The Saturday 7

1. Exciting news, everyone: I am officially drug free. 😂 And by that, I mean I finally completely weaned myself off of Zoloft. I took the max dose for years and have been slowly lowering it for a year. I stopped taking them altogether over a week ago, and have lived to tell the tale! I didn't notice any physical effects, and I feel pretty much normal emotionally! I've been a little irritable and moody the past couple of days, but that's not abnormal for me, and I felt like this occasionally even when I was fully medicated. So as long as it doesn't continue over-long, I'm not going to worry about it. 

The one effect that has been most pronounced, however, is that I have emotions again. I've joked for years that I'm hard hearted and don't cry because I'm highly medicated, and apparently there was some truth to that. This week I was watching Jackie Hill Perry's podcast on YouTube while I folded laundry. She had a guest speaker on who was discussing her experience with "deconstructing" her faith and then coming back to it. I was so shocked that throughout her story my eyes kept filling with tears, and even spilled over a few times! I was by no means sobbing, but that's the most I've cried outside of a serious depressive episode in years! I'm not sure I'm excited about this development. I don't want to cry at the drop of a hat! That's Niki's job! 

2. This week has been full of preparations for our big Arizona trip next week. I have a list a mile long of things I need to do to get myself ready, plus leave my house and kids ready for my mom. We've never left our kids for so long, but I'm not as anxious as I expected to be. I'm still anxious about flying, of course. That's inevitable. But I have full confidence in my parents to take care of my kids, and in my siblings to jump in and help if necessary. And I'm really really looking forward to five solid days of not having to break up fights, fill water bottles, make dinner, or clean up the unceasing messes. Oh, and the 60 degree temps in Phoenix are pretty good incentive too. I.can't.wait.

3. One of the ways I've been preparing for a week in a climate that actually sees the sun is by tanning. I haven't gone fake-baking in probably fifteen years and I forgot how glorious it is to lay in that little heated bed, soaking up the rays. I've only been going twice a week because my old lady skin burns more than it used to, but I'm getting a little base tan. I know it's insanely vain, but it's amazing how much better I feel about myself when I'm tan. Don't worry, I won't keep going long term. I know it's practically an invitation to skin cancer. Fortunately, the girls think it's insane that I'd willingly lay in a glass coffin to get a tan. I took a picture of the bed to show Lena and she visibly shuddered. Lol. Lucy said, "Why would you do that?" And Levi said, "But what do you do while you lay there?" He can't fathom laying still on purpose. Hahaha.

4. I'm relying on a tan to look good on vacation because my attempts at dieting have been as ill-fated as always. I actually did really well for a couple weeks, but I've gotten really sick of it and haven't been as diligent in the past few days. Although I've stuck to my guns with the Dr Pepper fast. It's been three weeks since that glorious nectar has crossed my lips. I'll definitely drink it in Arizona, but then it's back on the wagon when we get home. I'm serious about being done with it long term. I've been drinking a lot of raspberry lemonade crystal light in its place and not missing it too much. Go me. Adulting.

5. Today was the VK Construction Christmas party. We got to go to the VIP section of a huge bowling alley in GR, eat yummy food, and play unlimited games of bowling. Justin even won a Cabela's gift card! We played three games, and I'm going to be wicked sore tomorrow. Haha.

Justin is the only one who bowled without bumpers, and he still pwned us every time!

6. I've got nothing else. Enjoy these pics and memes instead.

Stella laying on my chin and Levi crawling over my head to pet Stella. Typical day.

I didn't even stage this. That's literally how I found the letters in the basket.

That makes sense, considering my housekeeping skills are on par with my dieting skills.

There probably won't be a Saturday 7 next week, unless I get bored enough in the airport to attempt typing it up on my phone. Try to contain your disappointment.