Where have I been?
Adulting. Parenting. Loving. Wife-ing. Working. Summer-ing. Listening.
Top 10 Lessons this summer (to date):
1. Traveling as a family is a trip for parents and a vacation for kids.
2. You want to do it all. Wish you could do it all. That's difficult.
3. There are still not enough hours in the day.
4. Connect 4: Verb. Connecting our family and doing something special together.
Lately we've been all over the map with brotherly love. There's the attention pulls where we give each other turns to talk and they both say the same thing over and over... and over again. There are moments of tears where one is feeling left out and just starts crying to try and shift the balance. There are quiet times that I overhear: "Payton, do you like me? Do you love that I'm your big brother? Is it fun when I play with you?" Then there's the "Copycat Disciplinarian" when one tries to reprimand the other or copies the reprimand we're giving. When we CONNECT 4, I really try to connect all of us: put away the phones, let's go do something together.
Lately we've been all over the map with brotherly love. There's the attention pulls where we give each other turns to talk and they both say the same thing over and over... and over again. There are moments of tears where one is feeling left out and just starts crying to try and shift the balance. There are quiet times that I overhear: "Payton, do you like me? Do you love that I'm your big brother? Is it fun when I play with you?" Then there's the "Copycat Disciplinarian" when one tries to reprimand the other or copies the reprimand we're giving. When we CONNECT 4, I really try to connect all of us: put away the phones, let's go do something together.
5. Parents need a time out more often. It's always fun to get a taste of grown-up-giggles. You know the ones that I'm talking about.
6. Seeing people is great, spending time with them is gold.
7. My kids thrive more in space than in amusements.
It goes without saying that those pictures friends post or pinterest ideas for amazing visits to museums, activities, zoos & parks are great. I start to feel a bit of "mom-guilt" because I don't tend to make time for that stuff. Then when we do it though, the excitement lasts for an hour, maybe two, and they are ready to move on. Put us at the beach, the lake, a pool, a ranch, a campsite, the great outdoors -- they create and move through the space enjoying all of the time we can give them.
It goes without saying that those pictures friends post or pinterest ideas for amazing visits to museums, activities, zoos & parks are great. I start to feel a bit of "mom-guilt" because I don't tend to make time for that stuff. Then when we do it though, the excitement lasts for an hour, maybe two, and they are ready to move on. Put us at the beach, the lake, a pool, a ranch, a campsite, the great outdoors -- they create and move through the space enjoying all of the time we can give them.
8. {I had a lengthy paragraph about the current political situations that we're in and I chickened out. Let's just say I'm learning to educate myself, and wonder how we're praying that we're going to grow from here. I desperately need another option to vote for.}
9. Fireworks never get old.
10. When I was a new Mom a neighbor gave me stellar advice telling me that whatever challenge (sleeping, showering, etc) I was facing as a new Mom that it would change to something else the very minute I figured out how to overcome said challenge. I loved that advice and as life progresses I've realized that advice goes for everything. Sh*t happens. Process, come up with a plan & move forward. There's always going to be some other sh*t is just around the corner. Perfect doesn't exist. Life is what you do and who you are in between handling the sh*t. Strength comes from how you handle it. (Ok, I've said sh*t far too many times and my Grandmother reads this: love you, Grandma!) Bottom line... Do something fun when you're down, it's not going to fix it, but laughter is the best medicine after all!
10. When I was a new Mom a neighbor gave me stellar advice telling me that whatever challenge (sleeping, showering, etc) I was facing as a new Mom that it would change to something else the very minute I figured out how to overcome said challenge. I loved that advice and as life progresses I've realized that advice goes for everything. Sh*t happens. Process, come up with a plan & move forward. There's always going to be some other sh*t is just around the corner. Perfect doesn't exist. Life is what you do and who you are in between handling the sh*t. Strength comes from how you handle it. (Ok, I've said sh*t far too many times and my Grandmother reads this: love you, Grandma!) Bottom line... Do something fun when you're down, it's not going to fix it, but laughter is the best medicine after all!
Or if needed, take a minute for yourself, it's a beautiful thing!
