This year, Jason and I started a new thing with Henry at night. We got the idea from someone in our Sunday School class and I don’t even remember who. I guess it doesn’t matter. There are sites all over that talk about it so it’s not really their idea!
Anyway, we ask him after his book and before the goodnight kisses what his thorn, rose and rosebud was for the day.
He gives us a thorn, which is a not-so-fun/sad/bad thing that happened to him during the day. Sometimes it’s that he didn’t like his lunch or that so-and-so kid didn’t play with him at recess. Sometimes it’s deeper like, I had a bad dream last night and it made me sad all day.
Then he gives us a rose, a highlight of his day. Often this is that he did good in math or Mrs. Unger was nice to him (she always is, though) or so-and-so kid played with him at recess. Sometimes it’s a little more serious like he didn’t get in trouble at all or made it a “happy day.”
The rosebud is what he’s looking forward to. Sometimes he’s looking forward to something the next day, but maybe it’s going to a football game in a week or his birthday coming up.
He likes this little exercise and it helps us stay in tune with what’s going on.
So this year, instead of New Year’s Resolutions, I’m going to reflect on the thorns and roses of 2010 and ponder the rosebuds for 2011.
I decided that doing a meme for this would be fun and maybe it’ll start a new yearly tradition. (A meme, for those of you who don’t speak blog, is where you can steal the image and the post idea/format and post it on your own blog and then link back to MY site)
So here it is… my cute button and my first annual installment of thorns, roses and rosebuds.
Thorn: My one thorn is that here we are, another year starting, and our house is still hanging over our heads. We’re stuck in a holding pattern, still paying our mortgage AND paying to live together finally in Atlanta. That part is good, but there is SO much we need to do to move forward and having our house is really hindering that.
Roses: I have two roses.
One is that we are finally living together as a family again. We spent almost a full year living two separate lives, with Jason in another city and me and Henry living in Fort Valley. We are now in Atlanta, TOGETHER! That has taken a little to get used to but I think it’s been so much better with us all under one roof.
My second rose is that I found Becky. I found my little corner of the world where I can help people. Band Back Together has really been wonderful for me. I feel like, even in a small way, I’m helping bring people together and helping them start to heal from whatever wounds they bear.
(I’m cheating here, I actually have THREE ROSES because I have to add this last one of the year) My third, cheating rose is that we found camping. Yes, we’ve been “trying” to camp for like 3 years now but we finally just DID IT. We went on Tuesday to Hard Labor Creek State Park and “winter camped” for two nights. It was an amazing (albeit cold) two days and nights. It was quiet, peaceful, did I mention quiet(?) and relaxing. I’ll post more about it, but that definitely was one of the top highlights of my year!
Rosebuds: Three rosebuds.
In this new year, I want to work to strengthen mine and Jason’s marriage. Not that it’s bad, because it’s not, but now that Henry’s older, we can stop putting all of our focus on of him and take time for us as a couple.
Another thing I’m looking forward to this year is strengthening friendships I have. And that’s with friends both INSIDE and OUTSIDE my computer! Ha!
Lastly, I want to look forward to something exciting. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like it’s “there” waiting for me. I’m not sure if it’s a job or just an opportunity or some sort of magical money that’s going to fall from the sky. But I know it’s there. SOMEthing exciting is going to happen. And THAT is something to look forward to!