I'm Back!

Last night, I returned home from a 10-day trip to Bermuda (my native home). The trip was planned very last minute and was a result of an ongoing urge to reconnect with my Bermuda people combined with the desire to surprise a dear friend of mine from college whom I hadn't seen in 10 years and who would be visiting Bermuda for a few days. Well, I decided to surprise everyone -- family and all. It was incredible and reminded me how spontaneity can spice up life sometimes. I had the best time on the island and loved the way I was able to bring huge smiles to faces and hearts by just showing up there. I am so grateful I listened to that "voice" within (and friends) telling me to JUST DO IT!

Initially, I had only planned to go for about six days but ended up extending the vacation. Glad I did, because as it turns out, my connecting flight back to Florida got canceled and I would have been stuck somewhere far away from home.

What is currently amazing me is that for about the first eight years or so of being a mom, I couldn't even fathom being miles away from my son...being separated by a trip as such. However, I can't believe how I just easily survived a 10-day trip, alone, while my husband and son were at home. We all survived quite well, I might add. They had a great time and so did I. They enjoyed time with relatives visiting from New York; they swam, played games, visited a Water Park, went to the movies and more. (I'll post additional entries about what I did.)

If my husband had not been off from work during time I was in Bermuda, I'm certain I would not have gone for that amount of time, but all of the puzzle pieces seemed to have fit together as if this trip was custom-designed for me to JUST DO IT!

On some level, perhaps I've grown mentally! Maybe? I truly can't believe how guilt-free I was (for the most part) about not having my son with me during this recent Bermuda trip. I didn't feel selfish at all. I surprised myself. Perhaps I realized that for 10 years I have genuinely given my son all of my heart and soul -- just about every fibre of my being. So, during this trip, instead of being consumed by Mommy guilt for taking a Mommy break, I, instead, used that energy to relish in the well-needed break that God seemed to have just handed to me out of nowhere.

As I was typing this blog, I decided to call my husband at work to thank him for so successfully keeping things flowing on the home front in my absence. He said that if he hadn't been off for the time I was gone, he's not so certain things would have flowed as well as they did. "It might have been a nightmare," he said. Even though things ran quite well here and everyone stayed in high spirits, "we still need you," he added. :-)

Bermuda Break

There has been a gap in my blogging, however, not without great reason......I am in Bermuda and taking a brief break from regular routine.

Quickly, I'll share that I am enjoying an extremely impromptu trip to my native island -- Bermuda -- that island shaped like a giant fishhook in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The beauty on this island is unbelievable; words cannot fully do it justice. As I type from my mom's computer, I can see the breathtaking turquoise-colored ocean not far away. The varying shades of green and blue are amazing. Sometimes I can't even believe that I was born and raised here. How did a girl get so lucky...so blessed? :-)

I often talk about wanting to "live in the heart of nature." When I stepped foot on the island a few days ago, I quickly realized that for many, many years (less the years I was abroad in college), I most certainly lived smack bam in the heart of nature -- right here in Bermuda. This place is BEAU-TI-FUL!!!!!!!!

I have so much to blog about regarding this trip, however, I will mentally store my thoughts until I return to regular routine.

Until then...I hope that you can also take break to flow with nature! Visit Bermuda if you can! :-)

Penny

Deeply Touching Moment

It is part of my daily routine to pop by Joyride Through Insanity, a blog my friend and publisher of MommyToo!, Jennifer James, writes on ClubMom. If no new entry has been posted when I first check out her blog each day, I'll check as often as I can until I get to read something new she has written.

You know, why don't I just subscribe to her blog's feed so that I am notified as soon as a new entry is posted? Duh! That'll save me some clicking! What have I been thinking? However, it has been something fun and playful about clicking, clicking, clicking to and through Joyride Through Insanity to see what new words -- and matching photos -- Jennifer has published. (Jennifer, sorry if I've messed up your stat counter, but just let me have my insane fun!) LOL

In any event, this week Jennifer has been sharing useful tips for moms desiring to work from home, and she has been discussing the importance of having a positive attitude about taking on at-home work. As I read Jennifer's blog today, I was pleasantly surprised and deeply touched to read this paragraph she had included in her post:

"A friend of mine, Penny, is one of those people who always has a bright and positive disposition. I love her and feel better every time I receive an email or comment from her on my blog or when we talk on the phone. She is amazing. Everyone should have a friend like this. Be sure to check out her blog!"

