Day 3--Hmmmm?

Could this be working? Could this change in eating really be changing me already? I think the answer is yes, but I am also hesitant to give too much credit yet--there are still 2 1/2 weeks left on this journey. But at this point, I can say I feel good. It is 9:30 p.m. and while I am tired and ready for bed, I am not dog tired--I can still think. This is an improvement.

But I didn't feel good this morning. Again, I just wanted a cup of coffee and to sit and read for a little bit. So yep, I cheated a bit this morning and with my cup of decaf hazelnut coffee I had a half-spoon of sugar and some milk. It was heavenly. I think I drank the whole thing. Soy milk and agave nectar just don't cut it in a cup of coffee. But if that is my "cheat", so be it.

Yet, the proof is in the pudding and it is still too early to give a whole-hearted thumbs up or down.

Let me share what I love about this plan. I have great meals planned--I have loved the pizza for lunch and the black bean tacos with spanish rice, guacamole, corn-mango salsa, and fajita veggies for dinner. Yum!

What I haven't loved: the fact that I have to prepare everything--breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner, and do the dishes for all that preparation. I feel like my dishwasher has been running non-stop. I know that I could go and buy appropriate snacks, but the $ value is way too much, especially for the number of servings I would get for it. It is stressful to think about this too much. But hopefully tomorrow, I will find time to prep a few different snack items (and some granola) so they are ready to snack and go. (I am also looking for some snack ideas, so if you have any, please shoot them my way!)

This is not an easy way to live. Eric has experienced this most when he is on the road for his cases, he hasn't been able to find many things on menus that he can eat. This has been frustrating for both of us. We are still hopeful it becomes a positive experience for our whole family.

Still, the proof is in the pudding. And I am anxiously looking forward to some promised sugar-free, gluten-free treats! (honestly, I never thought that I would ever utter those words in my entire life)

Day 1--This Sucks!

No really, it was a bad day.

Not only could I not put any sugar in my tea (which needed just a hint of sweet), but I struggled with what to feed the kids at lunch, because I don't have a suitable bread for them yet (i have found a recipe and will make it tomorrow--hope it passes!) And now, Eric's off for a case and we just don't have the right kind of snack foods for him in the house.

We are edgy and I am tired. I really just wanted some coffee today--really, just a bit. I had a headache and at one point, while I had 6 kids at my house, wanted to lay down on the floor and take a nap.

I would hazard a guess that I am suffering from withdrawal--from the sugar, from caffeine, from flour. And I really miss cheese. (I didn't know I ate so much of it) I know today and the next two won't be pretty, but I'm sure I'll make it. I just know that this would be easier if I could hide away all day and not face any stressful situations--you know kids, deadlines, conflict, food preparation.

I also know I sound so whiny right now--but it will get better. I expect that by the end of the week, I feel good. Maybe with more energy, I get the hang of how to cook and feed all of us. I am hopeful.

On a positive note--the kids did not bat an eye at any of the food today--not the oatmeal without brown sugar, or the weird tostadas I made for lunch or the Gluten free veggie pizza (with cheese, for them) for dinner. In fact, they asked for more.

On the menu for tomorrow--peanut butter and banana, a mango dal with sweet rice, baked fruit medly, and something yummy for breakfast.

Here we go. . .

Tomorrow our family starts a new (but brief journey) into the world of food. Not that we haven't gone to interesting places before, but we are going to do a bit of an experiment. And although you are probably going to laugh at this, we decided to share it with you.

So after weeks of planning, we are taking three weeks to cut out major portions of our diets. Although there are many fantastic things that we can eat, it is notable for what we cannot, so I might as well just list them here. Ready. ..

• No Gluten (which is found in wheat, rye, and barley)
• No Sugar
• No Caffeine
• No Alcohol
• No Animal products (for the grown ups, not meat or dairy, yes dairy for the kids)

I have menus planned and alternatives purchased. This is going to be very experimental. We hope it works.

