Reflections

Mexico was so nice, because I felt like I had time to think. Think about what i have been doing lately, but mostly what I want to be doing in the future. Ben and I have a goals binder that we look at and set new goals every anniversary, and then review them throughout the year. Last year, on our Costa Rica trip we made some new goals (even though it wasn't our anniversary) and came up with our family Mission Statement and made plans for the future with specific years adn dates in mind. This year, on this trip, we reveiwed some of those things, but I felt like I reflected and thought more about MY goals and then talked about them with Ben. And over the last few months my thoughts have focused so much on a few specific things. But in a nutshell (hopefully I will get around to recording all of my epiphanies and feelings and great inspirations in more detail, but this is a little snippet to remind me of all the glorious insights I got for myself) it comes down to how I want more than anything to be a good mom. Now figuring out what is the best way for ME to be the best mom for these three amazing kids is my next mission. How to find balance for me to give all I can to them. I really want my focus to be on my family. Ben and Noah had a really good conversation last year in Costa Rica (another great reason I loved mexico, because it is so fun to discuss so many inspiring, world changing, small day-to-day things with Ben, Noah and Kristi and to get some much insight from brilliant people, without being interupted. It is so rejuvinating!),and there observations have resonated in my head a lot this past year; One of the reasons Rick and Linda were such great parents and writers is because that is what they always thought about. They were always thinking about their family and being so proactive about raising their children and developing their family unit, and then writing about it. I know it sounds so simple, but I have since thought about that often, and ben and I use that thought process a lot when setting our goals and raising our family. There is a direct relationship to the amount of time I think about how I will teach, raise, discipline and love my children to how well I succeed in raising a strong, tightly-knit family unit. So I want my focus to be on my family. On how I will mother my children. On Motherhood. I want to be successful at my job as a mother. (And success is measured in lots of different ways). So now my new goals are focused on finding out how me and my personality will be the best mother, wife and homemaker. And even more importantly, always finding joy in it.

I think all mothers have and get success in different ways. We are all so different. I loved reading Shawni's blog this morning about balance (I love her blog and her book and highly recommend it to EVERYONE!! And she really is as nice and positive and fun as she writes), http://www.71toes.blogspot.com/