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{1} Did you catch the two guest posts I wrote last week? You can read about my first real broken heart here on Arleen Spencely's blog, and about my lessons in transitioning to newlywed life, thanks to some towels my husband found hideous, here on newlywed Tess' blog, Little House in Chicago.
{2} Somehow during the five-ish months I've been pregnant, my formerly pretty healthy eating habits have taken a dive. I've come to understand that hormone-induced cravings are a biological reality and can't always be overcome by virtue (in the beginning, for instance, there were so many nights where I'd make a full meal for us, then decide I couldn't stomach any of it and have grilled cheese instead), and I'm at peace with gaining weight, though I want to make sure I do so from healthy sources, not from junk food. So ice cream and I have become the best of friends lately. Combine that with a husband who has a lifelong sweet tooth, a newfound love of baking, and a few minor issues that are probably related to overconsuming sweets, and I think it's about time to do a little sugar detox. We buy very few packaged or prepared foods (as a preference even more than as a health-conscious choice), and I tell myself that since all the treats we make are from scratch, they're not as bad as they could be, but obviously...I've been doing a lot of research to make sure any dietary changes we make are safe for Baby, and I don't think it'll be anything too crazy, but I'd love your input. Right now we're thinking we'll do 3-4 weeks of no added sweeteners (sugar, honey, or maple syrup, and we already don't consume soda or artificial sweeteners), no packaged bread or tortillas, slightly limited dairy and fruit, and from what we've read, a higher intake of healthy fats than of carbs to decrease sugar withdrawal symptoms.
Tell me! Have any of you tried anything like this? Anything I should definitely take note of? And by all means, if any part of my little plan sounds unreasonable or unhealthy, feel free to make alternative suggestions for us! P.S. We are moving in 3 weeks and there are three cartons of ice cream in our freezer. I'm not about to let them go to waste, and besides, emptying the freezer is satisfying. So this will probably all get rolling in a month or so--I'm trying to get prepared starting now!
{3} On the subject of moving soon: if you've said even one prayer for my job search and our apartment hunt as we prepare to leave our first married home (and our adopted state of the last few years), thank you so, so much! ...Can I ask you to say a few more? I go back and forth between being overwhelmed and blithely peaceful (or is it lazy?) as I go to interviews and consider where we'll live. I feel like time is running out, in some ways, and also like the Lord wants to draw me out into a deeper trust. I'm blessed with a husband so faithful, so patient, and so trusting, which is a huge gift to me, but there are some days where I just feel like flapping my arms in distress, you know?
{4} Honestly, I sometimes used to feel out of place when my friends would sit around the lunch table talking about different spiritualities and charisms (in the least pretentious way possible, promise!), since I felt like I didn't know enough about certain saints and religious orders to really identify what mine was and since I never loved the idea of putting yourself into a box, like, "Oh, I'm so Dominican," or something like that. A few years later, I generally feel the same way about categorization, but I do think I've gained a little clarity in the ways of prayer and different, equally good lenses for one faith in the sense of what I'm drawn to. My spirituality is pretty Marian, I suppose, pretty Theology of the Body. When I read this book a few months ago, I also started realizing how much St. Augustine's discussions of restlessness and hunger have moved my soul since college. This week I stumbled onto an amazing blog, Beauty Is Lived, infused with these ideas, and onto one of the most poetic, beautiful reflections I've read in quite a while. A sampling:
To allow ourselves to become vulnerable is to invite another to pierce us with a sacred wound, to penetrate the depths of our most tender heart, and in so doing we expose ourselves as naked and bleeding creatures.
Read the rest here.
{5} My hair right now is the longest it's been in years, and I've had the same layered-ish look for a pretty long time now. I thought I'd love having long hair, but sometimes I just never feel like dealing with it. I'm considering getting a long bob or just a different long cut, but I'm so nervous about taking the plunge! I mean, it's taken so long to get my hair, well, so long! I've been collecting inspiration here. Thoughts?
{6} Also on the subject of moving soon: help! What's your best moving advice? This will be our first time moving with furniture (in college my campus apartments had all the basics, so did Andrew's first grad school bachelor pad, and all of my furniture was donated when I was a missionary), and it'll be a fairly long trip. I keep hearing slightly mysterious, good-sounding things about PODS, where you put your stuff in big storage bins and then a company picks them up for you and transports them to your new place. It seems convenient and cheaper than a UHaul--is it?!
{7} I'm officially halfway through my pregnancy (though when my baby will chose to make his or her entrance is anyone's guess)!
Have a wonderful weekend; I'd love to know what you're up to!
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