The Richness of Tradition

Well friends, Christmas is just around the corner and what a special time of year it is. I love the carols, the storefront displays, the crisp feeling of excitement in the air and the smell of Christmas baking in our homes.

For our family, we have a number of traditions that we have either adopted or established ourselves. One of those traditions is our Tree Decorating Night. This is always done on the first Friday in December and it’s a night that we all look forward to. Friends and family know about this night in our home and they know that our door is always open.

On this night, we all take part. Philip is the lighting and music man, Sophia is head designer, Gabriel is creative consult and wee Ella is a very able assistant to all. My role is catering, dance co-ordinator and accident control (baubles breaking, decorations falling apart). We all hold very specific and important roles and we take our responsibilities very seriously.

As we work, we talk about the decorations, where they have come from and the stories that go with them (just another little tradition, we buy a Christmas decoration when we travel so that our tree truly has a global theme). We laugh, we eat whatever it is we have all agreed upon prior to the night, we talk and we simply enjoy coming together, relaxing, reflecting on the year and being in the moment as family. In addition to the laughter, there is always music, carols are ringing throughout the house and we push the chairs aside and we dance.

This year, I taught the kids how to polka. There is one album that is played in our home from December 1 through to January 2 and it happens to be one of my favourites. The kids don’t love this album (yet), but have come to know that it is part of our tradition. It’s the Kenny & Dolly Once Upon a Christmas album. I love it. I play it loud and I play it proud. So, if you find yourself anywhere near the Sohn home during the holidays, just know that Kenny and Dolly will be right here with us.

I believe that tradition is part of the fibre that keeps our families strong and rich. Tradition is part of the root system of a family and it’s a necessary ingredient. Friends, celebrate your traditions, don’t let them go by the wayside because you’re busy, tired or just don’t see the point. When we look at a tree or a beautiful flower, we don’t get the opportunity to see the root system below, rather we just marvel at the beauty in front of us. Family is like that. I would suggest that the strong families you see have traditions that they hold tight.

I know that as my children grow and as they eventually leave the nest, our Tree Decorating Night will be one that they will miss. I know that on the first Friday of December, if they are near, they will be at home, if they are far, I know our phone will ring and their hearts will be in our living room. I also know that as the years progress, it will be them requesting Kenny and Dolly. I know that this is only a night, however through this one night, we are giving them stability, strength for the journey and a confidence that is deep within their being.

What are your family traditions? I’ve shared just one of ours with you and there are many more. As I said, some we have adopted from our families and some we have established on our own. I encourage you to create in your home a strong root system through tradition. Create something that is unique to your family and know that you are building a great foundation. Whether you are a young family, further along the journey or a new, blended family, carve out tradition and watch the richness unfold.

For my Mum and Auntie Myrna know that where ever we are for Christmas, there is always red and green jello on the table – a great a tradition we have adopted and so have many of our cousins. Thanks for being such great women of tradition and passing so much on to all of us. You are greatly appreciated and loved.

Susan

Go Take A Walk

I once asked a lean, mountain goat of a cyclist if there was a secret to staying in shape during the off-season. He crossed his skinny arms and told me the answer was to exercise moderately during the day and make sure you went to bed feeling hungry. I thought that was just great news. Personally, I’d prefer to stick toothpicks into my eyeballs than try to sleep counting sheep that I would actually rather be eating. So, going to bed hungry is not the answer. The answer is to wake up feeling hungry. There is a significant difference.

I remember that as a teenager, whilst growing up, I watched my dad eat mountains of rice for lunch. He would easily consume more than the rest of us put together. At the same time, my mum would eat a piece of toast with some broccoli and a bit of spinach, then wash it down with a weak mixture of some sort of diet milkshake. I thought it was odd that she ate less than our pet hamster and yet struggled to become lean, whilst papa bear over there ate enough to feed the five thousand and still looked pretty good.

Being bipedal, my dad, like most of us, walked on two legs. If he were still alive, he’d still be doing what the rest of us humans were meant to be doing in terms of locomotion. He walked a lot. A foot note (sorry about the pun) – he did a lot of walking until he retired and discovered bicycles, it all changed then and he didn’t walk enough, preferring instead to cycle, but that’s another story. Anyway, where was I? Walking. OK, so he walked a lot ... This did a few things. It saved on bus fares, wore out his shoes and increased his basic metabolic rate.

Your basic metabolic rate has nothing to do with tax cuts or bank bail-outs. Your basic metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy your body requires for doing nothing. It is the amount of energy you need to breathe, stay awake and watch daytime television. Exercise has a knack of raising this basic metabolic rate. This is good.

If you exercise, and yes, walking is certainly a form of exercise, you require energy to do so. You are also likely to raise your BMR. At tick-over my dad’s BMR was higher than my mother’s, whose BMR was closer to that of algae. To make matters worse, she had been consuming so few calories for months on end that her body was geared up for a low calorie diet. It had, in fact, become very efficient at holding onto and storing any fat that came along.

When my mum could not resist a bit of trifle, or the odd chocolate bar, her calorie-deprived body would think: “Oh wonderful, I’m hanging on to that, tomorrow we’ll be back to dry toast and rabbit food.” At the same time, it turned down her metabolic tick-over to the lowest possible setting in an effort to conserve energy. Where dad’s metaphorical metabolic fire was stoked and roaring away, mum’s was on super-economy mode. This, of course, is bad news for weight loss.
My advice to all of you out there who are considering cutting down on heaps and heaps of calories in an effort to lose weight – don’t be over-zealous. Try first to increase your daily amount of light exercise. Take the dog for a walk or, better yet, encourage someone else to come with you. Take the kids along, walk to the post office instead of driving. Think about ways you can all walk instead of driving and you’ll be amazed at just how many short car journeys you will cut out.

This bit is important. Walking. Most people walk far too slowly to receive any benefit at all. You need to walk quickly. Here’s a tip. Try this. Go outside and walk and while walking, count your footsteps per minute. Try increasing the pace to the point where it feels uncomfortable. Where it begins to feel odd, ridiculous even. Just before that point is your ultimate cruising pace. Cross that line and you’ll feel like you need to jog. Scale back the speed 10 or 15 steps per minute. That is the pace you need to maintain on a fitness walk. Got it? If you’re still not sure, It’s the speed that you would walk at if you were really late for a movie. You’re not about to run, but you can’t saunter. If you saw someone else walking this fast, you’d notice it as they came past. Not all jiggle-hipped or anything, just a “hmm, that person is in a big hurry” kind of way.

