In the midst of the discussion, one of them made a comment saying she would not have guessed I was the baby of my family.  This struck me because this is not the first time this was mentioned to me.  So I began to think about it in the back of my head.  I wonder really what people see in me.  What is it that I “share” with those that interact with me?  This made me continue to think even more.  I really wonder what my personality should be like if I’m the baby of the family.

So, I did what any curious person would do…I GOOGLED, “Birth order and personality traits.”  This is what I found to be true about the babies of the families…

Babies of the family most frequently are…

1. social and outgoing.

2. the most financially irresponsible of all birth orders.

3. the ones who just want to have a good time.

4.  those that love the limelight.

5. are charming, but they also have the potential to be manipulative, spoiled or babied to the point of helplessness.

6.  the ones who will probably still have a pet name although she is 29 and has a master’s degree.

So, when parenting, they say parents should (according to an article I found while searching online)…

• Stick to the Rules: The saying “he gets away with murder” is based in reality. Statistics show the last born is least likely to be disciplined and the least likely to have to toe the mark the way the older children did. You can be sure your older children are watching you closely!
• Hand Out Responsibility: Last borns often wind up with less to do around the house for two reasons. One, they are pros at ducking out of work. And two, they are so little and “helpless” that the rest of the family decides it’s easier to do the work themselves. You want to raise a confident, self-reliant child so don’t promote this helpless image.
• Applaud Accomplishments: Last borns are well known for feeling that nothing they do is important. Make a big deal out of accomplishments (you may have seen two other kids learn to ride a bike but it’s the first time for your baby) and be sure he gets his fair share of “marquee time” on the refrigerator.

All of this said, I think that I might be the exception to the rule in some areas while in others I definitely fit the mold.  At any rate, it just really made me think about who I am and about how I am percieved.

What about YOU? Is the generalization of your personality based on your birth order accurate?

Although I haven’t been writing, I’ve been doing alot of reading.  I find myself bookmarking more blogs and following them, seeing peoples’ hearts, and feeling quite inspired.  Having the last few months to do just that, I decided I, too, need to start again…

Like every season, there is a reason for making different things a priority.  As seasons, both literally and figuratively, begin to change, I’m back! I’m ready! I’m bloggin’

The past few weeks have been challenging for me.  Nothing abnormal, the typical challenges that often kick me in the pants.  And after the past few weeks and looking ahead to the weeks that come, I have concluded that if I don’t protect that time, the “busy”ness will never end.  

If I don’t make the time to retreat and to say no to events, I will really not ever just settle down.  Even when I’m not out and about doing things, I am at home, finding things to keep me busy.  

With that said, over the next week in all the craziness that buying a home, teaching summer school, and completing graduate work bring, I am going to take time to be still.

If I don’t, I won’t.  

But for today, I will.  

We are a little bit guilty of it. We never totally let our guard down because we don’t want to be the one who is made a fool. Why is that? Why do we let rejection drive who we are? Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, but I think if I took a vote, I wouldn’t be standing alone.

Why can’t we be like children? Why can’t we have that playful spirit, that free spirit of a four year child who can walk up to anyone and say, “Hi, I’m May. Do you want to play?”

Why is it the older we get the more difficult it becomes to openly accept people, to openly engage in a simple hello? Why can’t people see that everyone has a story? A story only wanting to come out – if only someone would ask?

In the past few weeks, I have a various encounters with people. In these events, people have shared what they are doing, where they are doing it, and sadly, they aren’t sharing it proudly. Or for some, they aren’t sharing it honestly.

Why aren’t people proud of what they do? About who they are? No matter what it may be? Why can’t they embrace where they are knowing that they are taking steps in a bigger, better direction?

My hope for today

Is to proudly say

“I am who I am.”

          Take this leaf, for example.  It has obviously already lived its life as a beautiful, green leaf hanging alive and well on the tree.  It’s brown and crinkly now.  It has lost its beautiful, lively green color. It seems to be all alone, but it hasn’t lost its way.  I wonder if this leaf’s journey will ever end?  

