How are we doing it?

A friend mentioned how stressed we must be and as I was jogging this morning I had a few minutes to organize my thoughts.  Yes, we are stressed.  First, I can't continue without mentioning that Brent and I were both in a tough spot.  We were carrying heavy burdens and although we have been given much peace we were sinking into depression (PTSD is real but in the heart world it's TSD).  I believe that the Lord can take these struggles away, but, he expects us to seek help just as we would if we had a broken bone.  I had my first ever panic attack one night, it felt like someone was sitting on my chest.  It wasn't at the moment of a major medical decision, it was the quiet hours of the night.  Adrenaline had been carrying us but our endorphin reserve was depleted.   

I knew we needed help but I kept hearing these horrible experiences with trying anti-anxiety meds and anti-depressants and the side effects were rough.  Did you know it takes an average of 8 years to find the right medicine and dose of depression and anxiety.  Well, I didn't have 8 years.  We tried jogging, which we have always enjoyed but it wasn't enough.

My wonderful, energetic, amazing mom came to visit and brought some products she had been taking that had really helped her.  I figured we couldn't get much lower so I started taking them (I frankly did not expect them to work).  They are produced by a group called Amare Global.  Their goal is mental wellness.  My anxiety DISAPPEARED and that overwhelmed cloud dissipated (I literally cleaned out the car, completely cleaned out the garage and deep cleaned the whole house in the first few days).  Brent saw the difference and also started taking their Mood+.  This is how we handle the TSD. 

Now, for the rest.  We decided that if our healthy time with our Adelina is limited than we don't want to waste it (we expect the road to get rocky by the age of two but we also expect her to live).  We made a list of all the things we wanted to do this year.  Instead of doing one a month we are doing one to two a week.  The list is simple.  Let her have as many baths as she wants (within reason).  Visit a bunch of different parks.  Spend time outside.  Some are easier to quantify.  Visit the Brownsville zoo.  Jog outside every possible day (she LOVES this).  Finger paint.  Put up window clings for each season.  Ride the ferry.  Go to the beach as often as we can.  Play in the rain. Dance (she loves to dance).  Take TONS of pictures and videos.  The list goes on and on. 

When the choice comes between getting the kids to bed on time on a Friday night or having family movie night, we have a family movie night.  When the debate is between picking up the house or snuggling with the kids, we try to snuggle, even if it's just for a moment.  Do we still discipline? You bet!  Do we still clean and cook? Of course.  Do we still tell Adelina "No?"  Actually we don't, lol, when we use the word she bursts into tears.  That doesn't stop us from telling her "no" in many other ways :).