Hello Summer!

Today is the longest day of the year.  I like the anticipation of a new summer.  As an aside, I am sooo looking forward to not making school lunches.

Thanks to a tweet I read this morning by Nancy Beach (@NancyLBeach),  the question I am asking today is, "how will we seize the summer of 2012 and not miss the wonders of each moment pregnant with potential?"‏

Once school wraps up, I want to sit down with my girls and compile a 'summer bucket list', but in the meantime, here are some ways that I want to savour this summer:

• lazy unhurried days
• carousel at Port 
• picnics
• make raspberry and strawberry jam
• canning peaches
• pick and eat local fruit as much as possible
• enjoy my backyard
• spontaneous bonfires in the backyard
• lots of swimming at local pool
• play tennis
• camping
• family bike rides
• lots of ice cream and popsicles
• reading good books
• making sure we see the new disney movie, Brave.
• plant lavender in my garden

How about you?  What is on your summer bucket list?


p.s. Stay cool, friends.  It's hot out there today.  As Beth left the house this morning for school, she opened the front door and said, "hottest day ever, here I come!"

Here's what I'm thankful for these days...

Here's what I am thankful for these days...

• clean, fresh sheets
• my backyard
• air conditioning on hot nights
• laundry on my clothes-line
• a strawberry patch within walking distance to my house
• my Mom's choclate cake
• chairs made with love
• rainbows
• the most delicious homemade lentil soup.
• a birthday girl

How about you?  What are you thankful for?

Finally I'm five!

What better way to celebrate a 5th birthday than to pick some strawberries.  And bring along some friends:)

Kiva

Are you familiar with Kiva?

These days I am thinking more and more globally and aware of the responsibility that I have to live beyond myself and the opportunity I have to lift others out of unnecessary poverty.  Kiva is a really tangible way to do this and I value how empowering it is for the recepients.   I love this organization and am slightly addicted to giving loans:)

Here's how Kiva Works

The Story of a Kiva Loan

Follow the story of a Kiva loan through Pedro, a farmer who gets a loan through Kiva.org and transforms his business.

1.  Make a loan:  You make a loan on Kiva.  All Kiva loans are made possible by Field Partners, who vet, administer, and disburse each loan.

2.  Get updates:  Throughout the life of the loan, you will see progress updates from Kiva through your email, and if you come back to the site.

3.  Get paid back:  As the borrower repays the loan, the money becomes available in your account.  This is called your Kiva Credit.

4.  Repeat:  You can now use it to fund another loan, donate it to Kiva, or withdraw it to spend on something else.

*the above information is from Kiva's website (www.kiva.org)

Guess what?  New users can try Kiva out and give a $25 loan for FREE.  Check it out here. 

Weekend links

This week, I have been reading and appreciated:

This post about Ten for Congo.

The toughest thing I have learned about parenting.

Coconut Milk in my coffee has been amazing this week.  I'm loving it!

When Simple was Easy(er) - I feel like I could have written this post myself.

And lastly, just for fun and also because I adore Coach Taylor (don't worry, Steve knows).  We are about to start watching season 5 of Friday Night Lights and I don't want it to end!  Texas Forever.


Enjoy your weekend!

Twenty

This past April, one Thursday evening, I had the opportunity to sit across from Alana at a Tim Hortons near her student house.   Alana was the first babysitter that Steve and I ever hired to babysit our kids, way back when Grace was 4 and Eva was 2.  She changed Eva's diapers and she has seen my girls grow up.  Alana comes from a family of 3 girls and she was so excited for us when Beth was born and even bought us an adorable little eyelet white halter outfit from Old Navy.  These days she is now all grown up and on the cusp of turning 20 this summer.  She just completed her second year at university and is now working out west this summer.  We set aside an hour on that perfect spring evening, her wanting to hear from me some wise words - essentially what I wish I had known at the age of 20.  Yikes.

Knowing we were getting together, all day long my thoughts were everywhere and I scribbled down 2 little pages front and back of things I wanted her to know.  What a daunting and yet reflective  experience that was for me.

Here's what I shared with her.  What I personally wish I had known to be true at 20.  They are in no particular order:

• how important it is to be teachable.  to develop a life long love of learning.  keep reading.
• that conflict and constructive critisism are not things to be afraid of.  we grow through them.
• fear does not come from God.  the things we fear are not nearly as big as we think.  God is bigger.
• resist the urge to compare yourself to other women.    nothing good comes from it.  be you. the world needs you.
• practice compassion toward yourself.  take good care of yourself, so you can care well for others around you.
• admitting weakness and being vulnerable takes courage and is a sign of strength.
• say no to some things so that you can say yes to greater things.
• we can only do a few things extrordinarily well - lean into and develop your strengths.
• try not to take responsibility for other peoples behavior.
• develop your own unique, strong voice.  use it and honour it.  it is much needed.  
• believe in miracles and in second chances.
• give people around you the space to grow.
• assume the best of people.  it goes a long way, especially in the relationships closest to you.   love always trusts.
• don't confide in people who break the confidence of others and are known to gossip.
• wear clothes and wear colours that you love.  only buy clothes if you love them, otherwise they will sit in your closet and you will never wear them.
• form a tribe - of people that are for you and breathe life into you, people you feel safe with.  
• no person can meet every need in you - only God can do that.

Here's what I have since thought I should have added:

• resist the need to try too hard
• you have more influence than you know- embrace it and use if for good.
• the importance of travel and of thinking globally.
• it's okay to change your mind about what you believe along the way.  My belief system is much different than it was 20 years ago ( thank goodness!).

I'm sure there are more!  What did I miss? What would you want to add to this list?