meeting and worked on my birthday as an act of service to my husband. He had a wonderful breakfast so it was worth it.

10) Brought a baby gift for the daughter and son-in-law of our neighbors across the street. Oh, and I got to hold him too. Nothing better than holding a newborn baby.

11) I brought dinner and dessert over to my neighbor next door who we absolutely love and adore.

12) I went to the Wyoming library and read books to children. The picture is my daughter and nephew because I did not want to scare off any parents for taking their child's picture to post here.

13), 14), 15) We went to a local laundromat and placed cards with quarters and a note.

16), 17), 18), 19), 20) Placed quarters on note cards and put them on vending machines at Metro Health Hospital.

21), 22), 23), 24) We bought coloring books and crayons and delivered them to little people who had new siblings born at Metro Health Hospital.

25), 26), 27), 28), 29) We went to local grocery stores and put note cards with quarters on the gum ball and candy machines.

30) I helped an elderly woman at the grocery store. She was struggleing to get the items from her cart to the belt so I unloaded her cart, pushed her cart to her car, and put her groceries into her car. She said I must have been a girl scout. I told her, "I love because God first loved me".
31) Blessed individuals at Aldi's by putting quarters in the carts and bringing the cart to them as they were exiting their vehicles. I also gave paper bags to a couple shoppers who were not aware they needed to bring their own bags.

32) I gave someone (not a random person-that would have been weird) a neck and shoulder rub after they had expressed discomfort and stiffness.

33) We raked the yard of a random house.

34) We loaded up all the leaves we raked and brought them to the compost dump.

35) I mailed an encouraging card and enclosed a "mommy time" certificate to a new mom.

36) We enjoyed delivering flowers so much, Rhianna asked if we could do one more with her so we did. We prayed for the right house God would have us stop and Rhianna directed our route. She had us stop at a house where the woman who answered the door was in much need of encouragement. She asked us over and over how we knew...we didn't but God did.

37) A couple from GLM Family camp got married last week. We do not know them well, but we do know they are both on fire for Jesus and can't wait to see how God will use them as a couple. They love on us during camp and it was our turn this time. We sent greetings and a date gift card anonymously to them.

38) We bought coffee and then delivered it to an attendant at a local business. He was very appreciative.

Saying Goodbye

I met Sean Regts when we were both 16 years old working at Steenstra's Royal Dutch bakery. He used to clean the baking pans back in the bakery and I worked in the store. He would come in every day and work alone in the back so I made a point to go back and talk to him as often as I could. (Because who wants to be alone all the time?) It wasn't long and I was looking forward to my daily "visits" with Sean. He would leave every day for a few minutes and return with a soda. Once I asked him if I could go get a soda with him and from that point on he could usually count on me to walk with him across the street to buy a soda.
My sweetest memories were the hours we spent together at Farrow's Music. We spent many hours in Farrow's shopping, dreaming, listening, and learning. Sean was a great guitarist and he had taken up the challenge to try and teach me how to play. He bought me an acoustical guitar for my high school graduation gift. I tried hard to get it and Sean was so patient but I am no better at reading music for guitar than reading my music for piano.
He had a boat that I would join him and his family on Gun Lake. Many fond memories on the boat. I enjoyed being with his family too.
We went to an Alanis Morissette concert in Kalamazoo in the middle of a snow storm. I remember thinking that we should not have been out on the roads but we did make it there and back home safe. Sean had to remind me recently that we had back stage passes before the concert but we did not make it in time due to the weather.
Sean was there for me during a rough period in my life. He was always there to help in any way needed.
After marrying Corey and our move to Ann Arbor, we still remained in contact with Sean. After our move back to Grand Rapids a few years ago, our activities usually centered around Sean's cars. Rhianna was able to sit in Sean's racing cart (no it was not going anywhere!). We sat in his Firebird as it roared for the Metro Cruise.
Sean had joined us for summer gathering/pool parties at our house. Sean and Corey both played in the praise band at church and they would converse about music and the instruments they each played.
November 14, 2010, Sean called me to tell me his doctor found a patch of cancer on his tongue and he was diagnosed with diabetes. I prayed with him over the phone and he remained on our prayer list from then on. He met with a radiation specialist November 22, who confirmed that he had a large sized tumor on his tongue. The treatment was a combination radiation and chemotherapy. Treatments started the second week of December including surgery for a feeding tube and PET scan which showed cancer only in his tongue and lymph nodes. The doctors believed it was curable but warned having radiation to the throat and mouth was rough.
January 24, 2011, Sean was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia in his right lung and shortly after, completed his radiation and chemo treatments. The end of February, Sean was able to go to Florida with his brother Dave's family.
During therapy Sean, felt something was not feeling right and a biopsy was taken. March 17, the biopsy report showed the cancer was still present and Sean was referred to UofM for surgery. April 14, Sean had surgery to remove his tongue. They had to do a trach. Sean also was not able to eat via mouth again. Stage four cancer. No other options available. The doctor was surprised how fast the cancer had advanced in the two weeks since he had last seen Sean. June 21, 2011, the doctor felt the cancer had returned. June 28, biopsy came back positive for cancer again and more aggressive than before.
July 6, received a report from Ann Arbor: the cancer was back and has metastasized to other areas in Sean's body. The doctor said they could do nothing more. Their goal was to make Sean as comfortable as they could for the next few weeks.
I had several sweet visits with Sean. At one point in conversation he wrote he was concerned I wasn't handling his situation well and he reassured me with these words, "It isn't nice when someone hands you a timer, but I'm ready to go home."
July 15, Sean was moved to Faith Hospice at Trillium Woods
He never lost his humor in everything he had been through.
Rhianna wanted to give him a gift so she read a section from her favorite book, Bink and Gollie. It is a book about dear friends who are marvelous companions agreeing on most items and learn compromise is required for the matters they don't see eye to eye on. Bink finds a bright rainbow colored pair of socks to buy and Gollie begs her not to get them. By the end, the two friends find a sweet comprise. Rhianna finished reading to Sean and asked him if he liked to wear bright socks. He wrote, "I wear bright white socks!"
July 22, 2011, Sean left this world to his eternal home with his Heavenly Father. Though I am sad for him to leave us here, there is great comfort in knowing he is in a better place and pain free!
Sean you will be missed, but I'll see you on the other side!