In that touching moment, I yelled out: "Oh My Gosh!" Wondering what my squeal of delight was about, my husband and son simultaneously said: "What?" I continued: "OhMyGosh! Oh My Gosh! Oh...My...Gosh!" I just felt so very touched.

I mean, I know that Jennifer and I deeply value what we bring to each other's life - personally and professionally -- but sometimes just seeing that on paper (in this case, the monitor) or hearing it verbally is just what one might need on a given day.

So, that's my advice to readers of this post: If you have a special connection with a family member, friend, loved one, associate, whomever...take a moment to let them know how you feel about your connection with them. Although they may already be aware of your feelings, the validation will probably completely brighten their day the way Jennifer did mine.

Words are powerful and the power is in the now! A few positive words go a long way to uplifting lives!

Jennifer, Friends Forever! Thank you so much for adding a very special touch to my day and uplifting me!

Hugs,

Penny

Mom Bloggers Carnival

I have submitted my July 7th blog entry to the weekly Mom Bloggers Carnival. Last Tuesday (7/4/06), this carnival that celebrates both the joys and challenges of motherhood, made its exciting and creative debut.

My July 3rd entry was featured along with blog posts from 18 other moms!

If you'd like to participate in a fun carnival that showcases blogs each Tuesday on any facet of motherhood, read the details here.

Happy Blogging!

Penny

Yoga = A Balanced Mommy

My month-long Yoga hiatus will end tomorrow morning at 8:15 a.m. Yes, I'll be back in the groove. I'm convinced that I need Yoga to balance my life as a mother, my life as a wife, my life as a friend. To balance my..., my..., my... -- My Life!

My 10-year-old son Caleb even notices the difference in me when I'm Yoga-active. According to him, I have more "air" around me when I regularly attended Yoga classes. That's his way of saying I have more tolerance for mishaps and am more centered. He likes having a Yoga Mom -- a Warrior Mom -- and I like being one.

Let's talk for a minute about this "air" comment he made. It's ironic that he chose the word "air" in his description -- considering that breathing is such a huge and important part of the Yoga practice. Perhaps Caleb's intuition told him that, because I don't recall telling him. Maybe the depth of his 10-year-old existence already realizes that until we breathe deeply and fully for total body cleansing, that trapped air blocks our flow of energy and lowers our level of patience...our overall balance.

Gee, how has he already figured out that we must let go of old air to be our best selves? The answer is simple. He's a child, and we all know how intelligent, intuitive and intellectual children can be.

I also know that his "air" comment certainly took my mind to a deeper level! I've been pondering his statement ever since and meditating on it. Gosh, I love raising this spiritually in-touch boy of mine. And because I love this journey so much, I will go to Yoga. Tomorrow. At 8:15 a.m. On a Saturday. To replenish my air supply. On one of the rare Saturdays that I don't have to get up early to cheer at a soccer game -- or football game -- or basketball game.

As much as possible, I want my boy to witness a Mommy with a lot of air around her. Sooo watch out Yoga class -- here comes this Yoga-starved Momma who is more than ready to suck up all of that good air there to hold me until the next class.

I can't wait.

In Balance,

Penny

Beach Day

Today was a beach day and what a peaceful day it was. In fact, the day was so good that when my son Caleb said bedtime prayers tonight, he began: "Dear God, Thank you for this phenomenal day..."

My husband was off from work today, so we packed up the car and took Caleb and his buddy Troy to St. Augustine Beach. Caleb had been itching to return to the beach since our blindfolded road trip to Daytona Beach several weeks ago.

