Needles= Pain Free
How ironic is it that having needles stuck all over me, makes me feel better? Acupuncture, along with my custom herbal tea, has made such an amazing difference in my life! I had my fourth treatment today, and I almost fell asleep during it. I actually look forward to my visits. To go along with my inspiration and renewed life energy, I found this proverb:
Fear less, hope more,
eat less, chew more,
whine less, breathe more,
talk less, say more,
hate less, love more,
and all good things will be yours.

Celebration Time
Today is Aron and my second wedding anniversary! It seems like our wedding was so long ago. We're really excited to be able to celebrate by seeing our fave Athens band at Edgefield tonight. Dubconscious is a group of amazing reggae artists. We first saw/heard them when they opened for the Legendary Wailers on one of our first dates. They're super nice people with a wholesome peaceful message. Hopefully, Aron and I will have time to go out to dinner somewhere relatively nice before the concert. I hope he likes his present; he's hard to shop for b/c he always says he doesn't need anything. No matter what, I know I'll have a wonderful time with my best friend in the world!

From a very wise man, Rabbi Shmuley:
"Your marriage is not a facet of your life. It is your life. It is not a detail of your happiness, but its source and greatest blessing. "

Feeling Good is Hard Work
I had my third acupuncture treatment yesterday. Because my TMJ (a jaw joint disorder) has been bothering me recently, he focused on that area this time. I got to experiene two new things: a jaw muscle massage done from the inside of my mouth and electro-acupuncture. The jaw massage was slightly uncomfortable, but not too bad at all. The electro-acupuncture felt really weird and kinda freaky. It seemed like worms were crawling around under my skin. I was very proud of myself for taking some deep breaths and getting through it. While the needles were in me today, I enjoyed listening to the calming music and having awhile to rest; I almost fell asleep! The next thing I need to conquer/master is drinking the herbal mixture he custom-made for me. I'm supposed to drink it 3 times per day, but b/c it tastes very strong and earthy I've been having a hard time making myself take it. I'll have to keep reminding myself that I'll try anything to feel better!

I Have a Crush...
Thank goodness acupuncture has been getting rid of my headaches and dizziness, so I was able to go out last night to hear my favorite band, outPost! It's hard to describe how truely awesome they are. Their voices are amazing and lyrics and songs both funny and thought-provoking. Their energy is positively inspiring. You can't help but jump up and dance. All 5 guys are also super-friendly, sweet, and down to earth. What more could you ask for?!

Why the odd picture today? It's not the usual photo of crafts or fur-kids because I'm feeling human again! After many years of headaches (which recently have become constant, unbearable, and with the added delight of dizziness and nausea), I decided to give Eastern medicine a try. I've been thinking about trying acupuncture for quite a while, but was nervous. I'm not normally needle-phobic, but the thought of having tons of needles stuck all over my body was scary. All of the meds give me no relief. Lately, I've become almost bed-ridden, not able to do anything but watch tv. And although my kitties and doggies really enjoy cuddling with me, laying around all the time gets really old (and I'm sure Aron is tired of having to take care of all 8 of us!). So, Monday I finally had acupuncture. No the needles aren't as long as the ones in the picture- thank goodness! It wasn't that bad at all-especially since I also get a neck and head massage, foot massage, and Chinese aromatherapy. Since then I've gradually felt better and better. I was so excited to be able to vacuum, sew, do laundry, craft, and clean a closet today! I want to give my acupuncture doctor a huge hug and kiss! I'm looking forward to my next appointment...
I also want to thank my amazing husband and parents for always being so patient, understanding, and helpful to me. I definitely wouldn't be able to get through all this without them!

Mississippi

Believe it or not, I'm still recovering from last weekend. I had a booth at the Mississippi Avenue Street Fair. It was my first time vending there and it was SO busy! The customers were wonderful. Hubby had fun seeing tons of dogs (including a certain St. Bernard who was so excited to see us, he almost knocked my table over!). Sandy slept in the shade under the table most of the day because it was really warm. He enjoyed sharing some strawberry shortcake with me!

Are you happy to see me...
The other day in the car on the way to Enchanted Forest, my hubby got to sit between my two nieces. The girls were being very silly and having a lot of fun playing with their uncle's beard. Then, in her cute little voice, the 4 year-old asked my hubby "What's that bump in your pants?" The car grew quiet as my sister and I wondered what he would say... we were relieved when he answered "Chapstick!"