Because

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: Because

Ready?

GO.

"Because I have been given much, I too must give" is the first line of one of my favorite hymns.  I'd like to take a minute (or five) and think about all the gifts I've been given this week, and how I can pay it back or pay it forward.

Because my sweet dog (see below) gave Caroline a huge loving lick on the face last Saturday, and because Caroline loved it, I will try to spend some quality time with both of them the next time we're at my parents' house.  Poor Tess is getting older, the dog I wanted my whole life, and I'm going to give her a bit of extra attention.

Because I was in a training class all week with a group of the nicest strangers you could ever meet, I am going to try to keep in touch with them, and try to be friendlier with people I don't know very well -- it might turn out you have a lot in common and could become fast friends, even in just a week!

Because my husband helped cook dinner tonight, then did the dishes, and folded the laundry, AND has listened to me talk for two days straight about this book I just read that is not really of any interest to him (though he listens attentively), I am going to make him peach cobbler for breakfast. 

And of course, I hope by paying things back and forward, I can pay back a little bit of my debt to my Heavenly Father.  Because I have been given much.

STOP.

Hold

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: Hold

Ready?

GO.

You won't believe me, but I actually picked out the "picture of the week" before I saw the prompt.  The only way Caroline will sit still long enough for us to read her a book is if we give her a bottle at the same time.  I was talking to a friend last night, who also has an exceptionally active baby, and turns out we both love it when our babies fall asleep in the car and we can carry them inside, all snuggly against us.  Both of us admit to stalling putting them in the crib, just to get a few extra minutes of that quiet peace with a baby nestled in our arms.

I have thought several times this week about how important physical touch is for humans.  I gave out a couple of extra hugs this week (one to my brother about 10 minutes ago for babysitting for us while Caroline is cutting her 5th tooth).  I hope that even though my baby is so wiggly, we can find quiet (or loud) moments to snuggle or play pattycake or eat each others fingers.

STOP.

Ready

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: Ready

Ready? 

GO.

Oh, I'm not ready to write a 5-minute blog post.  I've got a pretty terrible sinus headache this afternoon.  But I guess that's the point - we're never ready.  I've been doing a lot of introspection lately (apart from these 5-minute Fridays), and I'm realizing more and more that I am a planner, and I tend to end up with very set expectations (not necessarily high expectations, but just a pre-conceived notion in my mind of how something is going to go).  More often than not, obviously, things don't go according to plan.  Most of the time, that's a good thing!  I thought I'd join the Foreign Service, do two tours overseas, come back to the US when I was 29 and try to get married.  And instead I met Mike four months into the Foreign Service and now I'm 29 and we are married with a baby.  Or......we were really planning to go overseas again for our third tour, but ended up in DC, which turned out to be such a blessing with Caroline's colic.

So yes, when things don't go according to plan, it's usually a boon for us.  But sometimes when things don't go according to plan, it shakes me up.  I feel like I have to go through all the very intricate details about the future that I had organized in my mind and replace them one by one with reality.  With the reality I was unprepared for.  That I wasn't ready for.  Like trying to calm a screaming baby for 10 hours when I thought we would get lots of quiet, sweet cuddle time.

But now I'm trying to be ready for anything, and to just accept life in the moment, enjoy it if I can, and if not, just.....well, hang in there.  And know there will always be another moment in the future to get ready for, that won't be what I expect, but that maybe I can enjoy even more than I expected to enjoy the last moment.  Like seeing Caroline's face light up when she rode in a swing for the first time.  Biggest. Smile. Ever.

STOP.


I don't think the picture needs further explanation.

Whisper

If you missed my Five Minute Friday introduction last week, check it out here.

This week's prompt is: Whisper.

Ready?

GO.

"Whisper" makes me think of quiet people.  I had lunch today with my husband (a quiet introvert) and a friend who is also quite softspoken.  We sat outside and I thought "How on earth will they be able to understand each other?"  But quiet people are often good listeners, and they made do, despite the noise of sitting by the street.

I am going to start reading "Quiet: The Power of Introverts" or something like that (no time to look it up, have to keep writing!).  I haven't even opened it yet but I know I will love it because I'm pretty sure I already understand the premise (actually, I'm pretty sure I live with the premise).  Introverts like Mike are often misunderstood and pushed aside in our society, to make way for the loud extroverts.  Oh, extroverts have their place too - but introverts have excellent analytical, detail-oriented qualities that are often passed over in the rush of the extroverts getting their ideas out there.  Or, the introvert is labeled as "I can't read him," or "She never says hi, I don't think she likes me."

Look folks, get to know them.  And if you're an introvert, start with your fellow introverts and just try to say hi.  You don't have to be best friends right off the bat.  Or ever.  But don't let us continue muddling through life without your amazing friendships, ideas, and advice.

STOP.

Picture of the week:

My sisters' 17th birthday dinner!!!!  I can't believe it, poor girls, I think I still treat them like they're 8 sometimes.  But they are most certainly lovely young ladies and have come of age (in the wizarding world, anyway).  The introverts outnumbered the extroverts at the table that evening, but Caroline's incessant extraversion may have evened out the balance.  She won't stop moving!  She started crawling this week, and immediately tried pulling herself up on anything within reach.  All so she can be where the action is, with all the people all around her.  ALL the people.