But I am sure you wonder what we hope it does. . .Well, Eric just wants to drop a couple pounds. Me, on the other hand, I have a few more specific things I would like to see. I need to drop a dependence I have on C*ke--especially between 1 and 3 in the afternoon. Also, i am beginning to wonder if I am slightly intolerant of gluten. So I would like to see if after cutting it for three weeks that some problem skin areas I have clear up, my stomach flattens down and I have more energy.

I know it seems crazy--and it kinda is, but it is a nutritionally complete and responsible way to eat. We already like most of the foods already, so it's just eating more of them. Honestly, both Eric and I are a bit nervous. How will we feel those first few days? Crabby, probably. Will it really work? Will I be able to prepare enough of the right kind of food to satisfy our family--including great snacks and treats? Will this journey be so stressful that the positive health feeling just won't be worth it?

I don't know those answers. But Eric thought it would be a good idea to chronicle this--just so we have a record--of what we have done and how we have benefited (or not).

But for now, it's 10:30, only 1 1/2 more hours to eat any forbidden bread . . .

A New Year on the horizon

Wow! Another month has passed and we are at the edge of a new year, new decade. This has been a sweet month of celebrations with family and friends, both near and far. Isn't that what Christmas is? A month of celebrations. For me, it culminated in our Christmas Eve birthday party for Jesus and a small candle service to show each of us how Christ's light shines in us and then lights up the world. It was powerful to watch my kids catch on!

But now as we turn the page on a new year, I am full of thoughts on what we have just encountered and what is yet to come. On Sunday, as we looked through the paper together, I had to explain to J the number one event of this decade, 9/11. It was remarkable to notice that his world is colored by an event that he wasn't here for and he will never know a world without the implications of that attack or the wars that followed. In fact, many of the top events of this decade were negative events and sometimes its hard to open a child's eyes to sin and suffering.

However, this life we live now is sweet and full of promise--the promise that comes from newly acquired skills, budding talents and dreams, and the sound of a toddler's contagious giggle. Reflecting on this past year, I have the following observations (i wanted to be cool and come up with a Letterman-like top 10, but I don't have that much time to plan)

1) I can do just about anything! Proof positive: I ran a marathon (oh yeah, next year in under 5 hours!)
2) Praise Jesus I am simply called to love (and not condemn) the broken people around me, because I am broken just like them.
3) I am rather undisciplined, but I'm working on it.
4) Marriage is pretty tough stuff, but when you are committed to your sweet husband, and he to you, you do the hard work!
5) Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart, yet I am becomming convinced that it is worth every moment of agonizingly painful hard work.
6) Somewhere in my soul, a crafty person is lurking, waiting for the moment to break free and create stuff.
7) Friends alway seem to come at just the right time with just the right word of encouragment. Thanks, friends.
8) My God, my Lord, my Saviour, my friend. It is good to be His.

May your 2010 be full of love and blessing, just as your 2009 was.

Ahh, it's quiet in this house. Actually it has been quiet here for a few hours--OG is asleep and Eric took the other two to deliver Thanksgiving baskets for church. That means I have had enough time to sit and chill and think without being exhausted. . .so now I am here, to share with you (aren't you lucky!)


Wonder why there hasn't been any evidence of me in the blogging world for the past month? Well, it's because my life has been chaotic and until this past week, I didn't realize that there was anything that could be done for it. Most of it is normal chaos--a house with three young, energetic kids, a husband with an unpredictable job, toys everywhere. But some of the chaos had to do with homeschool.

I can hear it now. You think, "I knew it, it was going to be too much for her and now she's in over her head" Ha, Ha on you! No, schooling itself is good--I even really enjoy having my kids home (most days). But it is a crazy time. I have a son who loves the idea of school but when it is school time fights with everything that I have to do--like even the M&M matching game (it's too boring). I have a middle child who wants to do whatever her big brother is doing, even though it really doesn't interest her or is at her level of understanding. And a youngest who is bored--and when she is bored, it's like having Godzilla in your house. We'd be on the floor with a project and she'd jump on my back and be a monkey, or if we were at the table, she would be dumping random things all over the floor. This was not the way that I pictured homeschooling.


