It takes a village to raise a child...

This past weekend I had another beautiful baby shower filled with amazing people. The love that awaits my little munchkin is mind blowing. I was raised with many loving people in my life and it is a tradition and a gift that I want to pass on to my son. One of my favorite sayings is that "it takes a village to raise a child". I have been blessed to have had many smart, caring and generous people influence my life. I can only imagine the wonderful world of beautiful souls that A.J will soon be encountering.

One of the things that Justin and I continually talk about is our faith. We tend to lean more to the spiritual path, than that of a religious perspective. We believe in a higher power and that there is a plan for everyone. Now that we are going to be responsible for a little soul, we have decided to clarify our values and beliefs. Until we come across a defined belief system to which we can identify and follow, we feel it is important to teach, love and equality above all things.

I was brought up knowing that everyone is equal, not one person is better than the next. I have learned not to give my life meaning by demeaning others. Justin and I really want our son to grow up knowing many religions and perspectives on life, and though he may not agree with them he must respect them. Respect for people's opinions and beliefs have been something that many of us have struggled with but for me it's because I sometimes change the word respect to accept and there is where my struggle lies. I just have to remind myself that respect does not mean to accept and then I can disarm my defense system.

Honesty is another thing that I value. I'm a stickler for staying true to my word. I want my son to treat the words that he expresses with thought and power. Obviously this will come later in life, but can you imagine if people stopped for a moment before they spoke to rehearse their thoughts and responses? Of course it would make a casual discourse last longer but it would be more productive and clearer to all parties involved.     

There are so many thing we can't wait to teach him. There are so many things that he will have to learn for himself. I just can't wait to have my little buddy call me mommy. That will be one of many thrilling days awaiting us.