The Silly Twilley Littles

The boys have recently started a new school year. First Grade and Sixth Grade. Oh my!  The previous school year was wonderfully bittersweet.  Grant had the best kindergarten teachers! Luckily for us one of them attends church with us!

This lady loves my baby and they are both Auburn fans!  Toward the end of the school year I asked Grant if he knew who loved him the most.  His answer was "mommy and Mrs. Wynn"!

The challenges Grant faced in Kindergarten were all about focus, slowing down, patience, and staying on task.  He loved learning to read.  He won the poem recitation for Kindergarten at his school and got 2nd place out of 10 elementary schools that competed together in our county.  This one is usually ready to tackle any adventure!  We made an oil blend of vetiver and cedarwood diluted with coconut oil that he applies before school.  Over the summer we began applying it again mid-afternoon.

Parker finished elementary school in May.  He was blessed to have had a teacher from 4th grade for 5th grade as well.  He may even get her again in 7th grade since she moved to the middle school he attends this year!  He would love to have her as his science teacher.  Parker has been blessed with wonderful teachers during his elementary career.  We are thankful and greatly appreciate them, the principal, and the staff.  Fifth grade for Parker included a rockstar duo of teachers!  He is in the National Jr Beta Club.  The Quiz Bowl team from his school's Beta Club won for the state and got to compete at the National Level in Nashville, TN over the summer.  It was a great experience!  He ended 5th grade with all A's.  Parker's favorite oil is peppermint which has eased the pain from occasional headaches and is invigorating.

Now my first baby has started middle school.  He will do well once he gets through the adjustment period.  He's like his momma.  Change is good, but so uncomfortable!  A little Young Living Valor over his heart each day (and usually mine) gets him (us) ready to work through whatever comes our way.

Additionally as we head back to school and work, we are using our wellness blend to support our immune systems.  It has been incredibly easy to incorporate the use of essential oils into our day to day lives.  The boys even clean their bathroom with chemical-free Young Living products from the Thieves line.  I love that they can participate in the maintenance of our home without the concerns of toxic chemicals!

We are looking forward to Grant continuing to learn in 1st grade, what middle school brings for Parker, and especially Parker's experience in Moxie (our church youth group).  We are preparing our hearts and minds for incredible growth this year!

Anything shared about Young Living essential oils are specific experiences for our family.  If you want to check them out click here

Root Causes

I mentioned in my last post that I had not been feeling 100%  for a while now.  This is a huge factor in my initial interest in essential oils.  There are so many plants with properties in their oils that support a variety of human functioning.  Modern medicine is amazing and has proven to be beneficial in many areas. However, if there is something that occurs naturally, why wouldn't I try it?  I remember as a child wondering why the three wise men gave Jesus frankincense and myrrh in addition to gold.  That should have been enough to tell me that they are beneficial!  They were presented to baby Jesus with gold!

I began my own research into all my many ailments and symptoms.  What became apparent to me is that modern medication and trying to treat my various symptoms one by one was not working.  Sure, I could take Excedrin every single day and the headache would go away, but it was coming back the next day.  My gut and liver were going to take a beating with this continuing month after month after month.  Two years of eczema that suddenly appeared.  Weight gain.  I realize I'm getting older and metabolism can slow down, but this was too much with no explanation.  Old stretch marks from pregnancy starting to itch terribly.  Brain fog.  Concentration struggles.  Memory struggles. (If you know me, this clearly states there is a problem!)  Depressed mood. Constant fatigue hitting mid morning to early afternoon every single day.  Little motivation.  My research started to reveal that maybe some of these were connected and that maybe, just maybe, there were some root causes to explain much of it.  Perhaps, if the root causes could be identified, I'd be on the road to feeling well again.

Here I am now (finally) with some knowledge about my health!  I have inflammation in my gut.  I have a Vitamin D deficiency.  I am deficient in all B vitamins with a severe deficiency of Vitamin B9.  I have a defective (mutated) MTHFR gene.  In June 2014 my TSH came back high so I was prescribed levothyroxine.  For a year my TSH has been in the normal range, but I have felt anything, but normal. After further testing, it was discovered that my T4 is within normal range, but my T3 is not.  Levothyroxine isn't doing anything for that, so a new medication has been prescribed.  With that replacement and suggesting some supplements and detox baths, I hope when I return for a follow up in 10-12 weeks to be feel better and for my lab work to be better.  It's a journey.  I've had to research for myself, ask questions, ask for personal referrals to functional, holistic doctors that treat the whole person and look for root causes.  I will continue using my essential oils for the benefits they provide my family, and I will share about them with everyone.  One of the biggest blessings from the oily journey is the community of people that I have been connected with who are so encouraging and helpful.

