Five On Friday: Trying to Show My Family I Appreciate Them

At the end of my essay from Wednesday I said . . . "Now I know what I can think of that helps me remember to value these relationships that I treasure so dearly—next step is making sure I reflect that in my words and actions so my loved ones know, too."

So for today's Five on Friday I've come up with a list of ideas for myself to do just that:

1. Thank Daddy-O for all that he does, from working hard to fixing things to being a great husband and a fun Daddy, even though I've thanked him for these things before. Especially because he remembers to thank me for things I do more often than I remember to thank him.

2. Listen to my big kids even when I don't really get what they're talking about ("blahblahblah-Minecraft-blahblahblah-Star Wars-blahblahblah-and it's not even Marvel, it's DC, so dumb, right?" or "blahblahblah-reference to something I already told you about but you forgot--blahblahblah--Beatles trivia--blahblahblah"); even though sometimes my ears feel like they're going to start to bleed. Especially because they still tell me things.

3. Say "yes" to my little kids when they ask me to read or play or help them with something, even if I'm trying to get something done. Especially because they keep growing even though I tell them not to.

4. Continue to put effort into feeding my family as well as I can, even though the kids don't really appreciate it now. Especially because their bodies are growing and eating habits are forming.

5. Seek out ways to have one-on-one time with each of them, even if it's just five minutes. Especially because this is the best way to show them how much I love them.