I do not observe Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, or Lent. I saw a meme last week that said something to the effect of "I'm Mormon. We do Lent 365 days a year." It made me laugh. And while it is true that we generally avoid the major vices, there is always something we could improve on. I admire those of my friends who make an effort to work on doing something meaningful for Lent. In December I set a goal to get up a few minutes early each day to take time for personal scripture study. I have been successful about 50% of the time (maybe a little less). That's the only goal I have set for myself recently. I didn't even bother with New Year's resolutions.
So I was pleased with myself when I made an unplanned sacrifice last Wednesday. While I was running some errands, I noticed a blood donation truck along my route.
Over the past few years I have felt a desire to donate. I have O- blood, and as a "universal donor" I feel some guilt or pressure to donate. But I don't go out of my way to find a donation site, and it is always an inconvenient time when I happen upon one. Plus, the past three times I have attempted, I was deferred because my iron levels were not high enough.
On a whim I decided to try again. I called home and said I would be a little late. I walked in and got checked out. I passed the iron test with flying colors and was able to donate. It made me feel so good! As I lay there, I decided that it was completely appropriate to be giving up a pint of my blood for someone whose life may depend on it on the first day of Lent, and just a few days before Valentine's Day!
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Overcoming Fears of Traveling Alone
We are currently on vacation in California. We spent the first week with my brother's family and took a few trips into Los Angeles. Of course, my sister-in-law, the native Californian, did all the driving. Sadly, they had to leave for their own vacation, and I stayed on longer. The question was, do I stay in my comfort zone of the Santa Clarita Valley? Or, do I venture on my own and continue going on outings with my boys? Doing so would require I drive the L.A. freeways.
I could feel myself resisting. At the same time, that sense of fear was also challenging me to prove to myself (and the world!) that I can do it. I am strong! I am capable! I can be independent! So I drove myself into Los Angeles twice this week--once to the aquarium in Long Beach, and once to the Griffith Observatory. Both were successful trips.
I hope that I am teaching my boys not to be timid about doing the things they want to do. Their dad showed them in a big way to follow their dreams by hiking the Appalachian Trail. I have my own smaller travel dreams that I drag them along to enjoy with me.
I want to be fearless, but I am not quite there yet. I almost always travel to be with family. My family lives in some of the most beautiful places in our country: coastal California and New England; Utah, and its beautiful mountains and geography. I also have family through Brett who live in Bavaria, Germany. I absolutely love enjoying these areas with my family. It is so easy to travel when I have family greeting me off the plane, and coming along on outings.
But I am also determined to enjoy outings with my boys without the comfort and security of my family. I have done it before, both out-of-state and closer to home. However, this summer I am trying some new things (like driving through L.A. traffic).
The last time we visited California, my brother's family took us on the train into downtown Los Angeles. My boys wanted to take the train again. I decided to combine that with my desire to take them to the LaBrea Tar Pits.
The MetroLink (train) doesn't take you directly to the tar pits, so I had to do some research and plan a route using additional modes of transportation, like the Metro buses. We took the MetroLink train from Newhall to Union Station, walked a few blocks to the stop for the Metro bus 28, rode that for a good half hour, and walked a few more blocks until we reached the museum. Success! The only problem was that I forgot to coordinate my return travel plans. Without Wi-Fi I was stuck having to ask for help. Fortunately, a kind museum employee looked up my return route online for me. We couldn't go back the same way, because the bus we had used only ran in the morning. For our return route we walked a block to the bus stop, took the bus to a subway station, rode the Metro purple line to Union Station, and took the MetroLink from there back to Newhall. Again, success!
A few notes about our experience using L.A.'s public transportation. First, a complaint. Where is their customer service? I was disappointed that it wasn't easy to plan my route. I (and the helpful museum employee) was able to find most of the necessary information using their web site. However, without Internet access I was stuck with no tools to find my way. If there was a Metro help center or tourist information center in Union Station, I never found it. The first bus had a few paper maps/schedules, but not one for the line it was currently running! When we had to purchase our fare for the Metro subway line, there was no one available to answer my questions. I thought I could use the same TAP card (a reusable money card that you are required to use for your Metro train fares) for me and the boys. After I got through the gate and my boys couldn't follow, I was in a mild panic until a kind stranger helped me sort it out. In the end, it all worked out and I suppose I am more prepared for the next time. I will learn from this experience, and I hope my boys will too, but it would have been nice to have some on-location resources.
I think using public transportation ended up being more expensive (even if I had used my brother's gas-guzzling SUV) and took more time than if I had driven myself. (I hesitate to disclose the total cost . . . $50!) But I do feel it was worth it. My boys wanted to ride the train--check! And I want my boys to experience using public transportation so they will be comfortable navigating the system when they are older and traveling on their own. Todd is already well on his way and was a help to me yesterday working the automated TAP card machines. We have now ridden the bus and underground rails in Montreal, Boston, and Los Angeles. I hope I am preparing them well to travel with courage and enthusiasm.