Enough talking about walking – just get out there and do it! And go easy on the pecan pie. Let me know how you get on. And if anyone finds a nice recipe that involves broccoli, spinach and toast, don’t send it to me – my mum has tried it!

Ted

The Reality of Christmas

Well friends, the festive season is in front of us. The baking has started, the parties are underway, well-wrapped gifts are finding their way under the tree and that sense of wonder and excitement is in the air.

Christmas is that one time of the year when somehow we all find it within ourselves to lay aside external pressures and simply relax and enjoy. This year is no exception. With the economy in turmoil and (in Canada) our political situation unstable, the celebration of the birth of one child is able to still our hearts, cause us to reflect and show gratitude and love in a way that we, for whatever reason, reserve for this one season every year.

I was thinking about Christmas and the family side of the holidays. Sadly, family can be the cause of some of the strongest pain we experience. Unresolved issues, unforgiveness and hurt can take the place of joy, happiness and great memories. It has been said that when you have been hurt or wronged by someone close, walking through the pain can feel almost impossible. This, coupled with the cheery, celebratory side of Christmas, can turn what should be a happy time into something dreaded.

Bearing this in mind, together with my ever-hopeful disposition, I have a suggestion. This Christmas, why not make the decision to give a gift that will last a lifetime. That is the gift of choosing the relationship rather than the offence, the pain or the hurt. The relationship is much more valuable than holding onto and keeping track of the other stuff. Give the gift of forgiveness. It might be the most costly gift but it is one that will last a lifetime and it is a gift that only you can give.

Choose the relationship over the pain and the offence. I say this because I have chosen this year to make right what was once wrong in one of my family relationships. I took a risk and a step in the right direction; I humbled myself and extended my hand. A decision and a choice I am not regretting. I chose relationship over the past and stuff that had happened. You too can do it and Christmas opens the door for all of us to extend more than a well-wrapped gift. An extended hand of forgiveness and kindness – showing that the past is the past – is a gift worth giving and one that won’t empty your wallet.

As you make your Christmas preparations, consider your relationships and do whatever it takes to make right that which needs attention. Choose the relationship! Remember to drink some eggnog, enjoy your Christmas goodies, laugh lots and celebrate Christmas in the fullness of family, friends and faith this year.

Susan

Thoughts on travel … and sponsoring children

I have just returned from a week in Vietnam, and have come back with a new sponsor child and a renewed appreciation for fresh milk, the English language and clean water.

The other thing that has stayed with me is the fact that no matter where we live or who we are, we all value the same things. As clichéd as it has become, we all hold dear dreams for our children’s future and the intimacy of family.

I often think that if everyone found the opportunity to travel, not just overseas but even to a different suburb or a particular multicultural part of our own cities, then our tolerance of each other would be greater. We would appreciate diversity instead of fearing and stereotyping each other.

Underneath it all, we are the same.

My travels have also shown me how people so often thrive in adversity, whilst those of us in comfortable societies often complain about our abundance.

It was so lovely to observe people in villages just living their day together, loving each other’s children and preparing meals. One village we visited had recently been hooked up to a clean water supply and, as a result, water-borne diseases had been eradicated. Such simple lives, but so much to be grateful for.

I saw much heartache and need and wondered why it didn’t really touch me, until I met Vinh, my new sponsor child, and his mother. I am such an advocate for child sponsorship! After our meeting, I watched them ride off on their bike before I dissolved into a blubbering mess! I can’t make a huge dent in the enormity of poverty, but I can dramatically change the life of a few children around the globe.

I was so moved that I brought home photos and details of five other children who need sponsorship in Vinh’s village. Just AUD$38 a month can make such a significant difference, and I was humbled by the opportunity to be a part of that.

Anyone interested in finding out more about these other five kids, please let me know.

Meanwhile, if you can’t go to another country, visit Chinatown if your city has one, or even a restaurant that serves food you don’t normally eat. Placing value our differences may just change the world.

Lv Jane

The Gift of Time

You've read articles I've written discussing time and the age old question of quality vs quantity. I remain convinced that it isn't one or the other, rather it's a combination of both that gives richness to relationships.

The other night, my eldest daughter was at dance, my youngest daughter, Ella, had fallen asleep in the car, which left my seven-year-old son, Gabriel, and I with 1.5 hours on our hands. We decided to let Ella continue sleeping in her stroller while we enjoyed an early dinner together, just the two of us. A good decision indeed.

The occasional interruption from the waitress was my only distraction. Gabriel had my attention 100%. I was fascinated to learn about what was truly was going on in his little life. He shared about the fun stuff, the not so fun, the questions, a few confessions of a little harmless mischief and his overall excitement about life. I was gobbling up every moment and loved listening to him. My husband and I make it a priority to spend one-on-one time with all three of our children. This gives us the opportunity to really hear them and to let them know they are being heard. I think it's important to give each child regular, undivided attention. It's the only way to get a full understanding of what's really going on in their lives.

Our conversation moved from school to friends, to sport, to family and then bounced to the bigger picture of life. Remember, my son is only seven years old. He's well travelled for a young man, he enjoys reading and he loves to explore and has an adventurous spirit. As he was sharing his life hopes and curiosities, he asked me: "Mummy, what do you think I was born to be?"

His question caught me by surprise. I looked at him and wondered what must be going on in that mind of his. I marvelled at his question. He wasn't wondering what he would do, rather he was wondering who he would BE in this world. Before I could answer, he continued by saying: "I wonder what God wants of me." You can imagine the fullness in my heart as I listened intently to my child asking questions beyond his years.

I responded by saying: "Gabriel, if I know one thing, I know that there is a plan and purpose for your life. I know that you were born to do something amazing on this planet my son. Listen with your heart, be moved by compassion, love deeply and stay true to the things you know are right."

Did my answer suffice? I'm not sure. Was it a bigger answer than expected? Probably, but the door for further conversation has now been opened. I didn't miss the moment. We were enjoying both quality and quantity time together, allowing us to connect on a deeper level than the day-to-day rush we all experience.

