After a late night last night for Bryan and I, we still got up in time to get the whole family ready for church on time.  It was so nice to get there in time to take the sacrament.  As I sat there after the sacrament prayer with my head still bowed, my arms folded and eyes closed, I was feeling very thankful to my Father in Heaven.  I prayed for forgiveness for my impatience with my family this week (especially with Bryan).  After a minute or two of doing this, Ashlee (3 years old), who was sitting next to me, leaned over and said, “Mom why are your arms still folded and your eyes still closed?”  I explained to her that the sacrament was a time for thinking about Jesus Christ, and that I was saying a prayer.  She seemed satisfied with that answer.  She is such a sweetheart and has sure been a cuddle bug lately.  The last month or so I will feel her climb in bed next to me and when I asked her what’s up she just says, “I just want to snug with you”.  Ashlee hasn’t always been a snuggler so Bryan and I eat up every opportunity we get to “snug” with her. 

After the sacrament I had taken the kids to the bathroom.  In doing so I realized that I needed to go home for some girl supplies.  I took Bella so Bryan wouldn’t have to have all 3 kids in sacrament meeting all alone.  I got home and wasn’t feeling too well so I ended up laying down for a bit.  After picking up the kids and Bryan from church I came home and took some Midol.  I had forgotten that the Midol we have has caffeine in it.  I haven’t had caffeine in my system since the week after Christmas 2010 and boy did my body let me know it.  After about 20 minutes I got really bad anxiety and felt like I was headed for a bad panic attack.  I have only had 2 panic attacks in the last 2 months, but this was the worst I have had in a long time.  I took a Xanax hoping that would help, but it didn’t seem to do a thing for me.  After trying to breathe through it for about 30 minutes I finally decided I needed to take a proactive approach to helping myself feel better.  I don’t normally go to the gym on Sunday but I decided that I was going to go to the gym and just sit in the steam room and see if it would help me to relax.  I went in for 10 minutes and then out for a couple of minutes and back in 3 different times.  It helped quite a bit and then I went home and ate dinner and that helped too. 

I have finally been able to start pin pointing the things that trigger my anxiety and depression.  It doesn’t mean I don’t have issues with it every now and then, but it sure helps me to avoid it most times.  After feeling what I felt today, I was assured that I will never put caffeine in my body every again…if I can help it.  It’s not worth it. 

I have really gained a testimony of the word of wisdom and not just the WofW in general but for me personally.  Each of us can be and is effected by certain things that we put in our bodies and if we pay attention to our bodies and feed it what it needs and avoid those things that cause us to be physically or mentally ill, I believe that is what Heavenly Father intended for us to be aware of. 

The principles of the gospel are for everyone.  Where it becomes personal is when we recognize how it can bless us individually.  I am so thankful for that.