Lenten Plans

I have hardly thought about Lent and now it is Ash Wednesday.  The whole thing has been sort of eclipsed in my head because of B's continuing illness and the discovery of high toxic molds in her room. 

So for Lent, we'll be giving up mold!  And I have no idea of how extensive the problem will prove to be.  I have visions of us having to rent another house while this one gets gutted, sprayed and rebuilt.  Please God, no! 

So that's one thing.

Also with the diet.  Since she's already no gluten, no soy, no tree nuts, no cow dairy plus now she's low sugar which means a very limited selection of gluten free grains (brown rice, oats, quinoa) and no potatoes, mushrooms and supposedly no corn or peanut butter.  And only low sugar fruits.  However, the nutritionist did say she could have a small amount of corn tortillas, a small amount of peanut butter and a 1/2 banana in a smoothie once in a while.

So today, Ash Wednesday we are being meat free (eggs, goat cheese and fish).  We'll do that also for Good Friday, but at least for B, I'm not imposing the meat free Fridays.  She's already on a forced fast.  I can make the sacrifice because it's no big deal to me but to her it really is too much.

I do plan to curtail my internet habits.  I'm going to only do necessary communication things on facebook up to 1/2 hour a day. 

I also am going to limit myself to no more than 2 youtube videos a day.  I'm addicted to all these homesteading channels now.

Also, I am going to finish The Light of Christ book by Holy Thursday.  I've been reading it very inconsistently and slowly.  So I plan to be more diligent about that.

I do hope to get to a daily mass a week, adoration once a week and I'm going to try to go to confession at the beginning and at the end of Lent.  Usually I wait til the very last minute to go just before Easter.

My big sacrifice will be doing a deep clean of something every day, since housework is definitely the thing I hate the most.  My inspiration is the 40 Bags in 40 Weeks idea, but instead of bags, it will be 'spots.'  Each day I'm going to find a spot that needs cleaning and clean it to the most thorough degree I can.  Not just maintenance cleaning, but deeper and more thorough.  Today, I tackle the fridge.

Tomorrow R and I are flying to Phoenix, AZ.  I've never been there before.  I don't think he has either.  Last time I went with him to a conference was when I was pregnant with H!  We are flying out in the a.m.  Thankfully, J has Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays off, so he'll be taking care of the dog and ferrying B places in my stead.  So today is also laundry and getting ready for the conference.  I'll have dress every night for dinners and stuff.  Yuck.  But I think during the day while he's in meetings I'll be free to wander around and explore, and just relax and read a lot. 

Have a blessed Lent!