Ashes, ashes

Kelsey was excused from CCD class today for to allow for all children and their parents to attend a special Ash Wednesday children's liturgy at 5 p.m. today.  Cait was unavailable due to choir practice and Peter had his joyous commute, so Nicholas, Kelsey and I were left to our own devices.  The list of participants (or lack thereof) is why (as of late) I don't particularly enjoy church without another adult along for the ride.

Despite the fact that it was a short ceremony, Nicholas got his share of hair-pulling, biting (grinning demonically while doing so), toy car throwing and screeching in.  Yes, he's two on Saturday, and he is very, very, very good at it.  Oops, forgot pinching.  Despite the fact that his nails are almost non-existent, he could be in the pinching Olympics.  I am fairly sure the skin on the back of my arm is now completely numb.

I know, this sweet little boy?  Yes.  However, the only bright spot (if it can be considered one) is that he keeps it in the family.  He leaves Caitlin alone (for the most part), pulls Kelsey's hair occasionally, and will attempt to bite Pete.   No one outside the family is ever touched, and my only conclusion is that this is some sort of performance review on his part, and I clearly have many issues to work on (he has yet to articulate what the issues might be) in the coming year. You can bet I have quite a few ideas of what Nicholas should give up for Lent.

Kelsey has decided to give up whining (which has, ironically, tapered off lately) and Cait is still deciding.  They were debating many different items yesterday, but Cait couldn't settle on anything definitively.  On the other hand, I miraculously came up with something at the very last minute.  Nothing earth-shattering, but something that will be easy to remember.  Nothing has derailed me more than forgetting what I had given up.  Yes, entirely possible, sadly, I have done it many a time in the past. 

Possibly the only time I didn't forget, perhaps because it was just one item, was back in 2006.  I was late with the decision, as usual, but opted to give up soda.  I really only drank one kind: Coke.  Since I grew up in the South, I should clarify that I do mean Coca-cola (the one and only).  I don't mean diet (blech), new, Pepsi or 7-Up….just plain old Coke.  I began to realize how much we bought (and thus I drank) one day while getting it uber-cheap at the base.  I think we paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $3/12 cans (is that cheap?  it seemed to be at the time…).  I would buy several packs, and it would last a week or two…meaning I could easily be drinking 2-3 cans of empty calories (and, let's face it, tooth-rotting junk) per day.

It suddenly seemed like a ton of something my body and teeth just didn't need.  I remembered giving it up in the past and it seemed like after a week or two, I didn't miss it anymore.  So, I figured, why not?  Guess what?  It worked.  Not only did it work for Lent, but I have kept to it since then.  I have had a sip now and again when nothing else was available, or if I really craved one (occasionally while pregnant), but that's it. 

I realize it might sound silly, but I know we have saved a ton of money.  Peter also gave it up last year, and now only drinks the occasional diet Squirt.  The kids will have an occasional soda when out, but I don't buy the stuff, and I don't miss it.  In fact, neither one of the kids had any until we returned to the States.  And, believe it or not, I have been ridiculed at times for not "letting them" have it. In reality, they simply never developed the taste for it until now.  I am not going to throw up fences around them and say no completely (good way to encourage them to sneak it behind my back), but I don't keep any around the house.

So, I will be interested to see what, if any, effect my current Lenten goal has on me or my health (there's a clue…).  If anything, it may not even be the item itself, but more likely related issues.  Only time will tell!  In that vein, anyone out there have a Lenten promise they care to share?