A Bit of a Hodge Podge

When I originally sat down to write this, I was in a gloomy kind of mood. My day didn't go as {I} planned and I've had a lot on my mind lately. I've been adding to this every few days and it's been sitting in my drafts folder for a few weeks now. I daily re-read it, change or add something and then step away.

Admittedly, much of what I've been thinking about has been courtesy of other bloggers and writers. I love when I read something that speaks so close to my heart and then I wish I had the wisdom to say it first. So, the first thing I will write about is from someone else and how they have spoken to me through their own blogs and will credit them as necessary. Other parts of this post are just a compilation of things that are going on around here.

Number 1:

Make each moment count. You can not know what tomorrow will bring and so it's important that we live for this moment. The one we are in now. The laughter of our children, the family meals, the bike rides, the ice cream runs, park days, picnics. Allow for spontaneity in your day... it's good for the heart. I also need to say “yes” more often. I am doing better than I used to but there's always room for improvement. It has taken me a long time but motto is “mountain or molehill”? Is the issue that I am dealing with serious enough to get worked up about and deal with at a higher level or is it something that I can just say “it's alright” and not look back. 

My sweet friend Carlene posted the following challenge in her blog a few days ago. I have accepted her challenge and I pass it on to you and hope you'll do the same.

Give the gift of time. Time is extremely precious to each of us. There is only so much of it in a day and our day is full before we even start. For many people it is often easier to give money than time. Set aside time for those you care about. Be deliberate about it. Pencil it in.

Give the gift of words. It is so rare that we tell someone why we appreciate them. We sign a card with our name but neglect to write in our own hand a few lines about why that person is important to us. We say "I love you" but forget to tell that person what it is about them that we love. Write it down. The words are precious and one day may be even more so.

Give the gift of presence. Sometimes all another person needs is for you to be there. Not to say anything, just be present. Human contact and connection. Relationship and link.

Take the time, be deliberate. All you have is today...and you never get it back.

Number 2:

For quite a while now, we've been talking about taking a second trip down to Alabama. Four years ago, I promised myself that if we ever went again, it would be on a plane. Somehow, my family has managed to convince me that we should drive there. That means 36-40 hours in the motor home with all of us. Last time, it wasn't too bad but now all the kids are bigger, plus we have one more. Doug's employer has approved his vacation time and we are going to be leaving in four weeks! Now you may ask “why Alabama?” That's a fair question indeed. Why would we want to drive to {practically} the south easternmost corner of the US? For many years now (maybe 8?), I've been part of an online group of moms. I am the only one in Canada though. Through forum posts, emails, texts, and Facebook, a much deeper level of friendship has been created with these women. So somehow in 2004, I got it in my head that I wanted to meet a few of these people. And Alabama seemed like a good place to start. I met five of these ladies down south and then a couple more in Ohio on our way home. It's interesting how we didn't have to ever meet face to face prior to our trip and yet it was as if we lived next door, not thousands of miles apart. It was a trip of a lifetime and the kids still talk about all the things we did. We are beginning to get excited about this “second chance” trip and I can't wait to see my long distance friends again!

Number 3:

Sarah has slept through the night for 12 consecutive nights now. After three years and 11 months, she has finally figured it out. I've always been quick to respond to my kids when they cry and CIO methods have never really worked for me. I'm sure there are some who disagree with how I did things and that I should have forced the issue earlier on. This way though, there was no fight. We never had to listen to her cry at her door and her trust in us never wavered. If she cried (for whatever reason), someone came to help her. Usually that meant spending the rest of the night between us and, for the time, it worked. And now, she's sleeping completely through and it's working as well.

Number 4:

Our school year is slowly winding down. It is hard to keep the kids inside when the sun is up so early and the days are long and warm. We are spending a lot of time with friends, biking around, visiting parks and doing stuff together. I am really proud of my kids and if I had to give them marks for their work, they would all be straight A students! I do have a few new ideas up my sleeve for next fall but we'll let that rest and think about it in a few months.

Number 5:

I have a dream to be a runner.  Not necessarily to race but to have the endurance to run/jog a full 5 km.  From my house, I have mapped out a half way point of 2.5 km (5 km round trip) and that seems like a long ways yet.   Maybe now that I've put it out there, I'll be held accountable... hmmm.  And I suppose there's no time like the present.  So maybe this morning, I'll strap Sarah into the stroller, grab the other kids and head out.