Time Out for Women

There is something so inspiring about being in a room filled with almost 2000 women.Women gathered together from all around Australia for the same reason. The purpose and desire 'To become'. I doubt I was alone in feeling the power and significance of this day and the influence that would leave that room.

I especially loved being there with my mum and a few of my sisters. I know I say this often, but I really love being in a family full of sisters. I loved sharing this experience with them and discussing the things that resonated with each of us, and talking about the new ways in which we each hope to 'become'. 

A few of my favourite things #1

Laurel Christenson your story was for me!

Laurel shared with us her journey that began about a year ago when she started preparing to run a half marathon. She told us about a "treading class" she was in, where she was doing high intensity interval training on a treadmill. While she told her story in a really funny way, the message was actually about not holding ourselves back with all the excuses we make about why we can't do things. It was a message about not stopping ourselves from achieving things with self doubt.  

At the point when Laurel was about to quit running and get off the treadmill, her trainer realised what was happening and came over to her and said (think Jillian style trainer from biggest looser ;)....

"Don't you dare stop. You can do this".

Laurel insisted that she couldn't and said she had to stop.


The trainer then jumped up on the front of the treadmill and said;

"Don't you dare be the one thing standing in your way"!!!!



I don't know how these words could not have impacted every woman in that room. As I heard them, It was like I was watching my own 'self set limitations' flash before my eyes in slow motion.

With the encouragement of her trainer and her own self will, Laurel went on to finish her interval training that day and 6 months later (or so ;) ran her first half marathon. 


In Laurels own words she said;

"When I stepped off that treadmill, I had the "ah ha” moment of my life.
I realized I simply was not who I thought I was.
I walked into that class with limits on my abilities and ideas about what my life was supposed to be........I walked out of that class knowing I could never be the same again".

"I became the girl who does the thing I thought I could not do.
And that is who I am now".

As I later re-told this story to Rylan, I had another 'ah ha' moment myself. I realised the importance of the trainer in her story. It's not just about believing in our selves and not standing in our own way. It's about listening to and believing the trainer when he says "you can do it - I will help you". It's about recognising that the ultimate 'trainer' is our Savior. Our biggest advocate and the one who never gives up on us even when we threaten to give up ourselves.


I came away from Time Out For Women feeling lifted and inspired to not just DO more but to {try} and BE more!


You can read Laurel's full story here and I absolutely recommend it!! 


More favorite things to come tomorrow. maybe :)

The holder of the bow

 "Children take their flight into the future with our thrust and with our aim". 

"Even as we anxiously watch that arrow in flight and know all that can deflect its course.......we take courage in remembering that the most important factor in determining that arrow's destination will be the stability, strength, and unwavering certainty of the holder of the bow".

Jeffrey R. Holland

"Created for Greater Things"

Birthday girl

Best.day.ever. 

Ok, I'm done. Where's my bottle.

One

More pics to come!

Baby love

It's hard to believe that a mere 365 days ago I was anxiously waiting to meet this little girl, and now, a year on, I can hardly remember what life was like without her.

My baby who is not so little and not so quiet anymore is turning one.

ONE.

Remeber THIS post. I thought it was crazy when she was just a week old, and now she's almost one :)

I am beyond grateful for the dynamic and love she has brought with her into this family of ours!

Weekend Snapshots

One of the things I love about where we live is that 30 minutes in one direction is the city and 30 minutes in a slighty different direction lands us in beautiful places like this and this.

With locations like these on our doorstep, it's easy to step away from the hustle and bustle of the 'super-markets' and enjoy the leisure of picking farm fresh vegies with friends, and running carefully through furrows, digging up whatever we choose.

Everytime we head out this way, we decide we want to move somewhere more rural and entertain the idea of a self sustainable life. Actually, It's Chad who entertains that idea, and he means the extreme kind where you move to the bush and live completely off the land. I say I'll join him, as long as I can still have a camera (that requires charging = electricity :) and a hot shower (I went to boarding school and am still traumertised from cold 2 minute showers ;)

 

Some snapshots from our day........ 

The perfect way to spend a wintery {sunny} Saturday!!

Kind. Hardworking. Delightful.....

and Enthusiastic.

Once again I smile at the words Zahn's teacher uses to describe him and couldn't agree more.

It's such a reassuring feeling knowing that I'm sending him off to school everyday to a teacher who creates an environment where individuals are free to soar. Where they are nurtured in a way that helps them grow. Academically and emotionally.

I really couldn't ask for more than that in the person who spends so much time with my son everyday. 

Like mother, like daughter

"look at me Lily, look at me......."

 

My poor baby. 

Not only does she have to put up with me taking her picture all.day.long. She now has her sister doing it too :)

I say "my poor baby". But really. I love it :) I love watching Jazzy walk around snapping things that appeal to her little eye.