Friday, January 3, 2014

Hello 2014


Well Hello New Year!! Its been a long long time since I found my way to writing here in this space. Sometimes I look at my blog and think I have so much to say and write and do but where to begin? Life is so different then it was a year ago for our family and for me. When I created this space, my children were babies. Yep that's right babies! Now I find three of them are in school and one is nearly off to kindergarten! I was in the midst of little ones for what seemed like eternity and now they are in grammar school?!!! Where does this time go? Its happening so quickly. Now I can check in to Keeper and do some reflection. It will be a good place, a safe place to jot heart stuff down. And it doesn't have to be perfect (a place I struggle with -- desires to have a perfect space to live in -- when I really live in a beautifully imperfect place for beautiful, living reasons.) So here are a few updates: 1. I finally got on the Medifast wagon for Reals and since October 7, 2013 have lost a total of almost 40 lbs!!! What a lifestyle shift for me. I feel great. No I mean really great!! Like no more numbness in my toes (yep that happens as you inch towards a pre-diabetic state at 35 years old!) I am down 4 sizes!! I sleep better. I want to MOVE!! Its been a hard journey. Learning what the fruit of self-control is all about. I will probably do a blog post about this journey so far, at a later date - because I think it will be beneficial to type it out. this year after I get to my healthy BMI goal sometime after I turn 36 in February, I will be entering into maintenance (80% of maintenance is what goes in to your mouth and 20% working out) which means I will be getting my work out on!!!! I can't wait. Primarily I will be working out to feel GOOD. Love those endorphins. Mamas with four kids in apartments need to get stress relief!! All of this new health is leading me to some great books, great learning and exploration. Let me tell you I am on a high!!! 2. We live in a new city, a new state with a new job for my husband (praise the Lord!!), a new school for the kids, and a wonderful new church!! Its a fresh start for our family and its a good start. We are staying put as far as we know and that feels really good for this Navy family, since we have moved 10 times in almost 12 years of marriage. Of course the bug will bite me in about a year to start preparing our home for moving but that's good because that just keeps us paired down and simple. And don't I just love SIMPLE. 3. This leaves me with a wide open plan for what I do and who I am. Healthy, not anxious about my weight or what I put in my mouth every time I eat, not guilty and obsessive. Kids are in a good place. They will be in school. How do I use my time wisely? How to I continue to streamline our apartment (yep we have four kids in a 3 bedroom apartment - hello Urban Life - and we are loving it!!) to meet our needs for peace, organization, productivity and creativity? How do contribute to the family's pocket book, whilst continuing to be that stay at home momom? We are committing to a year to figure out how it works and to getting ready to enter the work place on my terms. Love that I can telework in this age of laptops. So its a good fresh start. Place to talk out my thoughts and discover what my role is now. Hello there its me God, Esther Plaster. Join me as I do this thing called life post babies. Oh and I hope to be more dedicated to pictures here at Keeper.