C is for Connection

And chocolate.

And cuddles.

Things I seem to crave right now.

Feeling a kind of pulling in, a desire to gather my loved ones in…probably because we are all heading out, away from one another: James started his new job, Ben starts school in less than three weeks, the new baby will arrive in less than two months. Change is coming quickly. But I find myself savoring this pause before things take off, treasuring the moments.

I’ve been reading Finding Your Inner Mama on Amanda’s recommendation; it is a treasure of a book. So many of the essays within talk about the spirituality of parenting, the emotional pull behind it all that is so rarely mentioned or even discussed in "parenting" books and magazines. I have been savoring each essay in its own time ( I also love that it is broken down in such a way, as my time is well, cluttered, to say the least, and most of the essays are just about the right length for a quick five minute cup of tea to oneself) and absorbing it. One of my favorites is called Dawn…it is just a beautiful description of what "paying attention" looks and feels like. I find it funny that just last week I was struggling with the mindfulness issue, and along comes a book that speaks right to that very dilemma.

The picture is a sneak peek of my blessings journal cover (hence the "b")  that I mentioned awhile back. This little journal has been an amazing creative journey for me: new techniques I’ve never tried, a new focus that is opening other creative avenues I hadn’t considered before…it’s quite possibly my favorite artistic endeavor I have ever done. I’ll probably share bits and pieces in the coming weeks, as I finish. I hope it inspires you as well!