Family RTW Mission Statement

Just as organizations and businesses need a mission statement, families also need rules to live by.

This is even more important on the road.

Kids and adults need structure, something to remind us what our goals are as a family.

It’s true that “when the going gets tough the tough get going”, but we don’t want the tough to decide its time to get going home.

This is our first draft, months before our trip.

We sat down at dinner tonight and came up with these, they will probably change over time.

1. Pasquini Positive Perspective: (The 3 P’s)

This is a willingness to always look at the positive in a seemly negative situation at all times. Yes, we can complain and be upset about something, but we will always strive to get over it by practicing and searching for at least one positive view-point or outcome to the situation. (Stephen wanted to just say “No Complaining”. But who are we kidding? You can only fight against human nature; not ignore it completely especially with children. It is their God-given right to complain and find every little thing in the world that is unfair.)

2. We are a Team and are each others allies:

This is the mindset that we can do anything if we have each other and work together. We’ll have each others back and protect each other.

3. We will have empathy and compassion for others:

We will search to understand other cultures in a loving way and show kindness to each other.

4. If you make a mistake your Brain Grows:

This is my daughter’s favorite and is a new way of saying we learn from our mistakes. We will not be afraid of doing something wrong and we won’t shy away from something in fear of failure.

5. Let it go:

We will accept that some things are just the way things are and we have to let it go so we don’t carry around guilt, anger, resentment, or sadness. Forgiveness is a powerful tool and accepts the things we can’t change.

6. Cultural awareness:

We will enter countries and cultures armed with at least 10 words in their language (still figuring out which words)

1. Hello
2. Thank you
3. My name is
4. Sorry.

We will always be courteous and aware that we are visitors in their country and our norms may be different than theirs. This does not make it wrong or right as that is up to the society and culture to own for themselves. We will strive to understand and appreciate all differences.

The Immaculate Conception

It’s been over a year now since Stephen and I had a heart to heart about traveling around the world.

I cautiously agreed to it and in the last few weeks I’m wondering, “What was I thinking!”

He’s called me on it and now we’re in a frenzy of planning, dreaming and getting my head wrapped around it all.

At first I was upset.

I was happy with my life as is.

I was finally getting what a Mom was and setting down into the routine of school, friends, activities and finally accepting my identity as Mom. Really Now?

He wants to disrupt it and call me on that promise?

But, I have to trust this is why I fell in love with him over 15 years ago.

He pushes me in ways I would have never pushed myself and I’m a better person for it. Life is never boring!

I know ultimately if he’s not happy, how could I be happy? He needs this now in his life and as a family we will benefit from his dream.

I’m honored we’ll get to do this together as a family.

Making The Commitment

It’s been since Christmas since we’ve really committed and I’ve let go of many things.

I’m excited to let go of more. I’m slowly letting my fears of “what if’s” turn into “what possibilities” are there?

Letting go and dealing with loss is a process though and one not to just poo poo.

Morning the loss of a great school for both my children and the possibility of not being able to get back in; is huge!

I’m trusting and taking a leap of faith that this next year will off set these losses and new possibilities will emerge.

• I look around the house and can’t wait to empty and throw away the dreaded “junk draw”.
• I look at the kids’ toys and can’t wait to sell or give away those blocks, paints, puzzles, craft box that just might come out on a rainy day. (As it so happens we’re in a long drought).
• I look at the Tupperware draw and can’t wait to throw it all way and condense my life into a back pack.

But what does that mean with two small kids?

Do they get a backpacks too?

So many questions that we’ll only have to find out for ourselves and hopefully share with others along the way.

 A Child’s Perspective

I’ve watched my kids go through this with us.

Just this morning the fears and excitements crossed their faces in a matter of seconds.

Working together through their questions and grasping an answer was swift. It’s fun to see what their losses are and excitements of the future are. What about Cookie our cat? They were watching a travel show on Istanbul Turkey.

The hustle and bustle of the market made them both excited and scared all at ounce.

“What do we do if we get lost?!” my 6 yr old daughter screamed.

Wow, I never thought about that and what a great question to have a plan in place for.

What would we do? We quickly brain stormed some ideas and it was decided we’ll get bracelets with names/numbers on them and Lucca (my almost 4 yr old) said, “We could have a whistle and a travel hat!”. Ok, I’m down with the whistle but we’ll have to think about the “hat”.

The morning unraveled into a sibling fight, and then time out for Lucca.

Does this seem familiar?

Just when you’re having an amazing family moment one of your kids melts down. After the tantrum, time out and apologies given and accepted, we quickly continued our travel question/answer session over waffles.

We launched into a great discussion on the norms we wanted as a family while on the trip. First what is a norm?

Dad joined in and we could hardly contain ourselves. Exciting ideas flew back and forth on travel, blogs, web sites, rules to live by, where we wanted to go and things we wanted to do.

This is just the start of many family meetings and more exciting things come.