Contributing to the Family

I saw this before and thought about using it...lately we've needed some incentive for our 3 year old. Here's the link to a handy printable you can customize, simply type in the allocated boxes and voila! We put in things like: I pick up my toys, I put my laundry away, I share with my sister. I think even just acknowleging that we honour those particular 'contributions' will be reward enough :), I'll let you know how it goes!

The Plan!

It's the Monday after the new year. Our tree has been undecorated and removed, all the decorations have returned to their boxes, and it's time for some normalcy. No more hot chocolate for our 3 year old with breakfast! The treats are mostly gone. Today we 'officially' start our homeschooling adventures. I actually have a hard time calling it 'school', especailly for a 3 year old. I want to try and escape that categorization because I don't want learning to be compartamentalized. I want learning to be fluid, being intentional about our wording will hopefully remind us of this value we want to uphold. But for simplicity sake, when I refer to 'homeschooling' it's refers to the learning intentions of the day, or as we are going to call it at home 'The Plan'. The nice thing with plans is that they give some direction, but are also adaptable, especially if they are not working with your day, our plans anyhow.

Each day we are going to create a page such as this:

The Plan - Monday January 4th, 2010.

1. Book work - listing a story from our Sonlight Homeschooling Program that we have yet to read. There are also ideas for activities for each story. Again, doing what works for our child. Today my husband did this portion and he said the activity lasted 10 minutes (whihch I thought was actually good). She also wanted a few more stories read to her, which was awesome! This girl loves being read to. Actaully the other day she told me that she wants to read but she can't because she's not a big girl.

2.Active Play - this will be outside fun, active game, dress up.

3. Creative Play - some sort of creative exploration fun.

4. Family Drawing Time - this won't be each day, I'm saving it for times we need a little quiet space.

So far today this has worked for us. We'll see how things shape up in a month or so!

Can She Be My Best Friend?

"We were thinking we might like to adopt child who doesn't have the things you have, such as food, clothing, and money for education or medicine." We tell our little Grace.
"Can she be my best friend?" The eager 3 year old asks.
"Sure she can be your friend, you can write to eachother?"
"But I want to see her, I want her to come and play with me!" She demands.
"She lives a little too far for that, but we can pray for her, and send her things, and mostly support her with some money."
"Okay." She settles.

Our gift to Jesus this Christmas was to sponsor a child! She is a 4 year old from Honduras and has been waiting for a sponsor for over 350 days. It's actually been something I have wanted to do for a few years now. We used to sponsor but for one reason or another stopped. It's been on my heart to ponsor again ever since we had our own children and see the need from a parent's perspective. I don't tell you this because I think I am great now that I sponsor, actually I am very embarrassed that I am only now sponsoring, and really this is such a small step, as I would love to be giving more. I tell you this because I hope that you too might be inspired to help someone out. The cost is $35/month, and of all times in my adult life, right now is the time we are most scrambling to pay our bills, however, I think it is fitting. This little girl goes without much of the necessities in life each day. I am sure we can sacrifice a little more to make sure that doesn't happen anymore.

Another reason I tell you about this is because I have really felt in my heart that I want to do more for Child Advocacy. There are some horrendous things happening to the children of this world, abroad but also here in Canada. This is a small step towards being a voice for the children.

I am so excited to see the relationship between our sponsored daughter and Grace play out. We really want her to have a wider world view than what she sees day to day, which only depicts how a small population of people live.

"Be the change you want to see." Who even said that? But this saying inspires me to act. Often I get overwhelmed by what's going on in this world, I think, what can I do, little me? One person! But if I want to see change, I must start with myself. I can change, I have the power to do that much. What will you use your powers for?

Reality

It's 2010! A new year. New hopes. New ambitions. New year resolutions. New lists. New expectations. I did some reflecting on 2009. What a hard year for us in many ways. My physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual self are all over taxed. There has been very little 'filling up'. Mainly because I am not sure how to fill up. My husband gives me some time off, and I go grocery shopping, not knowing what else to do with my time. Sure a little reflection time writing, or reading is good. I have confided in my husband for not being a good wife, I know I haven't been the best mom, especially lately. Are there others who struggle too?

Here is my reality:
I am spent.
I am TIRED beyond anything I have ever experienced.
I need a break! A long break.
A nice long sleep, without interruption.
My Jesus he loves me. He is rest. He is peace. Please grant me some sanity and some much needed sabbath. I understand why sabbath was required, but as moms, well really it's tough to get that. Please Lord.

Ok, this might not ever get published. And then again it might, but it might not be here when you return someday. It's hard to be vulnerable. And yet I know we all face times of seeking, struggling, finding hope in one moment and grasping the next. For some, maybe all is well, or better than before ...I can't wait for that season to come, yet it might only be in another world.

My goals for 2010 are not long. Topping my list, is finding some ways to fill me up (funny since I was such an advocate of this a year ago). To be real. Life is not always roses, sometimes the thorn in our side is overwhelming. God's grace is sufficient for me.

Where ever you are at this new year, strong and ready to take on the world, or weak and needing some fuel, blessings! We all go through seasons. I think I better embrace this difficult season instead of wishing for a different one. I've learned that well living in Northern Ontario. If you just sit and sulk through the cold winter you don't experience any joy of the season, but if you dress warm, and embrace those cold days, you can experience wonderful winter adventures.

So here's to embracing the winter. Grabbing those skiings and flying down the mountain. Soaking up the warmth from the fireplace. Enjoying those quiet inside games and activities. Lord I need your help, your grace.

