First of all, thank you, everyone, for your help yesterday. I loved your advice through Facebook and email about what to purge and what to save. Because of you, I will now be able to throw away handfuls of my kids’ artwork in good conscience.
What are your New Year’s Resolutions? Do we still do that…or has society reached a time when self-improvement is expected 365 days a year? Is it old-school to wait for January 1 to resolve THIS is when you’ll start that early-to-bed business?
Obviously I’m unoriginal because my number one resolution is to go to bed by nine and get up to by five so I can write. This is my best sleep pattern. You know how you read articles like, “A Day in the Life of Bill Gates” or someone else super successful, and it turns out their secret is staying up half the night and working? This is so not me. I crash and burn at nine. In fact, if you ever get an email from me after nine pm, expect it to be nonsensical mush. But five in the morning? The sweet spot. All pistons (or whatever car term) are firing.
It should be easy for me to get up at five then, right?
No.
Here’s the horrible new trend in our family. At 5:15, just as I’m sipping my first cup of hot tea and pounding out a silly blog entry, THE GIRLS COME DOWNSTAIRS. Grumpy and exhausted, they stumble into my office arguing and yawning.
When I suggest, “Maybe y’all are tired?” they say, “We just want to be with you.” Inevitably we all end up cuddling on the couch with me suggesting maybe we should all just go back to bed? But then we always end up cooking breakfast together, which brings me to my second New Year’s Resolution.
The Carbs, oh, my goodness, the carbs.
This past March I discovered my poor diet contributed to my chronic fatigue, I quit dairy, alcohol, and gluten-rich, sugar-rich carbs cold turkey. Oh my, what a difference. I had so much energy! My stomach issues went away! I embraced the new diet with the enthusiasm of a new convert.
But now I’m used to the renewed energy and general good health. It’s hard to say no to six chocolate chip (but gluten-free!) pancakes when you feel good. Why refuse (gluten-free!) chocolate bars with twenty grams of sugar, when you’re not dragging through your day? Don’t say no to all the (gluten-free) potato chips in the world! So, yeah. Time to replace a few carbs with kale. Which, and I’m sure all moms will agree, is really hard. Kids seem to prefer (gluten-free!) Rice Krispy Treats to kale.
My third resolution is to replace the time I use blow-drying my hair with time in scripture and prayer. After twenty years of being a slave to blow dryer, I’m done. Which is such a bold statement because as I’ve mentioned dozens of times before, my hair is frizzy and limp on a good day. Resolving not to blow dry it really is a badge of martyrdom.
Or, let’s be realistic here, a little self-sacrifice for a God who is so good and gives me everything.
Here’s to making it all the way to February with frizzy, flat hair, kale chips, and pre-dawn hours with my girls!
Happy New Year, y’all!