We continued chatting and devouring the yummy food we had ordered. We began to talk about places we would like to go and things we would like do. I asked him where he would go if he could choose to go anywhere. I was expecting Disney World or somewhere in search of anything Star Wars related. Instead his response: "Heaven. I'd like to introduce myself to God. I know he already knows me, but I'd just like to let him know I'm here and happy to be here. It's just somewhere I'd like to visit and then come back. I just want to see."

My breath was once again taken away and, again, before I could respond, he said: "I'd also like to go to Holland, my friend told me about a cheese festival they have and it sounds really neat." I laughed and said: "Both sound great." The mind of a seven-year-old boy can never be underestimated.

Our children are thinking about things beyond their years. They are exposed to things earlier than we ever were and, more than ever, they need our guidance. They need our listening ear and they are desperate for understanding. Know that if we don't listen, they will find someone else who will. I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared to take that risk and allow someone else access into my children's lives. This job is solely for my husband and I and we choose to make quality and quantity time available to them.

Enjoy your children whatever age they are, and know that they need you even when (at times) they push you away.

Susan

There's a world outside your window ...

As Christmas once again draws near, in 2008 it is approaching with a bit of a different feel. We find ourselves surrounded by talk of the world changing before our eyes and it is easy to buy into the fear, wondering where we will find ourselves tomorrow and the day after, next month or next year. How will it all work out? Will we be ok? Can we even afford to buy our kids presents this year?

These sorts of questions can take your breath away and as an exercise in removing the focus from me and mine, I have been considering the situation of those who are already disadvantaged, hungry, sick, poor, needy, alone – and for whom this current crisis only increases their plight.

Every Christmas, we support different international organisations in their work specifically so our kids can understand that Christmas morning with a fabulous toy and plenty to eat is not the way most of the world lives.

Even with economic uncertainty and a changing world, we are so fortunate and have so much – more than we need – so much to be grateful for.

Each year, we buy cards from Tear Fund (http://www.usefulgifts.org/ ) which we attach to small gifts for the kids in our extended family. These cards represent a gift that has been given in the child’s name, to someone starting school in India who needs supplies or to a family in Ghana who need a goat to generate income.

These gifts help the needy, but also increase awareness for the person receiving the card about the world outside their comfortable four walls.

It’s a great way to remember that candy canes, laughter and family around the table at Christmas lunch are truly things to be thankful for.

I don’t want Christmas to be about stress, frantic gift giving and shopping malls on overdrive (my girlfriend calls them the vortex!), but about the spirit of the season that is the gift of peace and hope in an uncertain world.

Enjoy your Christmas this year … take a deep breath, hug your kids, laugh with them at the Christmas school play and go buy a box of mangoes, or roasted chestnuts as the case may be, and share them around …

Lv Jane

Culture Shock

Some years ago, I decided it was time I visited the United States of America. I had travelled extensively throughout Asia and had noticed how much the youth there were influenced by the American way of life. Their exposure to it was limited to that which was portrayed on television.

Given that some of the poorer countries I visited could not afford to pay for the rights to expensive current programmes, the youth were being influenced by old, out-of-date re-runs of shows such as Dallas, Hawaii Five-O, Fantasy Island and Miami Vice.

This of course had a curious impact upon their dress sense. I was thinking about this one day whilst I was stuck for something to do in Hong Kong. I was planning to take six months off work and travel. I thought about a cycling trip to the good old US of A.

Being somewhat ambitious and perhaps slightly mad, I took it upon myself to start my trip in the land of milk and honey and end it in Costa Rica. I would be cycling through Central America, taking in Baja, then nipping across the Sea of Cortes to mainland Mexico, before stitching together a route that avoided bandits in Guatemala and Honduras, whilst still taking on board the Aztec and Mayan ruins. Sort of an Indiana Jones by bike, but without the arrows, booby-traps and guns.

My trip though Central America will be the subject of another blog. I shall do my best to avoid regaling you with tales of my escape from a mad man in Costa Rica, or elaborating upon a chance encounter with a naturalist-loving sailor in Baja who traded lobsters for pornographic movies. No, this post is about the time I went to America. It is about my first impression of the country and why it is relevant to this, my first entry in the Family Fitness Blog.

Back to the point. I had decided to fly to Los Angeles, wander around there for a while, then travel to San Francisco on a Greyhound Bus. Why? Well because a young Thai guy had told me that when he thought of America, an image of a Greyhound bus sprang to mind. That and the city of Los Angeles, closely followed by San Francisco. Oh and New York, but that was on the other side of the country and I wasn’t going there.

The other thing my Thai friend thought of when I mentioned America was McDonalds. So, I left my bags in an apartment in Los Angeles, along with my bike, and took a walk to McDonalds.

I quickly noticed that walking to McDonalds was not the done thing in LA. In fact, walking in general was practically alien. I had no car, so I walked to the drive-in, took a seat and tried to figure out what to eat.

Walking up to the counter, I stood behind a giant of a man, wearing a large cowboy hat. His jeans were held up by a belt with a buckle the size of Bangkok and he wore impressive boots with silver tips. He lacked spurs and, having checked, I can confirm that he had not arrived by horse.

He proceeded to order a family meal. Quite a large family meal, in fact. I looked around but could not see any smaller cowboys or cowgirls in the seating area. He did not appear to be travelling with a large extended family of any sort. I then realised the food was for him. He was alone.

I discreetly made a note of the contents of his trays:

• Two large quarter pounders with cheese


• A packet of chicken nuggets


• A packet of onion rings


• Three hash browns


• A large milk shake


• A large (and I mean ridiculously large) cup of Coke


• Two large packs of fries


• A chocolate ice cream

This guy was to put it bluntly, obese. He was not alone. Everyone in that particular McDonalds was what I would consider to be obese. It was shocking. I was by comparison, waif-like in appearance.

I thought back to the young guy in Thailand and hoped that he would not try to emulate the American fast food diet. He could wear white jackets with shoulder pads over the top of black T-shirts if he wanted, but I was sure this food would kill him.

