It seems fitting that as I fly back to Hawaii today, I would republish a post from exactly one year ago, when I returned from the same crazy month of surf contests in California. I have made some changes to this post, especially in light of the many questions I have been asked over the past year. I hope this post gives you a little more insight into our life, and might speak to that part of you (I think we all have it in us,) that wonders how life would be if you could just
Parenting and Family
FIVE MYTHS About Being a Doctor’s Wife.
I am a doctor's wife. Sometimes--okay, most of the time--that still sounds funny to me, I'm not sure why.It occurred to me recently that I haven't talked much about Dave's work or being married to a doctor here on my blog, so maybe I should. It is a big part of who I am, and honestly--I have received so many repeated questions/assumptions from people over time, that I would love the chance to address them!First, I will share just a little background, then I will have some fun
No Regrets
Hi Friends... Today I share a favorite post from Spring 2014 (thus you'll see ages of my kids is off. ;)) Hope you enjoy...Just before I went to bed last night, Josiah ran out to get a book he had left in the car...He came in and said, "Hey Mom, you can really hear the waves out there. Wanna come out and hear them"What I almost said: "No. I've heard them like that before. I'm tired."(Thankfully,) What I did say: "Yes, I do."I wrapped myself in a blanket (because YES--58
Birth Order: What Firstborns Need Most from their Parents
A simple walk through the Swanson household would make for an easy object lesson in birth-order. You start in the front of the house with Luke and Levi's bedroom. There are clothes on the floor, towels on the floor, and...well, everything on the floor. There is a backpack with yesterday's lunch still in it, and then a few lego-figures, special rocks, and a few dollars wadded up and tucked under the bed from the last time I threatened a little life gave a stern warning if the room didn't get
The Three Word Rule That Can Transform Communication.
Recently, in a moment of minor marital stress, I stumbled upon something. These three words just came out of my mouth...and then I stopped in my tracks, forgot all about whatever I had been saying, and said "Oh my gosh. I just struck gold."Dave stared at me, mind racing to remember what I just said that I found to be so epic.Then I said, "I might be a genius."I repeated the three words. (Dave still unsure...) I told him that after all of these years (this Sunday is our 19th
The Thing (in your head) That Might Change Everything
Back when Josiah was almost two and we had lived in Hawaii for all of four weeks...Jonah was born. And just about that minute, Dave began his residency program which meant he was working somewhere around ten thousand hours a week, give or take. Life was hard. (And my memory only adds to the drama. You're welcome.)We lived in a tiny little condo that seemed to get the rising and setting sun all in the one room that we spent our days in. I had no friends on the island. And to top it all
Household Pet Peeves.
They say that laughter is the best medicine, right?Well--Guess what else is works pretty darned well?A good ole' complaint session, that's what. This isn't something I do too often. Hopefully you know by now that I'm actually a pretty positive person who puts up with all kinds of craziness for the love of a happy family life.But lest you think that living in Hawaii means that there are no problems...and that my little grass shack is all sunshine and rainbows, I think a little
Speaking Life to our kids.
We've all heard it: We're not supposed to label our kids, right? That's what the experts say anyways. Still, at some point most of us end up referring to them as "the studious one," "the athlete," or "the comedian of the family." There is something about assigning a label that just seems to come natural to us as humans.But there is another way that we label our kids without even realizing it, and it can be really dangerous. We speak labels right over our kids; especially when we are