From the time I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be one thing – a mom. Sure I wanted to be a hairstylist and own my own salon and then I wanted to be a 4th grade teacher too. But the thing I had no doubt about was that I wanted to have a big family. I had grand visions of what type of mom I would be. My kids would all look cute, be well behaved always and we’d be healthy and happy.
And then I actually had kids.
(Weren’t they so stinking cute? Seriously! And how young do I look? Those were the days!)
Sure enough, my dreams came true with my three but my grand visions of always well behaved, immaculate kids went out the window. We faced some major challenges. My oldest child, JJ, was diagnosed with autism at two years old. The only thing I had ever known up to this point was allopathic (traditional) doctors. My grandpa was a doctor. You get sick, you visit the doctor. That’s just what you did. But with JJ things were different. We were searching for anything and everything to help our sweet boy. We saw allopathic, homeopathic, any kind of doctor we could find. He saw psychiatrists and speech therapists, OT’s and everything in between. He made it pretty clear that my journey as a mom would be to find what works for our family and go with it.
JJ was diagnosed almost 15 years ago. A lot has changed in that time. (I had a flip phone and dial up back then – hello!) But it’s still clear to me that I need to do what’s best for my family. I’ve turned to a more natural approach with some traditional medicine mixed in when necessary.
Over the years I had heard of essential oils. I’m sure you have too. I have lots of friends who use them in various ways. My first instinct was that it was little kumbaya for me. I rub some oils on my pressure points and then I feel better? But then, my “try everything” side of me kicked in. If they have the potential to help at all, what’s to lose?
Our family is a little more complex than others. We deal with depression, anxiety, autism, and more. Typing that kinda freaks me out and makes me feel vulnerable. But it’s a big part of who I am, so I’m just going to hope that you take what I’m writing with some love and care. Deal?
On the whole, while usually physically healthy (knocking on wood as I type this), our mental health has been challenging. With oils like Balance (a grounding blend that creates a sense of calm), Lavender (used for calming and relaxing), Serenity (another one used for calming, relaxation and overall well being), we can apply topically or diffuse throughout our home. We’ve also used everything from DigestZen for digestive issues, Peppermint for breathing support, Deep Blue for achy muscles and tons of others. On Guard has been amazing as a preventative oil and immune support. We recently discovered the Emotional Aromatherapy System, which my teenage daughter is obsessed with. She not only loves the scent, but even more the way she feels.
While there are lots of companies out there, I learned more about do Terra and decided that was the right fit for our family. They are carefully tested and have strict guidelines. The bonus is that they are really involved in community and serving others – which as you know is important to me.
My goal on 30days is always to help make your life a little easier- quick recipes that your family will love, printables for gifts and to help getting organized, parenting ideas and more – I want you to find help and a sense of community every time you visit. Essential oils is another piece of this puzzle. They have the potential to help your family and home in simple, actionable ways. Like adding Peppermint in baking or using Breathe in DIY bath bombs. I hope you’ll join in on my journey and find what works for your family!