I also don't want my boys to be afraid of being with locals who use the bus regularly. Certainly, I want them to be cautious and safe, but not afraid. Yesterday, Todd was the only blond-haired, blue-eyed person I saw riding the bus and the metro. The majority of the people we saw did not speak English as their first language. We rode though Chinatown and Koreatown where most of the business names and advertisements were written in a language that we can't even begin to pronounce, though some of them did include smaller English translations. We saw skyscrapers and the city, with all its graffiti, up close. And it was great. Great, in the sense that I was able to show my boys a little of the world outside of their homogeneous hometown. I love our hometown, but I know that the world is a big place, with people whose experiences are vastly different than ours. We can be kind and respectful to all people. We can also be grateful and mindful of how fortunate we are.
So far this summer I have faced the challenge of driving in L.A. and the adventure of using public transportation. Now I am ready for my next travel adventure--going to a national park and camping for two nights on my own. Tent, fire, hikes, s'mores and all!
I could feel myself resisting. At the same time, that sense of fear was also challenging me to prove to myself (and the world!) that I can do it. I am strong! I am capable! I can be independent! So I drove myself into Los Angeles twice this week--once to the aquarium in Long Beach, and once to the Griffith Observatory. Both were successful trips.
I hope that I am teaching my boys not to be timid about doing the things they want to do. Their dad showed them in a big way to follow their dreams by hiking the Appalachian Trail. I have my own smaller travel dreams that I drag them along to enjoy with me.
I want to be fearless, but I am not quite there yet. I almost always travel to be with family. My family lives in some of the most beautiful places in our country: coastal California and New England; Utah, and its beautiful mountains and geography. I also have family through Brett who live in Bavaria, Germany. I absolutely love enjoying these areas with my family. It is so easy to travel when I have family greeting me off the plane, and coming along on outings.
But I am also determined to enjoy outings with my boys without the comfort and security of my family. I have done it before, both out-of-state and closer to home. However, this summer I am trying some new things (like driving through L.A. traffic).
The last time we visited California, my brother's family took us on the train into downtown Los Angeles. My boys wanted to take the train again. I decided to combine that with my desire to take them to the LaBrea Tar Pits.
The MetroLink (train) doesn't take you directly to the tar pits, so I had to do some research and plan a route using additional modes of transportation, like the Metro buses. We took the MetroLink train from Newhall to Union Station, walked a few blocks to the stop for the Metro bus 28, rode that for a good half hour, and walked a few more blocks until we reached the museum. Success! The only problem was that I forgot to coordinate my return travel plans. Without Wi-Fi I was stuck having to ask for help. Fortunately, a kind museum employee looked up my return route online for me. We couldn't go back the same way, because the bus we had used only ran in the morning. For our return route we walked a block to the bus stop, took the bus to a subway station, rode the Metro purple line to Union Station, and took the MetroLink from there back to Newhall. Again, success!
A few notes about our experience using L.A.'s public transportation. First, a complaint. Where is their customer service? I was disappointed that it wasn't easy to plan my route. I (and the helpful museum employee) was able to find most of the necessary information using their web site. However, without Internet access I was stuck with no tools to find my way. If there was a Metro help center or tourist information center in Union Station, I never found it. The first bus had a few paper maps/schedules, but not one for the line it was currently running! When we had to purchase our fare for the Metro subway line, there was no one available to answer my questions. I thought I could use the same TAP card (a reusable money card that you are required to use for your Metro train fares) for me and the boys. After I got through the gate and my boys couldn't follow, I was in a mild panic until a kind stranger helped me sort it out. In the end, it all worked out and I suppose I am more prepared for the next time. I will learn from this experience, and I hope my boys will too, but it would have been nice to have some on-location resources.
I think using public transportation ended up being more expensive (even if I had used my brother's gas-guzzling SUV) and took more time than if I had driven myself. (I hesitate to disclose the total cost . . . $50!) But I do feel it was worth it. My boys wanted to ride the train--check! And I want my boys to experience using public transportation so they will be comfortable navigating the system when they are older and traveling on their own. Todd is already well on his way and was a help to me yesterday working the automated TAP card machines. We have now ridden the bus and underground rails in Montreal, Boston, and Los Angeles. I hope I am preparing them well to travel with courage and enthusiasm.
I also don't want my boys to be afraid of being with locals who use the bus regularly. Certainly, I want them to be cautious and safe, but not afraid. Yesterday, Todd was the only blond-haired, blue-eyed person I saw riding the bus and the metro. The majority of the people we saw did not speak English as their first language. We rode though Chinatown and Koreatown where most of the business names and advertisements were written in a language that we can't even begin to pronounce, though some of them did include smaller English translations. We saw skyscrapers and the city, with all its graffiti, up close. And it was great. Great, in the sense that I was able to show my boys a little of the world outside of their homogeneous hometown. I love our hometown, but I know that the world is a big place, with people whose experiences are vastly different than ours. We can be kind and respectful to all people. We can also be grateful and mindful of how fortunate we are.