Christmas 2010

We had such a wonderful Christmas season this year. I truly did not want it to come to an end. Our family had more parties and gatherings to attend this year than in the past years. We started with our first Christmas party at our friends Nita and Bomber the weekend of Thanksgiving. They are the Griswolds of today when it comes to decorating and they held nothing back again this year. Rhianna joined this celebration this year just to see all of Aunt Nita's decorations. She was the only little person there so she gladly took in all the special attention.

The first weekend in December we had our Vander Giessen family Christmas. We (my Dad's three sisters and each of their kids and their children) all met at Jenison Bible Church and packed the house for a wonderful potluck dinner, games, and fellowship.

The following weekend we had Corey's Applebee's Christmas breakfast on Saturday morning. Wow! He has a wonderful group he is working with. I enjoyed meeting the faces I have heard so much about.

Sunday, Rhianna had a part in the Christmas program at church playing Lilly. She had fun and she did great! Corey's mother was able to come in from Jackson along with her husband and a grandchild and a great grandchild. We all sat in the very front row proudly watching our littlest star. After church, we met at Monelli's for lunch and then they headed back as the snow quickly started to fall.

Thursday I had our office Christmas luncheon. Twelve of us women and Doctor met at the Lily Pad in Byron Center. We were missing one sweet lady as she had a house fire in the early morning and lost everything. Our celebration was dampened by the news but we gathered around this young woman and her family in her great time of need. I am in awe as we hear the stories of God's protection and provision.

The following Sunday we had our family Christmas dinner and celebration. My siblings had decided we would not exchange gifts with each other or the cousins but that we would have a separate "sleepover" party. We had a wonderful dinner and exchanged gifts with Nana and Papa and ate many yummy appetizers and treats throughout the evening.

Ashley and Lucas

Christmas eve and Christmas day we had no plans outside of our home. Rhianna opened her gifts Christmas eve and we spent Christmas day all together. Christmas presents were wrapped and placed under our Christmas tree one night about week before Christmas. The next morning I found Rhianna in front of the presents giggling. She explained to me that she was getting the Wii. I asked her what made her think that and she proudly proclaimed she just knew! Last year my parents gave us money for Christmas and I really wanted to get the Wii then but Corey had been out of work for the prior month and he felt it was more responsible to buy meat so that is what we did. Throughout the last year if Rhianna spotted a Wii in a store she would make a point of telling us, "There is the Wii that Dad won't let us have!" That bugger! Corey and I searched high and low for a box the same size, filled it with two 5lbs bags of flour and a mold to make snow forts, wrapped it identically to the Wii present, replaced the present under the tree. She was disappointed upon opening the gift to find the box was not a Wii however Corey gave her a gift with a clue sending her to another clue which sent her to the real Wii present. Disappointment quickly changed to pure excitement! Our family has enjoyed every minute playing together sharing many laughs as Wii play!

New Year's eve we had our "sleepover" party at Nana and Papa's. We started our time together playing the Wii on Papa's big screen. We had dinner together and then I planned several surprises. First, we made a "hand print family tree" as a host/ess gift for Nana and Papa, played the "cookie face race" game, made chocolate snowballs to pass out to shut-ins from our church, decorated sack bags for the Kids' Food Basket, and watched a 20 minute DVD I put together of the last year of memories. We ate crackers and cheese with sparkling juice as we watched the ball drop. Each of the little cousins made it to midnight too! Saturday morning I woke up to sweet little faces greeting Auntie Jen. I loved EVERY minute. We ended our party at Terry Hall for some rollerskating. The rollerskating brought each of us down memory lane as it had been at least 20+ years since the last time we were there.

Sunday, January 2nd we had our final Christmas party with the Williams family in Jackson. We celebrated at the home of Corey's brother, Brock and his wife, Stephanie. Brock's two older children were there with each of their kids along with Brock's youngest, Torrie. Corey's mother and husband Dick also came. We enjoyed good food and time together.

Stephanie with Abigail and Aubrey

Fall 2010

Jackson, MI

Mason, MI

10.30.2010

Joshua and Ashley

Michael

Emily

Ashley and JayneAnn

Grandkids in birth order

Lucas 3 weeks old

Nana and Papa

Jason holding Lucas

Siblings

Trick or Treat

Lucas with Kelly

Gracie 10.31.2010