What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child. ~George Bernard Shaw

Family

Traditions

Published by dbdragon on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 22:47 in

Tags

Holidays, traditions, home life, My reflections, Family

Lately I have been thinking a lot about traditions. I suppose it is that time of year, but I am struggling to find the right fit for us it seems. I try and think about my own childhood memories. What made the month, the weeks, the days special? What is it so many years later that I still carry in my heart?

The biggest is the tree. Our tree when I was growing up wasn’t brought in until Christmas Eve. My sister and I got to pick our favorite ornament and place it on the tree, then we were sent to bed. When we woke up in the morning, there was the tree in all of its splendor. Santa had decorated it. As my mother said, “we were one of the lucky few to have him do it for us”. I remember very few of the presents under that tree, but I remember every tree we ever had.
We don’t do this here, it is too much and my kids love the tree and love being able to decorate it, and that is fine, that was my memory, not theirs, they will have their own, but did my parents know that all these years later, that would be the thing that would stick? How do I find that moment for my own kids?

As the years go by we tweak things to make them fit better, we add things and drop things and each year we improve (I hope!). We have things that really feel right, like our Solstice celebration. Both kids are already talking about it, almost as much as Christmas. There are things, however, I am trying to rework. The thing is, no matter how many blogs you read, or pins you pin on pinterest, these traditions, these captured moments in our heart, are very personal and nothing we read or see from the outside is a perfect fit for our family. I suppose that is the answer then, to just breath and let it flow naturally and from that our own moments and memories will be made.

I hope with all of my heart that my children will look back and have their own “Tree Moment”. I hope they remember the candlelit house on Solstice, the joy of baking cookies and candies, the little songs we sing as we light our Advent wreath, the warmth that we try and create in our house. Like most everything in parenting, it is a daily learning experience, and I can only hope that what I am doing is right for us and our family. I hope that one day they look back fondly at all of this and perhaps carry some of it with them into their own families.

Happy Thanksgiving, again!

Published by dbdragon on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 23:13 in

Tags

Holidays, Celebrations, Family, home life, Thanksgiving

One of the benefits of being a dual citizen? Double Thanksgiving! So today, I gather with my friends here in my adoptive home country and while it is just another Thursday here in Canada, we will be feasting and celebrating and counting all of our abundant blessings. I am so grateful for my friends, for my boys, and for my incredible husband. I love that I get two chances to celebrate all that I am thankful for. It makes me realize that we shouldn’t need a special day to remember how much we have, that we really should be grateful everyday. We should probably have pie everyday as well. Just because really, and a day is always better when there is pie!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mom

Published by dbdragon on Mon, 08/13/2012 - 09:27 in

Tags

Motherhood, reflections, Family

“What do you do for a living?” Perhaps my most dreaded question. “I am a Mom” is my standard response. “Yes, but what do you do??” People find it hard to believe that I am just a Mom. Yes, I stay at home, all day, everyday with my children. Does it make me a martyr? No. Crazy? Yes a little. I find answering this question difficult. In today’s society, you are valued for what you do, what you contribute to society, and what you are worth in that sense. This question always makes me feel a bit off as it forces me evaluate who I am and what I am doing.

In my life before children, I was a professional Ballet dancer. That life, however, is done. It is not a career I can go back to, not something that can be picked up and carried on. I watch as friends make their way back into careers, or grow into new ones. They are moving forward and I am left standing here wondering what I want to be when I grow up. I am writing more and more so I guess there is that, but I don’t yet feel attached to that, it hasn’t really become “what I do.” I look enviously at women with careers. They wake up in the morning secure in who they are and what they do. It leaves me feeling insecure and a bit lost.

I was asked this question a few weeks ago and I have been really feeling down about it since. I have been stressing about it, and anxious about finding the answers. It has made me irritable, short tempered, distant from my family, and completely withdrawn. Then today I stopped and looked at myself. In my questioning who I am, I have found who I DO NOT want to be! I have chosen this path, with all of its struggles and sacrifices to be present and loving and attentive to my children and my family.

What do I do for a living? I am the caretaker of the two most beautiful souls on the planet. I am their fiercely passionate advocate and their biggest supporter. I am the person they can always depend on to love them, deeply and truly forever. I am a teacher and a nurturer. I am a storyteller, a creator of imaginary worlds. I am the planter of seeds that will grow love and kindness and curiosity. I am the guide for two little boys that will grow up to become good, kind men. I am the leader of exploration in this beautiful piece of Earth we call home. I am the hunter of gnomes and fairies, the slayer of dragons, and the master of chasing off bad dreams. I am Mom, and for me, right now, that is more than enough.

{Photo credit Annie Lance}

Over the River and through the woods...

Published by dbdragon on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 23:15 in

Tags

Summer holiday, Travel, Family

We are spending the week at Grandmom and Pop Pop’s house, so I will check in for {this moment} on Friday and fill you in on all the fun adventures next week!

Have a great week and I hope it is cooling off where you live.

Busy, busy, busy.

Published by dbdragon on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 23:00 in

Tags

Family, Holidays, home life

The past few days here have been a blur of children playing, painting, drawing, river building, book reading, of eggs being dyed, hidden, found and then hidden again, laughter (lots of laughter), and lots of love.

Our family is in for a visit for the next week and the cousins, who rarely see much of each other, act as if they see each other all the time. Times like this always make me a bit sad that we don’t live closer to family. Not that I don’t realize that any other time of year, but when we get visitors, it just makes me realize how nice it would be to have family nearby.

I hope they are always this comfortable with each other. I hope they, too ,realize the importance of family and I hope, oh how I hope, that they never live too far away. Ok, so that is just selfish Mama speaking, but I am allowed to hope!

Pages

I am Jennifer. I am a wife and stay at home mother to two little boys. We are a homeschooling, co sleeping, nature loving bunch and I hope you enjoy reading about our adventures. Read more.