It’s back-to-school time—yikes! Another crazy, busy summer. How about you? I know that I am a little overwhelmed when I look forward to going to sleep at night. Between you and me, I’ve had a lot of those times this summer. Does anyone have any tips on how to slow things down—just a little? If you do, please share!

On August 22nd, my son, Adam, turns 20. Happy Birthday, Adam! Wow, I no longer am the mother of a teenager. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since I gave birth to this guy. My late husband, Jim, and I made the decision to have a second child when our daughter, Carissa, was just over 10 years old. We wanted Carissa to have a sibling. I grew up with five siblings, and Jim had two brothers. Even though I know that there is nothing wrong with being an “only,” it felt better to us to have one more.

I remember when I was about five months along, and we had an ultrasound and discovered that we were having a boy. Both Jim and I went into temporary shock. I think that we had talked ourselves into being fine with having another girl. After all, we knew how to raise a girl. We had been there. But a boy? I’m happy that we had several months to adjust to this reality.

When Adam came into this world, he was a screamer. He had terrible colic for his first six weeks of life. We tried everything to help him feel better. He was in so much pain that he would arch his back when we tried to hold him. It was heartbreaking! I tried every formula that was available on the market back then to no avail.

Then I had an inspiration to pull out a book I had by Adelle Davis called How to Have Healthy Children. Inside was a recipe for a homemade formula. Within 24 hours, we had a new baby on our hands. Adam was happy, cooing, and loved to be held. I was so thrilled. To this day, Adam has affectionate memories of “cow juice,” which is what he began calling it as soon as he could talk.

Even though the pediatrician he was going to at that time did not approve, Adam turned out to be healthy as a horse. My “baby” is now 6’2” tall and looks a lot like his dad. I love him with all of my heart, as I do my daughter. My kids are the best thing I’ve ever done!

Autumn is just around the corner, so let’s get out and make the most of it. We’ll talk next month..

Special Notes

Summertime is in full swing. And, while we focus on all the fun-in-the-sun activities, let’s not forget our... backs! Yes, that wonderful workhorse of muscle, ligaments, tendons, and vertebrae. After last year’s gardening and athletic events created nagging back pains, we swore we’d take better care this year.

So, be sure and read our Feature story about back pain remedies... And then read about the remedies some of our advertisers offer. You’ll be glad you did.

It’s harvest time at Tassel Ridge Winery! Plan a visit and experience some stages of the wine making process first-hand. See their ad on page 1.

Burgin Drapery Workroom has terrific solutions for your window treatments which might even save on your energy bills! See their ad on page 15.

Does someone you know need a comfortable, upscale, extended stay hotel nearby? Discover Staybridge Suites... with so many amenities, it feels like home. See their ad on page 17.

Massage is way more than just a back rub! Let Lorene at Soothing Transformations prove it to you! See her ad on page 17.

You won’t want to miss the Metropolitan Women’s Expo... with celebrities, demonstrations, door prizes and more! See their ad on page 25.

Positive Thought of the Month

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” —Steve Jobs