So far this summer I have faced the challenge of driving in L.A. and the adventure of using public transportation. Now I am ready for my next travel adventure--going to a national park and camping for two nights on my own. Tent, fire, hikes, s'mores and all!
Friday, May 4, 2012
For Brett, From Becca (5/4/12)
This week has flown by for me. We continue our day-to-day routine. This week has been busy with field day activities for the boys. Todd was able to participate on two different days: once for third grade and once for fourth grade. Both boys participated individually in the hurdles. Todd got first place in the Third Grade boys race and Ryan got second place in the First Grade boys race. All of the classes were very competitive when it came to the Tug-of-War. That is my favorite event to watch. The three-legged race has always been favorite event to participate in, and I was pleased that both of the boys let me race with them during the parent participation portion of field day. I would even say that we did a pretty great job (except when Todd paused to say to hi to his spectator brother and friends when we were turning back around).
Ryan begged me to check him out of school after field day today. Many parents check their kids out. About half his class was gone. But I had things that I wanted to do at home. And I honestly think those low-work days when half the class is gone are some of the best. Ryan came home off the bus so cheerful and happy. He clearly had fun this afternoon. It made me feel good to hear him say, "Thanks for not checking me out from school." They celebrated Cinco de Mayo with some snacks and got to watch a movie. I am sure he wouldn't have had so much fun at home.
I enjoyed meeting with Todd's teacher about completing the Fourth Grade math book this summer. It may mean more work for me keeping up with his assignments and tests and encouraging him to continue to make progress. But what else will I be doing? I am also going to try to keep the boys reading this summer. They usually do a good job, but being away from home we will have to make a point to plan reading time into our activities. Vacations are great, but I don't want them to regress too much. And it would be great if they could advance even a little.
I finally had to turn on the air conditioner this week. I held off for as long as I could. There are some times of day when it's not so bad, but it's getting humid also. Today was especially humid. The sun wasn't so strong during Ryan's field day, but it was so humid that I still felt like I was melting.
We had a bit of a downpour last night. I had already been thinking it was time to check the gutters again, and last night confirmed it. Actually, last night I realized that I should have checked the gutters last week. I will work on cleaning them out this weekend. It will be a new experience for me.
Besides being here to clean out gutters and do all the rest of the outdoor maintenance, I also miss being able to call on you to be my bug killer. I had to kill a cockroach last week in the bathroom. I'm sure it would have been very funny to any onlookers. Although, if there were anyone around watching (and laughing) I am sure I would have enlisted their help.
The sago palm is starting to look kind of freaky in an almost obscene way. I'll post a picture later. I'm sorry if you are disappointed about it splitting.
Yesterday the boys and I finally reached our goal of reading scriptures 20 days in a row (110 days this year). We almost didn't make it a couple of times, but we were determined to succeed. We've only reached 20 days in a row once before. We reached our 10 days in a row goal twice before, and I rewarded the boys with a Dairy Queen trip. This time I told the boys they had to reach 20 days before they could earn their DQ trip. If we make it to 25 days in a row they will earn a movie night. On our way for ice cream yesterday I remembered the new frozen yogurt store, Top This. The boys were excited about trying it. It was not as "heavy" as DQ and the boys got to pick out their own toppings. It totally hit the spot.
I made some lentil soup this week. It was so delicious. Ryan loved it too. I will definitely be making it again. Do you think you would eat it? I also made kale chips. They kind of taste like a broccoli, but are light and crispy and almost disintegrate in your mouth. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.
Copper ran off on me again this morning even though he got a nice golf course run last night. This is the first time he has run off when I let him out for his morning pee before school. He didn't even wait for us to take him to the bus. I was scrambling to get the boys ready for school and I was trying to get myself ready to attend field day. I couldn't start looking for him until after I got the boys on the bus. I drove around the usual streets with no luck. I asked Mark if he could keep an eye out for Copper while I was at field day, but I decided to stop by the house again. I was just in time to receive a phone call from a woman on Kildare who found him. I don't know what he was doing over there or what prompted him to leave this morning.
I picked up a German book from Goodwill about two weeks ago. I've been flipping through it from time to time. I would love to be able to teach myself enough German to be able to get by on my next trip (2013??).
I'm happy to hear that you seem to be doing a little better on the trail. I really don't want you to give up. I think it you can just get through Virginia it will be a little easier. I'm so proud of you!
Ryan begged me to check him out of school after field day today. Many parents check their kids out. About half his class was gone. But I had things that I wanted to do at home. And I honestly think those low-work days when half the class is gone are some of the best. Ryan came home off the bus so cheerful and happy. He clearly had fun this afternoon. It made me feel good to hear him say, "Thanks for not checking me out from school." They celebrated Cinco de Mayo with some snacks and got to watch a movie. I am sure he wouldn't have had so much fun at home.
I enjoyed meeting with Todd's teacher about completing the Fourth Grade math book this summer. It may mean more work for me keeping up with his assignments and tests and encouraging him to continue to make progress. But what else will I be doing? I am also going to try to keep the boys reading this summer. They usually do a good job, but being away from home we will have to make a point to plan reading time into our activities. Vacations are great, but I don't want them to regress too much. And it would be great if they could advance even a little.