Thankfully I can begin this season of returning to work and to my graduate classes after the summer break with answers and hope.

If you're interested in hearing more about how essential oils and other Young Living products have been incorporated into the lives of the Silly Twilleys, I will be happy to chat! www.goldendropsociety.com/brendatwilley

Emotions...Bringing Me Back to Sharing

After a long season of not feeling 100% on a daily basis and not knowing how I wanted to express myself or use this blog, I am led to give a synopsis of the past year and half. It won't happen all today, but over the next few days. I am reminded of the flood of emotions I felt in the midst of taxing relationships.  Much of those emotions were brought on by my wanting people to do what I thought was best for them or what I wanted them to do.  It is freeing to release that.  Share from your experiences, share what the Lord leads you to say, but the end result is theirs.  It is much easier to love someone and support them where they are when you release the expectations you have for them and how you think they should live their life.  There is something to be said about experience and wisdom, and when people appreciate that it definitely has a positive impact, but if they don't, that's okay, too.  You spoke. You shared.  If they choose their own way, you can choose to love them anyway, condemn them, or let them go.  Choosing to love them doesn't say you agree with them or approve of their choices, but it does tell them that they are worthy of grace.  If we accept the grace Jesus has given us, how can we not extend that grace to others even if they don't do things exactly the way we would want them to?  I choose to share my experience and my 38 year old wisdom, to speak truth, and to love them even if their choices seem disastrous.

Releasing control of people has been a struggle!  Sometimes I really do know what I'm talking about. Sometimes I can see that the results of their choices are going to lead down a difficult path.  In the end, it's not my path.  I have to accept their choices and choose my reaction.  I've had to acknowledge that I am a manipulator.  I try to make things happen a certain way.  It seems good to me so the end result should be exactly like I want and how I picture it. Ha! My ways are not His ways.  My path is not someone else's path.  Thankfully, there has been breakthrough in this area of my life and  I can love people where they are and encourage them to grow.  I can't make them do that, but I can encourage them.  Encourager.  That's me.

It's also been brought to my attention that I am a peace keeper rather than a peace maker.  Speaking truth can shake up the peace, and that is uncomfortable for me.  Sometimes, we are (I am) called to speak truth that someone doesn't want to hear.  I hate conflict and not just between myself and others, but also between others who are important to me. I've been a peacekeeper in my family for a long time.  If everybody could just understand one another, their relationships would be okay.  That was my thinking. Defend this person.  Defend that person.  Exhausting!  A common theme over the last year and half:  Speak the truth with grace.  Their reaction isn't my problem. Although I believe that, living it is still a process.  Feeling uncomfortable because what I say may not be received well even when spoken with grace isn't something I am fond of.  The Lord is not finished with me yet!  True peace is made when we are living in line with God's will for our lives.  Sometimes we are (I am) called to have a difficult conversation communicating where someone is missing out on true peace because of their misalignment with God's truths.  That is how we become a peace maker rather than being a peace keeper who tries to ignore any unpleasantness.

Emotions.  What a roller coaster!  A simple answer to supporting my emotions is essential oils.  I am so thankful for how I feel them working in my life.  Emotions is just one aspect of the change essential oils has brought to me and my family. I'll be sharing my story with Young Living essential oils over the next few days, as well as further updates on the entire Silly Twilley family.  I would love to share this journey with you.
www.goldendropsociety.com/brendatwilley

Celebrating My Parents

Today my parents celebrate their 44th anniversary. They've lived in 3 states and 6 homes. They've raised 3 daughters and a teenage grandson. They've rescued daughters A and B in times of struggle...more than once. They provided a roof and warm bed for my littles (the husband and me, too, of course). They've suffered the worst sadness, the loss of a daughter. They've lost 3 of 4 parents and a brother. They've watched daughters graduate high school, a grandson and a granddaughter. They've lived through a grandson serving in Afghanistan. They've seen all three daughters marry. They helped my family while I worked and went back to college after having kids. They've watched and protected my children while Taylor and I worked.

As a child I knew I wasn't going to get everything I wanted, but I had everything I needed. I was never hungry or cold. I got animal crackers, a roll of tropical lifesavers, or a candy bar every Friday from the grocery store. We went school shopping every year in August for a few new clothes and a pair of shoes. My mom cooked a full dinner every night. No, really, every. What I learned later is that they have always been very wise with money. We had all the necessities and a few extras. I think my dad could give most people excellent advice when it comes to finances. Why his children and grandchildren have to work through this the difficult way rather than simply following his advice is absurd. Guilty here! But getting it.