Before I set off for my trip, I watched my Thai friend have lunch. He was eating rice with steamed vegetables, some sort of white fish covered in garlic and spices and was washing it all down with a glass of fresh orange juice. He then had a snack of papaya and mango served on a stick, covered in chilli sauce. After that, he was off to play football before his martial arts lesson. He was a fit and healthy chap who could quote lines from Fantasy Island until the cows came home.

Roll the clock on 20 years and there is much talk about a childhood obesity problem prevalent in North America. It should be noted that this is a problem shared by other developed countries. There are news headlines in the UK voicing concern over the millions of pounds being spent by the National Health Service in tackling obesity-related issues, such as diabetes.

For the past couple of weeks, I have researched the issue of obesity and, in particular, the cause of obesity in children.

There are numerous camps. Those that say obesity is to be blamed upon genetics, those that say it is down to a lack of exercise and those that say it is the result of a poor diet.

To be honest, all of these issues contribute to why a person is obese. However, I should state that the general view is that genetics alone is not an excuse or reason to be obese. Whilst it is true that genetics may mean some people are more disposed to becoming obese, it does not in itself cause obesity.

It would appear that obesity starts with diet. It is closely followed by exercise, or rather a lack thereof. These are both areas that we, as parents, influence in our children’s lives.

I have no doubt that if I fed my daughters a diet of McDonalds, or indeed any other fast food, kept them tied to the couch, drove them to school and back and restricted their exercise to that carried out in video games, they too would be overweight.

Back to Los Angeles. I was walking home from McDonalds when I saw a signboard for a new gym that had opened. It was called something original like ‘Frank’s Gym’. Beneath it was a tag line that said: “Putting the ‘F’ back into Fitness”.

This blog will be about Family Fitness and putting a bit of Fun into it, whilst hopefully doing something to combat the problem of childhood obesity.

It is about motivating parents to take an active part in improving their diets and those of their children. It will be light-hearted in its approach. It will not be full of scary diets that force you to eat raw food which tastes like wallpaper, and is only available in small stores run by people who knit yoghurt, hug trees and wear army fatigues to bed.

It will not insist that you live life like a monk sitting high up on a pole, alone in the wilderness. It is about empowering you to share my thoughts with your friends, to discuss it with other parents, to experiment with healthy meal ideas. Have you found a way to get your child to eat broccoli? Great, comment it in the blog. Let others know. Just please go easy on the hash browns. If you must eat them, please at least walk there and leave the car at home.

Oh and by the way, my young Thai friend went on to become the national judo champion. I do not believe he has ever succumbed to the big 'M'.

Eduardo A dos Remedios

Words for Life

Today, I’d like to write about something that’s been on my mind a lot lately.

Through our work with thefamilyroom, we get the opportunity to be quite involved in families and the dynamics that make up each individual family unit. I’m always fascinated to see and learn how people deal with issues and cope with life. Through our work, we try to help families move from coping and striving to living a family life that is thriving.

Something I have come to know and understand is that within our families (and beyond) we need to start using a few words on a regular basis that will bring healing, forgiveness, peace and so much more. These words have power – power that can diffuse situations, that can change attitudes and that can humble the hardest of hearts and minds. The words of life I’m referring to are I love you and I’m sorry.

Those few words have the ability to evoke emotion within each one of us. Even as we read them in this article, something deep within each one jumped. Imagine what they are able to achieve when spoken out to the appropriate person or situation. Hearing someone tell you that you are loved resonates within your soul. You are reminded that you matter and are cared for. Hearing someone say I’m sorry validates the pain or hurt you may feel, and then stepping from those words into forgiveness does so much more. Not a lot of work, but choices to be made.

These are very powerful and necessary words that need to be used within our families. Through these words, broken or damaged relationships can be restored, however it does require a humbling and softening within to reach a point where you can say them. Let’s be people who want and desire wholeness in our families, let’s be strong and confident, let’s face our fears, deal with our hurts and pain and put it behind us and move forward together in unity.

I hope my words today have challenged and inspired you to make a change for the better. You won’t regret it, but I know you will miss out if you don’t say I love you and I’m sorry more often.

Enjoy this week and remember to keep smiling.

Susan

Pregnancy, Oestrogen and Women

Occasionally I find an email forwarded to my inbox that actually catches my attention and I get a giggle. Below is one such forward that I thought I MUST share with all of you. I know most of you will relate and will (probably) have a chuckle or two as well.

Enjoy!
Susan


PREGNANCY Q&A & more!
Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question?

Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labour, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labour?
A: Not unless the word 'alimony' means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's nappy very quickly.

Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?A: When the kids are in college.


10 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE OESTROGEN ISSUES

1. Everyone around you has an attitude problem.

2. You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelette.

3. The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans.

4. Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.

5. You're using your mobile phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says: 'How's my driving-call 0- 800-'.

6. Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.

7. Everyone seems to have just landed here from outer space.

9. You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.

10. The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you only bought it yesterday.


TOP TEN THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND




10. Cats' facial expressions.
9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colours.
8. Why beansprouts aren't just weeds.
7. Fat clothes.
6. Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time.
5. The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white and eggshell.
4. Cutting your hair to make it grow.
3. Eyelash curlers.
2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.

AND, the Number One thing only women understand:

1. OTHER WOMEN

Love Thy Neighbour

As most of you know by now, our family recently moved to Wolseley in Saskatchewan, and we are enjoying our time here. I know that the experience of these months in Canada will travel with us for a lifetime.

Being an avid participant in and observer of life, plus someone who is passionate about building community and bringing people together, I’ve found the last few weeks to be extremely interesting. Upon our arrival in town, and having just unpacked our suitcases and belongings, I was more than happy to find a friendly face carrying two loaves of freshly baked bread, home-made jam and a warm welcome at my front door. Lori Perra, someone I have come to know and greatly enjoy, extended this welcome. Lori has a smile that can light up any room and a kindness of heart that is refreshing in this big old world.

Following our welcome from Lori, I found myself with my mother on the front lawn of one of our neighbours, Mrs Christianson. We were discussing spring days and the excitement of another Saskatchewan summer. During our conversation, this lovely 92-year-old woman welcomed us to Wolseley and upon learning of our three children quickly offered her babysitting services. I smiled and thanked her and thought how kind she was and how she remains ever ready to extend herself to another generation through kindness and generosity and good old neighbourly love.

