Life.
Good morning my beautiful people.
Life: the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death. This was the definition given via google search, but is not the “life” we will be chatting about in todays newsletter. No, today you will be given a bit more insight into my life, as a father of 10 children. More specifically a brief overview (because no ones wants to read a 40 page memoir as I recant every detail from my previous week) dedicated to the activities and occurrences within the last week. Lets start with a little more background. I am 35 and for the past 2+ years I have had the privilege of working from home. I have learned an immense amount over those 2 years even learning that I didn’t know what I thought I knew and that working from home and being ever so present in my families life isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I’m still learning, adapting, everyday changing to become a better father and husband. It has required much more patients and involvement on my part as well as on theirs. A balance between letting my walls come down so that I could have a more meaningful relationship with my family, and setting boundaries so that the whole dynamic my wife had set in place didn’t get thrown into a chaotic spiral. It is certainly a different world than what I have been subjected to over the course of my working career. I spent more time away at work and sleeping than I was able to be present because I was providing for our family. As men who work away from home, I know that no matter how hard you try, no matter how present you are in your families life, there is still that small voice saying that it isn’t enough, you didn’t give enough time and attention to the people you loved today. Just remember when those thoughts protrude, there has to be a balance, check yourself constantly to determine if those thoughts are true, if they are, work on changing them by implementing small meaningful actions each time the opportunity arises. One thought that has helped me gauge my engagement; even though you are home, are you being present, attentive? Recently, my wife's career has afforded me the ability to step back from my work and take on a more active role in managing household affairs and supporting our family's endeavors. Spending more time engaged with my family has allowed me to really get to know each of my children as their own individual person and meet them where they are, so I can help nurture and guide them into being the men and women they are meant to be.
Since we have changed pace a bit, I have taken on more of the household responsibilities. I cook the majority of meals, chase after our kiddos, and make sure chores and homework are being completed, among a whole host of other activities. I am not saying that I have all of the responsibility; my wife and I are more of a team now than we ever have been previously! With that being said, I love this work. I truly enjoy being able to be more present in the mundane everyday activities that have to be completed, no matter how dull, boring, or repetitive they may be. I am here in the lives of my children as well as still being able to support my wife.
This past week, we have spent our mornings at the kitchen table enjoying breakfast, and after breakfast, we have been studying the Bible together as a family. Right now, we are finishing up reading in Ephesians. Studying as a family and helping each of our children find and start their relationship with God is of utmost importance. God has blessed my wife and me with 10 amazing gifts, so it is our responsibility to raise them to His glory. After our morning Bible study, mom and I will step outside for a few minutes to talk about what work needs attention, while the kids will grab their books, papers, pens, and tablets to get started on their schoolwork. Their homework is pretty straightforward, but mom and I are around to help where they are having a hard time understanding.
After class, its normally time to start lunch. Several times this week we have made it to a couple different parks for some physical activity and picnic. We hiked over 5 miles as a family of 12!! Needless to say, everyone slept great that night. 😁 The kids did amazingly and loved getting out into the wilderness; saving caterpillars, spotting numerous deer, and we even had a bald eagle flying over our picnic location! I look forward to this becoming more normal. Without delving into much more detail, amidst all of the trampoline time woven in throughout the week (yes, I jump on the trampoline with our kids; we have two trampolines), the older boys and I went on an early morning hike/jog. It was great to get them out and spend some quality time navigating through the woods. Where we live, there are plenty of natural hiking spots and scenic overlooks to explore. I intend to continue our expeditions; it is a great way to engage with the older boys while also deepening our relationship even further.
This newsletter became a bit lengthier than I had intended, so I will end with this: the day is yours, and you won’t get this time back, so choose wisely how you divide your time and attention. It is more important than you may realize.
Chris
Some of our favorite content from the past week!
Remaking our most Viral Video Ever! Watch til the end! 🥰 Over 30 MILLION views on insta alone!
Running straight to your feed to remind you to have a great weekend! ❤️🥰🫶
Playstation 5 Giveaway!
My most favorite thing we are sharing this week is our PlayStation Giveaway! So don’t miss it!
Super Mom!!
I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to each of you for your incredible support so far. Your votes and encouragement have been amazing, and I'm truly honored to have made it this far. https://thesupermom.org/2024/amanda-sellers-2
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