Our eldest son was able to go to Phoenix, Arizona last week with his rifle team to compete in the Navy Regionals. The big blessing of this trip was that it was paid for by his high school. Plane tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars. Paid. Awesome right?
Well, the team did so well (2nd in the region!!!) that they earned a place at Navy Nationals in Ohio in March!!
Here's where it gets sticky.
The Arizona trip was expensive and while the school willingly paid for it, they are not so willing to pay for another trip.
The thing is, the team has earned a place at Navy Nationals, CMP Regionals, and US Nationals all within the next 4 months.
Truth be told, we need some help.
Right now we have a fundraiser on Go Fund Me that has earned a bit of money.
If you can help at all, it would be so appreciated.
And, if you have any good fundraising ideas, I'd love to hear them. We're going to have to do some serious footwork over here to get this team to these competitions.
A couple of weeks ago I was very sick. I remember laying in bed certain that I was dying, rating how I felt on a scale of 1-10. With 10 being normal and 1 being dead, I hovered between 2 and 3. It was awful and horrible and took me a week to fully recover. Please, no sympathy because that's not where this is headed.
What I wanted to say is that while I was sick my body also dealt with caffeine withdrawals for the two days that I could not eat or drink a thing. I inadvertently detoxed. The headache lasted 2 days and was excruciating. The mental fog lasted 4 days (although some of that had to be attributed to the lack of sustenance in general).
As I recovered I decided to stretch out my unintentional caffeine fast for awhile to see what effects it would have. Since I'd already survived through the worst of it, it was worth a little experimentation.
My main source of caffeine is coffee. I would typically drink 2 - 3 cups per day. I like hot tea as well and would normally have a cup every other day or so. I'm not much of a soda drinker, maybe one a week, if that. So, for 15 days I steered clear of all of it.
Things I thought I might see:
increased mental focus
more restful sleep
weight loss
clearer skin
mood changes
After 15 days this is what I saw:
Nothing.
The greatest thing I noticed in my experiment was that I only felt deprived, and not even deprived of caffeine. I missed having coffee with my husband, chatting and sharing a warm cup. I missed that steaming mug of fresh brewed coffee in the morning.
I learned that for me, coffee is a pleasure of life.
I learned that, after surviving the terrible detox headache and fogginess, I no longer need coffee to function.
From this point I tread forward carefully. Knowing that I'm "clean" and no longer addicted to caffeine feels like quite an achievement. But it's something that has to be guarded. I'll enjoy the occasional cup of fresh, hot coffee. If my husband or a friend invites me out for a coffee date, I'll accept and enjoy it wholly. But I'll be mindful and aware.
Adventure #1... At the beginning of the year my husband left his job. He worked for the company since before our kids were born. We had great benefits. Retirement package. Security. But the work was extremely physically demanding and only growing more so as the company changed and management focused on dollar signs rather than people. He was tired of missing our son's football games because the boss wouldn't let him leave. We desired to recapture our time and invest it how we saw fit.
My husband is now stepping into the world of real estate. He's been working really hard over the past few months to gain the education needed for this line of work. We have a great support system already. I have every faith in my husband's abilities and am just so proud of everything he has accomplished already.
Adventure #2... This is not really our adventure as much as our eldest son's. Next week we will put our son on a plane to Phoenix, Arizona where he will compete in the Western Regional Finals for marksmanship in the NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserve Office Training Corp). In April, we will put him on another plane to Utah for a competition. In June, we will put him on another plane to Alabama where he will compete in NATIONALS.
We are hoping to join him in Alabama. We aren't really the traveling type. I have not been on a plane in 20 years. I'm serious. My husband has never flown. Still serious. And my boys have yet to fly. So, we're due for some adventure.
The team is doing a fundraiser on Go Fund Me. They are raising money for airline tickets, hotel rooms, chaperones, rental cars, that kind of thing. If you're able to help get these kids (my son included!) to Utah and Alabama, hop over to the website where you can donate securely.
Adventure #3... I'm in the middle of registering our youngest son into the high school. How does this happen?! Right now he's still homeschooling (doing splendidly, might I add). He's wrestling with the middle school and has his first match next week.
So, while life is one adventure after another, I just keep breathing. I do things that are less adventurous like make homemade granola bars and drink green tea. I practice head stands and watch my chickens, waiting for the next adventure.
Listening... I'm chillin' with my puppy dog, listening to Josh Vietti. His rendition of "Hallelujah" could possibly be my most favorite of all time. Goosebumps. Every time.
Eating... Since it is Sunday evening we'll be having our traditional "Sunday night sandwiches". Today we're having salami, aged white cheddar, and focaccia bread.
Drinking... French pressed coffee
Wearing... My newest comfy shirt. A perfect mix of gray and lace - my faves.
Feeling... Over the last little while I've made some changes for the better, health-wise. I've been more proactive and purposeful. Without getting into too many details here, I can tell you, I feel the difference. It's not always easy but it's always good.
Strength doesn't come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't.
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You must do the thing you think you cannot do. -Eleanor Roosevelt
Weather... Our weather has been flirting with Spring. Some bulbs have already begun to wake up. My husband dug out my extended garden space this past week!! THANK YOU! Now the chickens are doing their share of the work by tilling and fertilizing the soil.
Looking forward... This weekend we're off to a couples' conference. A ferry trip, a hotel stay, some time with like-minded Christian couples, and quality time with my husband. Yay!
Enjoying... Extra time with my husband. He's been home for two weeks now. HOME. We're smack dab in the middle of a career change and that change has meant that for now, he's home. He's able to be involved in our day to day goings on. He washes dishes and supplies fresh coffee. I'm totally getting the best end of this deal.
Reading...Brushed By Feathers - A Year of Birdwatching in the West by, Frances Wood
Just a fun fact, the author lives on the same island as me!
Thinking... Sometimes I have such a struggle writing this blog. I enjoy it immensely, love writing, that is. The struggle comes in knowing the mixed audience that reads what I write. I don't have anything to hide, no ghosts in the closet, but there are some things that can be divulged in some company and shouldn't be divulged otherwise. I always tell my husband that a lady always keeps some things mysterious. And here, in such a public place, there is a lot that needs to be kept a mystery. So, there's a fine line, a balance in being open and honest but also guarded. That balance is sometimes so difficult that I just want to give up on the whole blog. But then, someone that I didn't even know reads my blog will say something, a little encouragement, a word that says "keep going because what you said was just what I needed to hear". And that's just what I need to hear.
