9...

I've started this post in my mind several times, and just didn't have the spare moments to string together sentences. Today has been a tough one, surprisingly so. I hesitate to write that lest I discourage someone, but there it is - today was tough. I've been really really hungry for much of the day. Not the kind of passing tummy rumblings that I've already learned to take in stride, then ignore. A real, gnawing hunger. The kind that won't be ignored, and the kind that the lemonade hasn't been quenching for long. It has caught me completely by surprise.

Even more surprising? I still don't feel tempted to eat. I really think my brain wrapped itself around the idea that this is a necessary reset for me right now, and that sacrifices must be made. The growling I hear now reminds me that my digestive system is fully functional, and it makes me mindful and aware. So much of my eating is often done unconsciously. I was at a point of snacking so often a few weeks ago, that I can't think of a time when I waited to feel anything resembling hunger before feeding my face. That right there is the BIGGEST habit I need to break. Eating for fuel is necessary. Eating out of boredom, as relief from some activity I resent, or for temporary distraction is counter-productive.

So though this hunger is powerful, it's also feeding a motivation that I'm going to need when this fast ends. Eat when I'm hungry. Not a new concept, just one I need to embrace.

Daddy did an awesome science lesson today with the girls on seeds and plants. It was the perfect day for collecting, and I'm proud of how much their little minds can soak up when they are really interested and engaged: