What I Learned From an Internet Fast

Sweet people.  God most definitely saw that my internet fasting continued.  Our internet is squashed bananas! Speaking of bananas, Jonah has been eating half a banana for the last five nights (excepting last night because he took a random but much needed very long nap).  Hooray for food! (And then tonight his face started blotching red while we did banana! Time for a little break!)

Note: Eating bananas has not at all affected his nursing marathons at night, which include, burping, belching, coughing, snorting, whining, grunting and other noises that could possibly scare his future wife and prevent me from sleeping while he nurses (i.e. nurses, burps, belches, coughs, snorts, whines, grunts, passes gas, etc.).  Except we would love for him to be a priest! God's will!

Ok so, how was the internet fast?
AWESOME AMAZING FRUITFUL
Just in time for Rita turning two and IMMEDIATELY entering this ultra needy-ultra independent paradoxical age, which probably would have demanded a fast anyway.  God is mighty wise.  I'm much much more attentive, patient, focused, productive, etc., when I'm NOT instagraming, tweeting, reading blogs that drag me around the internet and deep into archives, and other such social media activity.  Cause it's just me, the kids, the kitten, daily chores, food and some outside time.  I've even been spending time outside every day and walking most days (with Jonah in a baby carrier).

Peeps, being two is apparently very hard.  I'm glad it happens early cause this chic is having her fair share of meltdowns, outbursts, etc.  Oh, and my less than desirable qualities are just bursting through her personality.  I've been feeling a little less than, um, momma-ish since my little mirror is showing all the imperfections of my personality.  It's humbling and exasperating and mostly we find the most relief and most peace and unity outside beneath the cold January sky.

The days (like yesterday) where we stay inside most of the day become absolute angry chaos.  Y'all it's like the Fall of the Garden of Eden over and over every minute on those days. I mean, my fallen nature is not pretty.  I'm not even going to pretend I have it all together.  (It should be said: Tyler is in-fi-nite-ly more patient than me.  Infinitely.)

Tyler and I agree that always focusing on simplifying, minimizing and de-cluttering will continue to help us live less chaotic lives.  Which, in turn, will help me to be less stressed.  Many people have advised me to just let the house go, but for real, me and Tyler argue, argue, argue, argue when our house is disordered and cluttered.  Mess isn't an option unless sleepy-time comes before we can get it all together.  Pretty much sleep out-rules everything.  I mean, we go to bed at like 9:30/10:00pm since the internet fast.  Sleep is amazing.  When I wasn't nursing a baby I was my best after six hours of uninterrupted sleep.  Uninterrupted sleep is just a dream of the past, but if I can have nine hours lying down, sleeping as much as I possibly can than I am totally guaranteed to be a much better momma.  Much, much better momma.

So this is what I've learned:
A. fasting from social media is much more of a sacrifice than fasting from food (in so far as I'm not having blood sugar drops and have time easily carved out for prayer/spiritual readings)
B. outside time twice a day is most desirable
C. exercise outside every day is mostly essential
D. a play-date once a week is great
E. going to sleep the same time as my husband really helps our communication
F. incorporating Rita into my daily chores as much as possible is helpful
G. baby-wearing is dynamite and totally sleep/calm inducing
H. reading from tangible books is so satisfying
I. routine (meaning, sequence of events) is more important schedule

So, I'm going to be just taking it easy.  Putting my vocations of wife and mother first and being present virtually as much as I see fit is what I'll be doing.  Check-in when you can.  But let's be Eucharist to our loved ones, together.  Let us be present, pulsing with life, selfless, and the presence of Christ's love.