by Monica on February 2, 2010
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This is the dance I do.
I need to get away. I need time for myself. I want to be with other grownups. I want to network.
So? I have chance to do these things. I’m excited. I’m nervous. I’m sad.
Because at the end of the day, I really don’t like being away from my family. Though they all drive me silly-willikers some days, their faces always eventually put a smile on mine. And my heart feels incomplete without them.
Even when my peapod squad were babies, I’d get overwhelmed and insist that Daddy needed to watch them so I could go out alone. Inevitably, though, I’d be homesick for them by the time my car was at the end of our street. Or I’d panic that they may need me.
I still do that. (sigh)
I’ve packed all their stuff in labeled bags. I’ve left notes and little goodies for them each day I’m gone. As I zipped up the last bag tonight, I felt that familiar tug. The tug that wants to hold me here. The tug that whispers, “This is where you belong.”
But I know I’ll have a great time in Nashville. I’m excited to see my friends. To learn more about blogging. To hone my writing craft. To make connections that can help me continue to grow this as a business. And I’ll be a better, more rested, hopefully more patient mommy when I return.
And the hugs I’ll get when I walk back in our front door will be AMAZING.
For that…I can’t wait.
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Family
by Monica on December 3, 2009
I love family traditions. I think they keep us grounded in the ideals that truly matter. This year, we began a new family tradition. A Jesse Tree. It’s a nightly devotion that connects the Biblical story from creation to the birth of Jesus. I love how it casts a bright light on the fulfillment of prophecy and the keeping of promises. So often, our children (and we adults) study scripture references out of context and never really see the big picture of how every single event in the history of God’s children was pointing toward Jesus. The Jesse Tree ties it all together in a tangible and meaningful way.
We use the devotions I found HERE (ad libbing here and there to keep it age-appropriate), though there are others online and you could easily write your own using the provided scripture references. I incorporate a bit of what I found HERE. I had grand intentions of making our ornaments using the patterns HERE, but instead…I chose to go the less-complicated route and printed THESE. If you’ve got more money than time and want some really, really nice ornaments…try THESE or THESE.
We did a VERY simple wrapping paper cut-out tree and stuck it to the side of our refrigerator (sorry about the very fuzzy photo…I’ll try again tomorrow). We read the devotions and then let the kids (rotate each night) put the ornament on the tree.
I’m sure we’ll continue to evolve this over the years…making it more meaningful as the kids get older. I can already tell it’s going to be one of my very favorite Christmas traditions for us.
What are some of your family’s traditions?
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by Monica on June 14, 2009
The peapod squad experienced the beach for the very first time today. I’ll post more pictures of them playing in the sand and surf later. But tonight, I leave you with a picture of our very happy family. We are really loving our first family vacation. It’s great to get to spend time together away from the hustle and bustle of regular life. It feels like I’m seeing each of them through completely different eyes.
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