I finally had to turn on the air conditioner this week. I held off for as long as I could. There are some times of day when it's not so bad, but it's getting humid also. Today was especially humid. The sun wasn't so strong during Ryan's field day, but it was so humid that I still felt like I was melting.
We had a bit of a downpour last night. I had already been thinking it was time to check the gutters again, and last night confirmed it. Actually, last night I realized that I should have checked the gutters last week. I will work on cleaning them out this weekend. It will be a new experience for me.
Besides being here to clean out gutters and do all the rest of the outdoor maintenance, I also miss being able to call on you to be my bug killer. I had to kill a cockroach last week in the bathroom. I'm sure it would have been very funny to any onlookers. Although, if there were anyone around watching (and laughing) I am sure I would have enlisted their help.
The sago palm is starting to look kind of freaky in an almost obscene way. I'll post a picture later. I'm sorry if you are disappointed about it splitting.
Yesterday the boys and I finally reached our goal of reading scriptures 20 days in a row (110 days this year). We almost didn't make it a couple of times, but we were determined to succeed. We've only reached 20 days in a row once before. We reached our 10 days in a row goal twice before, and I rewarded the boys with a Dairy Queen trip. This time I told the boys they had to reach 20 days before they could earn their DQ trip. If we make it to 25 days in a row they will earn a movie night. On our way for ice cream yesterday I remembered the new frozen yogurt store, Top This. The boys were excited about trying it. It was not as "heavy" as DQ and the boys got to pick out their own toppings. It totally hit the spot.
I made some lentil soup this week. It was so delicious. Ryan loved it too. I will definitely be making it again. Do you think you would eat it? I also made kale chips. They kind of taste like a broccoli, but are light and crispy and almost disintegrate in your mouth. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.
Copper ran off on me again this morning even though he got a nice golf course run last night. This is the first time he has run off when I let him out for his morning pee before school. He didn't even wait for us to take him to the bus. I was scrambling to get the boys ready for school and I was trying to get myself ready to attend field day. I couldn't start looking for him until after I got the boys on the bus. I drove around the usual streets with no luck. I asked Mark if he could keep an eye out for Copper while I was at field day, but I decided to stop by the house again. I was just in time to receive a phone call from a woman on Kildare who found him. I don't know what he was doing over there or what prompted him to leave this morning.
I picked up a German book from Goodwill about two weeks ago. I've been flipping through it from time to time. I would love to be able to teach myself enough German to be able to get by on my next trip (2013??).
I'm happy to hear that you seem to be doing a little better on the trail. I really don't want you to give up. I think it you can just get through Virginia it will be a little easier. I'm so proud of you!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Photo Challenge #8 - Dream
Monday, February 6, 2012
Everybody Dance Now
If I believed in reincarnation, I would say...
In my past life I was a dancer.
Or perhaps, in my next life I will be a dancer. I can feel it in my bones.
But since I don't believe in reincarnation, it is left for me to say...
In my dreams, I am a dancer.
Or perhaps, I fantasize of being able to dance.
Not that becoming a dancer is on my list of realistic dreams or life goals. It's not. At all. I'm not creative enough to be a real dancer. And it's too late to teach me how. But who knows? Maybe someday I will have enough guts to go back and take a dance class sans partner.
I took two dance classes in college, many moons ago. I took a clogging class my first semester of college--which I hated. Until it was over. Then I loved it. I still have my shoes tucked away in the corner of my closet. I broke them out about ten years ago to participate in a talent show at church with my dear friend, Janice. We did a routine to an Alison Krauss song and had so much fun.
My last semester at BYU I took a folk dance class, which I loved from the beginning. I was sorry that I didn't take folk dance my first semester and continue taking classes while I was there. A minor regret.
Nowadays I only pretend to dance maybe once a week, for about five minutes, when no one is home, and a song comes on the radio that gets me moving.
On Saturday Todd had a birthday party at the skating rink. Instead of just dropping Todd off and leaving, I paid for Ryan and myself to do some rollerblading.
Most mornings I take Copper rollerblading after the boys get on the bus. I really enjoy it, but it still feels like exercise.
When I am skating in a rink it feels like Dancing.
I don't love all the music; and why, oh why, would you give kids whistles at a birthday party??? Still, I had so much fun "dancing" around the rink for almost three hours with very few breaks.
I will go on the record to say that there is something so attractive about a man who can dance. There was an off-duty employee at the rink who was easily the best skater on the floor. My eyes were drawn to him all afternoon. Half of it was, mmmmm it is so nice to watch him move--and the other half of it was, I'm so envious of how easy he makes it look!
Lest I injure Brett's feelings . . . Brett, the kid was probably fifteen years younger than I am. And I wasn't attracted to him, just his dancing. Ultimately, to quote George Strait, "I just want to dance with you." What do you say? Maybe you could be my partner for that dance class I want to take someday.
Really, what do you think?
That's what I thought.
