a new season begins with new intention....

I find myself fearing the season of the "empty nest" today.  Granted Sofia is only 6y5m12d (who's counting?!) and we have many years before there is any chance she will be moving out, but yesterday she lost her 1st tooth.  The tooth that made me cry when it broke through her gum.  The tooth that made me so proud of her persistence and strength.  The tiny tooth that bit me and made me cry.  The tooth that is now in a baggie in the possession of her tooth fairy, Chloe, on its way to help build fairy homes.  The tooth that has reminded me again she will not be little forever.  These last 6 years have been way too short!  And if a tiny tooth is causing this much anxiety about them growing...

1 out 19 to go!

But as I sit here rocking baby Mathilde Grace (who still has 20 teeth to erupt and lose) I'm trying to bring my focus back to now.  Back to my sweet baby, sleeping toddler and happily playing preschoolers.  Back to being truly present for them, for the moments, for our family.  Back to focusing on building and molding strong and faith-filled people who regardless of physical location will keep our "nest" full forever!

On a slight tangent...I have started blog reading recently.  This is certainly not always a productive use of my time or attention but there are 3-4 blogs that have challenged me recently.  I do not know these mothers, but they are wise and supportive and offer a challenge to rethink and motivate to constantly challenge their readers to be happier, healthier mamas and wives of happier, healthier families.   And best of all they are real, they have children, they are not perfect and are also striving for better...  The "Happiest Mom" this morning challenged that Monday's be devoted to establishing intention (http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=3178).  Intention to improve something in the next week.  And like everyone else I'm full of intention in 6,000 different directions.  My dominant and driving intention recently has been toward order and peace and less of the earthly.  This intention has left me stressed and overwhelmed, kinda paradoxical considering the goal.  Well, I'm going to try her challenge and focus my intent.

The targeted focus of my first challenge toward the greater goal, our master bedroom!  I once read somewhere that the best indication of the health of a marriage is the state of the master bedroom.  Oh dear!  This statement often haunts me!  Our bedroom is SCARY; the catch-all of anything and everything that has not received an assigned home within our home.  It is the space that no one goes, the kids are banned, company is not invited there...it is ours, it is private, it is a safe place to hide.  I guess that isn't an all bad reflection of us.  But the visible chaos is certainly not, nor is it a peaceful and retreat-like place; and that is my intent.  So following the "happiest mom's" recommendation to place it within the who-what-when-why-how model....

WHO - Mark and I
WHAT - create order and peace within our Master Bedroom
WHEN - by our anniversary (this year...5/10/11)
WHY - Being great parents begins with being a happy couple.  Happiness can be further improved by a peaceful retreat of a bedroom, right?  A place that is ours (and well, Mathilde's for a few more months).  A place that is secret and private and clean.  A place where parents can be grown-ups.  I WE need that!
HOW - The elusive time and energy would help.  But since those are not easily found, we'll have to employ a tag team system; you play, I work then I play, you work....and a constant mantra of "no more boxes, no more piles"

We both function best with deadlines and rewards :)  So deadline established....5/10/11!  Reward...it may take a bit of financial planning but...new bedroom furniture and bedding...and let's throw in DJ Hero 2 for Mark (we know I'm going to cave and let him buy it anyway, but let's pretend not for a few more weeks!)

Off to be "present" with my littles who are no longer cuddling or sleeping or happily playing!  and too try next time to focus and create flow and thought here and not such random combinations of thoughts :)