Tell me a Story: Valarie From Jump Into a Book

I am excited to welcome today's guest. Valarie and I have been in a variety of projects together around the web. Her blogs are a place to get lost in beauty, learn some thing new and appreciate the world around you. So today, take sometime to deeply listen to what she has to say about gratitude. 

Welcome, Valarie, tell us a story.

Where do you live?
We live in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Tennesse.

Tell me about your family?

My husband and I live together with our three children. My husband is a surgeon and from the country of Lebanon, I’m a music teacher and composer, as well as a blogger, writer, and photographer. Our eldest daughter is a senior at the University studying public relations and communications. Currently she is producing a TV show for a local TV station. Our second daughter is a freshman at the University studying music as a second major and discovering what her first major will be. Joining the girls is their younger brother, who is 11. He is an inventor, animator, and future farmer. Currently, he’s wanting to turn our lawn into a wheat field. All together we live with our cat Oscar.

What activity or circumstance makes you feel most alive?
I love to walk and do so every morning by a stream near the house. Traveling can also get my blood going as well as a good bookstore.

What gratitude did you feel today?
I feel most thankful for having good health, and being able to watch my children grow up and explore their world around them.

What gave you peace? Autumn is arriving here very quickly now. When I was washing the dishes this morning I looked out of the window over the sink and there was the most beautiful poppy waving in the wind. It was so exquisite and so unusual this time of year.

Any A-ha moments?
The more things I find to be thankful for, the more things I have to be thankful for.

How do you see gratitude or mindfulness? Is this a daily practice?
About four years ago I hit a really hard spell that completely absorbed my heart, mind, and soul. I felt so weary and just wanted that pain to go away , to stop droning over and over in my mind. I was reading a book which mentioned that you can complain all you want to but until you change what you are doing, the result will be the same. This person suggested starting a gratitude practice, mentioning just 4 things you are thankful for at the end of the day. So I started a gratitude journal listing 4 things a day for about two weeks. After that time I moved my gratitude practice to the morning and let myself write as many things as I could think of that I was thankful for. The practice has continued and has evolved into my written practice but also a daily practice of being thankful as I see things come up, during the day. In the evening as I’m lying in bed, I give it one more layer of gratitude for the day I have just lived before I hit the lights.

Valarie, I know gratitude is a something you strive for, practice and philosophize about? Can you share what it means to you and your family? Has this changed over the years, as you have older and younger children?

This is such an interesting question because I really can pinpoint when gratitude became absolutely apparent in my life. The year was 1990. It was my first trip to Lebanon with my new husband and our 7 month old daughter. The civil war was still continuing and as we were landing on the runway, bombs were dropping in the mountains. There was no electricity, no water; it was being shipped in from Syria, and limited times of day to buy food. The country was completely ravaged by 20 years of war. There wasn’t a building where a bomb or bullet holes didn’t exist. When asked why I was in Lebanon at such a time? My response was always the same, “I’m here for a family vacation to meet my in-laws.” People would look at me like I was mad. Maybe I was, but the lesson that was to be learned on that trip has lasted a lifetime in parenting, and just being human on this planet.

Regardless of religion, ( in Lebanon alone there are over 18 religions and sects) the Arabic language has several words of gratitude. The two that you hear constantly are humdillah and n’shukar allah. Both mean thank god. It didn’t matter what circumstances I found people in: 4 families living in a one room house, no legs, no arms, a gardener with a garden, no bread to sell, etc., all of these people would say thank god. They lived life so fully, simply, and filled with complete gratitude for everything in their life good and bad.

There was a man who sat in a wheelchair on the corner. From his little place he would have boxes surrounding him filled with different sorts of chocolate and candy. All the kids would buy their chocolate from him. When asked how he was and what had happened to him he said, “It doesn’t matter. Humdillah (thank god) that I’m here and that I am learning patience. Humdillah, humdillah. Isn’t today beautiful? “

As we have traveled around the world we have met many people and the people who have the least always seem to be the most thankful. As a family we are always thankful. It is our mode of operation.



Does your love of nature, and the natural world help you to live in gratitude? How does this shape who you are as a family?
As a family we have a great respect and love of nature. In nature one can see the boundaries slip away and have an awareness of how interconnected everything is. Recently, there has been a lot of talk in our home about sustainable living and nature preservation. How our survival as a human race and as a planet depend on it.

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Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book, derives the greatest pleasure from taking the books she reads and helping them come alive with her family, book club, friends, and workshops. An advocate for literacy, Valarie spends many quality hours helping at risk readers. She spends her days with her husband, three creative children, and one adored cat. Together they live in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. You can also visit Valerie on her blog, A Place Like This.

You can find Valarie on the web in a variety of places:

A Place Like This

Jump Into A Book

LearnSweden

Twitter: @bookjumper
Facebook: Valarie Budayr

Ahhhh, Hello.

And now we wake up, right where we started. And we take a deep breath. In and out. You may open your eyes.

This is how I end each of our adventures, our bedtime meditations. We just started taking them again. The bed time craziness seems to be not so crazy when we take a little time to just mellow out. Tell a good mind following story and end up back, comforted and whole, where we started off-- in our beds.

