Reflections
Updating Rooms
September 8, 2010
As fall is approaching, I have felt inspired to make a few changes inside our home knowing that our time inside will expand over the next few months. Here are few of the questions that I find myself thinking about before I make a design change:
- Does my space/home reflect my goals, dreams, and values?
- Is the space in my home being used to live the way we ARE living at that time?
- Are there spaces that are not being used?
- What has changed about…the seasons? our children? what we enjoy personally?
- How do I feel when I am in my space/home?
Our most recent change is the room immediately to the left of our front entrance. Sometimes the room serves as a dining room, sometimes a library. The current design is a combination of both.
Here are some of the answers to the questions that inpired this new design:
SEASONS: As fall is slowing creeping in, we will be dining inside more.
VALUES: I value good intimate dinner conversation.
FEELINGS: I love being surrounded by my favorite books. I love cozy.
This new room feels very European to me. The table is pushed right to the library case and the chair at the head of the table closes in the conversation circle. I love the idea of sitting around the table with a carafe of wine and a few good friends to share it with us. I can see our family sitting at this table on Sunday nights to talk about the upcoming week and life in general. The placement of the table draws me in to reach for one of my favorite cookbooks to plan our meals for the upcoming days.
Right now in our lives, this dining room/library feels RIGHT.
Are you interested in other “nesting” inspiration. Run on over to Melissa’s Inspired Room for a ton of great ideas!
Letter
July 28, 2010
Dearest Daughter,
As I was about to leave you at your first overnight camp experience, you looked up at me with your beautiful eyes and asked, “Mom, what do you think I should sign up for while I am here”? I was filled with excitement about all of the possibilities you have at camp…horseback riding, tennis, art, drama, dance, gymnastics, sailing, archery, community service projects, etc, etc. and normally, would have been more than inclined to give you a list of exactly what I think you should sign up for while at camp. Instead, I took a deep breath and answered with a smile, “I can’t give you that answer. This experience about YOU figuring out what YOU want to do while at camp”.
When children are little, parents often try to expose children to many different activities. We sometimes fill your extra time with things WE think are important or that WE have a personal preference for instead of taking the time to watch and listen. Our nature as mothers is to want to solve your challenges, take care of your every need, and do what we think is best for you at all times.
As you are growing up and changing, I too have to change my nature a bit. I need to give you a little more space to figure things out for yourself, to solve your own challenges, and to start making choices that are best for you. You are away from me for one month and although I miss you greatly, I am mostly filled with great anticipation about learning more about YOU.
I can’t wait to hear about what YOU loved, what YOU chose to do, and what YOU learned about yourself while away from home. Daddy and I look forward to hearing about which activities you chose…did you find a brand new passion or did you continue with an existing one. Did you make a lot of friends or did you bond with a small group. We want to know if you were homesick and how you worked through those feelings. We can’t wait to hear about your tent inspections to see if you keep your tent like you keep your room (wink) and what it was like to share a room for the first time in your life.
There is so very much I will learn about YOU and what makes you so uniquely perfect and special in every way. I can’t wait!
Love, Love,
Mama
Love, Love
February 14, 2010
To my Valentine,
I LOVE, LOVE, THAT………
- YOU make me coffee every single morning and sometimes bring it to me in bed.
- YOU still make me laugh
- YOU put your family first
- YOU are a dreamer
- YOU let me be a dreamer too
- YOU help me achieve my dreams
- YOU love to travel
- YOU love to be home
- YOU think you daughters are amazing
- YOU teach your daughters how a man should treat his family
- YOU love driving your “Woody” jeep more than any other car
- YOU cook with me and for me
- YOU will eat ANYTHING except split pea soup
- YOU are smart
- YOU have helped to build a life for our family where we can be our true and best selves.
- YOU value doing the right thing
- YOU never hold a grudge
- YOU still surprise me
- YOU love your parents
- YOU don’t need a honey do list….if you see something needs to be done, you do it.
- YOU have never said ANYTHING unkind to me…even in the heat of the moment.
- YOU are a good friend
- YOU ARE STILL THE FIRST PERSON AND LAST PERSON I WANT TO SEE EVERYDAY.
