8 oz. of Inspiration

I have tried all kinds of diets in my day.  I have done no-carb, low-carb, bars, points, liquids, vegetarian....you name it, I've tried it.  In all the different diet plans I have put to the test one thing always seemed to pop up...the miracle measurement of 8 oz.  8 oz. seems to be key in so many aspects of dieting.  8 servings of 8 oz. of water a day, 8 oz. measurements of veggies or rice with a meal, no more than 8 oz. of lean proteins in a day.  The ever popular 8 oz. seems to be everywhere.  When you check the back of the milk carton it tells you that a serving of the dairy goodness is approx. 8 oz.  Drink an 8 oz. serving of V8 and it replaces 2 servings of vegetables for your daily consumption.  8 oz., 1 cup, 1/2 a pound, however you want to look at it, we see this particular measurement in many forms and fashions day in and day out.  As a dieter, I have lived through many a time when 8 oz. meant a great deal to me and the plan I was trying to use as a system for improving my health.  About a week ago my entire view of the 8 oz. measurement changed and this new opinion has brought me a greater sense of inspiration than any diet plan could ever hope to achieve.

In February of 2011, my wife and I decided that it was time to begin trying to add one more amazing blessing to our family.  When we were dating and spoke of our potential family, we always saw the idea of having four children as the ideal number for our future.  We are so blessed each day by the three amazing kids we have now that adding the fourth seemed to be the right decision.  In the past, we have not had any difficulty in mastering the art of conceiving children.  It was the one thing that seemed to come easily for us.  This time around would not go has we planned.  It took nearly 8 months of trying and many frustrating negative results on various pregnancy tests  before on November 23rd my wife woke me with the news that she was finally pregnant.  Relief and happiness were the themes of the day and needless to say that Thanksgiving took on an additional sense of poignancy. 

Fast forward 3 months and my children and I were heading with my wife for her ultrasound appointment where we would learn the sex of our newest family member.  The 5 of us crowded in the little ultrasound room and stared in amazement as the form of our baby filled the monitor.  We saw all the features one expects to see in a healthy baby and as each new angle and description of what we were seeing came, the excitement and anticipation rose.  As we finally came to the moment of truth the technician waved here magic wand and pronounced that we were having a little boy.  What a moment of joy!  We were already blessed with two beautiful daughters and a handsome son and now the genders would be even.  The coolest part of it all was that when my wife and I discussed our future family, our ideal balance would have been two girls and two boys...who looks into their future and twenty years old and hopes for a specific family dynamic and then is blessed enough to actually see it come to fruition? 

As the session was wrapping up and we were trying mightily to control the three overexcited rug rats we had in the room the technician made one last observation.  She looked and the measurements of our little boy and told us that he was at the perfect size developmentally and appeared to be measuring about 8 oz.  WOW!  Now that is the first time in my life that I have ever looked at 8 oz. in such an inspiring way.  This little 8 oz. boy reached through my wife's womb, straight into my chest and grabbed my heart for eternity.  If that isn't inspiration or motivation enough to get things truly moving in my journey to a healthier life...nothing will ever be.  Thanks to my little 8 oz. buddy, my journey is back on track!

8 oz. of true inspiration!