Updates:
It's so hard for me to believe Lent is upon us and we're already 4 days into it. Wasn't it just Advent and Christmas? It probably doesn't help that I spent the better portion of January and February sick, so it really does seem like we were just celebrating a different season of the church year. And I just spent the last week sick with a cold again...the same cold or a different one- I'm not sure. That means I've been sick for 4 weeks this year already, but who's counting? We're only 8 weeks into the year. As long as my body is sacrificing my immune system to protect that of the baby's, I'm ok. If it's not...well, let's just not go there.
I do think I'm mostly over this latest cold thanks to oranges, decaf tea, Ocean Nasal spray, Netipots, no exercise, humidifiers, lots of kleenex, a little Sudafed, and lots of naps. Let's hope my healthy stint this time lasts longer than the last one of just a few days. I keep feeling like my body has failed me, but then I need to remind myself that it is still incubating the baby, so that is not a failure. I am still kicking myself for going off the low dose naltrexone at the beginning of the year. I started to get freaked out about being on it and Metformin past 20 weeks because I didn't think the baby needed to be on it, so my Napro Dr. said I could go off because it's uncertain how much it helps past the 1st trimester. But I now seriously wonder if the naltrexone was helping to boost my immune system because I didn't even so much as have a cold the entire 6 months I was on it (pre-pregnancy and the first 20 weeks of this pregnancy). My Napro Dr. said he isn't sure, but it is an interesting theory.
A little over 2 weeks and my dad will be arriving in town to help us get the nursery in order. I can't wait. It'll be so good to have him out here, but in the meantime, we are working hard to try and clean out our spare room and get someone in to finish that room in the basement, so he has a place to sleep. DH has been a trooper working on this alone, though I did feel well enough today to help him tackle some of the clutter.
Lent:
I usually pick one thing to give up or one spiritual component to add to my life during Lent, but this year I have a few things on my list. It's more of a "goals for Lent" list because I couldn't just pick one thing as they are all important in different areas. Here's what I'm focusing on these next 6 weeks:
-for my emotional well-being: I'm giving up 40 bags of stuff for Lent. I remember Isaiah 55:8-9 doing this last year and being so impressed with her, but I also remember thinking, there's no way I could get rid of that much stuff in such a short amount of time because it would be so hard. Well, here I am one year later! My motivation is sky high to purge stuff and make room for Baby and my DH is very supportive of my effort. I want to get all of these house projects done now before Baby arrives because I don't want to worry or stress about anything house-related after Baby is here. So it's to the trash, recycling, or donation pile we go! We have a few things I may try to sell, but my main goal is to get it out quickly. I'm already 13 bags in, and I'm surprised how easy it's been so far. I guess we're the typical American consumers with too much stuff that we don't use or need anymore just cluttering up our house and mind.
-for my spiritual well-being: I'm participating in Prayer Buddies and hoping to read "Hinds Feet on High Places" during Lent. It's a book that has been on my to-read list for quite awhile as it speaks about the journey of the Christian life from faith to maturity. The opening verse from Psalm 30:5 has already caught my attention (weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning). Companions on the journey in this allegory are Sorrow and Suffering and the main character is Much Afraid. I'm praying the book the book serves as a good reflection to all the last 4 years have involved and helps my mind and soul focus on where I've been and how I've grown thanks to Him.
-for my physical well-being (and my immune system): eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruits/veggies each day. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but I've been so focused on protein needs that I don't always get 5 servings in a day. Baby and I need at least that much, so I figured as I was setting goals, now would be a good time to do it as we enter this home stretch in pregnancy. Plus, it helps that I can get points for it on my insurance healthy rewards program for 2012. Points translate into dollars in our pocket at the end of the year, and it's sad to say money motivates me, but it is true at times.
So there you have it, 3 goals for Lent addressing 3 different areas of well-being. Again, not the typical plan I follow for Lent, but one I feel like is exactly where I'm supposed to be this Lent.
