Soft windy air swirling feeling wonderful on my skin, not accustom to the sun. The sky is full of billowing Spring clouds backed by bright blue. As I walk with my dog Cinnamon around our neighborhood into balmy winds, I find myself pondering as I often do on walks. I ponder how long we will live in our current house, thinking of the wonderful schools my children go to and will go to in the very near future. I ponder where I lived as a child and my friends' homes, realizing that none of their parents live in my friend's childhood homes any longer.

"Um, I wonder how long until we can move, if we choose to do so, until the kids are through school?" I find myself thinking such thoughts for the first time...

And I realize that eleven years is the answer. Eleven years until my youngest graduates from high school. That is not really very long. Eleven years ago I had a newborn baby, I was a new mom. My life completely turned upside down as I started on this path of raising kids. And it hits me, that I am in the middle. In the middle of what I think of as hardcore parenting. The kind of parenting when you have to literally be ready for anything at any moment. Over the past couple of years I watched this mile stone coming. I knew it would get here and probably arrive sooner than I wanted it too. I still see my youngest as a very small child yet when I come home from teaching at the preschool, I can't help but see her growing into a big girl, a girl who is changing so fast, and quickly loosing all those last vestiges of toddlerhood. My oldest is set on the edge of blooming into a teenager which is almost mind-boggling as well as completely beautiful.

I am in the middle.

The middle of motherhood.

The middle of life.

Wow.

From here I can see my past particularly through the lens of my own motherhood, I see my childhood and I grow. I learn those lessons I missed and change. I appreciate more my own parents and my life. Of course I can't see the future yet I feel myself letting go of the desire to fix everything and make it all as it should be. Rather I want to let things be and experience. I am in the middle and excited to experience the ride from here.

Shadows climb up the garden wall Upon the green the first leaf falls It's the prime of life and the king and queen Step out into the sun...

...It's the prime of life, where the spirit grows And the mirror shows both ways

~ Neil Young

Shared On: The Sunday Parenting Party

Each month we are blessed with a chance to change, to recreate ourselves anew giving birth to new ideas and visions, projects, attitudes and ways of being. Sometimes this is a challenge. Cramping and fatigue can make it hard to enjoy this time of rebirth. Raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus, spp.) gives us a stability, a strong support for a smooth moon time so that we can fully embrace the gifts available to us. Using raspberry as part of a healthy lifestyle through the entire month nourishes our bodies and ourselves to promote this vital health. Many herbs are wonderful allies that can be considered super foods, providing beneficial tonic actions to the body through their superior high vitamin and mineral content and raspberry is one of those herbs. Tried and true this wonderful plant has been used for centuries by a multitude of different people for its beneficial health properties.

Raspberry leaf is most commonly known as a herb for pregnancy. Raspberry's effectiveness for pregnant women is due to not only its high mineral content but also its ability to strengthen and tone the uterus while at the same time enabling it to relax. These same properties benefit menstruating women. Raspberry is a tonic plant for the uterus which helps to increase the tone of flaccid muscles in the uterus or relax overly rigid muscles, which ever action the body might need. This is action is thought to be due to a constituent called fragarin which found in high amounts in the leaf. The tonic action of raspberry leaf is said to regulate the action of the uterine muscle thereby aiding in the reduction of menstrual pain, particularly that which occurs at the beginning of menstruation. Raspberry's high tannin content imparts an astringentquality which strengthens capillary beds and mucus membranes thereby helping to curb excess menstrual bleeding and mucus discharge.

Raspberry is high in vitamins and minerals providing many nutrients necessary for female health; including manganese, iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamins B, C and E. This power packed plant is helpful for building strong bones and teeth. Raspberry also tones the digestive system and has long been used as a remedy for diarrhea especially in children.

Raspberry ~

strengthens and yet relaxes the uterus
reduces cramping, especially cramping which occurs at the beginning of menstruation
eases excess bleeding
tones the digestive system
cooling on a hot day
is high in vitamins and minerals

It is so easy to gain all of the amazing benefits from raspberry by making a simple infusion of the leaves. Click here to read about infusions and how to make them! Raspberry has a wonderful cooling effect on the body and is great to enjoy iced on a hot day. You can also add other herbs to your brew to increase the nourishing tonic properties of your drink. Nettles is high in vitamins and minerals as well as astringent. Like raspberry it will help curb excess menstrual bleeding and provide excellent nourishment to the body. Red clover and alfalfa have phytoestrogens which aid in hormone balance and increase overall health due to high nutrient content. Peppermint and spearmint are both wonderful tasting, cooling to the body and again high in vitamins and minerals. Experiment with combinations of all of the above plants to find a nutritious brew to support your health and well-being! Click here to read about finding the best herbs to buy.

Definitions ~

tonic ~ encourages increased health.
astringent ~ creates dryness, tightening and toning in the body.
phytoestrogen ~ provides high quality material which assists the body in making its own estrogen. Phytoestrogens are thought to compete with environmental estrogens for binding sites on cell membranes.

Originally published in Moon Flow magazine