Week 2 is here and we are focusing on the challenge of Mending Home and Family.
Let’s talk first about Home.
This last weekend I declared it “give some love to our home” Saturday. We spent the morning patching holes in walls (we moved some kid’s rooms around and had quite a few holes where things had been hung to repair) and then doing some paint touch ups on places that needed a refresh.
We have done this many a Saturday morning during quarantine, going through the house room by room and de-cluttering, de-junking and organizing what we are keeping. We’ve made it a goal to do it as a family and it has been time well spent. We cleaned out the toy closet where each kiddo shared funny stories about random toys and we made decisions about “moving toys” on to other family members who might love them. It’s been so good for my soul to be able to get our house in order.
Also last week, I worked on creating a small reading corner in my bedroom. It was just a blank wall before and I set about finding things from other areas in the house (or storage!) to repurpose into a space where I can do some afternoon reading. I would love to eventually add a rug and a footstool to prop my feet up on, but I am so happy with my new little “me space” from the challenge last week. It makes me happy!
As I was working on my home last week, it’s amazing to me how much lighter I felt getting rid of the clutter and sprucing up things with a new coat of paint. I think mending my home was mending my soul too.
So, this week—let’s choose one thing we can do to mend our homes! I have a couple of other projects to finish up but please remember, they don’t have to be huge. Huge equals overwhelming…and that is not what we want this week. I am going to share a list tomorrow of some things that I thought of, but I am sure your head is filling with some thoughts as well.
Mending your Family
One of the definitions of mending that I absolutely love is to “to grow back together; to knit.”
I love that thought. Bones that are broken grow back together, a tear in a shirt can be mended with needle and thread and a family can also mend.
If there is one thing this quarantine and pandemic has given to my own life, it’s the gift of a “little more time.” All of a sudden four months ago our schedule was cleared. Yes, we had school and more zoom meetings that I care to count–but it also gave me back a little more time with my family.
My oldest is leaving for college in the fall. And I will always be grateful for “a little more time” with us just as a family. We have spent the last four months baking bread and more batches of cookies and treats than we have in years. Eating dinner together. Swinging on swings in our basement just talking. And going up the canyon to roast hot dogs and s’mores and just being together.
Now, don’t get me wrong…there have been more quarrels and annoyances than I can count. But I am hoping those are fading to the back and the wonderful memories of playing cards and floating down a river are outweighing those quibbles.
I am mulling over a few goals this week. But I think it’s going to be a different goal for each person in my family. A mini-date night with each person in my family. I’ll follow up to let you know how it goes!
And on Thursday we will share some thoughts and other ideas we have to mend family relationships.
Mending Home and Family Quotes:
“You don’t inspire your teammates by showing them how amazing you are. You inspire them by showing them how amazing they are.” -Robyn Benincasa (World Champion Adventure Racer)
“To find magic in the mending.” – Marieke Nijkamp
“Family is not an important thing, it’s everything.” -Michael J. Fox
“Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.” -Stitch
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~Have a wonderful week! elizabeth
