When this post posts, I’ll be at the gym.
I’ll be swimming.
My babysitter will have arrived at 5:55 a.m.
so that I could go swimming before the kids even wake up.
It will be my fourth day in a row, in that pool, logging my-
now up to twelve-
laps-
one long exhale at a time.

Twenty-five to thirty minutes, tops.
Pretending I’m in the Caribbean.
Alone, or with great child care…
Like my brother who keeps saying;
“Sure I’ll take them so you can go for a swim.”

I’m not a great swimmer, not a bad one.
Confident enough, perhaps less than efficient.
But I’m doing it:
Exercising.

With which has come:
A significant reduction in the sound of my LOUD
(some would call it yelling) voice
A noticeable shift in my choices of nourishment:
No to the homemade fudge. Yes to the apple.
Deeper sleep.
A nicer me.

“Well Mom I like you no matter what.” Said Sam, when I was explaining that nicer me part.

The gift of a one month membership to the YMCA, and I am turning it around.
Then my mom offered to pick up the next month for my birthday in March.
Talk about removing obstacles!

I wish everyone had friends
and family as generous and observant as mine.

Who can you buy a one month gym membership for today?
Know anyone who could use an hour of babysitting so they could work out?
If that someone is you–send them the link to my this post, and see what happens!

What are you doing to take care of Mama you? Papa you? Auntie or Uncle you? YOU?