Happy 4th Birthday Smiling Son!
Posted: September 8, 2011 Filed under: Parenting Leave a comment »
Dear Smiling Son, today is your 4th Birthday and it has been a great couple of days. On Sunday you celebrated with your best friends. I saw videos and photos – it looked like you all had a great time. Yesterday, you got your big present from Mommy and me. We gave you a red tag-a-long bike and then we all went bike riding at Sacajawea Park in Longview – you were grinning ear to ear the whole time.
This morning, you opened the gifts your Big Sister and I got for you. A truck to “haul” Hot Wheels, and some track with a loop. You also got some wooden cars from Aunt and Uncle – you had a great time playing with all of these. But most of all, you liked the truck from your Sister because it was “long, and big!” I can tell that you adore your Big Sister.
Estranged
Posted: September 6, 2011 Filed under: Parenting, Spirituality, Thoughts 2 Comments »
A few years ago I was burned out, tired, exhausted, and only slightly depressed. It was not a good time. I had given my heart and soul to my life’s mission, and now I was paying the price. I get that, but apparently others didn’t.
In the midst of that process, I grew cranky, directive, and not all that pleasant to be around. That is no one’s fault but my own. I most likely needed a sabbatical, some counseling, and some good down time. Unfortunately, none of that was available. Well, we did take a five-week vacation, but that actually hurt my reputation with my employer and job. Indeed, I made some mistakes and lost some very dear friends in the process. And before I had an opportunity to repair the damage, we were transferred.
Affection Empowers
Posted: September 1, 2011 Filed under: Parenting, Spirituality Leave a comment »
My Darling (6yo) Daughter has been super affectionate lately. Several events have conspired to create this I believe.
First, in an attempt to save some money and time, I’ve been sleeping in my truck between shifts. This means I am away from home for about 40 hours at a whack. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Next, we went camping last week and that was a lot of fun, and a lot of quality time together. Third, I’ve been working on slowing down, stressing less, and listening more – I think everyone benefits from this. And finally, I promised to take her to the store this afternoon to get a birthday present for her soon to be four year-old brother.
