50 Things I Love: #13

I absolutely love the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. My grandma introduced me to the books 8 years ago, and I am still reading them. Not because I read slow, but because I read them over and over and over. It's a deeply passionate story about the love of two people that transcends time and space. Currently there are 7 books in the series. I own 6 of the 7 and can't wait for #7 to come out in paperback! I'm reading book #3, hoping that as I progress through the series, I will finish #6 when my pre-ordered copy of #7 comes to my door.

I am the first to admit that the books are incredibly graphic and caution anyone who may be sensitive to such literary openness. While the story is both violent and passionate, the books are in a class of their own, incomparable to "those books" with a half-naked woman and muscular man clutched in passionate embrace. I can't stand those books. I tried to read one after I was married, because my mom said they were only for married ladies, but I couldn't make it past the first chapter.

The basis of the story is that Claire, a WWII nurse, is vacationing in Scotland with her husband after the war. While exploring the countryside, she comes upon an ancient stone henge and is transported back in time 200 years to 1743. While escaping English soldiers and being captured by the MacKenzie clan, she meets Jamie Fraser and is forced to marry him for her (and his) protection from the English. Out of this spontaneous nuptial grows an uncommon bond between the two that I find fascinating and euphoric. She follows him through the political turmoil of the time, always at his side, but never quite able to forget the husband she left in the future. It's a great story to get lost in!

What a Smile!

I've been coaxing Kylie to wiggle her top tooth that was working itself loose. She's quite timid with things like that and can't stand the sight of blood. Yesterday she fell out of a tree she was climbing and bumped her mouth, further loosening the tooth. Luckily it came out painlessly while brushing her teeth. She woke up this morning quite disappointed that the Tooth Fairy only left her $0.55. She informed me that her friend got 5 golden dollar coins and wanted to know why she didn't get any. I responded with the classic lesson that we don't have to have what everyone else has. The Tooth Fairy does different things for different families. We can be excited for others when they get something nice, and we can be grateful when we get something nice. But we don't have to get the same things. It was pretty much lost on her. We are entering the awkward phase of gaping holes and mis-matched teeth as she transitions from baby teeth to adult teeth. I think she's just as cute as ever with her holey smile!

I'm Boring

I'm realizing just how boring I've become. My world revolves around food. My hierarchy of needs has been reduced to the very basic level.

Hour-to-hour all I really think about is what I will eat next that will keep me momentarily satisfied and hopefully ward off the terrible nausea. When my appetite has been temporarily abated, I think about rest. I suppose it's a reflection of how good my life really is that I really don't need to worry about anything else. I live in a warm, comfortable home. My husband provides the necessary work/funds to provide for our needs. My daughter is in school all day and fairly self-sufficient when she is home. I suppose this could be both blissful and detrimental, having all this time and leisure. Previously, I had to occasionaly fight off feelings of discontent and restlessness, as is common to stay-at-home moms. I have noticed that hovering down at the bottom of the hierarchy is quite satisfying and removes those restless feelings that occur when rising up the levels. I believe that's part of the challenge of our world, to find joy and satisfaction while existing at these higher levels. Throughout the history of the world, most people existed in the bottom levels of needs and probably didn't have the time or energy to worry about the emotional aspects of life. Now that we have virtually every physical need met for us, and then some, it is our turn to work on the emotional dimensions of our being. I don't know how long this will last for me, but I'm enjoying my respite from the emotional world. Therefore, I am boring.

50 Things I Love: #9, #10, #11 and #12

I have been miserable for the past 2 weeks. Morning, day, and night. Occasionally I'll experience a blissful evening when I feel *almost* normal for an hour or two. Two nights ago I was so hungry but couldn't find anything in the entire house that I could eat without feeling gross. I got so discouraged that I had myself a good cry. All I could think about was the smell of fresh, homemade bread--#9. The next day Brian surprised me by coming home early, carrying two loaves of bread from his sister's house. I was in heaven! And shortly after that my mom came over with hot biscuits. Life was good again!

Today was more miserable than most. I couldn't eat breakfast. I couldn't eat lunch. I went back to bed and hoped it would all go away. In the afternoon I took a shower, and that just about did me in. As soon as the gel was in my hair, I collapsed on the couch. Knowing there wasn't anything to eat for dinner in the house, and the cat had run out of food this morning, I started thinking up a grocery list to send Brian after. Then I contemplated if I could let Brian buy groceries and be okay when he didn't get the brand I usually get and knowing he wouldn't pick the crackers that I wanted because I didn't even know what kind I wanted. Somehow I hauled myself off the couch, managed to put on some mascara (the world was instantly a better place), and made it to the grocery store with a pocket full of Preggie Pop Drops--#10.

