Ponderings in Bits and Pieces

In the little scraps of time, between chasing boys to change diapers and clothes and harangue them into the bathtub, then working and balancing general maintenance things in life (after all, we do all need clean clothes and dishes at regular intervals), Ray and I have been talking a lot. And in the tiny silent moments, I am also contemplating a few things of my own.

I'd like a little input from all of you too.

- What two things do you do to keep yourself organized? Do you feel like you are organized? Is it an ongoing battle or something you've licked?

- Name a few of your biggest blessings right now. What are the things that make you smile?

- What do you think of or who do you think about when you hear the word tribe? Who is in your tribe? Is it big or small? Do you think there is one tribe for a person or many interlinking tribes.

I have more, but at this point I want to hear what you think and don't want to overload you.

Here are some of my answers:

I try to keep on top of dishes and laundry. If those two things are out of control, I feel like the rest is hopeless. And I intermittently keep a list of what needs doing, both today and for the week or even a master list for later/when we can get to it. It's all a work in progress and I feel like I have never quite mastered this since we had kids.

My kids and family in general are the biggest blessings. I love it when Xander gives Liam a big hug when he falls and whacks himself. It's the sweetest, tenderest thing I have ever witnessed. Ray is a good dad and a great husband; he's incredibly supportive. I've also been feeling blessed that I have a job that is flexible, so I can be with my family and juggle my priorities. Work is important to me and my self-identification, but it is not the most important thing. I really straddle two worlds, but wouldn't change that. But I have been feeling blessed that I have such a love of reading and people and just generally want to see and do things. And Spring is started in our neck of the woods...there are no words that can encompass how thrilled I am about that.

Originally, when I hear the word tribe, I think about Africa and families or communities there. But when I let go of that notion a little, I realized we all live in tribes. Or in my estimation, we do. My immediate and extended family are a tribe. We have a neighbourhood and friends who extend that tribe. And globally, I have a tribe. Even my online groups have become part of my tribe. I tend to visualize this as many interconnecting smaller tribes, which contribute to my whole tribe, but because I have people in one tribe who are not part of each other's lives, I don't think it is necessarily one tribe. I'm still working on this idea.

So, give a whack at one or all of these questions. If you do it here, I can read and respond to the comments. If you want to link to your own blog and put your answers there, I will follow and try to respond there too. You too are part of my tribe...let's have a conversation!