I missed writing yesterday. It was an extremely busy day and by the end of it I was exhausted! By the time the kids were in bed, all I wanted to do was be a couch potato, and so that is what Jared and I did. It was great. Since I missed I will make this post extra long.... lol just kidding, as if they aren't long enough already! I'm impressed if anyone actually reads through my entire post. I'm sure my momma does. I love her. :)
Today I'm grateful for my body. Bodies are incredible things. I'm blown away about all the intricate details that make our bodies work. Not only that but if you think about all the things bodies can do too.They are incredible gifts from a loving Heavenly Father and I'm so grateful that giving us a body was part of His plan.
We had a great time at Thanksgiving but we came home sick, as did most people who were in that household. We all got the head colds which gave us a great cough and noses that run like a fountain that can't be turned off. Poor little Seth has been the worst one. He constantly has boogers running down his face. I'm pretty sure he is sick of me wiping his nose. I bring this up because it isn't until something is wrong with my body when I start to appreciate it. Through my life I have hurt several different body parts; ankle, knee, back, tailbone... etc. and it takes some time to recover. Those moments of "resting" is when I really start to appreciate my body when it is healthy. I remember in those moments I think "I can't wait until I'm all better. I'm going to workout every day!" I have these thoughts because I get so tired of not using that body part that I get excited to use it again. I don't want to wait for that to happen again to be grateful. I know I take my body for granted. I forget all the wonderful things that it can do. I'm grateful for a healthy and strong body.
Since bodies are a gift from God, I have been trying to take better care of mine. Now believe me I am no where close to perfect in this department. However, I feel like I'm starting to realize what a great gift my body really is and with that trying to show the proper respect and gratitude. Like I said, I have a long ways to go but I like my thoughts that come when I ponder about this. Eating good nutritious food, giving it the exercise that it needs to function, getting sleep at night, dressing and grooming it properly. Believe me, I struggle in every single one of these areas. As I ponder the times that I'm putting forth the effort in only one of these areas, I realize how much better I feel. I feel like I am TRYING to take care of it.. My body is the home of my spirit. When that home is taken care of and in order, it allows my spirit to grow and shine. It makes me feel good about myself as well. I'm grateful for my healthy body.
Does anyone else put a dollar price tag on thing that they purchase? I do it all the time. That question probably doesn't make sense but I'm at a lost for words on how to write out the question better. So my example is this. Last year I bought P90X on the after Christmas sale. It was 50% off so the sale price was only $50. Our credit card rewards covered $15 so in the end I only paid $35 out of pocket. Well then I count how many times I have actually used those DVDs in the last year. Every single time I do a workout with them I think of how much the DVDs now cost me because I added on a workout. When I know that I'm using the things that I purchase, it makes me feel better and okay that I made the purchase. I just don't want to waste money. Well I'm proud to say that each workout that I have done with those DVDs has only cost me fifty cents. I haven't kept track of Jared's work outs but if I did add his in as well, I think we very well would be at that cost. 50 cents a workout is definitely worth the cost! My point of sharing this is to encourage you, the reader, to find something you can do to take care of your body that you will enjoy doing. It's worth the money in the long run and your body will thank you for it. Now I'm no super skinny, tip top, in shape mama. I still have my baby pouch belly that I can't get rid of. I still get asked if I'm pregnant (ever since having Lydia that question hasn't stopped.). And to tell you the truth sometimes that has really bothered me and other times it does not. I can tell you the reason for this too. When I'm working out, I feel empowered. I feel stronger. Good HDL's are released through my body and it gives me energy and makes me happy. My confidence grows too. I think I have only lost 5 lbs in the last year, which is nothing. But during that last year the times that I worked out a few times a week have made all the difference. During these times some one could ask me if I'm pregnant and I would just roll it off and not be offended or hurt.
Same thing goes for eating healthy. I feel empowered when I'm eating fruits and veggies. I feel empowered when I get a good nights sleep. I can conquer the world, or at least my day, when I have put forth any effort in only one of these areas. Our bodies are incredible aren't they?
Well I try to do these DVDs 2-3 times a week. It's enough to make me feel better about myself and I feel like my body appreciates about that much. Listen to your body. I did my legs and butt workout on Tuesday. Oh boy did it work! There is nothing like feeling sore. HA! At least I know it worked! I'm grateful for the soreness, if even I stretch it out and then 2 minutes later it's super tight again that it hurts to move. :) I'm impressed how bodies can heal too.
I'm also grateful at this time for my sister-in-law, Miriam. She came to visit us at Halloween. She told me about her changes she made in her life with dressing up each day. She talked about what a difference it made to do her hair, put on make up and a nice outfit, even if she was staying home all day. It made me start thinking. I needed to do better at this. I'm the QUEEN of sweat pants and t-shirts. I could just comb through my hair and pull it back in a pony tail. I could wear the same make up 2 days in a row or go without any. No big deal! AND I would go out in public like this. I don't really care what people think about me. I never really have. However, the church has always encouraged it's members to dress modestly. I have never had a problem with material length, not even in high school. Give me the long shorts, T-shirts, my belly covered, sleeves on my shirts, no cleavage (what cleavage? I don't have any!) I can do "modest" clothing. No problem. However, I feel modestly is so much more. It is the way you present yourself. I believe dressing and grooming has to do with modesty. This is something I have always believed in but not something that I have always done. I dressed up when I was in college. Don't get me wrong, the basketball/t-shirt girl still existed then too, but I knew how to dress up as well. BUT then it happened.... I started having kids... and slowly dress up days were only existent on Sunday. Sunday's were good days. It was a day I was guranteed to get a shower. :)
Well I went shopping. Bought me some new clothes that I feel cute in. That makes a huge difference. Go buy a new outfit. Money really can buy happiness. At least some happiness. After talking with Miriam, buying my new outfits, my goal was to get dressed only 3 days a week (not including Sunday.) That was really hard for me to do at first but now I'm proud to say that everyday I get dressed. Except Saturday's if we aren't going anywhere. I NEED my sweatpants and bra less days every once in awhile still. Oh and I should mention that I don't get dressed up until the day is half over. :) haha I enjoy my sweats in the morning and once both girls are off to school then I workout, shower, get dressed up. I have 2 hours to myself to do this in because Seth is down for a nap. So by 3 pm I'm finally dressed for the day. Which might seem like a waste (I would have totally thought it was a month ago) but it really is a perfect routine for me. I get dressed up in time to pick up both girls from school so the only people I ever see daily, get to see me dressed up. (It's a small town.) AND I'm all dressed up in time for Jared to get home. :) That has been fun to look good for him. I do have to say Jared has never cared that I'm a sweat pant/t-shirt kind of girl. He has ALWAYS been fine with me looking that way. In fact I honestly don't think he cares any more than what he already did. He still kisses me hello the same. HOWEVER, I feel much better about myself. I feel cute for him and I like that. It makes me happier to feel good about myself.
Okay I'm not sure how I got off on that tangent. but seeing how I spent my workout time blogging (there is no way I could work out today... my legs are still super sore!) it is now time for me to go get dressed up for the day! I'm so grateful for new clothes that make me feel good. I'm grateful for my healthy body that can move and do my task that I need to do each day as a wife and mother. I'm grateful for my body which can feel good if I take the time and effort to do so. I'm grateful for the healing my body can do on it's own. That it can fight off diseases and bacteria. I'm grateful for my mind and for all the little intricate details; from my senses, working organs, muscles, bones, blood and everything else that is in there. My body is awesome.
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