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Love Always: Family Connections

By Jenny Steadman May 16, 2014
Summer is coming and for many of us, the chaos of scheduling is even worse than during the school year. 

Last weekend, we took our first camping trip of the season. We got our camper out of storage, loaded up the winter coats, the rain coats and our shorts (thank you, Cleveland spring!). As soon as we pulled into our campsite and unhitched, time seemed to come to a stop. Almost immediately, the hustle and bustle of home disappeared. Phones get set aside, no one asks for the tv, there isn't one thought of laundry or house duties. We are just... together. 

When we step out of everyday life, we are making more family connections than any other time during the rest of the year. I urge you, as school winds down and the summer schedules are getting packed, take a second to schedule family time away from the business of the day. Maybe it is a walk around the block or a picnic in the park. Go on a nature hike or head to a farm to pick fruits, and put those phones aside. I'm not telling you to turn them off or leave them at home. We all like to be connected and take pictures! But, don't take it out of your pocket unless you truly need it in the moment. Whoever is looking for you can wait an hour, or even just 30 minutes!

Whatever it is, enjoy each other. You will be amazed, when you aren't worried about what's going on with the rest of the world, how much is going on within just your family. It is an amazing feeling! Enjoy it!