Life Lately

Hello Friends! 

You may have read here that I've given up social media and blogs for Lent. I am here to report this has been a transformative time like none other. While I give up Instagram and Facebook regularly and routinely, I've never actually replaced those things with better things. I made a conscious effort at the start of this just over a month ago that I wanted to use my time wisely. I have read two great books cover to cover, taken classes for illustration and photography, spent more time reflecting on my relationship with the Lord and just plain enjoyed free headspace. I can't recommend an extended break from social media enough. Here's what Team Atogwe has been up to since arriving back home in Virginia three weeks ago:

We're 21 days into Whole 30 in the Atogwe household. This means no grains (rice, bread, quinoa, etc.) no corn, no legumes (beans, peanuts etc.) no dairy, no sugar and so on. Meat. Eggs. Fruit. Vegetables. Cashews. Almonds. Repeat. While healthy eating is super important to my husband and I for both us and our kiddos, we have all had nagging food woes that needed to be addressed. I kind of cringed at the thought of not being able to make Oshiolema a sunbutter and jam sandwich for lunch or just pour a bowl of cereal for breakfast if need be, but I knew this was more than doable and committed to it. If you want to know more about how to succeed at Whole 30 with a 2 year old (or while breastfeeding), let me know and I'll create a post about that. Thankfully he is an incredible eater and doesn't bat an eye at eating beets or brussel sprouts every day. He also is a huge fan of the smoothie-every-single-morning thing. Some days have been harder than other for me personally, but I feel like I had a head start already being dairy and caffeine free for months before beginning. I feel incredible, I notice some of that postpartum mom tummy bearing a cousin-like resemblance of muscle and I am less ravenously hungry than when I began. I certainly wouldn't send a doughnut home right now though, you know what I mean?

We feel a bit of a ticking clock here in Virginia these days. We're not absolutely sure yet how long we'll be here. Because of this, we decided to have Family Day on Saturdays taking full advantage of being so close to D.C. Our first Saturday trip was to celebrate the annual Cherry Blossom Festival and take in all the pink our hearts could manage. Day trips with a six month old and two year old are always interesting, but always worth it.

We came home to a nursery that was fully boy. While I made sure the foundation of the room was neutral (grey, cream, brass) so I wouldn't have to fully change the room much between boy and girl babes, there were transformers and trucks and lots of boy details that quickly needed to change and make way for the princess. I've slowly but surely began moving things from other places in the house and from storage to girl-ify her room. I've enjoyed being able to tell O, "See? Aren't you glad I bought those drapes/that mirror/that artwork? I knew we'd use it someday" He's not as impressed as I imagined.

Keogena started eating solids right when we arrived home three weeks ago. The shift from only breastfeeding to having this little teeny baby sitting at the table with us for breakfast and dinner just makes her seem so much bigger to me. So far she's eaten avocado, zucchini, green beans, prunes, peas and butternut squash. She loves the spoon more than all of those.

Saving the best for last, my little sister Brooke and her husband are expecting their first baby in September!! We were all together the day they found out the news and have been bursting with joy ever since. Baby McReynolds will be exactly one year younger than Keogena, and Brooke will give birth at the same birth center Keogena was born in. Such a sweet, sweet season. Also, how beautiful is she? 

We have almost cleared through the avalanche of cardboard boxes and will soon be fully unpacked. Once I catch my breath, the organizing and deep Spring Cleaning can commence. I'm sending out prayers for a beautiful week wherever you are! Please have a coffee for me. And maybe a little teeny bite of a bagel with cream cheese. 

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