Because of a crazy few weeks, I had hit my explosion point. Then a few God-sends--some loving friends, a system of organization that I am working on, and a plan to pull me out of the muck and into a somewhat calmer day. And after a few days, it is working. I have more patience. OG is getting her own thing, and overall the house is a more peaceful place!



What have I done?

1) Instituted Tot School. Yep, OG has 20 minutes of dedicated time where we do things just for her. Today we read a story about roaring lions and played with some Africa animals.
2) Everyone has work during table time now. I purchased these handy little buckets at target and fill them with 3 activities for the girls and 4-5 assignments for J. So far so good. OG & K feel like they have their own school and J knows what he has to do and what is expected of him. The only complaint--not enough in J's bucket--which I'll give him, but building up activities for such takes time and energy.


3)Mandatory quiet time every day! One hour is enough to give me time to breath/sit/sleep/whatever! I am much more willing to tackle the rest of my day.



And the result? I'm not sure yet. But if I get more moments like this one, I will know it's worth it. In fact I already do! (It's J reading a book to OG--he's actually reading it! We're very proud!)

What's for Dinner?

Lessons from Others

I think that this may be close to the end of the marathon momma posts for a while (you know, until next year) but I felt that there were still two things left to record of this journey. One is completely humbling, the other totally pragmatic.

First we'll start with humbling. I have been humbled by the outpouring of love given to me for completing this race. I never knew--and on those days when I feel that the whole world is against me, I will do my best to remember all the people who called, sent cards, asked and listened to me repeat my experience. And even more humbling and eye opening to me has been the lessons and experiences that other people have related to me about their lives in following my marathon goal in my life. And although I may not say your names, know that I am deeply grateful to each of you for sharing your hearts about my journey.

• A dear friend of mine spent the last three weeks of my training on her own journey--traveling to and working in an orphanage in Lesthoto, Africa. The trip was life changing and heart rending and she will never be the same for that experience. But on her return home, she told me it was my journey that brought tears to my eyes--the determination and inner strength that it took to complete a hard task. I am humbled.
• Another friend mentioned that this was inspiring because I am "every woman" in that I honestly had to juggle home, kids, husband's job and life in general. There were days when I didn't want to run, when I had to make myself. I am not a super athlete, like my brother or sister-in-law or my dad. This kind of endurance is not natural to me. Yet, I did it. Hmm, I wonder if there is some sort of life lesson in that?
• A homeschool mom related a lot of my marathon day experience to the Christian walk (and even talked with her kids about it). She talked with them about how hard it was for me to be alone on the journey--how much harder the effort was, but also how much burden was relieved when I traveled with others of like mind and like goal. How true that is for the Christ-following life. It really is easier to follow Christ when you are surrounded by people who are also striving towards the same goal, it is also much easier to fail if you are depended mostly on your own strength.
• And yes, the marathon closely mirrors the pregnancy/birth experience. You wait and work and get excited for a long time leading up to the main event. And then it comes and you are excited and nervous and anxious. But your preparation has paid off, you are aware of the route, the pain, the highs and lows, even though you haven't yet experienced them . And then there is the moment you cross the finish line and all the pain and work of the previous 26.2 miles is forgotten in mind and you savor the victory. There are two places where the two experiences depart, however. First, the drugs available for childbirth are much better than those suggested for running a marathon. Second although your whole body hurts after both childbirth and a marathon, you only get a free pass to sit on the couch for more than a day with childbirth. Despite the need to recoup your muscle health and strength, you have to be up and hobbling pretty quick.
• And finally, life is much better when I don't focus on me. God's call to service extends beyond my home and family and shows up in unexpected places--mile 25. And when I can focus on helping others succeed and manage their own feelings and pain, I am much better at dealing with my own issues, they aren't nearly as important as others. Even when I think I am in a race just for me.