Love and Forever Yours
Snow Smiles
February 11, 2010
To my dearest Peanut Butter Sandwich,
You are a wonderful, squeezable, and delicious child. I love you being six years old and keep begging you not to grow up but each time I beg you, you hysterically laugh and say, “I have to, Mama”. I pretend to cry, and you rub my back and tell me it will be ok. “But, but, but”….I think…”I love your smile with your baby teeth, and the way you think eating “Breakfast for Dinner” is one of life’s great adventures, and the way you still struggle saying your “r’s” (except when you say “girl” or “world” which I make you repeat over and over and over, because for some reason you say your r’s perfectly in those words). I love the way you care if someone is hurt or sad and how you have a weird acumen for remembering where I put my things like keys or shoes. OHHH, my little peanut, I could go on and on about all the cute and wonderful things you are. Thank you for being my child!
Love,
Mama
C.O.U.R.A.G.E.
January 23, 2010
She came home a few months ago with a permission slip to join the spelling bee team for her school. “I really want to do this Mama…you get to stand up in front of the whole school to do it”.
I love that Gaby embraces so many things in her life with courage. Spelling doesn’t come naturally to her. She does A+ work in spelling ONLY after she studies for a week preparing for her tests…in other words…she works for it. For this reason I was thrilled when she came home asking if she could spend the next six weeks practicing for the spelling bee after school…not because I care that much about improved spelling, but because I appreciated that she was signing up for something that wasn’t a slam dunk for her. She was taking a risk, stepping outside of her comfort zone, and she was doing it without hesitation.
The morning of the spelling bee Gaby walked up to the podium with a big smile on her face, lowered the microphone to meet her lips, and listened for her first word. Her teacher looked down at the spelling list and spoke into her microphone…”O.K. Gaby, your word is TERRIBLE“. “Terrible”, Gaby repeated. “T.E.R.R.I.B.L.E …Terrible”.
“Very good, you will progress to the 2nd round.”
This was amazing considering the night before I asked her how she thought she would do and she told me most likely she would be out on the first round. YIPEE….Good for you…..now that wasn’t so TERRIBLE.
After the first round was over, six children left the stage receiving a huge round of applause for their efforts. Remaining were 24 children ready to continue.
“Gaby….your second word is COURAGE. “Can you repeat the word please?” Gaby asked. “COURAGE. “Can you provide the definition please?” COURAGE…the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
“Courage”….C.O.R.R.A.N.G.E…Courage.” she spelled loudly into the mic. I am sorry Gaby, that is incorrect.
As I walked out of the 2010 spelling bee, I smiled. Even though she spelled COURAGE incorrectly, COURAGE is the most CORRECT word I can think about when describing this young person. As a mother, COURAGE is at the top of my list for what I dream about for my children. With courage you can conquer your fears, stand up for what you believe in, and make a difference. Gaby has a courageous heart. My dream for her is that she can continue to look at her opportunities, passions, and beliefs with LOADS AND LOADS of C.O.R.R.A.N.G.E.
Run as fast as you can…
January 8, 2010
While touring Middleton Place my littlest petite started tugging at my jacket to get my attention. “Just a minute”, I said as I was listening to our guide and taking in the beauty.
“Mommy…I need to ask you something”, she said again.
I leaned down so that she could ask her very important question. “What do you need sweetie?” I asked. “I want to run….I need to run!”, she exclaimed.
The sprawling french garden lawn was speaking to her in a different way than it was speaking to me. My eyes saw the symmetry, the ornamentation, and the beauty. Her experience was more like a whisper calling her…“come…run on me…run as fast as you can”. I looked at her little face and then I looked up at the garden. “Go”, I whispered. “Run”.
And so she ran….making a wide loop circle toward the water. Giggling and free, she enticed my other petite to join into the fun.
And together they ran…circling and twirling on the wide-open lawn.
This was my favorite Christmas 2009 moment. Their observation of the garden tour was creative and beautiful. As I watched them run, I relished in their freedom, their laughter, and their moment. It reminded me that at one time we all had that feeling and I wanted to bottle it and make it last forever!
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