Are You Kidding Me?!?

[Bobbie Steinhauer]

Taking into consideration the mind/body/spirit/life connections, my partner and I decided to try South Beach. I have a family history of high cholesterol and during the months of depression have become dependent on carbs and sugar as my source of food during the day,

We decided that it was time to write a new chapter in our health and caring for our bodies. So my husband and I cut the carbs and sugar out of our diet. Outside of a couple of instances of crazy: finding a donut in my kitchen and throwing it across the room, so as not to have it in my hand and eating sugar free Jello out of the serving bowl on Halloween, in lew of the candy that I so wanted. I have done well. I like what I’m eating and have survived Phase I, with almost no carbs or sugar, including fruit.

On day 14 of phase I, I was so proud and happy that I had stuck with the program – woo-hoo. Only to find out that the chai that I drink daily, I had misread and it contained both carbs and sugar. Disappointment, anger, frustration all flooded me. But I am a strong and phenomenal woman – I fought through.

I decide to steal a few quite moments to myself by asking my kids to go upstairs and clean their rooms. Maybe five minutes later my 11 year old comes down the stairs almost in tears apologizing because she didn’t know what would happen. “What did you do?” Tears and apologies. My eyes get bigger and I jump from my recliner, “What?” “Well, I didn’t know what would happen and we were cleaning and I was trying to help and the kitty litter said flushable….so I tried to flush it.” Dead RUN up the stairs in my very old house, where there is no single flush toilet. The toilet just kept trying in vain to flush the contents of an entire box of kitty litter down. This resulted in gallons of water, 2 inches deep in the bathroom, spilling out into the hall way and me fighting to turn the water off.

Finally after several unsuccessful attempts the water shuts off, so that now, it’s just damage control. I go downstairs to try to locate more towels to absorb the water. When I round the corner into the living room there are 10 bowls placed in seemingly random places in all shapes and sizes, to catch the down pour coming from my ceiling of litter water. My partner laughs at the scene when he walks in, so I try to calm. This was the time when my 8 year old looks up at her dad and says, “Mom said shit twice.” I am a strong woman I can handle this.

After mopping and soaking and wiping, I begin to make lunch. During this time, said 11 year old borrows my computer. Her sister, being hopped up on Halloween sugar is playing with her and says she will bite her. Older daughter, also pretty hopped up, jumps and drops my laptop onto the floor. When I go to use it, it won’t work. Mind you, this is where I keep all of my writing, personal, professional, calendar, family information. My computer seems to have forgotten that it’s not new anymore and it does have programs.

This is the moment where I decide that I don’t have to be a strong phenomenal woman every day. And today I am going to be a woman who has had enough, crawl into my bed, between the piles of laundry, pull my hood up and take a nap. It was just one of those days.

[Chris Bruhn]

Bobbie,
Yes, some days are just like that. Our son likes to help too. So far, we haven't had incidents like you described. Hang in there! Think of you often. Blessings to your family.
Chris