be present

Posted by Rebekah.Wallace on May 15, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

I hear two voices in my head as I go throughout my days.  One is my own, saying be in this moment, listen intently to the conversation you are having, document the images in your mind.  Be Present.

The other, also my own, is running through a to-do list, thinking I should get out my camera and take pictures of every little moment, check my texts or do something productive.

Maybe you have this too and if you do, I’m guessing you experience a similar tension.  Please tell me I am not the only one with voices in my head!

I would rather live in the moment because if I don’t, I’m just moving throughout days by checking things off the list versus enjoying the time and places that are in front of me.  I’m practicing self-control in this and challenging my norm this week, trying to let the first voice win out more often.

For example:  this morning on a walk I was thinking about the day and I consciously decided to redirect my thoughts to the way the sunshine was coming through the trees and the quiet that exists before the day begins.  It was refreshing and everything I was thinking about could wait anyways.

I don’t mean to sound all zen but I really believe rest is crucial to our well being in life and I’m not always good at it. How about you? Where do you find rest in the pull of life to be in constant motion?

Listening to the breeze and feeling the sunshine, for the moment.

today I eat pita

Posted by Rebekah.Wallace on May 12, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

In honor of Ryan’s departure for Turkey tonight, I am eating a lunch that reflects many we had during our time in Israel exactly two years ago.

Two years ago today,  I was probably looking at this:

The only difference today is that my pita bread is from Meijer and not a fresh bakery.  And I am eating it at my dining room table rather than while hiking.  Either way, I am one part sad and two parts happy that Ryan gets to leave on a plane tonight to fly around the globe to another world.  The sad is only because I think life is better when we are together but for the most part I am thrilled that he gets this opportunity, especially with our dear friend Brad.

Those two will likely look like this for much of the next two weeks:

You can follow his journey here.  I printed that itinerary out and hung it in a place I walk past multiple times a day.   I’m really thankful that we got the chance we did to travel together two years ago because it is giving me perspective into what his next two weeks might be like.

Life is funny isn’t it.  It takes twists and turns, weaving itself in different ways than you might expect.  Two years ago we were here:

Last year we were here:

And now Ryan will be here:

Makes me wonder where we will be next May.  One of the most important things to me is that we don’t have any regrets in life.  It was a hard decision for Ryan to go on this trip, at this time but  I’m choosing to look at the next two weeks as an opportunity for both of us.  On my end that means enjoying time with Katie & Hannah, road tripping to spend time with my very dear friend Emily & lots of time to think about our summer as a family.  For Ryan, that means pitas and hikes, history and walking the text.  Sounds good on both ends. 

Dear Hannah: celebrating one

Posted by Rebekah.Wallace on May 10, 2012 in Featured, Letters to Hannah | 0 comments

Dear Hannah,

This past Saturday was a day to remember.  We woke you up signing Happy Birthday, a tradition I hope to keep for years to come.  We hung paper lanterns, bought balloons, had a cake made and placed flowers in vases.  There were presents wrapped and pictures hung with joy.  But even with all of that planning, it was you who made the party what it was.

I  know you won’t remember any of this but I have plenty of pictures to show you the day that we celebrated the first year of your life.  According to the calendar that marker won’t come for another week and a half but I believe in birthday month and am willing that right to you.  I thought I would feel panicky when your birthday came.  I wondered if I would be holding on tightly to your last few days as a baby and squeezing them for all they are worth.  In some ways I am and finding myself asking how this happened.  But to be honest I’m excited because there is something new to savor at each stage as you grow. I like being your friend and the older you get, you feel more and more like my little buddy.

So Hannah, from your sentimental and detail keeping mama, this is what you need to know about your birthday party.

You wore a tutu for the first time and looked SO cute:

You wore your signature pigtails: 

 I threw my heart into creating banners and decor, all pink and sweet, just like you:

There was cake, of course:

 Including a special one, just for you:

Pictures hung, documenting each month of this year:

We sang Happy Birthday and I insisted that your candle be lit:

You seemed a bit passive on the cake but were happy:

We opened presents and it was so fun to see the special things people chose for you:

By the end of the day, Toby was more than over it all:

I loved planning your party and seeing so many people that we love show up to celebrate you.  But when you strip away all of the ribbons and the bows, the truth is that God’s faithfulness has brought us through a year with you.   It hasn’t been our awesome parenting skills, or our ability to do what is best and right all of the time.  It has simply been God’s grace.  So decorate however I may (and believe me, I will continue to do so) that is what we are really celebrating as you near your first birthday.

all my love,

Mom

Thankful: rainy day thoughts

Posted by Rebekah.Wallace on May 7, 2012 in Featured, Thankful | 0 comments

I’m thankful for a rainy Monday after a weekend that included all kinds of celebrations in this order:

HANNAH’S BIRTHDAY PARTY–which will certainly be getting its own post soon.

A birthday lunch for my 15 year old brother

A graduation fiesta party

High School Senior Picnic & Youth Group Year End Party

And now, this one woman party at my kitchen table with coffee and blueberry muffins.  We also got family pictures taken somewhere in there.   All markers that time is marching on.

I woke up thinking about time this morning while I was making the muffins.  About how everything we do is about an exchange.  About having Hannah’s party early so Ryan could be a big part of it before he leaves for Turkey.  About how my laundry piled up last week because I happily chose party planning.

If everything in life is about choices then it seems important to know what our priorities are.  It always seems easier to tend to the urgent rather than the important but then we end up with all of our chores done but no closer to where we want to be.

This weekend I felt like we were exactly where we were supposed to be, doing exactly what we were supposed to be doing.

This:

Thankful Thursday: stack o’books

Posted by Rebekah.Wallace on May 3, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Hannah and I visited the library yesterday for the first time this spring.  The span between our visits is not helping my goal to read a few books a month any so that was part of the motivation but the main reason was to enjoy story time with our friends.  And that we did.  We left with a stack of books including this gem:

Introducing BabyLit, the classics for children.  We also snagged a book titled How do Dinosaurs love their Dogs? which may become a classic in our household.   I’m finding that the days that we create our own adventures, we enjoy life a whole lot more. I’m thankful for a social baby, one who will find her way with her mama out and about.  Life is in the small things, isn’t it?

Happy Thursday!  What are you thankful for today, big or small?

Thankful Thursday: the lineup

Posted by Rebekah.Wallace on Apr 26, 2012 in Thankful | 0 comments

Did you ever stop to notice something that you see every single day?

This week  it has been these guys:

I don’t know if it is because the whale is wearing a crab for a hat or because they represent many a night of giggles with Hannah.
Either way, today I am thankful for the bathtub parade.

party central

Posted by Rebekah.Wallace on Apr 25, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

We are smack dab in the middle of celebration time over here hence the quiet on the blog.  Free time has been spent running errands and doing things I never do.  Like mopping the floors and doing yardwork.  And doing things that I love to do and don’t do often enough, like crafting and decorating.

First party on the calendar: Katie’s graduation extravaganza this weekend complete with yard games.  The following weekend: Hannah’s first birthday bash!  In between the two fall a date night to a scholarship dinner, a quick trip to Ann Arbor for a day, signing final sublease paperwork and opening up the porch for the spring.

Some weeks I am bored.  This isn’t one of them.  Also, Hannah took her first step on Monday and we are wondering when that will turn into a second and a third and a full out run.  Here’s to celebrating in big and small ways.  More to come.