Walking into 2021 with Peace and Love!
Wow! We made it! Someone pinch me! We are really here!
Happy New Year everyone! I almost feel like I’m at a loss for words but I’ll try my best.
Like many of you, I have been thinking about a few things (of many) that I want to focus more on in 2021. I have listed them below in no particular order. Some may resonate with you. Perhaps you have some you’d like to share. Here are mine:
Gratitude
A year ago, I finally followed the advice of my awe-inspiring sister Beth and created my blog WatchMonkeyMama. Thank you Beth! It launched in September 2020, and I have enjoyed writing blogs centered around topics on motherhood, education, homeschooling, and life in general. My blogs are intended to inspire and encourage others to stay the course with desires of their hearts despite setbacks and criticism. Looking forward, I am eager to blog more. My goal is to always write quality content with images that support my message. Furthermore, I believe in authenticity and transparency so my life as a mommy blogger will at times look chaotic. Hopefully, you can appreciate and maybe even relate to it. Above all, I thank you for reading my blogs. Thank you for commenting and subscribing. And thank you for sharing WatchMonkeyMama with others.
Being Present While Being Present
So often we believe we are being present with our children, spouses, significant others, family members, friends, colleagues, and even strangers. I will also add that we believe we are being present with ourselves. But truth be told, so many distractions often pull us away and as a result, only a fraction of ourselves is present. In my world, I define “being present while being present” with a few questions I ask myself daily about my time spent with Sammy. Did I read to Sammy? Did he smile today and was his heart full of joy? How is he feeling emotionally? Did I fill his bucket? Did I fill Randy’s bucket? Did I fill my own bucket? Did I fully engage and listen to Sammy as he talked to me? Did I look him straight in his beautiful eyes? Did I model good expectations for him? Did I praise him? Did I make him chuckle? Did I speak with him in ways that elevated his learning, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills in play-based experiences?
Did I…? After all, this is what truly matters.
Relationship with God
I am a work in progress. Aren’t we all? I am truly grateful to God that He continues to work on me and all of us. I also appreciate the fact that I am trying more and more each day to please Him and do His Will. One of the biggest gifts Randy and I receive often is when Sammy talks and asks about God. I pray that we can provide the same experiences that our parents did for us in raising him to be God fearing and God loving.
Relationship with Randy
I thank God for giving me the man I prayed for. Randy is a wonderful husband and awesome father! He is also extremely ambitious which is one of the qualities that I admire most about him. Like many parents, once you have children, the focus shifts to them which is totally understandable. In our case, Sammy was born prematurely, and our focus was and continues to be on him. And then, Covid-19 hit, and dinners outside the home were a thing of the past. It has definitely been a blessing having Randy home with us full time. One thing I truly look forward to are date nights with my hubby outside the house, and a special vacation with just the two of us when things are much better.
Intentionality
This can be a long list but that’s okay. I’ll start with blogging. I want to blog more on a consistent basis. I have so much to say and I am excited to share more of our journey with the intent that it may help others. I plan to read more. Truth be told, I will probably read books simultaneously. And that is also okay. Multitasking happens in many areas. I plan to eat better and workout more. I miss taking 3-5 pilates reformer classes a week in the pilates studio just a few miles away from home. But, with Covid-19, it will be another year or longer before I return. So in the meantime, I have set personal wellness goals for myself. And I have to remember that if I fall off the wagon (again), all I have to do is start over.
Family
Randy and I have not seen many of our immediate family members for over a year. Sammy has not seen his MiMi Ma (my mother) and Pop (Randy’s father) and this hurts a lot. Thank God for technology with Facetime and Zoom! Daily calls are the norm and help a lot. It is my prayer that by the end of this new year, we will all reunite.
Friendships
I have gained friends and I have lost friends. And some I am sitting on the fence with. When I think about friendships, I ask myself the following: Am I adding value to your life? Are you adding value to my life? If not, perhaps we were in each other’s life for a season and/or a reason. And if so, thank you for the time and experiences we shared. I bid you love, peace, and good health. And for friendships still intact, let us continue to enjoy our time as friends. But please refrain from putting time stamps and expectations on our friendship. We may not speak often. We may not even see one another in years or even decades. But when we do speak, something magical happens, and it is as if no time has passed whatsoever. This is OUR friendship and it feels just right.
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Well, there you have it. 7 Key Elements I am taking with me as I move forward this first day of this new year. It feels good to write this out. Oh, one more thing. I mentioned filling a bucket earlier. When Sammy turned 5 years old, his Aunt Beth, Cousin/Godmother Natalia, and Cousin Brian gifted him with three heartwarming children’s books which we read often and live the practices of filling each other’s buckets with encouragement, praise, and love. I highly recommend these books for teaching children, and maybe even adults, how to live selflessly and graciously.
