listen

I'm finding if I quiet myself more often and just listen to the voices of my children I can find great joy in simple words. Today in the car on the way home from school B was looking at a brochure of a local state park. He excitedly pointed out that there was a "beagle" on the brochure! A beagle? What Forida state park thinks that beagles should be advertised as local wildlife. Yes, my beagle jack russel is wild and could qualify in oh so many ways...but really...in print advertising? At the next stop he pointed to the picture of the grand bird on the brochure..."see mommy, a beagle!" Yes, baby a beagle....I love seeing (and hearing) the world through the eyes of a child!

Stop.....listen....smile!

kid funny

First I apologize for the lengthy abscence. (Really now, why do I need to apologize for not posting on my own blog...as if there is some massive readership that has been left hanging for the next installment of my crazy life!) Let's just say...life got in the way of blogging for a bit. I now have a new camera (thanks dad, glad you have a hobby that encourages you to upgrade your equipment regularly!) that I love but need to be practicing a bit more...it has so many more bells and whistles than my former that I tend to be intimidated by the machine!

I do have a funny story that left A and I in stitches the other night. B has an imaginary friend. I know that often younger children adopt an "imaginary friend". This friend has really never had a name..(until yesterday in the car where we agree his name was now Kipper - for those of you not familiar with children's videos, this is the name of a dog character in a British children's video and book series by Mick Inkpen) Sooooo, many times imaginary friend's mother, father and dog will show up for interaction and visits. They are regulars at our house!

Last night we were enjoying our pre-bedtime story and prayer. I asked who would like to pray for us that evening and B piped up that he really wanted to pray. He explained that he wanted to pray for his invisable friend...as in he would interpret the friend's prayer for us...(this can be an interesting experience..we haven't quite figured out how to explain that invisable friend has no sould and therefore really can't have a personal relationship with Christ...blah, blah, blah, blah..at this point irrelavent). He goes onto explain that he will pray for his invisable friend because his friend speaks sign-language (visualize him making sign language "movements" with his hands). A and I look at each other to hide our smiles. Finally, we understand. We haven't been able to communicate with invisable friend because we can't "see" him talking!
Oh, how I LOVE my kids imaginations!

sad, sad day

This is an odd little post so bear with me. I just found out via blogland that my very favorite magazine of all time (and I do read me some magazines, just ask my family) is no longer going to be published.

Mary Englebreit Home Companion has lost their publisher. Whoa is me! This truly was the best art/handcrafting/decorating publication out there. (I must also add that my second fav mag Country Home is also done) What is a magazine-aholic to do? No slam to the other publications, but I just loved me some colorful, out there, refurbished junk art and decor! I was always sooooo inspired.

Well, I guess I'm going to just have to get with it and inspire myself....

MEHC I will miss you.......

Busyness....

The holidays were pretty peaceful and low-key. I really enjoyed them and the quite time with my family. I had let go of many of my previous committments prior to the holidays and had settled in the ebb and flow of a great family routine.

New Year...so you'd think I could continue on the same track. I'm realizing that "saying yes to everything" is a very hard habit to break. It is not a good sign on Friday night to lay your head down hoping that Sunday night comes as quickly as possible. This should be a great indicator that there are too many "things" scheduled.

I guess I have to be reminded (regularly) of our family's priorities and our best suited schedule. Everyone is different. Some families work best with lots of activity and yet others work best at a slower pace. I'm working on releasing the guilt over not having my kids signed up for every sporting event and activity, for having weekends with absolutely nothing on the schedule from Friday night to Sunday night, for just hanging out at home with the kids making paper mache.

This is a journey, parenting, finetuning not only our approach and disciplining techniques but releasing the guilt of not being the "perfect" parent or compairing ourselves to every other parent in our immediate circle. Conversations with my own parents have led me to realize that it is in fact a life long journey. What's that old saying, "God ain't finished with me yet!" ? Thank you God for never being finished with this wife, mother, daughter, sister & friend.