They've had many friends throughout the years and I bet they would all tell you that my parents would do anything they could if they needed any kind of help. I know 3 daughters would all say so, and I bet 3 sons-in-law would, too. There's a grandson that can tell you how much they helped him, and there's a granddaughter that can tell you through many misunderstandings that she has some grandparents that will save her if necessary at the drop of a hat. There are two small grandsons that will tell you they miss seeing grandma and granddad every day. My prayer is that these two small ones will get to appreciate them into adulthood. Maybe my family isn't the most expressive when it comes to emotions, but we should all know how much one another is loved, all beginning from the wedding that took place 44 years ago.

This is my small piece to share a part of their story and to show appreciation to these two people I get to call my parents. They continue to tirelessly love me and the rest of our family.

Georgia Snow Day

I'm not sure, but I could have been more excited about the snow than the boys and pup. My inner Iowa girl likes a good snow every once in a while. I'd really like it to be one per year. The city of Atlanta and metro area might be able to handle it better if it happened once yearly. I personally know people who stuck in their vehicle on major roadways for over 12 hours. Many stayed in hotels close to where they work. All major roadways were in a state of gridlock. Students were stuck at school overnight. I had originally not agreed with canceling school in our county since it wasn't projected to arrive until afternoon. I now appreciate the forethought. The Twilley boys have enjoyed these rare snow days. One more to go tomorrow!

These are a few of my Favorite (Online) Reads

Reading is my favorite quiet activity. A little bit of calm and quiet is essential in my every day. Women who inspire me to love Jesus and show Jesus are such breaths of fresh air. These ladies are a few of my favorites. I think you'll like them, too.

Ann Voskamp and Lysa Terkeurst share bits of themselves that are relatable. They speak truth and give grace. They can be found at conferences and other speaking engagements. Ann's book 1000 Gifts was written as if she was sitting down having a conversation with you telling you a story. Oh, the things I suddenly learned to see as gifts. Lysa's book Made to Crave is my current read. We could be the best of friends! The next book on my list is her book Unglued. I had the privilege of working with Ashley at CVS. What a light she was. Here you will find some fashion mixed with some beautiful nature shots from her hikes. You'll find healthy recipes, and I'm hoping that she'll share her soon to be journey with motherhood. Jenny has a heart for women discipleship. I believe she's being prepared to reach and encourage more women.  Lanie Beth I have previously described as fashionista. Little did I know at the time that I began admiring her blog of fashion, truth, grace, life that she was being prepared to use her love of fashion to help, encourage, and minister to women.

Enjoy reading their blogs!

Sweetest Soul

Three weeks after her due date and on a very cold (-22° with a wind chill of -90°), the sweetest soul entered the world. I was 5 waiting at my babysitter's house for the phone call. I had been convinced that I would be having a baby brother. The phone call came. The words "it's a girl" had me just leave the phone hanging there and walking off. The greatest babysitter in the world took me to buy something for my new baby sister. I picked out a yellow baby brush and comb. It was a long time before she could use either! The next day we went to the hospital so Angela and I could meet baby Paula Lynn. My dad asked if I wanted to switch her for a boy that had been born the day before. I said I'd keep the sister (really thinking I could have switched)!

I don't recall feeling like suddenly I was cheated at life now that I wasn't the baby of the family. I took on the middle child role with ease. There have only been two times in her 32 years that I thought she was evil. You guys that really know her will be surprised at these two revelations! The truth is about to be out! One time she lied about me. Seriously, it's probably the only time ever in her life that she lied. She said that I shut her head in the toy box! I was about to be in so much trouble! A spanking was on the horizon. Fortunately for me, my mom could sense I was telling the truth. The other time she was evil is also the only time my Grandma Darlene raised her voice at me. She told Paula to clean up some cereal she spilled. I started to help her and got in trouble! She needed to do it by herself. Causing my grandma to yell at me. Just evil.

I referred to her as the sweetest soul. I stole that description from one of her closest friends. It really is the perfect description. Paula is the most genuine person I know. Being the center of attention in big crowds may not be her favorite thing, but she has always been comfortable with whom she is. When I was feeling the need to impress, she was perfectly content just being the person she is. Beautiful. Just beautiful. We can all learn something from her. Beauty. Being genuine. Love. For her birthday, we will celebrate her well. Angela would agree. Paula is the best baby sister in the world!