Staying at Home May Have Saved Our Lives

I was talking to Andrew the other week as we discussed just how much we had lost collectively. Together. As a team. As one. I had mentioned that I didn't think that this lifestyle change was something we would be able to do if I was still working. Through the little bits of tears we may (or may not ) have had in our eyes, he agreed.

See, a year ago, (ok 17 months) ago, I quit working to stay at home. We knew it was going to be hard and we trying to prepare as much as possible. I'd never stayed home with our other children. I worked (although it was part time--I was home 2 days a week). I didn't know it would include a lot of being "lazy" and hanging out with the baby. I wasn't prepared for that. But, it has blessed us in many ways. AND IN NO WAY AM I SAYING THAT STAYING HOME IS BEST. It is different for each family and I've been part of both worlds. THIS POST IS NOT ADVOCATING FOR EITHER/OR--just an insight on our family and how its changed our lives.

The lifestyle changes--

This lifestyle takes time, it takes planning, it takes prep work. We plan out our weekly meals with our points. We plan, breakfast, lunch and dinner. We plan days that there is something to do, (ie meetings or soccer), we plan if there are birthday's or celebrations. I cook ALL.THE.TIME. Funny thing is, I'm really really starting to like it.  I'm really enjoying trying all these new recipes, shopping for AND USING all these new ingredients, presenting the food to my family and having them enjoy them as well.

Have we had some failures--absolutely. But, if the kids really like it and most times they do, I will get the almighty
"YOU WIN". All taken from the multiple occasions where I made something unoriginal and served it only to have the kids not like it. I'd throw my hands up in the air or pound a fist on the table and should "I Can't win". 

Changes in this house are good. Andrew's bloodwork from this doctor all came back in normal ranges (praise the lord)--different from a few months before. He's off some of his meds.  I haven't had any (maybe 1) sugar fluctuation since we began. The kids have all had exactly one cold. We've lost weight and inches but have gained a lot of knowledge, self esteem, perspective. We're growing as a family.

Just recently, I had a friend tell me that I've changed. I took it as she was meaning something bad. I had decided to contact her back and before I could even get the words out she said "no, no no no no, I didn't tell you I thought you'd changed to be a bad thing. I told you so that so you continue on your journey". What she was seeing was something good, something new, a thicker skin, some self-esteem some self-respect. She was happy for me. She just missed our time together. It was a little more infrequent and a little less due to my time put in at the gym. Easily changed by me hitting the gym just a little bit eariler.  It just took a few little words and a little bit of time for me to see that my changes aren't bad, they are respected!

A few days ago, Andrew saw someone looking at him in the lunch room and finally they told him how wonderful he looked, what was he doing? He was happy to tell them. He was respected.  Tatum ran three miles with me. Now she knows she can do it. She can do anything she puts her mind to.  Beckett wants to go outside and play instead of sitting inside and playing video games and just today, I'm fortuante I had the speed and ability to run as I forgot to place the brake on my stroller as it proceeded (sans baby) to go down the hill into the street.

I have a feeling we will see a lot more changes coming soon :)