Thursday, January 15, 2009

Simplify


This is our theme for 2009.

Not that we were really looking for a theme. It just kind of happened. Last year our calendars were full and the responsibilities and tasks and objectives seemed to come in tidal waves...each new one cresting before the last had really finished receding. Much of the busyness was fun stuff, it wasn't all hard work. But there was just so much of it (and it was surrounded by all the stuff that was hard work) that it crowded out the full satisfaction. Go, go, go, rush, rush. Then just before Christmas, here comes our beautiful baby #5.
And we stopped.
And the new pace was set.
We're taking things easy and not over doing.

We decided we would take the whole year off from birthday parties.

We decided to take the year off from vacations too. We packed and unpacked a lot last year and we're looking forward to staying close to home for awhile.

We even decided to bag spring soccer and softball.


I'm sure things will pick up again. Even now it's not like we're sitting around meditating by the fire all day long. We're still "busy" with all the totally necessary normal daily stuff. And soon enough we're bound to find ourselves back to our usual runaround ways. We may even get restless and take a trip after all by autumn. But for now it feels really, really good to just be.

9 comments:

andrea said...

ooh. I like it! I slowed down during Christmas and I'm having a really hard time wanting to get back into the swing of things!

and BTW... The baby pics are so precious!!! They are seriously too much for me to handle! I want to smell and touch these pictures and it's just not working for me! CONGRATS to you all on having this new little blessing! YAY!

cally said...

I love it. Perfect.

That b&w picture is gorgeous, Lori.

La Memster said...

Beautiful pics! & high five to simplify... I found it creeping in the last several months in my life... though school & work(s) keep me busy... I'm looking to cut down on "things", etc. & go with what I really need... most of the time... GOOD LUCK! & many happy precious moments!

Erica said...

I love your pictures; very cute.
Last year after Carter was born we stopped all the "extra" stuff and it was very nice. Now we are back into the busy life and to simplify sound very nice:)

Anonymous said...

Just don't stop posting pix of those cute kids in 2009!

Unknown said...

I love it too. And I really love your positive swing on things instead of the rant that I would have turned our tornado of lives into.

Anonymous said...

All the pictures are just too, too, precious and sweet. Thanks for sharing them. They are beautiful!! I find myself staring at them all day long---really.

tiff said...

Perfect. Perfect baby and perfect motto.

It seems like in the world we live in, simplicity is a precious commodity; one that takes a lot of effort to attain. I think it's one of Satan's traps. Because all it takes is doing nothing and you'll never hear the Spirit for all the TV's in Wal-Mart and music in the public bathrooms and the necessity of overextending yourself and your children to be "successful"

Kudos.

lisa said...

Lori, Those are some frame-worthy pictures. Especially the ones of you with Afton. Love them!