Fat Tuesday and other ramblings

There are a lot of things that I want to say and I don't really know how to go about saying them.  So much has happened over the past few days and I'm having a hard time processing.  So let's start with the lighter topics...

Snow.  We've got it.  Since Friday it has snowed in some fashion every day except for Saturday.  This is the fourth time since the beginning of December that we've had (as my weather-loving husband likes to say) "measurable snowfall".  We live in Alabama.  We usually don't see ANY measurable snowfall in a winter, much less this much.  It's beautiful, yes, but we aren't equipped to handle it.  Jason was off yesterday for President's Day but his work was delayed this morning because of the roads.  Jason and Luca enjoyed a walk around our neighborhood in it yesterday (see the picture above and yesterday's Tale a Day picture) but I haven't really been able to get out in it since Charlotte is still too young.  I hope that it snows like this in a year or two when she can actually get out and play in it.  Until then, I'm done with snow.  I would rather not see it any  more this winter. Come on spring!

Fat Tuesday and Lent.  In case you missed it, today is Fat Tuesday and tomorrow is Ash Wednesday denoting the beginning of the Lenten season.  Even though I'm currently a Baptist, I grew up Methodist where an emphasis was put on Lent and giving something up for Lent.  The idea is that you give up something that you are focusing on too much or something that is detrimental to you and when you are tempted to give in to that something during the next six weeks you focus on God instead of giving in to the temptation.  At least, that's what Lent means to me.  So starting tomorrow Jason and I are giving up chocolate (yes, I talked him in to it, but he did agree).  I'm also going back on the no soft drinks and fried food plan that I used back in the fall to help rid myself of most of my baby weight.  I'm hoping that I can really take my dedication to God to the next level over the next six weeks.  So, please don't tempt us with chocolate if you can help it and don't get offended if we refuse your kindhearted offers of chocolate!

 

  

  

Charlotte.  She's still not totally over her cold which is kind of freaking me out.  Her nose is still runny although she's not really coughing anymore.  She still hasn't had a fever either.  I was going to call the doctor to see about taking her in today but they're closed all day due to the snow/ice.  If she's still like this tomorrow I'll call.  She's acting normal (when she plays) but I don't think this should still be hanging on.  She also has decided to go on (what I've found is called) a nursing strike.  It's been pretty emotional for me since I've been nursing this whole time without incident.  Now we're trying to figure out if we can weather it and if she'll pick back up or if we should just wean her at this point.  From what I've read online babies don't usually wean themselves until their at least 18 months and when they do they're happy about it, not fighting against it, so I don't think this is her weaning herself.  I think she's just having a bad reaction to my reaction from being bitten or it has to do with her cold.  If any of you have dealt with something like this and have any advice or encouragement I would appreciate it.  I feel totally out of my element thinking about switching to formula just because I have no knowledge about what to do or how to mix it or anything (if you have advice about that I would also appreciate that).  The feelings of being in over my head in making the switch and trying to convince myself that Charlotte isn't rejecting me and that I didn't do anything and trying to map out the best plan for all of us has me a little (or a lot) overwhelmed and emotional.  I've also developed a cold over the past few days so I feel cruddy too which, I'm sure, isn't helping any.

The UAH shooting.  I'm still really heartsick over the whole tragedy.  Just thinking about all of the people affected and the families and children is tearing me up.  I know that when I don't know what to pray for the Holy Spirit intercedes on my behalf but I feel like all of my prayers now are like that.  It's hard to not get consumed in reading about the shooter and everything that's being said about it.  In one way that's why this technology age is so detrimental.  It's hard to get online and not be tempted to look at stories about it and people's opinions and some people are so off base that you just want to scream.  It's hard to skip over people who are being ugly and judgmental when they really have no clue about anything.  Please join me in praying for the situation and people affected.

Sorry that this was disjointed and possibly a little too personal at times.  Sometimes I wonder about how real I should be on this blog.  Not necessarily because of who out there in the yonder might be reading it but because of whether I want to be that honest with people who know me in real life.  But, I think that I will want to remember how I felt about things and I hope that someone else can identify with me and either help me or let me help them.  Besides, sometimes it's nice to remind yourself and others that you're not perfect and that you don't expect yourself or anyone else to be either.