My cute little sister Laura brought me some Drops the other day and it's amazing how much they help. I've been trying Jolly Ranchers and Life Savers mints, but they are too sugary. These drops contain essential oils of raspberry, lemon, apple and tangerine. Love it! I wandered up and down every aisle, sucking on my Drops, mentally weighing each item on the shelves to see if my stomach approved. One of the first aisles I encountered was the Easter candy. I averted my eyes from the sugary goodness (a true sign that I am not well) until I passed the Cadbury Creme Eggs--#11. I stared at them longingly, knowing that there was no way I was going to be able to eat one. I threw one into the cart anyway, just in case a miracle happened.

Friday is becoming Pizza and a Movie Night now that Brian is home more. Tonight we had Willow show up in the mail and ordered a Pizza Hut Cheese-Stuffed Crust Pizza--#12. Now this is where the true miracle happens....I suddenly felt good enough to eat an entire slice of pizza!!! AND then I still felt good enough to eat the ENTIRE Cadbury Egg!!! I can't tell you how excited I am, and how good it feels to be full and happy. I just hope I don't pay for it tomorrow.

P.S. In case anyone is wondering what oddities I brought home (my father-in-law wondered), here's the run-down: Kix cereal, peppermint tea, cheddar Bugles chips, Laughing Cow cheese, Dryer's Lemonade popsicles, Ritz Baked crackers, Carnation Instant Breakfast mixes--variety pack, french vanilla yogurt, apples, ham and cheese Hot Pockets, chicken noodle soup, and applesauce. As you can see, for the most part meat and vegetables are off limits.

50 Things I Love: #8

The only water I can drink these days is lemon water. I keep a bottle of it chilled in the refrigerator and have found that I am drinking so much more water than before! I have also learned about the many health benefits of drinking lemon water:

• Cleans your mouth
• Controls excessive bile flow
• Dislodges phlegm
• Aids digestion
• Prevents bloating and heartburn
• Helps alleviate constipation
• Helps to prevent vomiting
• Cleanses the liver and kidneys
• Works as a natural skin cleanser

Fantastic! Who couldn't use a little of that?! I carry around a 32 oz reusable water bottle which I fill with Kangen water, squeeze a wedge of lemon into the water, plop the lemon wedge into the water, and sip all day. At night I put the water bottle into the fridge, fill it up with water again in the morning, and the lemon re-flavors it for another day or two. Now I'm wondering why I haven't done this sooner!

Yuck.

That's how I've felt all week. Yuck. All the time. Luckily, I've learned some do's and don'ts that are helping:

1. Don't take a B complex vitamin, just B6 and half a Unisom at bedtime.
2. Don't take flax seed oil--this messes with the estrogen hormone and makes the yuck worse.
3. Do sleep away the morning when able. (Done!)
4. Don't use very much energy--this will make you sick.
5. Do lay down after using any necessary energy. Walking upstairs, getting the mail, and walking back downstairs will require a good half-hour laying down on the couch to recover. I am a wuss.
6. Do eat whatever happens to sound good at the moment, and let your husband spoil you by driving all over town to get it for you.
7. Don't watch commercials with food when the yuck is bearing down. Just turn away.

All this knowledge acquired in just one week! And it is paying off. I even cooked dinner for my family tonight...well, I cooked the frozen skillet dinner that Brian bought at the store. But I did add a salad on the side. I have an appointment with the midwife (who delivered Kylie) this coming Saturday and hopefully we'll get a due date for this little bean. Knowing that I have a fairly high risk of miscarriage (due to my poly cystic ovarian syndrome) I felt compelled to warn Kylie that when the baby is really little, there's still a chance that things won't work out. I also find myself staying somewhat detached, just in case. But then I remind myself that even if we don't get to keep this baby, it is still a part of our family. I have a great amount of faith that what's meant to be will be, and try to lead off of that. Plus "they" say that being sick is a sign of a healthy, normal pregnancy. If that's the case, things are going very normal and very healthy!

P.S. If anyone is curious, homemade bread/biscuits/rolls/etc. are VERY calming to my stomach and will be accepted with much gratitude and hugging! :-)

50 Things I Love: #7

Sparkling Apple Cider

The morning/afternoon/evening sickness has hit me. I can't eat all day. As soon as I get Kylie to bed, all I want to do is eat--but only things that sound good--and I can't seem to stay full. I desperately needed a carbonated beverage the other night to calm my increasingly frantic stomach, but knew I wouldn't have time to make a run to the grocery store, finish Kylie's homework, and get her to bed at a decent hour. As I listened to Kylie ramble off her reading, my mind shuffled through the fridge and cupboards, trying on everything for size. Apple? No. Cheese slice? No. Cereal? Ew, no! As I mentally made my way down the shelves of the fridge, my inner eye landed on the two bottles of sparkling cider that have been rolling around since Christmas. I immediately jumped up and threw open the fridge doors and, I swear to you, a chorus of angels sang as I pulled out the beautifully chilled bottle. I have since sipped this magical concoction night and day and find it more satisfying than the traditional 7-Up. Now if I could just find a goblet, I could be sipping in style...because, really, it should only be drank in a goblet.