I can still fantasize.
In my past life I was a dancer.
Or perhaps, in my next life I will be a dancer. I can feel it in my bones.
But since I don't believe in reincarnation, it is left for me to say...
In my dreams, I am a dancer.
Or perhaps, I fantasize of being able to dance.
Not that becoming a dancer is on my list of realistic dreams or life goals. It's not. At all. I'm not creative enough to be a real dancer. And it's too late to teach me how. But who knows? Maybe someday I will have enough guts to go back and take a dance class sans partner.
I took two dance classes in college, many moons ago. I took a clogging class my first semester of college--which I hated. Until it was over. Then I loved it. I still have my shoes tucked away in the corner of my closet. I broke them out about ten years ago to participate in a talent show at church with my dear friend, Janice. We did a routine to an Alison Krauss song and had so much fun.
My last semester at BYU I took a folk dance class, which I loved from the beginning. I was sorry that I didn't take folk dance my first semester and continue taking classes while I was there. A minor regret.
Nowadays I only pretend to dance maybe once a week, for about five minutes, when no one is home, and a song comes on the radio that gets me moving.
On Saturday Todd had a birthday party at the skating rink. Instead of just dropping Todd off and leaving, I paid for Ryan and myself to do some rollerblading.
Most mornings I take Copper rollerblading after the boys get on the bus. I really enjoy it, but it still feels like exercise.
When I am skating in a rink it feels like Dancing.
I don't love all the music; and why, oh why, would you give kids whistles at a birthday party??? Still, I had so much fun "dancing" around the rink for almost three hours with very few breaks.
I will go on the record to say that there is something so attractive about a man who can dance. There was an off-duty employee at the rink who was easily the best skater on the floor. My eyes were drawn to him all afternoon. Half of it was, mmmmm it is so nice to watch him move--and the other half of it was, I'm so envious of how easy he makes it look!
Lest I injure Brett's feelings . . . Brett, the kid was probably fifteen years younger than I am. And I wasn't attracted to him, just his dancing. Ultimately, to quote George Strait, "I just want to dance with you." What do you say? Maybe you could be my partner for that dance class I want to take someday.
Really, what do you think?
That's what I thought.
I can still fantasize.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Big Adventures
You may be aware that Brett has been working toward a Big Adventure for himself--working, planning, preparing for over a year to do something that will fulfill a life dream of his. I am proud of him for making his dreams come true. He is an inspiration. He demonstrates that dreams don't happen by chance. You have to work to make them come true.
I am excited for him. I look forward to hearing how this Big Adventure changes him. I am looking forward to reading his journal even more than I am looking forward to seeing his photos of the gorgeous scenery.
But I also feel a little envious of his Big Adventure.
Not that I resent him in any way.
And I feel a little left out or left behind from his Big Adventure.
Not that I feel that he is in any way abandoning me or our family.
I just want to have my own Big Adventure.
Not that I have any desire to do the Big Adventure that he is doing....at all.
But I do want to have a Big Adventure that changes me, affects me deeply, creates memories and feelings that are life-lasting.
I will be having my own little adventure this year while Brett is having his Big Adventure. The question is, how can I use my adventure experiences to their greatest advantage? It is my responsibility to make the best use of my time. To be in the moment. To plan activities with my boys that will be meaningful. They may not be life-changing. But we can still create memories and feelings that are life-lasting.
Brett and I had a great conversation this weekend. A real conversation. So many conversations are superficial that those real conversations, by comparison, hit you--Right.There.In the chest.
We talked about adventures, dreams and life-changing experiences. He reminded me that while I may never have a huge chunk of time devoted to a Big Life-Changing Adventure, I have a number of smaller adventures that are important to me.
Brett jokes that I would be gone every other weekend traveling if I could. It's so true, it's not really a joke. But responsibilities at home, church, and school, as well as not having a significant amount of cash, prevent me from traveling much more than once a year. The point is to not let those responsibilities and the busyness of daily life get in the way of me enjoying my life and my little adventures or prevent me from planning my bigger adventures.
Brett shared this quote that he liked with me:
“Everyone knows that tearing feeling between necessity’s pull and your heart’s pull. That balance between needing to pay the bills and having a dream. It is a difficult road. All I [know is] that I [am] determined somehow to follow my heart...”
-Bear Grylls, The Kid Who Climbed Everest
Then I shared this quote with him:
"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." — Chris McCandless
I don't exactly agree with the above quote (by Chris McCandless) for myself, but I get what it is trying to say. I, however, find myself in happy circumstances that include a life of security. It is having that security, both financial and familial, that allows me the freedom to plan new experiences--perhaps not as many as I would wish, but certainly more than I would have otherwise. I may not be a great explorer or an individual with a "passion" for adventure, but I do have my own little set of dreams and hopes and desires for new experiences. And I feel blessed to have a husband who loves me and encourages me to pursue those things that matter to me.
Brett and I concluded our conversation with the idea that while some dreams may come about spontaneously--for us, our dreams are most likely to happen with careful planning. Say it. Write it. See it. Plan it. Do it.