A couple of days later, I again found myself answering the front door and another neighbour, Ruth Banbury, was there with a smile and freshly baked treats for our family to enjoy. Again, another warm welcome into the community.

Recently, I did some study and research on communities in North America and how they have changed and developed over the years. Interestingly enough, I found that in the 50s the front lawn and street in front of the homes was where life happened. Neighbours talked and shared in each other’s lives. As the years progressed, change slipped in and before long the backyard became our place of refuge. Decks were built off the back of the homes, fences went up around properties creating barriers and privacy, our front lawns and streets which were once home to activity became quiet passageways backed by front windows with drawn curtains. Sadly, the neighbourhood experience began to drain.

I believe we are coming back to that place of sharing and caring. We’ve discovered that we haven’t been designed to live this life alone rather we are placed in our communities to be part of something bigger than our own little families and ourselves. So thank you Lori, Mrs Christiansen, Mrs Banbury and others who have warmly welcomed us to this neighbourhood, thank you for setting excellent examples to be followed. Thank you for sharing the truth of loving thy neighbour.

This week and going forward why don’t we all extend ourselves just a little further and be the change we want to see in our neighbourhoods, our communities and in this world.

Susan

Revisiting the Past

The other night hubby was working late, it was 5pm and I had nothing thought out for dinner. The natives (my children) were getting restless, their tummies were rumbling and the clock was ticking. I must have opened the fridge and cupboard doors five or six times looking aimlessly at the contents of each. I felt like I finally understood Mother Hubbard’s dilemma.

Finally, like a lightening bolt, inspiration hit and I was on a mission. I remembered the Salmon Casserole, from my childhood, I had cooked years ago that sadly never became a family favourite. I thought it a perfect opportunity to revisit this recipe and perhaps save the night. Much to my surprise when my three children discovered what we were having for dinner they all sang out, “Yay, we haven’t had this for years. We love this salmon casserole. Mum why haven’t you made it for us?”

The anticipation for dinner was extraordinary. I didn’t realise that this was something they liked. I guess when I made it they were all too little to really tell me how much they enjoyed it. Once dinner hit the table it was gobbled up and the discussion surrounded the casserole and how it definitely fell on the ‘family favourite’ list. That being said it is a recipe that must be shared through thefamilyroom. It is now, and I guess always was, tried and true, it’s extremely healthy and budget conscious and best of all you can make it your own.

Salmon Casserole (or Tuna whatever your preference)

Preheat Oven: 350 (Gas 175)
Cooking Time: 1 hour (there abouts)
Pan Size: Medium Casserole
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked salmon (tuna) or 14 oz tin, drained
2 cups coarse bread crumbs (I use whole wheat or whole wheat crackers – whatever you have available will work)
2 T finely chopped onions (I’m a little more generous here)
2 T chopped green or red pepper or both
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
2 T ketchup (approx. maybe a squeeze more)

Method:
Mix together lightly the first six ingredients. Beat eggs slightly and stir in milk and ketchup; add to salmon mixture and mix lightly. Turn into baking dish and bake.

** You can easily make this recipe your own by adding other vegetables to it. It’s a great healthy alternative that tastes great. I serve it with a side salad and a vegetable; let the kids add a little extra squeeze of ketchup and dinner is served.

Enjoy!
Susan

The Message of Your Life

Today we welcome back our special guest writer Philip Sohn. His inspiration for this blog comes from Randy Pausch, the university professor and best-selling author who achieved worldwide fame for his “Last lecture” speech. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Randy gave the speech, entitled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” in September 2007. It immediately became an internet hit and was viewed more than one million times in the first month. Soon after, Randy appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and recapped his speech for millions of TV viewers.

Over to Philip ....

Many of you will have heard from Randy Pausch. I must have been living in a cave when all that broke, on YouTube, Oprah etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

Well check it out yourself......

A good many years ago I did a branding project for a company. For it, I interviewed key management and one of the questions was:

If you had 5 minutes, in a stadium of 100,000, and with 5 billion watching on TV, what would you say/do? What would be your message?

Randy Pausch had over an hour to give his last lecture. And the power of YouTube and Oprah to boot.

Most of us will not have such an audience to tell our message … but we have our LIFETIME to live it.

What is your message? Are you living it? What a very challenging question.

To be super honest, right now, I don't really think I'm living it … I'm not even sure I know it, in detail enough to frame it and express it to you.

Let's learn our message. Live our message. I'm sure it's bigger than how you are living now.

Philip

Teeth, Teeth, Glorious Teeth

The other week, my 13-year-old niece Brianna had a sore tooth. I asked if I could have a look and to my amazement she had a massive cavity in her back tooth.

Brianna’s mum, my twin sister, is doing it tough right now. She has four children, aged 20, 13, 12 and 10, and is fighting breast cancer. Her marriage dissolved just before she was diagnosed about five years ago.

My kids, who are 13, 11 and 9, are close to their cousins but live very different lives. I suppose they just haven’t had to go through so many trials in their short lives. It’s very sad for me to see as I love my sister’s children dearly.
Brianna hasn’t visited a dentist since she was four, which isn’t uncommon in some families as it’s not always something people can afford. My husband and I made a decision to take our kids to the dentist regularly, every six months, which I believe teaches them to look after their teeth themselves later in life.

As parents, we have the job of training up our kids for their adult lives. Teaching them general hygiene is just one of those jobs. This doesn’t guarantee you won’t get holes in your teeth, but we need to try to prevent it from happening if possible.
My sister rang the local dentist, who sees patients through the Government’s Medicare scheme, but she couldn’t get an appointment for weeks as the waiting lists were long.

My husband and I decided that we would take Brianna to our dentist because she was in such intense pain and we didn’t want the hole to get any bigger, or worse still risk the possibility of a more invasive and painful dental procedure. So I booked the appointment and off we went. The dentist was very caring as Brianna was very nervous.

I’m telling this story to help other parents teach their kids to be diligent in cleaning their teeth. We only get one final set and I know that sometimes even though we tell our kids to clean their teeth they still don’t. Hang in there and they will thank you later in life!

Teaching our kids is so important. We don’t always get it right, but we are the main influence in their lives and they watch our every move.