It's so hard for me to believe Lent is upon us and we're already 4 days into it. Wasn't it just Advent and Christmas? It probably doesn't help that I spent the better portion of January and February sick, so it really does seem like we were just celebrating a different season of the church year. And I just spent the last week sick with a cold again...the same cold or a different one- I'm not sure. That means I've been sick for 4 weeks this year already, but who's counting? We're only 8 weeks into the year. As long as my body is sacrificing my immune system to protect that of the baby's, I'm ok. If it's not...well, let's just not go there.
I do think I'm mostly over this latest cold thanks to oranges, decaf tea, Ocean Nasal spray, Netipots, no exercise, humidifiers, lots of kleenex, a little Sudafed, and lots of naps. Let's hope my healthy stint this time lasts longer than the last one of just a few days. I keep feeling like my body has failed me, but then I need to remind myself that it is still incubating the baby, so that is not a failure. I am still kicking myself for going off the low dose naltrexone at the beginning of the year. I started to get freaked out about being on it and Metformin past 20 weeks because I didn't think the baby needed to be on it, so my Napro Dr. said I could go off because it's uncertain how much it helps past the 1st trimester. But I now seriously wonder if the naltrexone was helping to boost my immune system because I didn't even so much as have a cold the entire 6 months I was on it (pre-pregnancy and the first 20 weeks of this pregnancy). My Napro Dr. said he isn't sure, but it is an interesting theory.
A little over 2 weeks and my dad will be arriving in town to help us get the nursery in order. I can't wait. It'll be so good to have him out here, but in the meantime, we are working hard to try and clean out our spare room and get someone in to finish that room in the basement, so he has a place to sleep. DH has been a trooper working on this alone, though I did feel well enough today to help him tackle some of the clutter.
Lent:
I usually pick one thing to give up or one spiritual component to add to my life during Lent, but this year I have a few things on my list. It's more of a "goals for Lent" list because I couldn't just pick one thing as they are all important in different areas. Here's what I'm focusing on these next 6 weeks:
-for my emotional well-being: I'm giving up 40 bags of stuff for Lent. I remember Isaiah 55:8-9 doing this last year and being so impressed with her, but I also remember thinking, there's no way I could get rid of that much stuff in such a short amount of time because it would be so hard. Well, here I am one year later! My motivation is sky high to purge stuff and make room for Baby and my DH is very supportive of my effort. I want to get all of these house projects done now before Baby arrives because I don't want to worry or stress about anything house-related after Baby is here. So it's to the trash, recycling, or donation pile we go! We have a few things I may try to sell, but my main goal is to get it out quickly. I'm already 13 bags in, and I'm surprised how easy it's been so far. I guess we're the typical American consumers with too much stuff that we don't use or need anymore just cluttering up our house and mind.
-for my spiritual well-being: I'm participating in Prayer Buddies and hoping to read "Hinds Feet on High Places" during Lent. It's a book that has been on my to-read list for quite awhile as it speaks about the journey of the Christian life from faith to maturity. The opening verse from Psalm 30:5 has already caught my attention (weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning). Companions on the journey in this allegory are Sorrow and Suffering and the main character is Much Afraid. I'm praying the book the book serves as a good reflection to all the last 4 years have involved and helps my mind and soul focus on where I've been and how I've grown thanks to Him.
-for my physical well-being (and my immune system): eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruits/veggies each day. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but I've been so focused on protein needs that I don't always get 5 servings in a day. Baby and I need at least that much, so I figured as I was setting goals, now would be a good time to do it as we enter this home stretch in pregnancy. Plus, it helps that I can get points for it on my insurance healthy rewards program for 2012. Points translate into dollars in our pocket at the end of the year, and it's sad to say money motivates me, but it is true at times.
So there you have it, 3 goals for Lent addressing 3 different areas of well-being. Again, not the typical plan I follow for Lent, but one I feel like is exactly where I'm supposed to be this Lent.
Glad you are finally feeling better!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope this is the last of the colds you see! Ugh. They are just miserable.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see pictures of the nursery - I do hope you'll post some! :)
You can do it!!! 40 bags will be full in no time! I can't say it enough... it's just so freeing!
Oh, and please let me know how you like the book... I've been wanting to read Hinds Feet too!
Will do...post pictures and update about the book when I finish. I already feel so free and I'm not even done with 40 bags yet. True indeed!
ReplyDelete