Here are some adventures we hope for:
2013- A family ski trip
(and perhaps another trip to Germany for Becca)
2014- Grand Canyon!!
2016- Taking the boys to Germany
Later that evening I asked Todd (who was not a part of the above conversation at all), "Todd, you know how Dad is having a great adventure this year....What adventure would you want to do for yourself?" His reply, "The Grand Canyon. ...and white water river rafting." I look forward to sharing our family plans with him and giving him the chance to see his dream become a reality.
I am happy that my boys have a father who can show them, teaching them by example, the way to make their dreams come true. I hope that they will be able to do the same for themselves one day.
I am excited for him. I look forward to hearing how this Big Adventure changes him. I am looking forward to reading his journal even more than I am looking forward to seeing his photos of the gorgeous scenery.
But I also feel a little envious of his Big Adventure.
Not that I resent him in any way.
And I feel a little left out or left behind from his Big Adventure.
Not that I feel that he is in any way abandoning me or our family.
I just want to have my own Big Adventure.
Not that I have any desire to do the Big Adventure that he is doing....at all.
But I do want to have a Big Adventure that changes me, affects me deeply, creates memories and feelings that are life-lasting.
I will be having my own little adventure this year while Brett is having his Big Adventure. The question is, how can I use my adventure experiences to their greatest advantage? It is my responsibility to make the best use of my time. To be in the moment. To plan activities with my boys that will be meaningful. They may not be life-changing. But we can still create memories and feelings that are life-lasting.
Brett and I had a great conversation this weekend. A real conversation. So many conversations are superficial that those real conversations, by comparison, hit you--Right.There.In the chest.
We talked about adventures, dreams and life-changing experiences. He reminded me that while I may never have a huge chunk of time devoted to a Big Life-Changing Adventure, I have a number of smaller adventures that are important to me.
Brett jokes that I would be gone every other weekend traveling if I could. It's so true, it's not really a joke. But responsibilities at home, church, and school, as well as not having a significant amount of cash, prevent me from traveling much more than once a year. The point is to not let those responsibilities and the busyness of daily life get in the way of me enjoying my life and my little adventures or prevent me from planning my bigger adventures.
Brett shared this quote that he liked with me:
“Everyone knows that tearing feeling between necessity’s pull and your heart’s pull. That balance between needing to pay the bills and having a dream. It is a difficult road. All I [know is] that I [am] determined somehow to follow my heart...”
-Bear Grylls, The Kid Who Climbed Everest
Then I shared this quote with him:
"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." — Chris McCandless
I don't exactly agree with the above quote (by Chris McCandless) for myself, but I get what it is trying to say. I, however, find myself in happy circumstances that include a life of security. It is having that security, both financial and familial, that allows me the freedom to plan new experiences--perhaps not as many as I would wish, but certainly more than I would have otherwise. I may not be a great explorer or an individual with a "passion" for adventure, but I do have my own little set of dreams and hopes and desires for new experiences. And I feel blessed to have a husband who loves me and encourages me to pursue those things that matter to me.
Brett and I concluded our conversation with the idea that while some dreams may come about spontaneously--for us, our dreams are most likely to happen with careful planning. Say it. Write it. See it. Plan it. Do it.
Here are some adventures we hope for:
2013- A family ski trip
(and perhaps another trip to Germany for Becca)
2014- Grand Canyon!!
2016- Taking the boys to Germany
Later that evening I asked Todd (who was not a part of the above conversation at all), "Todd, you know how Dad is having a great adventure this year....What adventure would you want to do for yourself?" His reply, "The Grand Canyon. ...and white water river rafting." I look forward to sharing our family plans with him and giving him the chance to see his dream become a reality.
I am happy that my boys have a father who can show them, teaching them by example, the way to make their dreams come true. I hope that they will be able to do the same for themselves one day.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
What Will I Do With My Time?
"Summer" ends in four weeks. Only four more weeks until school starts back up.
I am not looking forward to getting rid of my kids the way some parents do after having them around all day/every day. I like having them around. And they play so well with each other and with their next door neighbor, that it's not hard for them to stay busy. My problem is organizing my time so that we have a chance to do some of the activities and outings that I want to do with them before summer ends. We have done a few things like going to Big Kahuna's, playing Mexican Train Dominoes, making popsicles, water skiing, picking ripe red tomatoes from the garden, going to the library, hiking a trail at Rocky Bayou State Park, swim lessons, and just lounging with the family, among other things.
However, I would also like to do some of the following before the summer:
Go to a summer movie
Pick blueberries
Go canoeing
See the manatees in Wakulla River
Hit a state park or two
Go scalloping
Make more popsicles
Do a craft or two or three
And while I want to enjoy my time with the boys while I have it, I find that I am already looking ahead to what I might be able to accomplish when I have a full day of my own time. Of course, as I look forward to this time I do it in an attitude of procrastination. Like, why bother organizing my paperwork and balancing my checkbook now? Better to just wait until school starts.
