We are off to a great summer vacation.  Tomorrow is Matthew’s first field trip.  Riley had one on Wednesday to the zoo.  it has been raining (or threatening rain) every morning but except for yesterday,  it has cleared up for the afternoon and swimming.  This has left some really tired kids (now if only the fighting would stop). 

I am trying to be a more calm mom.  I am not good at this.  In my professional life I am calm under pressure.  I can think when things go wrong.  In my family life —- not so much.  When something gets spilled or broken…well, lets just say that there is a lot of crying over spilled milk in our house. 

Today I watched this speech from this woman who is dying of Breast Cancer.  You can find it here.  Anyway, there were two themes that connected with me. 

1.  She talks about how she says “no” too much and how she is trying – in the time she has left, to be less focused on her and to say “yes” more to her kids. 

2.  She talks about what she has decided is her only role in life…to “serve with joy”. 

I definitely say no a lot more than yes to my kids.  Why? Of course, sometimes it is necessary to say no for safety sometimes…but many times it is because it just isn’t convenient for me-at the time.  I really want to work on saying yes a lot more than I say no this summer.  I am so lucky to have these kids and I need to remember that!

So, tonight, I let the kids have candy after dinner.  I am going to give the girls a bath and allow everyone to stay up a little longer.  Tomorrow I am taking most of the day off to clean the house.  I am going to try and not be so resentful as I am cleaning the bathrooms…—serving with joy.

If you want to be moved by something, check out this video (beware…it is 55 minutes long but I didn’t want to turn it off!)

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