New Year Ponderings

I've used the following tool for the past few years to help me reflect on the past year and look forwad to the new year. It was given to me by a spiritual counselor maybe you will find it useful.

1. For what am I most thankful for in the past year?
2. What was my smartest decision in the past year?
3. Is there any unfinished business?
4. What was my biggest lesson?
5. Describe my finances?
6. Describe my relationships?
7. Describe my health?
8. Who made an impact on me this past year?
9. What do I need to do/say to make this year complete?
10.What do I want to create for my life this year?
-Career?
-Personal?
-Financial?
-Spiritual?
-Health?
11.How will I make a difference in this world in the coming year?
12.What is my support system for the coming year?
13.What do I want to learn?
14.If I had all the supplies/resources what would I do for myself?
15.Write down 30 personal goals.
16.Write down 30 service goals.

I also found the following post, 10 Quetions on Parenting. I am going to go through these questions myself.

Happy New Year! At the moment it doesn't look like it'll be 'happy' celebrations around here. Yesterday we had to cancel our party since I am sick, today, extremely tired, but on the mend...we also have a very cranky 1 year old, due to teething. Alas, we'll make the most of it. Some reflection. Sleep, hopefully. Tasty foods.

Christmas 2009

Baby was the first to wake. Daddy didn't hesitate to get up with her. He put on the coffee, the anticipation was building. I dressed and met him and baby in the living room. She had found all the balloons which scattered the floor, ready to celebrate a birthday. The coffee smell filled the room. Egg nog lattes were made and savoured. Still we waited for Grace to awake. Her door was wide open, as we played with baby, and started to make the celebratory breakfast meal. Alas, we could hear the quick footsteps of our precious toddler down the hall. "Morning!" "Merry Christmas!" Her face lights up. She looks around and sees the table set for a party and a big feast, she spots all the balloons, and the stockings that are now filled. It was a nice morning. Opening our stockings, hearing our daughters giggle as they opened little toys and trinkets. Next, we lit the advent candles, including a Christ candle. We sat at the table to enjoy daddy's pancakes, whipped cream and berries. A place was set for Jesus, reminding us that we were celebrating him. Such a precious morning, preceded and followed with family dinners, and parties.

One of the most precious gifts this Christmas was a blanket of white snow which covered our surroundings. Our yard looked like a winter wonderland. We managed a snowshoe and some sliding time on Christmas day...and we've been enjoying more since. What a joy to be surrounded by such beauty. Celebrating Him who created all this. Enjoying the creation. Savouring each moment outside (when you live where we do, moments are short when you can truly enjoy winter weather without jack frost nipping at every part of your body!).

Those were the savoured moments. However, for us the Christmas season doesn't come without some 'birth pains'. Our little family is on a journey to change Christmas, which means some own inner battles are going on, as well as with family around us, trying to understand why we just don't do things the way 'everybody else does'. Anxiety over our more 'humble' gift offerings. Trying to put past innuendos and comments that don't make one feel like celebrating with loved ones, and rather, escaping to another place. Oh family, love em, love em, love em...but sometimes they do bring out the worst in us. In me anyways. I've seen some ugly colours rearing in me. Thank God for grace and forgiveness. Purify me, like the layers of beautiful snow, make me clean.

The Creative Family

Ok, I am just loving this book. Such great ideas, that are simple to include in your everyday life. We are having so much fun as a family. Here are some of the things we have been more intentional about since reading this book, well most of it, still have a section to go and it is already well worth it.

-Games, simple games, my daughter likes a variation of Marco Polo, or hide an seek. We are going to incorporate game time as after dinner fun.

-Cross stitching, I got an 8" ring, and a blunt plastic needle, and some burlap and tread. It cost me about $15 for everything, and I got duplicates for my nephew and ample thread and burlap. My 3yr old loves it. It's a nice quiet activity. I'm excited to try it myself.

-Family Drawing time...ok we haven't started this yet, but I asked for a journal from santa :) and I hope to introduce this in the new year. But I have already been doing this with my daughter. She has her drawing journal. But I never thought to draw myself. This is probably one of the biggest things I have come away with, I can be creative too! It's good for my daughters to see me excited about creating. I've kinda put that part of myself aside as a grown up. But I am now exploring, even started some crocheting and borrowed my mom's sewing machine.

-Dress up. My daughter likes to dress up, but most of her dress up stuff is princess related. So we've been encouraging her to think of other things she could be. She has a scarf and it became a pirate hat, our ottomon quickly became a boat, and I was the princess she was saving. With a tutu on my head, I sailed away on the ottomon with my 'good' pirate. I plan to keep an eye out for more scarves, and different hats. We brought all the possible dress up clothes into one location for her to use. That was helpful.

I'm not big on schedules, mainly because they don't work for me, I always stray. But my 'plan' for the new year is to incorporate 3 elements into our day:

1. Reading time (besides bed time, we always read before bed), and any activities that come from the themes of these stories.
2. Family Drawing time - probably after lunch, or during baby's morning nap.
3. Active game time, or outdoor fun.
4. Creative time -either dress up, crafts, or baking.

*I find if I have some sort of plan for the day I feel I have accomplished something. Also, we don't get bored as often, wondering what to do next to amuse the kids. Lately I have been doing one 'project' per day. That's been good and it's pretty organic as to what we do. But I am going to take that project a step further and try and focus on the above 4 elements.