I think that's how I'm feeling about these last three weeks. Crazy and almost unchartable. I feel like I lost touch, floated away, deep outside of my house and myself. And now that I have the house tamed (thanks to some amazing help), my to-do list still long but timed better, my calendar in check (no more nights out for a while), and my meals planned (no more food out either!). I'm back and here. I touch my feet down. Ready to start where I left off.
 

So, as we say in our house, let's all take a deep breath together. Let your breath in swirl up in your head, and release down through your limbs (arms and legs). Let the out breath relax you.

You may open your eyes.

Dear friends!

Thank you for the concerned emails. Yes! I am here and alive, I will be resuming Tell Me a Story next week. And regular blogging.

I was a bit overwhelmed these last few days. At work, at home, at school. I shared my stuggles to balance with my girlfriends on Monday night. Then Tuesday after a stress inducing day at work I came home to a clean house, folded laundry and dinner on the table. Needless to say, I sobbed. It was exactly I needed. And they just knew. I feel immensely loved.

Then another friend just happen to call and offer to take the kids for the evening. And I got time to study.

I do have the best friends.

When life slows down... I'll be back. Until then enjoy this lovely first day of fall!

For the love of a little brick house...

Hello Dears!
I have a charming little house to show you. Grandma Bonnie has been working so hard to get it sparkling clean and ready for new owners-- it was her childhood home. If you are local, this house is perfect. If I didn't have one already, this is the one I would want. Character and charm, you can tell that it's been so loved and taken care of over the years.

I snapped a few photos when we went to visit the other day, and I am just bursting to show it off. The bricks! The vines! The built in desk in the kitchen! Screened in patio!

Ahhh, somebody stop me or I might have two houses soon...

This Moment:: Wonder

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

I Give You Permission for Evening Coffee

We had a packed evening last night, a trip to the park, babysitting a little lady and feeding everyone. Plus tutoring and working late.

Then after the park. A quick kitchen clean up (more to do today, ugh!), and a quick but so filling dinner (couscous, sauteed vegetables and meat, salad, wheat bread with butter). Bedtime routine, lots of books snuggling, listening to the rain. They quickly went off to bed and I cancelled all the rest. Eric made coffee and we sat at the kitchen table our books. Listening to the rain some more and marveling at our little life.

I kept saying my list of shoulds. I should do go to tutoring tonight,  I should do finish up that project at work.  I should be sewing, screen printing, being creative.... blah, blah, blah.

Eric looked me square in the eye and said, "It's ok to stop and be tired one night. You have permission."

Not that I needed permission to stop, but it was nice to have it anyway. So I grabbed my knitting and watched some awful TV with my husband. Seriously, isn't there anything beautiful on TV anymore?

Well, in case you needed it. I give you permission to rest.

*Photo from Jamie3529gq

First Day of School

Because of how the preschool schedule lands, we get to have two first days of school! So here are their photos on two different days, in the same spot.

My babies are growing up!

Corner View:: School

The summer break for Corner View is over, and I can't wait to see the CV community again-- it's amazing to see one subject from points all over the world. CV is hosted by Jane at Spain Daily.

In the last 24 hours, we've dropped off two of our kids at preschool. Yesterday morning, Truman had his first day. And in true-Trubey fashion, he popped out of bed and wouldn't stop moving not even for pictures!

He loved school and didn't mind when we left. And I didn't cry, but I did leave wondering where my baby had gone.

Tell Me a Story: Molly of Mommycoddle

It's Tuesday and that means it's time for Tell Me a Story, stories about gratitude. I am honored to welcome Molly from Mommycoddle. When I discovered blogs about three years ago, Molly's blog was one of my first-reads. Her honesty about farm, family and life open my eyes to so many new things-- and I'm grateful to call her my friend.

Please help me welcome Molly.




Where do you live? We live in a rural valley in north central Maryland.

Tell me about your family? My husband and I have 4 girls from 8 years old all the way down to five months. Dan and I are hoping the trend will shift to potluck weddings by the time they're all walking down the aisle. We live in a farmhouse on several acres that we've been slowly returning to its roots, little by little. It is a long process and requires lots of patience. Currently we're saving our pennies and mapping out plans for some fencing, a few lambs and maybe even a milk cow. But for now, our chickens, mallard ducklings, barn cats and labrador retrievers keep us entertained.

 What activity or circumstance makes you feel most alive? There are three things that get me every time. The landscape. My faith. And a good song. When I can combine all three, it's magical.

Most of my family live in this valley and it's not uncommon that I find us heading home from dinner at someone's house just as the sun is setting. The drive home, back down into the valley, windows down, music playing, little arms out the car windows, fields of hay and corn and beans flashing past... It gets me every time and makes me grateful for where I live, who I love and that I know the Creator who made it all.


What gratitude did you feel today? What gave you peace? Any ah-ha moments? Today I felt gratitude for some very basic things. For the change in weather which has recharged my spirit. For a clean house and a mopped kitchen floor. For the sounds of my girls and husband playing together outside. The hum of the mower. A few stolen moments in a quiet house. The squeal of surprise and joy over a special dessert served on my nice china.

