Early mornings and sleepless nights.

I sent an email to my boss last night at 3:38am saying I would not be coming into work Downtown today.  I couldn't get to sleep, my mind would not turn off and this was coming off of an exhausting day.  So weird.

 I also knew I had to get up and be at Hillsborough High School at dawn for a Bible study that the FCA kids do every Wednesday.  Starbucks was on my way and a necessity. 

6:58 REQUIRES espresso.

These kids are awesome.  It was really cold, really early, and they were so excited to be there.  The leader of the group hit traffic on the way and literally walked up and began the study without a breath.  It was inspiring to see such responsibility and leadership at this age.  Color me impressed.  He spoke about Gideon and finding strength in the Lord when we want to rely so much on our own strength.  Hello.  I'd hardly slept, my face was swollen from morning-ness (a real condition), and it was so cold I was crying (does anyone else's eyes do that in the cold?).  I was a walking example of relying on my own strength.  

A big part of my job with FCA is to raise money so leaders in high school clubs can go to leadership camp.  If anyone would like to sponsor a student, let me know and I'll give you the information.  Think of how high schools can change if students are taught how to lead effectively and with love.  It gives me chills. 

You know what else gives me chills?  How these kids look so happy without coffee.

Cleanse + Coffee = Balanced living.

A big huge thank you for all of your sweet emails and texts about my newest adventure.  If you know me at all you know I have the attention span of a two year old and your ability to know that and support me anyway is blush inducing.  Humbled.

Public Service Announcement:  Starbucks is having a promotion that you can read about here.  They are selling res useable plastic cups for $1 with the hopes of a higher percentage of their customers buying them for the $.10 discount they get every time they bring it back in.  I bought one like the sucker I am and have used it everyday.  It is actually a really great travel cup and I pour my coffee in it every morning on the way to work, no spills to date.  Coffee that is.  My shoes always smell like gasoline from the pump spilling on me EVERY SINGLE TIME I fill up.  Does that happen to anyone else?  I wonder if Buddy Brew would scorn bringing this cup in for a refill.  Most definitely probably.  I might try anyway because their coffee is ammmmmazing.  And I don't add extra m's for my health. 

Something I'm trying for my health is to start juicing.  I've never been too into the idea of it, even after watching, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead which is an informative and entertaining documentary about juicing but it never really appealed to me.  Until I saw this...

AND it was on sale for $80 (right now it's on sale for $100 here).  AND I needed to go by Crate and Barrel to pick up some other things.  AND I ordered it.  I'm not an impulse buyer.  I promise I think purchases through (other than Target end of aisle red sticker items...against those I am helpless). 

I did a three day juice cleanse right before Christmas based loosely off of one I found on Pinterest here.  I did it because I was feeling sluggish (probably from all of the french fries) and knew we'd be eating out for the next week every meal on vacation.  It turned out to be a great experiment and I would recommend it to anyone.  I am no doctor or nutritionist and I know what is okay for me might not be okay for everyone but it was crazy how much energy I had on the cleanse.

Every picture in my mind about a juice cleanse was of me laying around all day watching Gossip Girl and cuddling my dog.  I only did two of those things on this cleanse.  Everything I'd read had cautioned not to exercise during a cleanse but I felt so good I went to a boxing class one day and ran with Luke another.  I never felt hungry and felt oddly satiated the entire time.  The last night of the cleanse, a sweet friend held an Advent dinner which we attended even though I was not eating.  She made a vegan soup which killed me that I couldn't eat it.  I juiced up my dinner and brought it with me to drink while everyone else was eating delicious Taco Soup and I was so over juice at that point I didn't even drink it.  That is how un-hungry I was.  And I am always hungry.  I felt incredible though and while no one told me I was "glowing" I felt like I was.  I'm secretly mad at my friends for not telling me "you're glowing" now. 

With that....I'm starting my first juice cleanse of the year.  Starting today.  Cleanses are supposed to rid your body of crap including caffeine and give you a fresh start.  I'm not so concerned about caffeine leaving my body though, I like it there and will continue to use stimulants.  No judgement por favor.  I'll post up some recipes later of my favorite juices so far.  As a testament to my juicing skills, Matt was really sick last week after we got back from Colorado and I juiced lots of kale for him and he got better really fast.  So basically I'm a healer.  Not really.  But really. Cheers!