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? (A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids)
Author: Carol McCloud
Illustrator: David Messing
Fill a Bucket (A Guide to Daily Happiness for Young Children)
Authors: Carol McCloud and Katherine Martin
Illustrator: David Messing
Bucket Filling from A to Z (The Keys to Being Happy)
Authors: Carol McCloud and Caryn Butzke
Illustrator: Glenn Zimmer
And we’re off to a Happy New Year!
Love,
Lesley WatchMonkeyMama
Thank you, Lesley, for writing this post! I really enjoyed reading it and felt I’m not alone. I agree with many things you mentioned here and feel the same with you. With the pandemic, our life has changed a lot, but we still made it. I grieved for a long time that our trip to Korea was cancelled because of Covid. I also felt so bad for my daughter that she is missing out on many things in 2020 and I tried hard to make it up for her. And friends, I’m the same with you. Your post lets me think about what I need to focus on for the new year! Thank you! Hoping and praying that we will go back to our old normal soon. Happy New Year!
First of all, thank you Sookie for reading my blog and for sharing that we have similar feelings. We are both raising small children and have parents who live far away from us (yours being extremely far in Korea) and it hurts so much that they have not seen their grandparents. So yes – we are not alone. Please know that when I see your social media posts and ALL that you are doing for and with your daughter, it brings the biggest smile to my face because you are doing a lot to help her get through this pandemic and our new normal. So kudos to you! I am glad that my post resonated with you. I cannot wait for this to somewhat all be over. Take care mama and know that you are doing great things! Oh, and your trip to Korea whether it’s at this year’s end or next year, will be so, very special.
SO INSPIRING AND GREATLY NEEDED YOUR LOVELY FAMILY AND WONDERFUL WORDS.
YOU REMIND ME OF YOUR DEAR FATHER AND I KNOW HE WOULD BE PROUD OF ALL OF YOU..
HAVE A HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
SINCERELY PEARL JONES
Wow! I am speechless Pearl! Thank you SO MUCH for saying this! I so hope daddy is smiling down from Heaven at all of his children. Thank you for reading my blog. I am glad that it resonated with you and is inspiring. Happy New Year!
I love reading your blogs!!!!!
Thank you so much Susan! I so appreciate that you take the time to read my blogs and comment! I am enjoying sharing my life and journey with you and others. Hopefully, I will inspire others as many have inspired me. Happy New Year!
I enjoyed this Lesley it was inspiring
Thank you Paula! I am glad that you enjoyed my blog and found it inspiring! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!!!! Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed the blog and especially the section on friendships. I look forward to reading your next blog. Cheers!!!! The photos are sooooo nice your family of three looks marvelous!!!
Happy New Year N. Jean and thanks so much for reading my blog! I appreciate your insight on my thoughts about friendships and I’m glad you like my photos. And thanks for reading all of WatchMonkeyMama blogs!
Hi Lesley, thank you for sharing your Resolutions! Being Present resonated with me most…I’ll be checking out the 3 books you mentioned as another guide, thanks again! Hello 2021, let’s make EVERY moment of every day count!
Thank you LeSans! Yes, “being present while being present” is a big one. I think you will love the 3 books! Thanks so much for reading my blogs! I truly appreciate it. And yes, it’s day 2 of the new year and I am making every day count.
Outstanding! I don’t have the words to express how much this post/blog touched my heart. You, Ms. Lesley, are amazing. Happy New Year ❤🤍💚💗
Tracey, thank you so much for your kind words about my latest blog! I am elated that it touched your heart and resonated with you. Thank you for taking the time to write this to me. I think you are amazing too, my dear friend! Happy New Year!
Beautiful and inspiring post
Thank you Stacey for reading my blog! I appreciate your thoughtful words!
Great Blog Lesley! You are off to a Wonderful 2021! All the Best to you and your Beautiful family! And, I know you will continue to fill those buckets!
Thank you so much Gloria and Happy New Year to you and your beautiful family! I am glad you enjoyed the latest blog of WatchMonkeyMama!
Thank you for sharing a few slices of your life. Your words flow with ease and honesty and will inspire many. God bless you. Not too long ago, I wrote an article for Faith Filled Family magazine which you might appreciate. https://faithfilledfamily.com/author/margo-mckenzie/
Thank you for your kind words and thoughts Margo about my latest blog! Thanks so much for reading it. I sincerely hope it will be of encouragement to many. I am excited to read your article as well and will share my thoughts with you.
Faith and perseverance . What a powerful combination. Praise God! Thanks Lesley for remembering us here in Brooklyn. your parents, you and your siblings have always been dear to my family. Although a grandmother, I will continue to follow your blog.
Pease and Blessings.
Thank you Mrs. Winstead for your kind and thoughtful words about my blog! Welcome to WatchMonkeyMama! I hope my future blogs inspire and bring a smile to your face. I am Blessed to have grown up with you as a role model in our church and I hope you and your family have a wonderful New Year and continue to stay safe. Hopefully, we will see each other again this year or next – God Willing. Love you!