For hours, Caleb and Troy thoroughly enjoyed the waves on their boogie boards. Isn't it such a pleasure to watch children joyfully play and exercise their bodies? We also had fun passing the soccer ball to each other on the clean, white sand that stretched forever, it seemed. Eventually, Caleb requested a soccer match -- the adults versus the children! We also played catch with the football.

The exercise both in and out of the water, combined with the sun, cool breeze and the sound of the crashing waves must have invigorated me so much that I even tested my bones to see if I could still hold the position of a backbend.
Still flexible, I guess.:-)

Today was definitely one of those days that we felt the benefits of simply flowing with nature.

It's All In The Pie!

Making a no-bake, all-natural Creamy Pear Pie -- in a blender -- has become a favorite kitchen activity for my son and me. Although he didn't help make this tasty dish tonight, he certainly helped eat it. A lot of it. However, I didn't mind one bit since this healthy recipe includes no artificial ingredients: peaches, almonds (used for the crust), Medjool dates, olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and honey.

We learned about this Creamy Peach Pie on The Garden Diet. Sometimes, we replace the peaches with pears and make a Creamy Pear Pie.

To see the various stages of making such a pie, check out the Talifero family's Creamy Peach Pie video clip.

My absolute favorite part about making this pie is watching how much my son enjoys it.

Friendship and Freedom

Well, after our high tech day on Monday, there was no way we would have a repeat of that on Tuesday. So off to a water park we went. All day.

Our friends Teena and Troy joined us, and the day of water play on July 4 reminded me of the blessings of friendship and freedom.

Pictured above are my son Caleb and friend, Troy. The boys still had enough energy to playfully pose as we departed the water park. Plus, they stayed up for many hours after our outing; the day ended with a sleepover.

Mommy-Guilt Erased

It's amazing how one of those days I might consider the week's (even though the week has just begun) most unproductive days could very well turn out to be this week's most meaningful and productive days for my family. Maybe! We'll see! (They say if you document the events of a given day, you'll see just how much the day was worth, so I'm testing that theory.)

After browsing Spiritual Parenting with Mimi Doe when my home was quiet and still at the day's end, I found myself reflecting a little more deeply about my day...about my what's now yesterday when I felt I had not accomplished anything much -- the day I allowed my son Caleb way more video-game time than normal.

As my son worked his way through several levels of a sport's video game yesterday, I kept asking myself: "Gosh, why am I allowing him to put so much time into that game?" My only answer is that I didn't have enough energy yesterday for "rules." Apparently, rules went out the door that day for both of us. I was at the computer for longer than I should have been, and I tried to comfort myself with these thoughts: "We're an active, connected family. He was in an intense basketball camp last week. He's so athletic and active. One day of nothing -- um, of a lot of video-game playing -- is not going to harm him."

So, turns out, we both had one of those tech days. However, somewhere before, in between and/or after the tech stuff, this fit into our day:

~ Ate breakfast out by our pool and chatted about this and that. I juiced him a fresh orange juice to go with his scrambled eggs and toast.

~ I read Chapter One from "The Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren during my devotional time before my son awoke, and then I read it to him after breakfast. He completely gets what Warren means by "It all starts with God.....It's not about me."

~ At some point in between that video-game playing, he finished reading "On The Court With...Kobe Bryant" by Matt Christopher and began "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell.

~ When I prepared a late lunch for us (after a not so early breakfast), he walked about the house kicking a small ball attached to a string and humored himself with the many stunts he was able to do with the ball. At one point, he requested I follow to watch his control over the ball. I did!

~ As he kicked that ball, he also verbally made up a really cool story about a trip he and his friend Dalton took to Japan. (I can't wait to tell Dalton's mom about that.) In that story, Caleb and Dalton had managed to spray an amazing type of spray over their parents that made us sleep for nine days, and that's how they were able to go to Japan and return home without us even knowing about it. He talked about the foods they ate there and the places they visited. I actually started to wonder if he and Dalton really did sneak away to Japan. He continued the story based on the questions I asked.

