The Moment You Fix What's Broken...

What a crazy week this has been!  It seems like I say that every week, but still...

I'm still Maximizing My Mornings and learning about Twitter at the same time.  "Attended" my first Twitter party, I feel so cool now!  The early morning wake-ups have been revolutionary, it's really just amazing!

In other news, my sweet Little Lady has been sniffling and sneezing for the last few days and finally wound up in the doctor's office this morning after refusing breakfast.  Our dog and Little Lady--they're not eating, they go to the doc, simple as that!  Little Man--if he's not eating, it's just another normal day.  The verdict for my sweetie was a case of the flu and an ear infection.  We've been fortunate to have gone nearly a year with only one ear infection to date, so I can't be too whiny about it.  But, she's REALLY got the pitiful angle figured out!  That pouty lip, those crocodile tears...she's figured out how break your heart in two!

We finally made it home, having "wasted" much of the once-weekly long preschool day for Little Man whiling away the time at the doc's.  I was annoyed that my project day had been blown apart yet again.  So, once she was sleeping, I decided to start small and wash the dishes.

The sink won't drain.

Running the disposal just results in yuck backing up into the other sink.

Ugh.

After a brief prayer for patience, I decided to consult the Google before calling a plumber.  I find a link that tells me that the U-shaped thingy under the sink (ok, not the EXACT wording they used) is easily removed without tools.  "Without tools"--I can handle that!  So, I empty out the cabinet, find a bucket, and begin to unscrew the thingy.

True to the Google, it was easy to unscrew, and my bucket was just barely big enough to hold the yuck that poured out (whew!).  A peek into the thingy revealed the problem.  A popsicle stick tangled with the strings from a few edamame shells was the culprit.  Cleaned it out, screwed it back in, and, voila!  A functioning sink!  Definitely a boost to the ego, although it really didn't get me anywhere in getting anything done.  Oh, well, if that's the worst drain clog I find, I'll have accomplished something big!

And, now, I hear the sounds of misery from Little Lady.  I'm off to give some big hugs and snuggles!

The Moment You Remember What "Baby Steps" Really Are...

If you'll recall, back in October, I started the Maximize Your Mornings Challenge at Inspired to Action.

I did pretty well with the challenge for a few weeks, shocking Hubby when I told him I'd been getting up early to exercise, have quiet time, and plan my day.  He'd had no idea and didn't even believe me to begin with!  Things went swimmingly until we took an impromptu trip to Pigeon Forge that started a sleepless spiral for Little Lady that didn't end until Christmas.

Flash forward to 2 weeks ago when the challenge began again.  Little Lady was sleeping again, and I was really craving some alone time with just myself, my iPod, and my Jesus.  I signed up, set my alarm, and began trying anew to put my feet on the ground first in the morning.

This time, however, I started slower.  No working out yet, just a time with my Bible and a shower.  And a little accountability this time around--I have a Twitter Accountability Captain to check in with each morning who encourages me beyond belief.

About this time last week?  Yep, Little Lady starts waking up again.  Teeth?  Ears?  Who really knows?  But, through the Twitter groups, I've discovered how many other women are struggling through the same issues.  And, also, this time around, I have a new dose of perspective.

Ever watched a baby learn to walk?  I mean, really watched them?  They aren't like Bambi, who wobbles around for a minute and then starts prancing around with no trouble.  No, it takes many tries, many tumbles.  Lots of caution, lots of courage, and a VERY slow start.  Little Lady stands up carefully, holds on tightly, lets go with one hand...then sits down and crawls away.  No guilt, no self-loathing...just practicing, then she'll try again next time.

So, baby steps are where I'm trying to stay.  Today I've battled a migraine that derailed my entire day, not just my morning plans.  Sometimes, Little Lady is going to be up a bunch or I'm just going to fail at getting myself out of the bed.

And that's ok.

It's got to be ok.