                                                                                                  Where will your final destination be?  

“To get through the hardest journey we need to take only one step at a time,

but we must keep on stepping.” 

“Let your mind start a journey thru a strange, new world.  

Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before.  

Let your soul take you where you long to be.  

Close your eyes and let your spirit start to soar,

and you’ll live as you’ve never lived before.”  

The next morning it sits folded on the chair ready for you to wear again.

You open the refridgerator door and there is all your favorite kinds –

not just your favorites, but both your sisters’ and your dad’s too!

You realize the wallet is empty and groceries still were not purchased for the week,

but you open the mail and in that envelope is a gift card for Giant.  

Really, it’s true.  Do you believe in MAGIC?

There’s no doubt that I do.  Magical is my Mom’s middle name.  

There’s something about a mother’s words that makes you feel alive. 

                    This morning I recieved an email from my Mom.  

                             This is how the email began…

                                          Amanda,

                                                You just amaze me.  

That’s what my Mom said.  Who would have thought four little words on a

computer screen could make a little girl feel so alive? Feel so special? Feel so loved? 

The only thing that really makes her think I’m amazing is because, honestly, I simply learned from her.  

Day in and day out, whether life is sailing smoothly or she’s kicking like a little duck’s feet under the water to stay afloat, her everyday actions, her unconditional love, her beautiful spirit is what I learned from her.

So that reality is – it’s not me that is amazing….

It’s her, she’s MAGICAL! 

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four piecesof pie for

five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” ~Tenneva Jordan

Selfless, unconditional, MAGICAL…That’s Joanie!

       With that said, the summer does give me a bit more free time. One of those things that I wanted to make a priority with my more flexible schedule was strength training and running.  

       About three summers ago, I took on a task to run two times a day, watch my diet, and hope to shed a few pounds.  After three months and endless work, by the end of the summer I was forty-five pounds lighter.  That was a huge success for me.  

       Years later, having kept off the majority of the weight, I decided I needed to make sure I was still continuing to run.  I have continuously worked on my strength training, but failed to stay faithful with my running.  Until now.  

       Since school finished back in the middle of June, I have made it my goal to run and/or lift every day.  With the exception of maybe one or two, I have.  

       So today, my exercising sidekick was away.  This meant it was totally up to me as to what I would accomplish.  If you check out the link, you’ll see….I accomplished something!  

The hardest part of today wasn’t the fact that I had to get dressed, sneakers on, and get my feet to the pavement.  The hardest part was wanting to finish what I started.  In so many cases, I hardly ever stop before I finish a task.  Today, about two miles into it, I wanted to give up.  

For some reason, in the back of my head, at mile two, I didn’t.  I finished what I started.  

This link shows you what I did.  

Why is it sometimes things in life are hard to accomplish?  

Is it because we can’t?

Probably not.

Is it because we really don’t care?

Maybe?

What makes you want to keep on trekkin’ when your head tells you that you want to give up?

Check out today’s accomplishment below! 

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/pa/elizabethtown/918019989

Close your eyes and you’ll quickly see.

Endless oceans, crashing waves, sandy footprints, washed all away.

Families laughing, playing games, eating snacks, on hot, beach days.

Close your eyes and you’ll quickly see.

This is where I want to be.

There’s something theraputic about sitting on a beach.

Maybe it’s the hot, sunny rays?  Maybe it’s the sounds of the crashing waves?

Or maybe it’s the little, squeaky giggles from the kids building castles with their dads?

I’m not sure what it is. 

But I spent five days there this past week.

I was with my family.  That, in and of itself, is total relaxation.

Just being able to be me with the best company in the world – what else more could a girl ask for?

And tomorrow, it’s back to reality.

And for tomorrow, I have one wish.

My wish is throughout the stress and anxiety the upcoming weeks may bring

That I can simply remember one small thing….

…When I feel myself fading, I will close my eyes and I’ll be where I want to be.  

“Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step;

only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road.”