I may be talking specifically about teeth today, but teaching our kids to shower and instilling general hygiene is vital. Don’t go nuts if they forget to clean their teeth for one day, but do be like a broken record and drill it into them. Be consistent. Make sure they clean their teeth at least once a day, even if they hate it, there’ll be less chance for those cavities to form.

Brianna is going great guns now and has a new challenge in her young life. She has learned that her teeth are precious and that she must brush them regularly and look after them if she wants to keep them for the rest of her life.

Belinda xx

Speaking Fluent Internet ...

A while ago, a particular phone conversation with my mum was a ‘challenge’. After fruitless explanations over the phone, I drove around to my mum’s house to sit with her at their PC to teach her how to attach a Word document to an email. After silently asking myself why on earth they have a computer in the first place, the exercise was a success. My mum can now type and send letters via email to her heart’s content.

Driving home I realised how much I could teach my mum when it was only in my late teens that I actually learned to use a computer. Yes, I now have 20 years of computer experience under my belt, yet to me it feels like a new language that I studied as an adult. I still don’t have the right accent, I can’t necessarily determine different dialects and I can’t talk as fast as a native. Natives, of course, being those who were taught from infancy. This is the case with my daughter.

With computers being an integral part of learning, as much as English and maths, it’s hard not to feel like you are always lagging sluggishly behind the natives. That’s how my mother felt today and that’s how I sometimes feel when my daughter spouts ‘computer speak’ that I never learned in school (but of course she doesn’t know that!).

Susan wrote a very good blog titled Zero Tolerance in May last year. As she says, it is essential to know and understand the culture that our children are growing up in. Like the language barrier in a new country, with computer literacy you can often miss verbal transactions if you’re not fluent or at least one step ahead, especially when the internet is thrown into the mix. A parent’s primary role is to love, feed and shelter absolutely, but it is also to lead. If we do not understand what they are learning or the pace at which they are learning, how can we lead and guide them smartly and safely through the internet labyrinth.

Have a read of Susan’s blog Zero Tolerance and polish up on your computer skills. Yes, I know, I can hear you groaning, but a little hard stretch now can save you a big snap later.

Michaela

Sleep, sleep, sleep.......anyone interested?

I have had a desire to write a blog about this subject for ages. I have a 13-year-old son called Jacob, who finds it very difficult to go to sleep at night. I have tried many different things to help him, just to name a few I’ve tried oils on his pillow, oils in the shower, drops on his tongue made from Bach flowers plus more….

The other day I was reading an article written by one of our teachers at school. The article said that in a recent sleep study conducted on young people more than 40 percent of students are said to be chronically sleep deprived. In addition, there are now links being drawn between attention deficit disorders and sleep deprivation. The current thought (which actually isn’t current at all, we’ve known this for ages but have chosen to ignore this fact) is that younger children need around ten hours sleep each night while teens need around eight to ten hours of comfortable sleep.

It is recommended that a bedtime routine is useful in establishing regular sleep patterns. We have done this with Jacob and have seen results. I think the routine and the ‘winding down’ help considerably. This is where consistency plays a big role and we all know how important consistency is in parenting.

Things we include in our routine are:
Prayer – praying about the day that is now over and the day ahead.
Reading – there is nothing more soothing for a child than the quiet lull of a parents voice reading a calming story. Action type books or high intensity isn’t what you’re looking for here, rather a relaxing type of book.
Shower or Bath – we all know that a shower or a bath and clean jammies and bed linen help all of us sleep better. Do whatever you can to make sure the bedroom is comfortable and relaxing.

Another thing the article pointed out was that children or young people SHOULD NOT have access to mobile phones, computers or televisions in their bedrooms (a familyroom message for sure!). Not only will this keep them awake and disrupt their sleep it is also very unwise to give anyone unlimited, unsupervised access to these communication tools. Leaving these out of the bedroom helps with the ‘unwinding’ and gives space and time to calm down encouraging proper rest. You may find that you will need to teach your child to unwind. Many children and young people these days are juggling schedules that are beyond their years. They may need your help to learn how to be still and allow themselves to be calm, body, soul and spirit.

In this day and age being still and calming down isn’t something young people associate with, they are used to highly charged video games, energy drinks, text messaging at the speed of light and carrying on 4-5 online conversations at one time whilst doing their homework. Times have changed so much it is our responsibility as parents to learn how to help and teach our children to calm down, it won’t come naturally to them in this electronic, moment by moment world.

There are pressures put on our children that we didn’t grow up with. Gone are the days of getting up in the morning, putting on whatever clothing is close enough and semi clean looking and learning how to ride bikes with no arms. Today our children are taking tests to get into schools, calling each other to find out how to get to the next level on a computer game, watching their computer screens to see who’s speaking to who and what’s happening online rather than outside their front door. It truly is a new day and a time when our children are preparing for jobs and occupations that don’t even exist right now. We can’t even visualise the future that they will live in.

With that in mind I believe strongly that we need to put tools in their hands and we need to teach them to rest and to find peace in a crazy world. We need to establish strong sleep patterns for them, which helps brain development and contributes greatly to strong healthy bodies, souls and spirits.

We certainly haven’t got it right but we are trying really hard to instil this skill and so many more into our children. If you have any ideas and suggestions that will help those of us who have children who haven’t learned the art of sleeping yet please share ~ after all that’s what thefamilyroom is about. Lastly, Jacob fell asleep on time last night…..yahoo!

Belinda xx

A Good Check-Up

HI everyone,

A quick chat about health today…

One of the things we know we should do and inevitably as busy mums/moms, neglect, is our health and keeping it monitored.
I want to encourage you to just do it. I have been putting it off and realised that it’s been 2 years since I did anything that was remotely related to looking after my body so I just went all out and did it.

I saw my GP and she checked for lumps in my boobs. I made an appointment to see the skin cancer clinic to get my moles checked out. I made a time for a pap smear and went and had blood tests. This week I’m going to get the results and will learn about my iron and cholesterol status, my blood sugar levels, my vitamin D status (if this is low we don’t absorb calcium properly) and my thyroid.

So there you go....there’s no lumps in places they shouldn’t be, my blood pressure is healthy and even though I’m confident my other tests will be fine, I’ll know for sure once it’s there in black and white. My GP and I had a good old chat about general health and I had the opportunity to chat about the kids and any little things that were niggling.

