Category: Family
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accommodating
My kids prefer my company and input, even though I believe I’m more strict & not as fun as my husband. Generally, women are social accommodators. We read tones, read between the lines, pay attention to subtle words or moods… and answer the real questions. We keep the peace and meet the kids where they…
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Bitterness redeemed
I had to remember to be present, and postpone the wallowing in frustration. Oh, to be able to stop the train of negative thoughts, what a powerful feeling. Having tried this in a season of extreme exhaustion or emotional overstimulation, the feeling of powerlessness added to the frustration. Enough with the theory. Every week I…
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Self confidence
How easy it is for the self-importance car to take a wrong turn. Here we are, driving the proper way, switching only occasionally to course correct. But mostly going in the right direction. Even when I worried, I sensed God’s delight in our obedience despite the imediate results. These days of over confidence boost, riding…
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you pray
This is how Ivy calls me to their room after we already said good night, and Conrad and I read quietly on the couch. It’s usually to talk through something and to pray. I usually have to dig a little deeper to find the real question. Ivy deflects.⁃ what do you mean?She repeats the question.…
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Chasing the trousers thief
Conrad and I were gone on a hike. As we always were during the free time. The girls are confidently independent. We slowly but surely built towards this independence, for our sanity and their development. Ivy followed Heather & Noemi up to their crowded room. 6 girls per room. As they were busy getting something,…
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A chance to reset
We spent the day in town waiting for the windshield to be fixed. There was a delay and for that we even got a discount. But the day was long and hot. We stayed hydrated and we made the best of it without spending a ton of money. We got home and the day was…
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Failing
There must be a balance between taking care of family with warmth and presence and commitment, and the ability to empower them to grow mature and responsible. I was never pushed outside of my comfort zone too early. Some natural things in my family, like spending time at my grandmother as the eldest cousin, observing…
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The green season
The biggest blockage in learning and growing is blaming someone else for our discomfort, misfortune. We are dealt the cards we are dealt and we can play the game, adjust as we go, adapt, with courage and humility, with gratitude and poise. I have held my breath at times, often times, aware that my mood,…
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Worry about adulthood
“You know what keeps me up at night?” Jackie is on spring vacation and more chatty at home, more open, settled, and fun to be around. Even though she has a great social context at school, it puts her on edge often. Navigating social drama takes up so much of our kid’s energy. There is…
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Easter with family
We cleaned the terrace and I brought the round table in, to extend the large dining room table so it could fit us all together. Conrad cooked paprikas and baked corn bread. There was an abundance of food. I baked pocket cheesecakes and everyone was happy to enjoy a slow Sunday together. Recently I had…
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Words have power
I remembered, I felt how powerful a positive word spoken clearly in my mind can be.When have I stopped doing that? Why? I have lived in a fog. Dense. Sticky with sadness, tiredness. Then after clearing the film of silence off the topI could breath againAnd hearI listened to barely whispered questionsAnd received an answer.Not…