Happier moments lead to detox on the brain...

First off, I want to thank everybody who felt sorry for me last week. :) Haha, just kidding, but I really did appreciate words of support and kindness. I know there is plenty more that could, and someday probably will, be worse than a family full of sick and cranky kids. But, I sufficiently vented, logged it away for future generations to read of and was able to see humor in our plight by sharing. So...thanks for listening, everybody. :)

Second of all, update on the Ballard household . . . ready for this . . . everybody is (just about) back to normal!!! Let the celebratory trumpets sound their call! Bethany's throwing up episode last Sunday night was a singular incident and after that, everyone has steadily improved. Ben and JC are both holding onto their coughs a bit (JC would probably be annoyed that I say "a bit" since, when he does cough, it is rather miserable for him) but even those are improving. Due to what I like to think of as a combination of all my obsessive "get us better NOW" efforts (including but not limited to the following: sanitizing bed linens, stuffed animals and pillows; air detoxification (this stuff is fantastic, I highly recommend it...you can check it out along with a lot of other amazing products here); vigilent humidifier use; highly enforced early bedtimes and good naps; an air duct cleaning (much needed); deep cleaning and disinfecting of entire house; eating as organic as possible/cutting back on meat consumption; major vitamin and herb intake; fresh air; an intense Cold/Flu Detox for JC (he is SUCH a trooper...had to drink nasty herbal tea and REALLY nasty herbal formulas...my hero!) and, of course, a mom's most prized weapon - - lots of praying) I can confidently say we are all just about better!

For now at least!

But anyway, I think the whole experience has been good for me, having to really examine what could be making us sick. (Though, my mom reminds me that when my brother and sisters and I were all little, we would get sick like this all the time...sometimes you just get sick!) But, I had to take a close look at what we consume, the environment we live in, what we use our bodies for, what we breathe in...I had to become very deliberate about it all and it woke me up a little bit. I've been thinking about all of this for a while now anyway, but the thought process was very concentrated in these last couple of weeks. Our health really is in our own hands. We can be complacent and let come what comes or we can be proactive and aware of our bodies and our environment.

These thoughts were taken further as I examined L. Tom Perry's talk from this last conference "Let Him Do It With Simplicity". He talks about the four basic needs we all have...those for food, clothing, shelter and spiritual fuel. I greatly enjoyed the concepts touched on and have spent a lot of time thinking about them.

There are so many destractions in our lives...or at least in mine! If everyone else manages to function well and stay focused in spite of them, I suppose someday I could learn to. But right now, it feels like there are too many things going on...and only a few of them that are really, truly important.

I feel the need to simplify. Physically, spiritually, mentally, etc. The word "detox" keeps coming to mind. I feel my family could benefit from a whole-life detox. I feel like my house went through one this past week! And how fantastically fresh the air seems and the floors feel and everything looks . . . I could use some of that spread out all over all areas of our lives.

SO, my goal this week - - make a detox plan. The remaining months of 2008 will be all about DETOX for the Ballard Bunch.

This should be interesting . . .

P.S. Pretty sure I'm going to detox my internet out. It's being REEdiculous and will not let me load any pictures on here to show as proof that the kids are feeling better. Lots of playing going on. But anyway, perhaps tomorrow. So, as of now, this will stand as one of the few picture-less posts. :)