familial love

i have a very active, very chaotic family - one that lives and shows love to each other in various ways, some not quite so desirable actually, but i have come to realize they may not speak the same love language as i do, and that is okay.

for the most part :)

at a recent "team meeting," we went over my agenda at the table (don't think i didn't have one, not for one second!) and we outlined how things have been going the past six months since our last team meeting vs. how i would like to see them "get going again" based on lapses of positive outpouring of love and support for the hard-working parents. one of the things i threatened to do was "go brady bunch on them" and get a board o' chores. the resounding response was "Yes!!" they need to have things spelled out for them, and now that i know that, i can work with them on this :) (yep, even my almost 22 year-old...) the official board o' chores is pictured for your amusement. personal telephone number x'd out by my sweet photoshop skills.

i read so many blogs but barely leave many comments because i just cannot do some of them justice; so i don't even attempt. one such blog is Holy Experience - my friend ann v.'s. i cannot leave comments because it is her journal to God, but man, do i ever learn from her musings!! she simply sets a standard for loving and having her children learn to love one another that i think is incomparable (i am being complimentary and am hoping she will not stop by and scold me for saying so...she's humble, too...)

another one is the ever-popular shannon from rocks in my dryer -- she cracks me up and seems like someone who would be the best girlfriend to have, ever! i love her style of parenting and when i feel a twinge of wistfulness about how my kids treat each other, especially after reading ann's lovely thoughts on how hers love on one another, shannon always seems to have something that makes me laugh and i wonder: can we not all learn from each other, regardless of how chaotic our families are (or are not)?

thank you, ladies. how timely both of your messages were to me (and i am guessing to one or two others out here, as well...)