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Depression. It’s such an ugly and nasty word to me, dark and dirty and not something I truly understood even though I’d battled fear and anxiety to some level for most of my life. Time flies by, circumstances and situations in day to day life change, life moves forward at lightning speed, and it’s all we can do to keep up sometimes… what some know and many don’t, is that for several years I didn’t keep up at all, I was fighting a losing battle.
I never in a million years would have thought it was possible for me to sink as low as I did. Nor could I have imagined what depression can truly do to your mind, body and soul – it’s literally like poison. It’s devastating beyond imagination, and the worst part is, I had no idea how bad it was, or how deep, until it was too late.
There are many different things that contributed to the depression and darkness I went through. My husband and I have spent a fair amount of time talking about it in depth recently. I am deeply analytical, and there have slowly been many pieces to the puzzle made clear to me during the healing process.
The old house was a huge factor, there was a lot more to it than that, but I believe it was one of the main triggers to set everything in motion. My husband and I refer to it as the “perfect storm”, where everything aligned in just the right way to send me spiraling into the abyss. I still cry when I think of what we were living in compared to now. I wish I could have bloomed in the old house, but in many ways I died there instead.
My usual response as I say that, would be to cringe and say that I must just not have been as good as everyone else… those who can make it work, and live, and grow, and be truly totally happy in a situation like that. But the truth is, I’m not entirely sure anyone really could have, and it’s simply just time I stop beating myself up over it.
At the time, I wasn’t aware of how very physically depleted I was, the battle that was raging within my body left my mind vulnerable. My emotions were constantly on edge, life was stressful, and I felt that I was failing in every important area of my life, especially as a parent.
I can’t fully explain the deep and destructive effects depression has on the heart, mind and soul; the absolute and utter uselessness one feels when going through it, and how unbelievably disillusioned one can be when living in that level of darkness. [Read More...]
I haven’t shared nearly as much as I would like here about my recent health journeys, but living gluten free has become a part of everyday life for me. I will be the first to admit it was (and still is) the biggest adjustment I think I have had to make my entire life. It [...]
I’m going to be honest. My daughter (who is almost 3) has a wayyyyy better wardrobe then I do. She has more shoes, almost as many accessories, and some seriously cute clothes. Thanks to to Gymboree, her wardrobe just got even better! Disclosure: As always all opinions and statements expressed are those of the author. [...]
We know it’s important to take pictures and record our children’s youth and there’s never been a time in history where it’s easier, more convenient or more beautiful than it is now. And guess what… you don’t even need a top of the line camera! Today I want to offer all of you a challenge.. [...]
I adore making applesauce, it’s simple and so yummy. Homemade applesauce is something that my kids adore. Some of them like it while it’s still warm, some of them prefer it after it’s cooled in the fridge awhile. Either way, there’s never any complaints and since I know exactly what’s going in it (all organic [...]
The recipe I’m featuring today was such a GREAT find I am so excited! I have been wanting to do something fun and a little different for snacks and maybe even occasionally for breakfast, so I’m eager to try this. You see, we can’t seem to keep cold cereal on hand (nope, not even the [...]
I always love when a brand gets behind real nutrition for families! I know it seems like all major food brands should be, but alas, that often isn’t the case. Sacrificing nutrition for the sake of cutting costs and “improving” flavor (really?) is what most brands are all about. As you all know I’ve been [...]
Did you know that September is national Honey month??? Yeah, I didn’t either, but I was blissfully surprised and thrilled when I not only learned about it, but was asked to interview Chef David Guas on behalf of the National Honey Board. I truly enjoy interviewing chefs, they often have fun and creative ideas. Chef [...]
I know I’ve been rather absent this week, but football practices have kicked in full-swing for our oldest son and back-to-school madness has also begun. As I work to keep up with the fast pace, here’s a quick little smoothie recipe that truly keeps me going during it all. Fruity With a Dash of Smoothie [...]
Movie nights are much anticipated events around here, especially new releases they haven’t seen before. Since movie night is often on a weekend, the pre-movie meal will commonly be pizza and chocolate milk (something that was basically a tradition for me growing up), so keeping snacks fun but also healthy is always at the forefront of [...]
Recently I stumbled upon a recipe that is actually a fun dessert we ate growing up. Once again showing that good things just keep coming back and that healthy foods definitely can be a great tradition! This dessert (or snack even) tastes like individual apple pies (without the crust which is fine with me). The one [...]
Around here the 4th of July often turns into an entire weekend event! My kids love it! I have found through the years that the day itself is so busy and exciting that even if meals are served the kids don’t stop long enough to really enjoy it. So, this year I’ll be serving lots [...]
We usually have a bonfire with our Memorial Day BBQ, and along with that comes the kids begging to roast hot dogs and marshmallows. S’mores are often on the agenda as well and this year it’s going to be with a little twist! I stumbled on this great Strawberry Banana S’mores recipe from Kraft and [...]
Children love snacks, sometimes they would rather snack all day rather than consuming an entire meal in one sitting. Although I do not recommend allowing children to snack all day and forget about meals, there is definitely a time and place for snacks. Snacking Tips An active child will typically need more calories than meals [...]
Welcome to A Frog In My Soup! My name is Shera and I am the mom behind the "Soup" or the "Frogs" whichever you happen to be reading about. My hubby and I have been married for 19 years. We have 6 sons that frequent these pages: CJ (17), Salesman (14), Tater (13), J-Man (9) & The TwinkyDinks (or Tweebs depending on their mood) - Bugs & Monkey (6 & 6). This blog is a little piece of my life, a large piece of my sanity with a lot of my heart thrown in. There are days I laugh and … Read more
