I am a tad bit obsessed with traditions...maybe because life tends to throw so many curve balls our way, it's nice to have a handful of things we can bank on throughout the year. As much as I know that we cannot control this life, I am finding it equally true that life will be what we make of it. These two ideas seem paradoxical in a lot of ways: how do we release control while also "taking life by the horns" and realizing the power of our free will? But the further I rest into each truth, the more I know both to be wholeness and life. I am learning to live in the balance of these.
Ever since my husband and I got married, and especially since having kids, I have made a point of creating meaningful traditions for us. Every Christmas Eve we wake up to a special family breakfast, before opening gifts around the tree. Every birthday, my kids are woken up with the same quantity of balloons as the age they are turning. Every year I write a letter to the kids on their birthdays, and read it to them after looking through their previous year's photo book...
And this year, in honor of Valentine's Day, I'm starting a new tradition. Every day during the month of February, I will write a new "I love you because..." saying on our kitchen chalkboard. Simple reminders - to me and to them - of what makes my family so special, what makes us the perfect fit for each, and what makes the days worth living.
Got any chalk handy? Join me in celebrating those we love by saying "I love you" in a new way every day this month. If you decide to adopt this tradition, please share pictures with us on Facebook or Instagram! I'll be sharing my photos all month too, using #iloveyoubecause.
Love,
Noelle
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