Burning

I feel so good today.  I have already been for a run with a friend and taken a shower!  Those are two big accomplishments for me...especially before my kids are up.  They are actually still sleeping which always casts worry into my heart because I feel like I should make sure they're alive....Ohp, Brooklyn just gave a shout out. TBC.

Ok, she's being fed.  Anyway, I went for a run!  I hopped on the scale to find that I just broke through my three week plateau!  I weigh less than 160 lbs! My eating habits have been the biggest detriment to me and I've only been maintaining what weight I have lost because I've been working out about three times a week on average.  This is up from zero to one times a week.  I'm still working on giving up those sweets.  The break through, though, I contribute to LANDSCAPING!  I have really enjoyed getting out and working.  Don't be mistaken by thinking I am breaking a sweat.  Hardly.  Everything I've been doing is slow and methodical.  But I've enjoyed it and been persistent.  I got distracted from raking our backyard to obsessively planting my garden in the rain and building my fire pit.

I dedicated all of yesterday to the pit. ( I'm not going to describe what kind of shape my house is in, but lets just say that it's today's dedication.) My quick trip to pick up some cheap pavers yesterday morning turned into hours of stewing over which direction to take with the high prices of these cap stones.  After three stores and creating imaginary fire pits everywhere I went I was lead to the perfect fit!  The men at Ace were extraordinarily helpful and helped me not only stay within my budget but actually helped me lay out stones to make sure they worked for my purpose.  About an hour later I headed for home with the back of my Jeep sagging and only $12 poorer!  Yes, my friends.  You heard correctly. Our 44" X 44" square fire pit cost us $12.  This is also thanks to our Stewart friends who donated the fire bricks for the bottom and sides of this master piece.  In the process I've acquired sun burned and wind burned arms (Yeah, lotion stings).

I left just enough room for sod to but up against the pit and it should hopefully be flush with the pit. I completed the fire pit just as Jaret returned home from work.  Though he was tired he humored me and supported my desire to light our first fire in the fire pit.  I had Holland help collect some wood for our fire and to my surprise she was excited and up for the challenge.  She even grabbed her blanket and pillow and layed next to me in the dirt while I tried to start our fire in the new fire pit.  It is amazing how hard it is to start wet wood on fire.  I was hoping that it had dried out enough in the day to get going but we didn't have enough news paper to  Jaret grabbed some dry stuff from the garage.  It's amazing how well dry wood burns ;)  We roasted hot dogs, marshmallows and somores.  Yum.

So, life seems to be looking up lately.  I am happier now then I have been in a long time. Me and Jaret's relationship is going much better, I'm enjoying being a mom more, and I have projects that feel productive.  Sometimes I get scared when I feel so happy.  I worry that I will crash and get just as low as I was high.  Someone gave me a great idea for when I get that way.  They suggested that instead of thinking about what could go wrong, instead think of what good things lead up to the moment.  I really liked that idea because I think it helps to enjoy the moment even more while I have it.  So, what has lead to this point?  I guess I have to say time and God.  I feel like I am totally out of first year baby blues mode and God is ever more present in my life.  I've really missed having a relationship with Him and I have slowly started to regain one.  I've got a long way to go but I'm excited about it because having a relationship with my Heavenly Father is now MY idea rather then everyone else's.


So, I am going to enjoy all the things I've recently burned - my arms, calories, and wood in my fire pit!