Made to Crave

I have been bemoaning my insurgent weight gain for months; it came at me in such a hurry after my big loss.  I know I have complete control of this thing, but I feel out of control.

So I have sort of been rolling around in my mind the necessity of cutting out sugar. It's silly, really.  I love sugar. I mean, I look forward to it after every meal and between each chore of my daily life. When I get up, when I go to bed, when it's cloudy or sunny. When I feel an emotion, any emotion... I sort of live for it. It's moderately become a problem. But I have considered giving it up.

The thing is, I am pretty sure I can't do it. I have tried with minimal success. And why should I? Unless God is asking it of me.

Maybe you think I am nuts. The reality is that when God speaks He confirms His voice in other ways, right? So last weekend my sweet mother-in-law brought me the book Made to Crave. 

I started reading it at the doctor's office. It's basically about replacing your food cravings  with God through prayer and Bible study and desperation for Him.  At the end of each chapter there are questions to ask yourself.

Questions like, "How would you like to have an accountability partner to help you stop eating the wrong foods?"

No. I wouldn't like it.

"Why?"

Because I don't think it will work.

"Why not?"

Because I don't think I can and I don't want to stop. I like eating more than you know. More than I know.

I almost cried on the way homefrom the doctor's office.  It's ridiculous.  Would God really ask this of me? While I am pregnant even? Does it matter to Him, honestly? Am I really that addicted?

I know it's God, too. He wants me to make this change. I have been wrestling with the question of whether it has become a sin or not. Apparently it has.

Writing this even scares me. I don't know if I can change. I am going to ask God to help me. I may cry. I can't imagine never eating sugar again. I love it. So much.

Pray for Me.
Lvb

Well I love a rainy night

A slight chance of rain and an overcast sky is all I need to be the sweet girl I was born to be!

We are sitting on the porch, the kids are running all over the yard, and there is a light, cool breeze blowing. There's no scorching sun, no suffocating heat, no threat of heat exhaustion creeping in. Ahhhh... I feel refreshed!

So last night we had the "coming of age" talk with Tre. This is always unnerving for me, but it's necessary. It's easy for me, Dale leads the discussion. It's the content that gets me. I don't want my babies to be exposed to the adult world... but there is always a sweet reminder in all the akwardness. It's that God has a perfect design, beautiful in every way. And also that my husband is a strong and capable leader. I am reminded that he has not neglected the responsibilities of fatherhood. He provides for us diligently, he protects us all costs, he spends precious free time with us because he wans to. He's my hero.

I'm the luckiest.

Happy Bithday, Trebo!!!

Say it ain't so!! Trebo's 10!!! Where does the time go!

We are celebrating in the very best way today! Started with an ice cream sundae for breakfast in bed, opened presents, heading to ChickFilA for lunch, and supporting traditional family values in the meantime. Later we will have the neighbor kids over for root beer floats and a giant birthday cookie. Then we will hunker down for the night with snacks and the Olympics.

Iheartbirthdays!!

Lvb

Today

I am not sure what it is about being pregnant that makes me a lazy cow. Is it the extra weight? Is it the hormone overload? Do I need more sleep? Is it that my body is working overtime to construct a living, breathing human? Maybe it's the fact that when I'm pregnant I stop exercising, start eating junk food, neglect a good portion of my daily responsibilities, and naptoo much.
Whatever it is, it's bad.

So here's my plan. I am going to try to do these six things everyday. Help me. Help me! Ask me if I did all six things before I took a nap or treated myself to a cornucopia of gas station delicacies!

I know it seems silly that I have to write these things down to get them done. They are small tasks that shouldn't take any motivation, but they do. Everything does. My day is taken up by piddly, meaningless, time-consuming tasks that crowd out my responsibilities; which is why I need this little list. Even if it doesn't accomplish much in the grand scheme of things, it will be an accomplishment nonetheless.

Happy weekend, my sweet friends!

Lvb

Tuesday's our Friday

In a normal week, Friday is our Monday, which is Dale's first day of the work week. So, Tuesday is our Friday, and Wednesday and Thursday are our weekend. But with the recent shift in our church routine we got up early to go to chuch and had a relaxing a Sunday evening afterwhich my friends came over for a visit on Monday making me think it was Thursday all day! Twice I was reminded that it was Monday!! Ahhh! I'm as crazy as I think I am!!

At any rate, today is our Friday, but Dale has to work this evening because of Ramadan, and then has a meeting and a pick up from the airport. This means that our weekend doesn't officially commence until nearly midnight. Boo...

I'll take it without bemoaning the shortness of our weekend since we got a three-day weekend last week and a night in a hotel, to boot.

On a new subject entirely, I have been reading about aluminum in deodorant being a contributor to breast cancer. With a genetic history of breast cancer on both sides of the tree and the most recent scare with my little bro, I think it necessary to take precaution as I learn.

I found a couple of recipes for safe deodorant and did a ton of reading in the comments sections and found a suitable experiment: one part baking soda, one part cornstarch. It's so simple, it seems too good to be true, but it works. It really does! I put the mixture into a thin sock, tied a knot in it, and use it like a powder puff. It's not as smooth and silky as my traditional Sure Original Solid, but it keeps me fresh and dry!

Besides the obvious benefit of heading cancer off at the pass and saving my girls for my lifetime, it is cheap and made with ingredients that I have in my pantry all the time!

Just a little something I thought you'd like to know!

Lvb

Redhead Roaster

I got this coupon out of the Sunday paper awhile ago for a free coffee from Wendy's, so I stuck it in my purse and forgot about it. Well at my last ob checkup I pulled it out to look at the details. Lo and behold, it is a reusable coupon for free coffee for this entire month!!

Not only that, you can get coffee, or flavored fancy coffee, or flavored iced coffee. And what's more, the coffee is awesome! It is soooo good.

Like a good and generous mother I have allowed some of my children to redeem the daily coffee for themselves, but mostly I've hoarded it like a miser!

You need to go in and try a caramel roaster. It is divine goodness in a cup, my friends. I love it so...

United on the Homefront

I am so, so happy to have all of my children home!!

I know it's difficult to imagine, but my life is more simple, more quiet, more organized, more laid back when even one of my seven children are gone. But it's just not right. I miss them so much. Usually I use the time to clean out the missng link's room. It's always a relief to unload the countless trashbags and vacuum the carpet. Once tha's done, I am ready for them to come home.

This past week Leila and Deisha were at my mom's for Little Girls' Camp. They had the time of their lives. Leila even cried a little on the way home because she already missed her sweet Nana. I can't blame her. I miss her too.

I wish I could take you all to Nanaland. My mother is one of the most selfless and most hospitable people I know. She is a shining symbol of godliness to our children without fail!

I know I will tire of the rat race at some point, with a houseful of children, but right now I am really loving my life. The Lord has blessed us and I am grateful!!

Lvb