A few days after the birth of my son, I lay in bed crying. No, it wasn't from the C-section pain. It wasn't postpartum depression. It wasn't lack of sleep (although that didn't help).
I had just touched my post-pregnancy belly for the first time.
And it was.....squishy.
I never had awesome washboard abs of steel or anything, but my stomach had been decently firm and not too round for most of my adult life. On my list of likes and dislikes concerning my body, it was a steady resident of the "Acceptable" category (unlike my thighs....).
Suddenly I had a tummy that was soft and jiggly and nothing at all like the tummy I remembered. WHOSE BODY WAS THIS?!
Ten months later, that tummy is still with me. I lost my pregnancy weight very quickly thanks to a 9.5-lb baby, breastfeeding, and God's provision. Adding a weekly Zumba class has helped my physical and emotional fitness. I've even started buying pants in a smaller size.
Yet the baby belly remains, threatening to return me to those bigger pants and mocking me with it's squishy, shapeless form.
A dear friend of mine said that one day, a year or so after her son was born, she finally did find some muscle in her tummy again. So I can hope. And do crunches. And complain to y'all.
I waited for the impending snow storm on Friday with mixed feelings. I was looking forward to the prospect of several inches of snow, but I also hoped it would hold off until Saturday.
Because, um, Old Navy was having a sale. 30% off everything. And yes, I am officially a suburban mom who buys all of her clothes at Old Navy. Shut up.
Once I resigned myself to being homebound for the next few days, I got depressed. Not at the thought of staying home, but at the realization that this wouldn't be much of a change in my routine. On the average day I hang out at home, do housework, and watch Ian. If I got snowed in, I would hang out at home, do housework, and watch Ian. Booooo.
I also had set aside this weekend to do some work on my federal tax return, which is a little complicated since I closed my business last year. Wasn't really looking forward to that, either.
Once the snow started falling, however, I got more into the spirit of things. A lovely visit from Jessica made Friday afternoon quite cheery, and I enjoyed reading the Twitter updates with everyone's #TheSituation2010 experiences. (The Nashvillest ladies are so fabulous for coining that hashtag. Actually, they are just fabulous in general. Go check out their site if you aren't familiar with it.)
I was pretty stressed about getting my taxes done and catching up on some housework, but I resolved that my workaholic tendencies would not ruin the snowfall of the decade for me. On Saturday and Sunday I joined Ian and Paul in our own #TheSituation2010 adventures, sledding down the hill in our side yard.
Ian seemed to enjoy his first snow outing:
Oh, and apparently mommies are required to bake when it snows. I wasn't aware of this phenomenon until Saturday when I started feeling a compulsion to make cookies. My Twitter and Facebook streams were filled with other ladies making donuts, chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate oatmeal cookies. I finally capitulated on Sunday and baked some homemade oreos.
Right now I am enjoying the snow lingering in our yard. This is snowy perfection we hardly see here in Tennessee. Usually the snow here melts within a day or two; this week it is warm enough to melt the snow off the streets but cold enough to keep the landscape coated in white.
Tonight I am thankful to my Creator for the gifts of warm, safety, and grace.
Just read a humbling statistic in this article from The Tennessean.
17.5% of Nashville's population lives below the federal poverty line. That means an income of less than $21,834 for a family four.
Stunning.
I spend a considerable amount of mental power figuring out ways our little family of three can save money, and we are privileged to have an income much, much higher than the poverty line.
These thoughts bring to mind several questions for me.
1) How on earth do people make ends meet with an income of less than $21,000? I know that all too often the answer is that the ends just never meet. A lot of these families can't afford basic food and clothing.
2) Where on earth am I spending all of my money? Sometimes I think my mind is in a permanent state of "there will never be enough," when really I am richer than I can possibly imagine.
3) What can I/should I do about this? Do I need to examine my own spending habits? How can I help others in my area?
I am really grateful for the perspective this article has given me. Sometimes I pride myself on frugality, gloating that I clip coupons and choose not to subscribe to cable TV. In truth, I'm not particularly frugal, I just prioritize my luxuries. I can't imagine the daily decisions my fellow Nashvillians must face in trying to provide for their families.
Christy Nicholson is a writer, editor, and backsliding musician. In a former life she managed content on entertainment-related websites, and until recently she ran an online store focused on ethical shopping. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Paul, and her son, Ian, and she dreams of someday checking someone into the boards during a hockey game.
