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What is our family journey and Vision 2012!
In 2006, we launched Vision 2012 – a six year vision leading our family to the year two of us turn 50!!
Our good friend, Lisa Murphy, designed the logo for our vision, depicting a mom, dad and daughter walking hand in hand into the rainbow, seeking mental, physical and spiritual pots of gold.
As you will see below, each year has a theme, with 2012 incorporating all the themes for the grand finale and a major real-life journey.
2012: Grand Finale!
Although we plan to journey as a family for many more years, 2012 wraps up our six-year vision, coinciding with Louise and Tom reaching the half-century mark. What A Family Journey it’s been. We’ve grown, we’ve bonded, we’ve set and reached goals, and we’ve celebrated along the way.
The most exciting component of our Grand Finale is a volunteer trip to Kenya in February with the Mikinduri Children of Hope MCOH. With other team members, we will work in medical, dental and vision clinics in Mikinduri as well as visit some other MCOH projects in the country. Our investment in this trip will pay amazing dividends in our lives – enriching us in ways we have never before experienced. Sharing Lily’s first overseas humanitarian work with her will be rich and rewarding for us, her parents. She has plans to buy craft supplies with some money she has set aside and will, with Louise, set up “craft clinics” in Mikinduri as a way to engage with the local children.
We also see previous A Family Journey themes playing a big part in our Grand Finale. For example, in light of last year’s Simplify theme, we are taking an organized and streamlined approach to this trip, by giving ourselves lots of time for preparation and only taking enough personal luggage to fill a carry-on bag. Grasping this opportunity to fulfill our travel dream demonstrates a commitment to Live Passionately (as per our 2010 theme), allows us to Expand our Cultural Horizons (2008), and more than qualifies the coming 12 months as A Year of Discovery (2007).
While nurturing our existing Friendships (2009), we certainly plan to make many new ones, not only with other teammates and the people we meet in Mikinduri, but also on the homefront throughout the year. Up to, during, and following our trip, we plan to have a significant focus on Mind, Body and Spiritual Wellness (2006) to carry us through the year and well beyond.
We are a fortunate family with many blessings – and are very grateful to have each other to journey with!!
2011: Simplify
Tame the busyness of everyday life to carve out more time for ourselved, our families and our friends.
As we made our way through 2010, it became apparent that our lives were running us, rather than the other way around. Busy schedules, too many committments, frantic pace, ongoing exhaustion - we're sure many of you can relate.
To reverse this situation, we are simplifying many aspects of our day-to-day lives: housework, morning routine, paperwork, exertise, etc. For example, we have developed a list of "10-minute tasks" (i.e. throw in a load of laundry, empty waste baskets, cut up fruit) which, when implemented, will reduce the big chunks of work that we usually do on the weekends. Lily has changed her morning routine to layout her book bag and outerwear before she sits in to eat (and read!). One of Tom's most effective simplification techniques is to relax and read his papers/iPad in the morning before breakfast. And Louise, who never deletes emails, has completely cleared out her inbox, either deleting or filing the thousands of emails which have collected there over the past few years. Earlier bedtimes are also helping improve our outlooks and reduce the stress.
Even already, in early January, we are seeing results. The pace is less hectic and we find ourselves snuggling up more and racing around less.
And, you know what, we love it!!
2010: Live Passionately
To live each day with Lily’s enthusiasm, excitement, faith, wonder and awe.
This year is off to an awesome start! We are all engaged in fun and healthy activities. Tom and Louise each work out three times a week; Lily has taken to gymnastics like a duck to water, and skates and swims weekly as well. She is now enthusiastically reading chapter books and is fiddling with flair. Tom is in the midst of building Lily a four-poster bed and is also trying his hand (or green thumb) at growing orchids. He has also joined “Breaking the Silence,” a group dedicated to native justice in Guatemala. Louise’s goal is to do five very different creative projects this year: 1) drawing lessons at Confederation Centre [in progress]; 2) jewellry making [first necklace competed]; 3) upholstering a keyboard stool; 4) building a “flash cube” coffee table; and 5) creating a mosaic using beach glass. We are intent on grabbing and running with opportunities, including a last-minute trip to Dominican Republic.
2009: Friendships
To connect with new friends and reconnect with old friends.
This theme was very enjoyable and successful in that our travels enabled one or more of us to spend time with far and dear friends and relatives: Marion Carr in Summerside; Linda, Michelle and Marisol in Toronto; Don and Susan in Winnipeg; the Hoff family in Virginia Beach; and the Bent family in Cochrane, Alberta. We also made new friends through school, work, fitness and volunteer activities.
2008: Expand our Cultural Horizons
To learn more about the world around us, considering our global brothers and sisters as neighbours.
This theme actually began to take shape when Lily, then four years old, asked: “When I grow up, can I travel around the world and see how people live in their own countries.” For us, the latter half of this question – see how people live in their own countries – showed an interest in the global family which we felt we needed to nurture for Lily and for us. In addition to seeking out and attending many multicultural events, we became involved with the Newcomers to PEI Association, becoming friends with the Cardona family from Colombia. We also began a process whereby Lily would, every two months or so, be blindfolded and point to a place on the world map. She would then Google that country and make a publication highlighting geographical facts and interesting tidbits about the lives of kids in that country, including the games they played. For each country, we then tried a recipe.
2007: A Year of Discovery
To open the doors to new interests, passions and pastimes by trying new “things.”
During this year, in addition to our focus on wellness and enjoying our healthier new lifestyle, we opened our minds, with a vengeance, to new and exciting things. Miss Lily, tried (and succeeded at) a gazillion new things: creative movement, snorkelling, swimming, biking, and doing the “Stations of the Cross” (Mom, I call it “the Way.”) to name just a few. Lily also developed a “lifelong” passion for “Canadian soldiers” when she donated a bin full of teddy bears for a local Reservist, MJ Murphy, to take to Afghanistan to distribute to kids. Tom realized a long-time dream of attending an Anthony Robbins personal growth seminar entitled “Unleash the Power Within,” where he walked over hot coals to start things off! Louise started a “creative group” of women friends, which ran throughout the year, and enrolled in and completed a correspondence course in Interior Redesign, completely redesigning our guest room as the final project.
2006: Mind, Body and Spiritual Wellness
To develop our mental, spiritual and physical attributes to their fullest potential – leading to years of wellbeing.
Throughout the year, we focused on wellness at all levels, sparking a combined (for the two who are going to turn 50) weight loss of more than 100 lbs. and greater peace of mind. With a part-time work schedule, Louise was able to enjoy dedicated Mommy-Lily days, and as a family, we engaged in many physical activities together.