So last week I started my self care regiment. I have been doing Low Dose Allergy Therapy over the past year so that gluten does not kill me. I tried fasting for the 3 critical days of the therapy. I made it 52 hrs. Maybe next time I will make it all 3 days.
We are starting a new eating plan. I hope this will help heal my body and get some hormones regulated along with giving my gut a chance to heal.
We will be eating 2 meals a day with our big meal at lunch time. Darrin and I are going to fast for dinner. I sleep better when I do that and find my head is much clearer.
Breakfast will consist of a "keto" smoothie and lunch will be a raw veggie, like salad, a cooked veggie and a grilled meat. Not sure how this will all play out, but we are going to give it a go. I am going to make up some fat bombs of coconut oil to help fight my gut issues. These will also help if I get overly hungry and want to eat my young children. :)
I am also going to try to get 3 miles of walking in a day. That might be all at once or divided into 2. Darrin and I are trying to get a walk in the evening. It helps us connect and talk about our day and days to come without being interrupted by kids. I really enjoy that time with him. It also gets us out into the neighborhood to greet our neighbors.
I am going to be getting my supplements in order to help support my hormones and the healing process of my body. Vit D really is a big part of this. I plan on getting a good dose of that a day while reading out on the back deck.
Moms that care for kids on the Autism Spectrum suffer from a form of PTSD. They have to be on alert 24/7. They are always in fight or flight mode. Their adrenals are run down and their bodies are being destroyed by the stress they live under 24/7.
It is my hope that as I heal my body from the stresses of the past 14 years, that I can help other moms heal or avoid the breakdown of their own bodies.
Self care is important for every mom and woman. We are encouraged and taught that we need to sacrifice all for those around us. We can not effectively do the job we are called to do if we are not healthy and present. Just like athletes train and take care of their bodies so that they can accomplish the job ahead of them, we to, as women, need to train and take care of our bodies so that we can fulfill the call that is on our lives. Yes, things will get done even if we don't, but wouldn't it be more fun if we felt good and had energy to get our work done? This is what I am working towards. 

New Phase of Life

We are entering a new phase of life. Addie is in school now until 3 pm. I have from 9 am - 2:30 pm. This is the first time in 16 years that I have 5.5 hrs with no kids at home. I thought this would happen when Sadie started school, but some other things came up and I ended up with kids at home during different hours. It is quiet in my house during those hours. Who knew the Thompson house could be quiet? I have a new quandary.....What to do with those hours?

Today I went to lunch with Darrin and Papa. I had no where to be and no one to pick up. It was so enjoyable. So peaceful. I am enjoying this season.

I am going to start working to get my health back. The years of hard Autism have taken their toll on my body. Now that I have time, I am going to start taking back some of the areas I have neglected. I want to be healthy so that I can enjoy these wonderful children for years to come.

It has been almost 5 years since I have written here. So much has happened and I am hoping to write about it over the next few months. Right now there is something in my head and heart that the Lord has given me to ponder.
Many people that I know or meet, after hearing our story of Autism, say to me "I could never do what you do." I would usually respond with "Yes you could." I have come to the conclusion: No you could not and neither can I.
Darrin and I have recieved a special calling in life. It was not to the mission field in another country, but to the mission field of those that have been effected by this impossible Spectrum disorder. There are days that I did not want to continue. There are days that life was impossible and I wanted to check out. There have been days of envy of others who seemed to lead charmed lives. There have been days of not wanting to get out of bed knowing what the day held for us. There have been days that it would have been easier for us all to perish.
I only mention this, because this is what I have been pondering.
There is a verse in scripture that has become, almost, a trite saying in the Christian commuity. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. You see it on t-shirts, jewelry, and other such things. This week I have been pondering our life and this verse. I have a new understanding.
Sometimes we are called to live impossible lives. I live an impossible life. I look back on our Autism journey and just shake my head. There is no way that I should be here today, let alone thriving. It is an impossible journey, and I have 5 that we are recovering (Sadie is a force all her own). We have lived in the valley of the shadow of death for years.
My therapist (one of the best things I have ever done) asked me if I see a light at the end of the tunnel. I told her no, but there is light in the tunnel now. We are no longer walking on shards of glass, just sharp stones. Every once and a while, we get a bit of smooth stones thrown in.
Back to the verse I have been pondering. God calls us to impossible lives, because he promises His strength to get through them. I can not do what He has called me to. It is impossible, but his promises are real and close to me. He will give me the strength. He does not give hardship to those who are strong. He give strength to get through that hardship. With that strength comes peace. The peace of knowing that I do not have the strength to continue on, but I do have his strength and nothing can take that down. No one can come against that. He holds the future and I know I have His strength to face it.