How do you see gratitude or mindfulness? Is this a daily practice? I think both gratitude and mindfulness cause me to slow down. And often to re-evaluate. When they are absent from my life it feels like time is slipping away. I feel wanty. And long for things that I think everyone else has. I feel sorry for myself. But when my heart and mind are rooted in gratitude, my perspective, my peace and my attitude changes. And I'm suddenly struck by all the goodness that I have.


Molly, you took a break from blogging at mommycoddle for the season, were you able to accomplish your goals with Habit, your family? What insight or perspective did you gain in your time away? Well, in a way, I felt like my break didn't really begin until August. We had a wonderful, but busy July-month at habit and it required more computer time than I was hoping to have during my break. But the time away was really good for me. I created another blog for myself on tumblr. I kept it completely private and told no one about it because I wanted to be sure that I still enjoyed the medium of blogging. I wanted to be sure that if no one were reading, it would still be an important part of my life. And I found that, yes, I did still enjoy having a space. And I feel like I was able to return to some of the roots of blogging. And while I don't mind opening up the windows of my life for others to see and sharing in the community of blogging, when I began to feel like I was blogging for everyone else, instead of for myself, I knew I needed to step back for a bit. The break really brought back perspective, and renewed and changed my vision for mommycoddle.

 As you look forward into the school year, what do you have planned for the girls? Is gratitude part of your day as a family? As I sit here and type our school year will begin in EXACTLY 12 hours. I am really looking forward to this year. I have taken a completely new approach from what I've done in the past. And I feel like I've made a shift and commitment to homeschooling that was somewhat absent in the past. I still remain open-minded, but committed and inspired. The girls have been keeping gratitude journals for the past two years. Each day the begin by writing a few sentences about something they are thankful for. Sometimes they draw a few pictures, sometimes only words. They have been treasures to look back on and they have helped me instill a heart of gratitude in them.

__________

Molly is a writer, mother, homeschooling mama, and part-time farm girl. She believes in the marking of time and that every day holds a story all its own. She writes at her personal blog, mommycoddle.com and is co-creator of habit, a collaborative photography + words project with Emily of shining egg.

You can find Molly on the web in a variety of places:
mommycoddle.com, http://habitblog.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mommycoddle/
Twitter: @mommycoddle

Resolutions or something like that...

What is it about September that makes it feel like a new year?

Something in the air changed today, markedly different from yesterday.

Cooler, crisper. Like the changing winds.

I love September, it rivals October for my favorite month. It's a fresh start: newly sharpened pencils and a notebook. A new year. Let's not make New Year's resolutions in the middle of the cold, desolate winter.

Let's make them now, in the vibrancy of fall. When we may actually get them accomplished. And no resolutions like lose 10 lbs. But what about goals like find a perfect sweater or make the best pumpkin spice latte. Learn to embroider, be a better friend, ride a bike on a wooded path.

I know we'll have a few more weeks of summer heat, but for this few day break and the promise of fall. I'll think about my year, my resolutions and hear the wind change, calling my name.

Read Aloud: Hope for the Flowers

In my search for age-appropriate read aloud books for the kids, I came across Hope for the Flowers. I borrowed it from a friend who said, "YOU MUST READ THIS."

And I'm so glad we did. It is very much age-appropriate at any age. About risk-taking to make something beautiful. About not following just to follow. And the lead characters? Catapillars named Yellow and Stripe, no less. Though this novel was written in 1973, I feel like it was written for me, for them, right now.

I poked around the web and you can still get a copy here.

********

So far we've read Sarah, Plain and Tall, Skylark, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

And on my last Read Aloud post, we got tons of great suggestions on what to read next.

Laural Ingalls Wilder

Roald Dahl-- Of which I've read everything by him that I could get my hands on. When I was a nanny, we read George's Marvelous Medicine-- and the girls still have it (one of them is a senior in college!).

Toy Go Out or Toy Dance Party

Beverly Cleary

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo

Stewart Little

Twig by Elizabeth Orton Jones (I would also recommend Big Susan)

"My Naughty Little Sister" series by Dorothy Edwards

The "Betsy" books by Carolyn Haywood

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindegren

Little Pear by Eleanor Frances Lattimore

Mr Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater

Fudge by Judy Blume

Such a great list! Anymore to add?

Ushering in Fall

It doesn't really feel like fall yet, but you know it's coming. Next week both kids will pack up their backpacks and head off to preschool. The fields are turning from green to a golden brown. And we are re-adjusting schedules-- finding a new fall rhythm. And this week has proven to be busy-- but fulfilling. We've taken a picnic to the 'beach' in Paullina, met our preschool teachers at an in-home visit and before dad left for work last night we all cleaned the playroom together.

And as we head into the new school year, I remind myself there are four things I know-- that make our house run smoothly. And I shared those four things with Rhythm of the Home in an article I called Finding Balance, Keeping Rhythm.

Take some time today to enjoy this collaborative work of Rhythm of the Home. It is a real treat!