Indians!!!

Have we had an incredible opportunity! Our neighbor, as I previously mentioned is a Hopi Indian. He was more than willing, even insistent on coming over to teach our family their traditions. We had a fabulous time and I was thrilled at the honor of it. We learned so much and gained so much respect for the traditions and the basic beliefs of the Hopi. He is in many ways a perfect Christian. Their means of the law of consecration, their simple lives, their intuition with nature. I am thrilled at what he had to offer, even remind us of. I can't wait to learn more. One of these days he is going to take us to his village where they still live primitively. He will also teach us about the land and the herbs/berries found within this area. Here are the pictures!
This is a model he and his wife made to represent the Hopi pueblo villages. The book he gave us to prestudy as a family. It offered history, tradition, beliefs and the "Hopi Today"
He had the children try their Indian food. The corn (red, white, blue) is their version of popcorn. It is cooked in clean hot sand. This doesn't burst the kernel. Then it is salted with salt mined, by them, from the Grand Canyon. The little paper thin blue speck is known as a corn bread from the blue corn. It is carefully made on a hot stone and cooked over a fire until dry enough to wrap in a sheet. When finished it resembles blue specked tissue paper.(exactly rolled and half the size of tissue paper you would buy) I regret I didn't get a picture of it. As soon as he told the children to try some they gobbled it up. It was a year old and perfectly preserved. Incredible.
Two kachina dolls. One is an eagle. This is the highest honorary doll. The second is a scary monster like doll. It represents the "real" Kachina that comes once a year to collect the children who have been naughty. He comes to the door (a man in this costume)and demands the child to go with him. The mother defends her child and makes the child promise to obey from now on. This seems to work because in the Hopi nation the children are well disciplined. Both dolls are hand carved and painted. These sell for quite a bit.
Pottery. He taught the kids that there is symbolism and a story with the designs. He had them smell the earth by smelling the pottery.


Handwoven baskets from his tribe.
This Yucca woven basket is still strong at 120 years old.
Here is Mr. "Taz" his last name is long and traditional. He shortened it for us. He is holding a hand carved and naturally dyed (from flowers)Kachina doll that was his grandfather's.
This Bow and arrow is a gift the boys get at birth. Each one at first is simple to represent a blank canvas. Each year after is marked by the boy's personality and life events. The feather, blue, red, black-all have different meanings.
This is a larger one.
The girls get these "dolls" at birth until puberty, or when they lose interest in dolls. The first one they receive is mostly white as the personality is not yet determined. As the child grows and develops each year the child receives one that represents how they were at that age.
Parrot feather represents the rising and setting sun where the sky is blue. The other feathers are hawks, owl and eagle plume feathers. Only a few Indians are allowed by law to have these. Anyone else caught with Eagle feathers will be fined 25,000. He had the children feel the "medicine warmth" by holding it.
Even trying on traditional clothing.



In order to further enhance our study of Indians, we had a field trip that involved a hike to see some ancient cliff dwellings. We had a wonderful time!
Ready to hike down.
Cool little door between "homes"


Brett and Joseph pretending they're Indians in their home.
Joseph HAD to touch the cactus...why is the NO so tempting?!




Experiencing the ancient homes.



Justin is holding up the boulder so we could pass...what a gentleman.
There is still smoke from the fires.
Front view of the cliff dwellers.Our hike included a sack lunch with cheetos (he is wearing the evidence) And a caterpillar. We are studying Insects in science and even have a few caterpillars that are going to change into butterflies shortly (I'll post later)

This is an "Indian Village" that the children modeled. I told them to be creative with a cardboard box and whatever they could find in the yard to build a village.

Jessica

“A mother's love is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking, it never fails or falters, even though the heart is breaking."
Helen Rice


As mothers we can recall our excitement upon the news of a pregnancy and immediately our thoughts flow with preparation. It was no different with me when I was pregnant with my 3 daughter Jessica. Something was unique about that pregnancy. I had compelling aspirations to research the preeminent way to bring her into the world. And as I fervently prayed other revelations were bestowed upon me as well. I had a strong impression to not vaccinate the baby. This was shocking-even absurd. Wasn't that what every responsible parent should do? As I began the process of receiving answers to that prayer I followed the steps prerequisite for revelation. I studied hours, days and even weeks about the history of inoculations, causes and biological origination of each disease. I studied reported side effects. I couldn't believe what I was learning. And I felt the assurance that it was not good for this child with an unshakable conviction. After approaching Trevor, he trusted my experiences and we decided to pray over the matter. That night, before I knew what baby we were having I dreamt that The baby was a girl. And I saw her in a field of flowers about six months of age. She looked up at me and as clear as if she was there said, "thank you mommy". As time went on I can say that I felt as if I was pregnant with my best friend. I knew that I knew her from the preexistence.
I proceeded to plan a medication free delivery with a loving midwife (of whom I dreamt about and saw her face. The next day, after interviewing many midwifes, she came into the room and it was the same woman from my dream). Jessica was born naturally in a loving atmosphere.

As she grew I wanted to raise her the way God would have me...give her the best. I nursed her over a year and gave her the best foods I could find after weaning. I recognized the importance of brain development and wouldn't settle for less than the best. I felt so close to her and loved her dearly.
These are things every mother wants. I am no different then the next. As mothers we have an innate need to nurture, protect, care for, teach and nourish our little ones. We only hope for a "happily ever after" with our sacrifices and love.
But life doesn't always happen that way. It's not suppose to be that way. The one child I worked so hard for, have given my life to and dedicated more pep talks, displayed more patience and even had to repent over my failings has OCD. A ruinous kind if left untreated.
I have mingled with the hope for years that I could help her, unaware of the reality of her physical disorder. A mother's love is the closest thing to Christ's love-it is pure charity and it never faileth. I have struggled with her, wept about her and pleaded for her. This past week has been devastating as I came to accept that it is out of my hands. The same mother in me that wiped every tear, bandaged every wound and exchanged every doubt for confidence wants to remedy this one. It breaks your heart to see your child suffer, to know that you will need to dive into the unknown of psychologists and medicine and that you as a mother couldn't ameliorate this one. It feels like a failure and the hope dispels as images from the movies A Beautiful Mind and What about Bob (without the comedy) come to mind.
After my darkest hour with acceptance I came to a concurrence with the spirit to do the Lord's will. I have felt the tender mercies of the spirit mollify my distress. There IS still hope. I feel the gratitude for this child. For did she commit to teach me lessons in the preexistence at the expense of normality? She can be the source to turn my weaknesses into strengths and I marvel at her spirit.
No mother is void of these things. Childbearing is like a box of chocolates, you never know which one you're going to get. For each one, like a child, comes with differences AND challenges all their own. However, in every case the experience will be both bitter and Sweet. I recognize it could be worse and I am thankful that this challenge is mine. I trust the spirit to guide me with God's child and pray for the worthiness to receive it. As mothers we, at large, have an impact on who they become.

"God bless my mother; all that I am or ever hope to be I owe her."Abraham Lincoln

My Maverick flying for Maverick