Enferma

Sick days are sour-sweet. While they mean a much-needed day off, they also mean:

-No pay (so goes the life of an hourly employee).

-Feeling gross.

As someone who, for much of my life, got an average of one cold per month during cold and flu season, it shouldn't shock me when I come down with the sniffles. But for a whole year, when I stated taking mega-effective immunity supplements, I didn't get sick at all...

Until this fall. The thing is: when babies are sick, their caretakers automatically fall ill. Every time one of my babies comes down with something, I convince myself that I will not catch it, but every time, my prediction fails. Infants and toddlers have no control over the direction of their snot, breathing, or overall germ bubble.

Today I happen to be sick, but this time I did not catch it from a child. Which presents a second problem: how to keep the kids immune. Just as they have no control over what they spread, they also have no control over what they catch. I am just praying that this illness ends with me and we can all move into late winter cold-free.

...I am also saying prayers of thanks for a boyfriend who will bring me the "cute tissues", as requested.

My Happiness Project Part IV

Happy New Year (one week ago)! I am pumped for this fresh start and have been living vibrantly so far.

An update on last month's happiness goals. "Home is where the (sane) heart is" didn't go as planned, but I can honestly say that I am currently sitting in a clean living room. December was so crazy. Practically speaking, I did make my bed about 20% of the time (as opposed to 5% of the time), basically stayed on top of laundry, and kept things decluttered enough to actually enjoy my Christmas decorations. The result: I am not a super clean, perfectly-in-place-all-the-time kind of girl.

I am, however, a get-things-perfect-every-so-often kind of girl. For most of my life, I have consistently done a "clean sweep" at least once a month. It happens when I'm on the brink of a meltdown usually. Cleaner areas truly do help me to think and feel more clearly. I've resolved to not let things get out of control [by the way, I've been told that I have high standards, so if you're picturing a total hazard zone, you're getting the wrong image]. I've also accepted the fact that I'm not a bed maker. I'll make my bed once a week though when I do my cleaning. And since I live alone, this not big deal. The next time I have a roommate/co-dweller, maybe I'll just buy a squishy comforter that I can throw over the disheveled sheets. So: December, over. The cleaning challenge...revised and at-peace.

Onward and upward! I was able to meet all of my 2012 goals by the end of 2012 (which puts a CHECK on November's happiness theme), except for consistent healthy eating and exercise. January is the month for this! In realizing that I have never committed to an overall health plan hard core, I've decided that for at least the month of January, I will work out 6 days a week and give up all white flour and white sugar. At the end of the month, I'll see what's working and what's not with the hope of continuing on in health forever. This goal would not be progressing as smoothly as it is were it not for my boyfriend. He's agreed to do this crazy plan with me. He is the self-proclaimed (and very tough/talented) exercise coach and I am the self-proclaimed nutritionist. Together, we've stuck out the first week without any major glitches.

Why am I doing this? Well besides the fact that it is my January happiness goal, I am really doing it for the emotional and mental benefits of good health. I'm not committing to this health plan for weight loss, but rather for more energy, less mood swings, and a better ability to do the things my life demands (like lifting babies all day without throwing out my back). This project is bathed in prayer as I find myself daily asking God, "Please, let this work!" I hit a rough patch yesterday as I struggled to walk because of sore muscles and insanely craved carby-sugary dessert...but his mercies are new every morning and (as I've repeated to myself many times already) I CAN DO ANYTHING FOR A MONTH!