Well, it seems that I am having trouble maintaining both blogs... I am pretty focused on the other one right now. In fact, my main purpose for being on here right now is to let you know that there is a new post up there. Part 2 of happiness and marriage. Hope all of you are well!

New post up at: bearinggoodfruit.blogspot.com
Today's topic: Marriage and happiness

I THINK(could very possibly change my mind) that I am going to dedicate the other blogspot to my Happiness Project "journal". So, if you are interested, you are welcome to read about the process there. :)

I love to swing. We have a makeshift swing hanging from one of the trees in our yard that I love to use as much as my kids do. I don't get too many turns, but I guess that is just a circle of life sort of thing. So, anyway, I was swinging this past Saturday afternoon and in the euphoric state that I was in, I came to two conclusions. 1- I think Spring is my favorite season and 2- I think this is going to be a year of great change for me. I didn't even really stop and try to figure out why, I just went with that positive buzz. Just a few days later I got invited to be part of a local group that is reading a book called: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. She spent a year trying to become a happier, better person and then wrote a book about her journey. She dedicated each month to a different area of growth. The group I joined is reading along month by month and making changes in their own lives using her story as inspiration. I think that it is a fabulous idea. I eagerly dove into the book(I'm behind a couple of months) and was pleased to find out that I like her goal for month one and I have already been working on a similar goal in my own life. Trying to get through February and March goals before the next meeting might be a little much, but doable. I intend to blog about the process. I'm hoping that that combined with accountability from the group meetings will help me stick with it. (I am terrible about starting major projects and not finishing them.)

**Side note- Apparently it takes me about 3 minutes to change the "average" poopy diaper. I know this because I set the timer for steeping my green tea(3 minutes), gathered the supplies, changed the boy, washed my hands and was drying them when the timer went off. I have no idea how it will help me in life to know this, but you never know.

Back to my own Happiness Project... I'm not even sure I want to call it that on my blog, but I haven't landed on a title to reflect my own collection of goals yet. Anyway, the author's goal for January was to boost energy. She reasoned that starting with that would give her more stamina to make further changes in her life. I mentioned that I had already been working on something similar: I want to improve my overall health. I decided a few years ago that I was going to get through the naughty season(Oct. through April or Halloween through Easter) without gaining any weight and actually be healthier than I had been before. I decided all of this and then I got pregnant and I quickly undecided all of it. It's time for me to get back to that goal. Although this time I am starting after naughty season (because it was a particularly naughty one and I am suffering from it). Maybe if I have several months of good habits behind me when next October comes I will do a little better. We shall see. My issue this year isn't so much weight loss... I do have a few I could loose, but I am mostly struggling with health issues that are controllable with diet. I just don't always have enough will power to stay away from the foods that trigger symptoms. A couple of weeks ago I got serious about it and I already feel better. Now I just need to maintain. I am adding on a couple of other healthy habits that I need to work on as well. I don't want to just avoid negative symptoms but push myself toward all around better health. Here is my list:

1. Severely limit sugar. Dessert 2-3 times per week, made with wholesome stuff, and only after a good meal(with the exception of my daily square or two of dark chocolate). Also, watch the areas where sugar can creep in disguised as real food.

2. Limit dairy and grains. They just make me feel bad. Why would I want a moment of pleasure followed by agony?

3. Water. Drink it. My goal- the big 8.

4. Exercise. I love exercising but, for some reason, I have a hard time motivating myself to do it. Not sure why. I'm starting simple and cheap. Exercise in some FREE way(walking, biking, swimming, t.v. aerobics etc.) for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week.

5. I am adding one more: Take my vitamins every day. They really do help! Why not keep it up. Besides, it will help with that water drinking goal.

There. That does it. Those are my first Happiness Project goals. I'm doing great for now. It's a few months down the road I'm worried about. I may need some kicks in the rear to keep me on track when the time comes. So, February and March to come... Those months will require multiple posts since they get into deeper stuff. This was the easy one. I'll leave you with a suggestion and a question. First the suggestion. Next time your kids swing, demand your own turn too. It's delightful. And the question: What goals have you been working on lately in your own life?

Love to all,
Erin


THIS JUST IN!!! I am planning to delete my friends list(except for the 3 or 4 people who commented on my last entry because I am going to assume that they want to stay on the list). It's nothing personal! It is mostly because the majority of the people that I use to chat with don't even post anymore. I want a clean slate. If you are still on and want to get back in on this wonderfulness(and really, who wouldn't!?), I am happy to have you:)

It has been a while- quite a while- since I blogged. For all those curious yet afraid to ask: Yes, I did have (for lack of better wording) a nervous breakdown of sorts about a year ago. Lot's of fun was had by all dealing with paralyzing panic attacks and depression. It may have started with a bit of postpartum depression further aggrivated by very little sleep for 9 months, major diet changes, stress, hormones, etc. etc. Whatever the ins and outs, I'm through the worst of it and ready to move on. I'm not afraid to talk about it, at least some aspects of it (I would love to say that I am a completely open book, but maybe that is a bit ambitious). I guess the point is, some of it may still be a little hard for me to talk about but I want to challenge myself toward openness. I don't want to hide. Life is messy sometimes and that is o.k. People often suffer from similar problems yet never tell anyone. Maybe if I talk about it, it will help someone else. So, I work on being open, and I think I am making strides.
If nothing else, this past year taught me A LOT about myself, my friends, my family, and my God. ...so strange that that time in my life was filled with so much ugliness yet SO much beauty. The kind that makes you want to weep. That's really all I want to say about that.
Well, that is probably enough for my first post in about a year. It is good to be getting back to normal life stuff. (not that I was incapable of blogging all this time... I just took a break from peripheral stuff like this while I worked out some of my issues).
Hope you are all well:)
"This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalms 118:24
Same place, same time(ish)tomorrow- barring some unforseen complication. See you(or, more correctly: read you) then !
Erin

Hello all.
Just wanted to let you know that Ceomi is fast approaching the next phase of her treatment.
I believe that Wed. the 18th is the first day of her final chemo. They will dose her with it for 5 or 6 days and then she will rest for a couple. They told her to expect it to be rough. After that she will go right into the transplant. I believe that start date is set for the 25th. She will be in the hospital for about 4 weeks total barring any complications. Again, I hope I have all of this straight. I took down a lot of information and then promptly lost the sheet of paper that I wrote it down on! Anyway, after that she will go to a rehab-type facility in Atlanta so she can stay close to the team she is working with. They will need to monitor her closely to make sure she isn't rejecting the transplant. After some time has passed, they will let her go back to South Carolina. She will still be monitored for quite a while, but not quite as often as in Atlanta.
So, lots to pray for! It should be, all told, about a 10 week process.
I admire her bravery and faith in the Lord to bring her through this. ...wish I could be close by, but that just isn't going to happen this time. Maybe I'll get to go and help some when she is back home. We'll see.
Hope all is well with all of you.
I haven't spent much time on here responding to eveyone's comments and reading blogs, but I appreciated all of your support when I found out about Aaron's allergies. We have found some more foods he cannot have and we aren't done testing yet, so it is far from over. Oh well, tis life. I'm not up to going into all of it right now, but it is rather stressfull! Say a prayer for us too!
Bye for now,
Erin