Other projects I dream of finishing:
Sorting through and getting rid of seldom-used clothes, movies, and stuff
Ironing
Organizing all my photos
Sewing a dress-up cape and Ben10 costume (just in time for Halloween!)
Sewing my Christmas advent calendar
Cleaning the ceiling fans/general dusting (...nah!)
Detail vacuuming around the baseboards (...maybe)
Organizing my recipes and making weekly menu plans
Hanging pictures in dining room and family room
Painting exterior wall of the former screened porch
Catching up on blogging (is that even possible?)
Learning German (now I'm really dreaming...)
We'll see how successfully I organize my life come August. In the meantime, I am determined to put those big projects aside and use my last month to have fun with the boys. In fact, I think I'll attempt "Make more popsicles" right now.
Hope you're having fun with your summer.
I am not looking forward to getting rid of my kids the way some parents do after having them around all day/every day. I like having them around. And they play so well with each other and with their next door neighbor, that it's not hard for them to stay busy. My problem is organizing my time so that we have a chance to do some of the activities and outings that I want to do with them before summer ends. We have done a few things like going to Big Kahuna's, playing Mexican Train Dominoes, making popsicles, water skiing, picking ripe red tomatoes from the garden, going to the library, hiking a trail at Rocky Bayou State Park, swim lessons, and just lounging with the family, among other things.
However, I would also like to do some of the following before the summer:
Go to a summer movie
Pick blueberries
Go canoeing
See the manatees in Wakulla River
Hit a state park or two
Go scalloping
Make more popsicles
Do a craft or two or three
And while I want to enjoy my time with the boys while I have it, I find that I am already looking ahead to what I might be able to accomplish when I have a full day of my own time. Of course, as I look forward to this time I do it in an attitude of procrastination. Like, why bother organizing my paperwork and balancing my checkbook now? Better to just wait until school starts.
Other projects I dream of finishing:
Sorting through and getting rid of seldom-used clothes, movies, and stuff
Ironing
Organizing all my photos
Sewing a dress-up cape and Ben10 costume (just in time for Halloween!)
Sewing my Christmas advent calendar
Cleaning the ceiling fans/general dusting (...nah!)
Detail vacuuming around the baseboards (...maybe)
Organizing my recipes and making weekly menu plans
Hanging pictures in dining room and family room
Painting exterior wall of the former screened porch
Catching up on blogging (is that even possible?)
Learning German (now I'm really dreaming...)
We'll see how successfully I organize my life come August. In the meantime, I am determined to put those big projects aside and use my last month to have fun with the boys. In fact, I think I'll attempt "Make more popsicles" right now.
Hope you're having fun with your summer.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Someday
A few years ago when Sigrid came to visit I told her, "Someday, I would love to visit Germany. I have always wanted to see Europe." Sigrid answered, saying that I was welcome any time to come and stay with her.
The following year, when Sigrid came to visit again she told me that I really should come. I said that it was definitely in my future. But the boys were still young....
Yet again, Sigrid asked when I thought I might visit Germany. "Oh, I don't know. I really want to. Someday, I will."
Finally, Sigrid said something to the effect of, "Rebecca, 'someday' will never come unless you make it happen. So, when is it going to be?"
She was right.
And so it was that last year I start planning for someday. It turns out that someday is really September 9, 2009.
I can't believe that I am really going to Germany. I have Sigrid to thank for making it possible--taking care of accommodations, acting as my translator and tour guide, and inspiring me to make it happen.
I'm sure that I will have lots of photos when I come home. Let's hope that I share them. In the meantime, here is a little taste of where I am going.
The following year, when Sigrid came to visit again she told me that I really should come. I said that it was definitely in my future. But the boys were still young....
Yet again, Sigrid asked when I thought I might visit Germany. "Oh, I don't know. I really want to. Someday, I will."
Finally, Sigrid said something to the effect of, "Rebecca, 'someday' will never come unless you make it happen. So, when is it going to be?"
She was right.
And so it was that last year I start planning for someday. It turns out that someday is really September 9, 2009.
I can't believe that I am really going to Germany. I have Sigrid to thank for making it possible--taking care of accommodations, acting as my translator and tour guide, and inspiring me to make it happen.
I'm sure that I will have lots of photos when I come home. Let's hope that I share them. In the meantime, here is a little taste of where I am going.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
New Year's Resolutions
This past Sunday I taught the lesson in Relief Society (our women's group) at church. It is so much harder for me to create a lesson from scratch rather than using an outline or topic from a lesson manual. However, I feel it went well, though I was only able to share about half of what I came prepared with. The following is a summary of my lesson which I typed up for our monthly newsletter.
At this time of year many of us think about writing New Year’s resolutions. Many popular resolutions include losing weight, getting fit, eating better, managing finances, reducing stress, getting a better job, traveling, etc. While these are worthwhile things to work on, I hope that we do not lose sight of those things that are most important. In the gospel resource True to the Faith we read, “As you seek to be happy, remember that the only way to real happiness is to live the gospel. You will find peaceful, eternal happiness as you strive to keep the commandments, pray for strength, repent of your sins, participate in wholesome activities, and give meaningful service.” We learn this same principle in Mosiah 2:41, where we read that those who keep the commandments are happy and are blessed both temporally and spiritually.