Now, if something does come up that needs addressing, I will have caught it at a time when hopefully it can be treated well and all will be fine. But I would hate to neglect my health and be told….Well if we’d just caught it earlier…

Your life is too valuable to gamble with…make an appointment and be proactive with your health today. Also, have a listen to our familyroom Podcasts where we cover essential health issues.

Lv Jane

Big Picture and the Small Details

I'm old enough to remember listening to American Top 40 with Casey Kasem. His signoff was always significant to me "Keep your feet on the ground, but keep reaching for the stars." It's a big tangential but related to this post. Because when you look down at your feet, it's not very far away, it's right beneath you. You can see the detail. When you reach for the stars though, it's expansive, limitless, and requires a telescope to see the details.

I told my wife the other day, after a particularly bad decision I made. Please regularly ask me these two questions:

1) Are you keeping the Big Picture in mind?
2) Do you know all the Small Details?

As it has been said, "You need to know where you are going, to figure out how you are going to get there." I'm good at the Big Picture. Projecting, framing, conceptualizing. I'm also pretty good at Small Details. The minutae, the legalese, the things that can trip you up. But I'm sometimes not so good at keeping those two in balance, and context. I can easily get lost in the visioneering, or bogged down in the small details. So I'm happy that I have a wife who will keep me accountable to these two questions, which really help me make decisions, and proceed with my everyday.

After all, its the daily decisions we make that have a cumulative effect of our life's outcome, in technicolor dynamic real-time.

So ask yourself the two questions I posed above and have a good think.

Philip

World's First Pregnant Man

I feel compelled to comment with regards to a story that seems to have engulfed the media of late concerning the pregnancy of a trans-gender called Thomas Beatie.

Being a father of three beautiful children I think I am qualified to reply to Thomas Beatie’s statement that says “It's not a male or female desire to have a child. It's a human desire,"

While this may be true and accurate it was my wife Belinda that conceived, nurtured and carried each of our children for the term of her pregnancy. It was also my wife who gave birth to each of our children, and here lies the problem, my wife has the reproductive organs that allow her to become pregnant and carry a child to term as a male I do not have the necessary organs to conceive or give birth to a child.

While I can sympathise with the plight of trans-gender people and not at all wanting to denigrate them in any way, a woman having her breasts surgically removed does not make her any less of a woman or a mother and further taking testosterone to cause her to become more masculine in appearance does not make her a man or a father.

I can honestly say at no time during any of Belinda’s pregnancies, did I feel a was missing out on one of life’s great moments because I was a man and biologically unable to carry our unborn child. After all I was there at conception and would be there for at birth. Sure there many nights I would fall asleep with my hand gently resting on Belinda’s beautiful baby bump, knowing there was another heart beating in the bed with us... a life we had both helped to create. I massaged her back when she had back aches ,rubbed her feet when her feet were swollen, made here cups of tea and even drove across twelve suburbs one Friday night to get here favourite food that she had craving. But not for one second did I have even the slightest desire to physically carry any of our children for the term of a pregnancy that’s the unique role of a mother.

So this got me thinking about what it is that makes a father and what it is that makes a mother. Having been a parent now for 13 years and specifically a father to my children, there are defiantly roles in parenting that are better suited to men as are the aspects that come more naturally to women. This is not to say one is more important than the other, or that each role can’t be adapted to either parent. I am sure there are many single parents both male and female who can confirm this to be the case. To these single parent I have the utmost respect and admiration for them... parenting is hard enough (at times) when there are two people involved let alone having to take on the role of being both mother and father to your children.

I know there have been countless times in this journey of parenthood were Belinda’s maternal instincts have allowed her to see things that well, basically as a father and a man, I failed to see. Things that are unique about being a mother, the nurturing and protection that a child longs for when they are ill or have stubbed a toe while out playing. Sure men can be the one to nurture in those times but it's the mothers seem so much more self sacrificing and is willing to sit up all night to nurse an ill child, etc. Likewise there are times I see things as a male and a father that are unique to being a father.

My eldest son has just entered his teenage years and my second son is not that far behind. I know this time is where I need to stand tall for my sons, puberty, adolescence and finally manhood is the journey we are on now. This is a precarious time in this modern world we live in, they need me to help them navigate their way through these waters. Sadly so many fathers today want to neglect this role and prefer to be a friend to their son’s, one who is always liked, always the cool dad who lets them do whatever they want.

I remember being told a story by my hairdresser (he’s a man by the way) that encapsulates the father-son relationship really well. When my hairdresser was 18 he brought a hotted up Nissan that went super fast ~ the kind you buy when you’re 6 ft tall and bullet proof. He took it home to show his dad however upon showing him he discovered that his father was disappointed. Disappointed for a reasons but one being because his son had purchased his first car without him. His father had hoped he could have gone with him ~ you know sort of a father and son thing.

His father tried to keep his disappointment from showing and asked for the keys so he could take it for a ‘spin’. During his drive thoughts ran through his mind, he had to deal with a number of things, firstly there was the joy of seeing his son walk independently and his new found freedom - something he had been trying to instil since he was a child. In the same moment he felt grief. Grief because this was a moment he thought they would share together. Plus frustration because his son had chosen a 'hotted up Nissan'. The father had to make a decision, would he get out of the car and say, “ Well done son, what a beast of a machine you have bought. You’re going to be popular with your friends. Here’s fifty bucks go fill her up!” Or, would it now be his time to be the self-sacrificing parent and step up to the role of being the father. Would he make the hard decision and risk be disliked by his son and put up with the silence and tension at home for a while? Upon returning from his quick ride his dad got out of the car and said, “Sell it!” The son replied, “But why?” To which his father replied, “Because I said I would help you buy a car, not a coffin!”

My hairdresser told me that after this he didn’t speak to his dad for 6 months. He said that, at the time, he hated him for the decision he had made. However with hindsight being 20/20 and he now being a 27 year old man, he confidently confesses that his father did the right thing. He knows that in that car, at that age, he would have killed himself or worse…..someone else.

In that moment my hairdressers father made a decision that would change their relationship forever. These two men they went from being close to being alienated and at odds with each other. There was tension when they were together and tension, as we all know, has the ability to affect other relationships within the family unit.