"Where was Christian (another of his best friends) when you and Dalton went to Japan?" I asked.

"He got in trouble, so he couldn't go?" he replied.

"Trouble? How so?" I asked.

"He managed to get the spray over his dad, but not his mom," he explained, "so she found out what he was doing, so he couldn't go."

Seriously, the story was really cool. I love his imagination.

Anyway, back to the remaining events of our day:

~ When my husband came home from work, he and our son wrestled. I tried to be a part of it without being a part of it, so to speak. I soon went back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner.

~ We sat down and ate as a family. Caleb brought laughs to the table, as usual.

~ Later in the evening, as my husband relaxed on the bed while familiarizing himself with the features of his new and improved cell phone -- his new toy (Geez, just add to our mega tech day why don't you?), we went in to share our presence with him. When I plopped on the bed, the thought of a neck massage overcame me, followed by a full back massage. The youthful but strong hands of my son were up for the challenge. He joked that the charge would be $10, but the final cost would be $12.07 with tax. His ability to give powerful neck and back massages continues to amaze me, by the way.

~ We had a tickle session after that followed by our attempts to pull Daddy into our giddiness, however, I guess Daddy was too tired from work or from wrestling earlier. But, we didn't let his no-fun attitude spoil ours; we kept on giggling.

~ Somewhere along the way, the boy made his way back to that doggon video game without me initially realizing where he was. Why? Because I had made my way back to the doggon computer. What was I thinking?

~ Eventually, he got ready for bed, and we reconnected for some quality time once again. We relaxed on the couch (well, he hung upside down on the couch for part of the time), as I read "How It Pays Sometimes To Be Small" from "African-American Children's Stories: A Treasury of Tradition and Pride." From that book, I also read a couple of pages about the work of Dr. Carter G. Woodson and Mary McCleod Bethune.

~ Next, it was prayers, hugs, "Good Night" and "I love you."

Then, for me, it was..........yup, you guessed it -- back to the computer. I know, I know...too much computer time yesterday, but so well worth it. Why? Because during one of my last go-arounds for the night -- reading blogs -- I came upon Books for Africa, a project that is now calling our names!

You know, to think a day of pure leisure in a tech type of way brought me to my next completely meaningful parenting task -- Books for Africa!

Seems to me like even when we occasionally throw authority out the door (as I did yesterday), we can still very much be parenting spiritually. Right, Mimi? :-)

Momma's Home
A discussion about stay-at-home parenting

Deciding to become a stay-at-home mom was never a difficult decision-making process for me. Really, it was never any question in my mind; I just knew I would be a SAHM when my child was born. I knew this as naturally as I knew I would breastfeed my baby.

It certainly wasn't an overflow of money that made the stay-at-home mom decision easy for me. The way I see it, it could only have been a deep faith that gave me confidence that this was just what I was supposed to do and that it would work out precisely as God had designed it to.

Ten years later, I'm still "blending my two favorite things" -- the words I told a newspaper reporter who interviewed me back in 2002 about my roles as a stay-at-home mother and freelance writer. In that interview, I said: "My decision to be a stay-at-home mother was one that came quite naturally for me...........I have learned that a strong desire to perform this unique job, combined with patience, creativity and flexibility, can make stay-at-home parenting as exciting and meaningful as those jobs typically believed to be the most rewarding."

Cynthia, a mother who recently read and enjoyed my stay-at-home mom journal, shared her thoughts with me about stay-at-home parenting. She said:

"I am an at-home mother who is discouraged by the bad press we've been getting lately. So many people are saying that it doesn’t matter whether or not a mom works outside the home. Well, I need to be there for my kids way more than working full-time will allow. They don’t understand many of the benefits. As one who has done both, I know it does matter! My kids and I have both benefited. I hope the media stops its negative portrayals of at-home moms and starts seeing us for who we really are -- committed to our jobs and willing to take full responsibility. This is a job we don't want to delegate."

What are your thoughts? Please post them here.

It'll be fun! Waiting to hear from you...

In Motherhood,

Penny