Life After Reset

I can't believe it's been a month since I hit Reset! The time has flown by, and I haven't really had time to collect my thoughts so I'll just dump them all here.

-After the dust of a third birthday settled, I focused all of my effort on a cleanse.  I had come to the peak of unhealthy eating, and I knew the rest of the ride would be all downhill to Chubby Town if I didn't do something...and fast.  So after reading an article about 8 ingredients you don't want to see on your food's label, I realized most of our pantry is full of cancer.  Preservatives, additives, dyes, and other harmful chemicals. This article scared me into being more mindful of the things I put into mine and my family's bodies.  I am starting with baby steps.  Obviously avoiding boxed and packaged anything as much as possible.  Fruit at least once a day.  Vegetable(s) at least once a day.  I switched to Hormel deli meat {no preservatives, additives}.  No more dark colored sodas for me {my husband not-so-much}.  Switched to white American cheese {no dyes}.  Switched to natural colored and flavored potato chips {chips in our house is a non negotiable. It's kind of our thing}.  I'm taking time to plan home cooked meals, and I took a cue from a friend and started Soup Sunday.  I make a large batch of soup from scratch each Sunday, and we eat the leftovers during the week. Small steps for some, but big for me!  Learning to pull together a meal from beginning to end with two kids on two different schedules is a challenge, but planning is the key.

 

-Before I made these changes, I decided that I needed a fresh start. A new perspective. And a cleanse seemed like a good way to jump start my new healthy initiative. And let me tell you, a cleanse isn't for the faint of heart {or digestive tract, for that matter}.  I'll break it down for you, but please know, my research was minimal and consisted of reading a few different internet articles.  I am by no means a medical expert, and I didn't see one before doing this.  I just did it. 

Cause I'm a risk-taker like that. 

So, for three days I ate only fruit/vegetables and drank only water.  And it sucked....but it did the job. I felt better and was ready to eat cleaner. AND it forced me to drink water, which I never do.  I hate water...well I used to anyway.  Now I kind of like it.  Mostly because I saw and felt such a difference.  I don't get awful headaches like I used to.  I feel fuller but I am less bloated.  I have more energy, and my skin looks better.  Which leads me to...

-I stopped wearing foundation.  And before you gasp in horror, know that this doesn't mean I stopped wearing all makeup.  I still use a little mascara and lip gloss and maybe some eye shadow {above} if I'm going out...but that's it.  Once I realized how great my skin looks when I take care of it and take care of myself, I thought why cover it up?  It's me, after all.  And I need to be okay with me. And I have to say, it's freeing. 

 

 -For the first time in 6 months, I had a few days with just Charlie.  Carter spent some time with my parents, and Daniel was out of town on business, so me and Charlie had quality time together.  And I have to say, it was pretty sweet.  He's such a happy baby, and it was good to have him all to myself.  It's hard to have guilt-free one-on-one snuggle/tickle/talk time when there is a three year old paying very close attention to your every move.  Carter tends to get the jealous eyes {understandable}, so I try to keep the mommy affection evenly spread.  But for 3 days he got all of my time, and I'm certain he ate every bit of it up.  It also reminded me how things are with just one child.  It seems so easy to only have one now, but when one was all I knew...it was all I could handle.  *shrug* You live, you learn, I guess.

 

-I find myself dropping everything I'm doing to answer Carter's questions, play his games, or just to pay attention to him. The whole goal of hitting Reset was to quit working on auto-pilot.  So chores may get interrupted, and my type A need to finish a project from start to finish screams in agony each time I step away to play, but my time with him is more important.  And after celebrating him being 3, I've realized those things can wait.  His childhood won't.

 

-I've also been making time for the Lord EVERY day, but not just prayer or turning on worship music, but also reading His word.  It's not always easy, and sometimes I just don't want to.  But I've found that those are the days that I need it most.  And he is faithful to show up every time.  And as I become more familiar with the Bible, I find myself remembering specific verses and standing on them.  My grace is sufficient.  As I was with Moses, so I am with you.  I will never forsake you.  Do not be anxious about anything...it has taken me a long time to find interest and comfort in the Bible, and it has never been a strong area for me as a christian.  But I'm working on it.  One verse at a time.

 

I'm finding that being a SAHM just gives me more time to fill with distractions.  So I'm doing my best to eliminate the static and focus on what's important to Him.  I'm sure my life will be full of Resets, and this one is proving to be a good first.