Why did his father make such a decision? It’s simple really. He was a son once and so he knew how his son thought, he made the tough decision because he had been where his son was. He knew the mind of a boy becoming a man. Like most fathers he had been at his sons conception and birth, he had watched his son grow and he knew that it he needed to step up to the plate and sacrifice and be the father his son needed ... he did it because he loved his son and needed to protect him.

I’ll leave the fathers with this question, what choice would you of made? Sometimes being a father means sacrificing our own feelings and desires for the good of the next generation... our children. Sometimes we need to operate from the father’s heart and perspective, which only becomes real when a boy becomes a man and a man becomes a father.

By the way my hairdresser and father have a great relationship now.

Mark

Health and Fitness 08 ~ Update and Information

Hello all.  Just a quick update from the health and fitness desk of thefamilyroom!!!!
I am continuing on my journey and will hopefully do a Youtube video soon to talk about some of the things I've been doing. However today I wanted to quickly highlight our caloric intake.  I've been forcing myself to take a good look at my daily intake and I've been shocked.  I've discovered that I'm basically still eating like I'm a breast-feeding mother......that ended over 2 years ago!!!!! Yikes.

Below I've included a few points for you to ponder and in the days and weeks to come I will be sharing a few extremely shocking information about some of our daily intakes and 'treats' that will (if you're anything like me) leave your chin on the ground.

Here we go.  A few tips to help you shave a little weight off and continue on your own journey to health and wellness. (Note: this information is based on someone wanting to shed some unwanted 'extras' in a certain time period).

1. Stick to one serving of cereal. For most people, a typical pour of breakfast cereal is equal to two servings. If you're trying to lose weight, trim calories by accurately measuring one serving into your bowl (usually that means ¾ - 1 cup, however, cereal serving sizes vary so you must regularly check the package labeling on your favorite brands and varieties).

For those who eat a daily bowl of breakfast cereal, follow my lead, and you'll save about 150 calories by cutting back on cereal and at least 50 calories in extra milk every morning. That's 8,400 calories saved and 2.5 pounds lost at the end of six weeks!

2. Skip your late night snack. We all feel the need to munch in the evening, and although a p.m. snack can be perfectly appropriate (diet-friendly p.m. snacks should not exceed 150 calories), for many people, the evening tends to be the time of day we blow it on calorie overload - comfort food central; ice cream, cookies, potato chips, popcorn and more!

On average, people gobble down way more than 250 calories after 8 p.m. Exercise some willpower and skip your nighttime snack altogether. Sip an herbal tea, floss/brush your teeth and close down the kitchen for the evening. You'll save at least 250 calories each day and after six weeks, you'll have cut 10,500 calories and dropped three whole pounds!

3. Scratch the butter/margarine. Cut out a total of one tablespoon of regular butter or margarine from your toast, veggies, potatoes, dinner rolls, etc. each day. At 100 calories per tablespoon, you'll save 4,200 calories and drop over one pound in six weeks. What if you can't give up the butter or margarine? At least switch to a soft tub spread that says "reduced fat" and "trans-fat free" on the label - it's half the calories of the full fat versions, so you'll still drop over ½ pound.

4. Lose the mayo and cheese on your sandwich Omit the slice of cheese and mayonnaise on your sandwich (use mustard instead - only five calories per teaspoon) and you'll save about 200 calories per sandwich. If you eat a sandwich a day, you'll end up saving 8,400 calories and find yourself 2.5 pounds lighter after just six weeks.

5. Delete the extras: It's amazing how much extra food we can munch on without realizing it - a grab of this/that off our kid's plate, an extra packet of ketchup or salad dressing, a bite of your co-worker's dessert... before you know it, you've consumed an extra 800 calories!

Be super mindful and delete the "extras" and you'll be able to trim a significant amount of calories off your weekly total. Also, pay attention to your beverages (alcohol included) - as well as what's going into your coffee and tea. By trimming 1000 extra calories off each week (about 150 per day), you'll save a total of 6000 calories and drop 1.75 pounds at the end of six weeks!

Interesting stuff I have to say.....makes you think about that late night treat or the extra shake of the cereal box doesn't it....

Take care and stay well.

Susan

Another Day, Another Celebration!

After reading Susan’s blog yesterday, which I loved, I was inspired to follow her lead and share a few thoughts of my own.

The past few weeks have been eventful for our family, they have been weeks full of celebration of marriage, life, death (yes, even in death we can celebrate), new friendships and so much more. I must say I feel full and extremely rich and thankful to be exactly where I am right now in time.

Here’s a quick glace at what we’ve been celebrating:

• Four weeks ago I stood in front of family and friends and dedicated my life to the man of my dreams…..I got hitched and so far I love every moment of it.

• Two weeks ago I, with my family, celebrated my 22nd year of life. Birthday’s are always worth celebrating!

• This past Friday we celebrated my mum’s 50th year of life. She’s so excited and happy she keeps telling us she has at least 40 more good years under her belt.

• Sadly on the day of my birthday we were notified of my great uncles death so today I, again along with my family and friends, will celebrate his life and all that he was and did in this world.

• Tomorrow we will celebrate my parents 30th year of marriage. In this day and age this is a celebration that sadly not all will experience. We plan to ‘say it loud and say it proud’. They have made it and chose to keep going even when it was hard. For this I am forever grateful and I honor them for honoring their commitment to each other and to their three children who admire them.

These are the things we are celebrating. I'm learning more and more that everyday is precious. Every second of my life is to be cherished and used wisely. I remember in high school one of my favorite quotes was (and I can’t remember who said it) "a minute spent angry is 60 seconds of wasted happiness". How true...

I'm realizing that there is no benefit in holding grudges, getting revenge, being offended or being the one with the last, sharp word, it’s simply not worth it. Instead what I’m choosing to do is celebrate and cherish the moments I have. I have resolved to use my time wisely and as thefamilyroom crew always say, “let’s take time to smile, to hug, to give a word of encouragement and to slow down and BE and celebrate each other”.

Catherine Furukawa

PS:
Oh yeah, here’s an example of what I mean….. Today as I said good-bye to my husband he held me in his arms and told me that loved me. I'm so glad we said good-bye like that because we never know what the next moment holds for us. We used our moment well ☺