As we set goals to change our behaviors let us keep in mind that we need the help of our Savior Jesus Christ and his Atonement. He can help us overcome our weaknesses and repent of our sins, and change our very nature. As we pray in faith we can gain insight on those things that are most important for us to work on. For some it may be focusing on your family history; for others it may be having more regular scripture study, more meaningful personal prayer, or holding regular family home evening. President Thomas S. Monson said, “When we remember that each of us is literally a spirit son or daughter of God, we will not find it difficult to approach our Heavenly Father in prayer. He appreciates the value of this raw material which we call life…. There is a teacher who will guide our efforts if we but place our faith in Him—even the Lord Jesus Christ. He invites us: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’” (“Your Eternal Home,” Ensign, May 2000, 52).
I hope that you will prayerfully select one or two things to work on this year that will help increase your faith in the Savior. Do not be discouraged with all of the things that you are not doing perfectly. Rather, recognize the good things that you are doing already, know that the Lord loves you as you are, and that he will help you become more like Him as you put your trust in Him. President Gordon B. Hinckley encouraged us in our efforts saying, “Changes may not be measurable in a day or a week or a month. Resolutions are quickly made and quickly forgotten. But, in a year from now, if we are doing better than we have done in the past, then the efforts of these days will not have been in vain” (“An Humble and a Contrite Heart,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 88-89).
If I took the time to really think about everything I would like to see myself doing differently this year (you know--exercising, blogging more, organizing my photos, sending out a Christmas card sometime this year, writing more personal thank you notes and birthday cards...) the list would be overwhelming. Even the example which I just shared is overwhelming. Rather, I plan to focus on one important goal this year: holding Family Home Evening every week, most likely on a Sunday evening (since I still plan on singing with my chorus group which meets Monday nights). I think the most difficult part will be finding a system for planning our "lesson" each week that will be easy for me to keep up with. Once I find out what works (through trial and error) I feel confident that I will be able to keep it going.
So don't be surprised if you never get that thank you note, birthday card, or Christmas letter and photo this year. Know that I am working on strengthening my family in the gospel but still thinking of you all in the process.
At this time of year many of us think about writing New Year’s resolutions. Many popular resolutions include losing weight, getting fit, eating better, managing finances, reducing stress, getting a better job, traveling, etc. While these are worthwhile things to work on, I hope that we do not lose sight of those things that are most important. In the gospel resource True to the Faith we read, “As you seek to be happy, remember that the only way to real happiness is to live the gospel. You will find peaceful, eternal happiness as you strive to keep the commandments, pray for strength, repent of your sins, participate in wholesome activities, and give meaningful service.” We learn this same principle in Mosiah 2:41, where we read that those who keep the commandments are happy and are blessed both temporally and spiritually.
As we set goals to change our behaviors let us keep in mind that we need the help of our Savior Jesus Christ and his Atonement. He can help us overcome our weaknesses and repent of our sins, and change our very nature. As we pray in faith we can gain insight on those things that are most important for us to work on. For some it may be focusing on your family history; for others it may be having more regular scripture study, more meaningful personal prayer, or holding regular family home evening. President Thomas S. Monson said, “When we remember that each of us is literally a spirit son or daughter of God, we will not find it difficult to approach our Heavenly Father in prayer. He appreciates the value of this raw material which we call life…. There is a teacher who will guide our efforts if we but place our faith in Him—even the Lord Jesus Christ. He invites us: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’” (“Your Eternal Home,” Ensign, May 2000, 52).
I hope that you will prayerfully select one or two things to work on this year that will help increase your faith in the Savior. Do not be discouraged with all of the things that you are not doing perfectly. Rather, recognize the good things that you are doing already, know that the Lord loves you as you are, and that he will help you become more like Him as you put your trust in Him. President Gordon B. Hinckley encouraged us in our efforts saying, “Changes may not be measurable in a day or a week or a month. Resolutions are quickly made and quickly forgotten. But, in a year from now, if we are doing better than we have done in the past, then the efforts of these days will not have been in vain” (“An Humble and a Contrite Heart,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 88-89).
If I took the time to really think about everything I would like to see myself doing differently this year (you know--exercising, blogging more, organizing my photos, sending out a Christmas card sometime this year, writing more personal thank you notes and birthday cards...) the list would be overwhelming. Even the example which I just shared is overwhelming. Rather, I plan to focus on one important goal this year: holding Family Home Evening every week, most likely on a Sunday evening (since I still plan on singing with my chorus group which meets Monday nights). I think the most difficult part will be finding a system for planning our "lesson" each week that will be easy for me to keep up with. Once I find out what works (through trial and error) I feel confident that I will be able to keep it going.
So don't be surprised if you never get that thank you note, birthday card, or Christmas letter and photo this year. Know that I am working on strengthening my family in the gospel but still thinking of you all in the process.
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