Thankful for Teas

A few months back I know I had mentioned my attempts to get off of soda and caffeine.  Let me tell you, that was a horrible failure.  It wasn't long before I was drinking sodas more often than I had before!  I guess that's the trial of it all!  It's hard to kick a habit when it's easier not to.  It also doesn't help that the readily available water isn't so delightful to drink.  Texas tap water leaves much to be desired.

Well, I'm trying it again.  I've already pretty much succeeded at kicking the caffeine.  The only soda I drink now is root beer, with the occasional break for something else.  That much is a definite improvement.  Not only am I doing something better for my body, but I'm showing a good example for my children, something I also find incredibly important.

When I was a child I remember my mother drinking soda what seemed all the time.  While I have vague memory of my mother having milk in the morning, I never actually remember her drinking it.  It's more that she told me she did, so it must be true.  The refridgerator was always filled with diet coke and it seemed when she needed a drink, that's always what she had.  My sister and I were always told to have juice, milk, or water more frequently, but I do remember my mother and her sodas.

I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that I grew up to be much the same way.  All too often I'll grab a soda to quench my thirst, even though I know it won't work and I would be better with water.  I find myself doing exactly what my mom cautioned my sister and I never to do, but always did herself, drinking soda first thing in the morning.  I didn't even think about how bad it had grown until my room, not having a trash barrel in it at the moment, got cluttered with cans.  I realized then that I had a problem.  I kept telling myself I would cut back, but never really put much effort into it.

Just last night I had the urge to drink some tea.  I used to be a big drinker of tea and hot chocolate.  Both were lovely on cool fall days, straight through the winter.  I would turn to tea and hot chocolate because they had such a calming effect on me.  No matter how hectic things got, I could always sit down with a cup of tea and relax.  Even when I was at work, I always knew a cup of tea would be just the answer.

Here I am now, sitting down and typing, and what is the drink I have beside me?  All to often it would be soda.  All too often I'd be drinking it down, not even really enjoying it anymore.  I would have to guard that soda against my son who would sneak up and steal it, drinking it all down when I wasn't looking.  Instead, I have my tea, the tea I don't have to worry about guarding.  Even if he did decide to drink it all down, it's just lemon tea.  It's not bad for him.  It's actually quite good for him!  It's hydrating, warm, and quite tasteful.  I'd almost forgotten how wonderful tea was!

So for many reasons, I'm thankful for my tea today.  It's a way to calm my stressed out nerves.  It's a way to sit back and relax.  It's one more step towards freedom from soda, so hopefully I'll actually be able to enjoy my soda when I have it.  I'm thankful for tea because it's showing my children that you can always have a drink in your hand.  It doesn't have to be water.  With all the contraversy over the sugar in juice these days, I'm showing them they don't need that either.  Instead, I'm showing them that there is a healthy option that's easy and so delightful on cool fall days.

Hmm...thinking about it, maybe it's time my daughter and I had a tea party!