What images come to mind when you think of your childhood summers? For me, a few would be catching fireflies at dusk and keeping them in jars topped with foil, waving down the ice cream man to get an Astro pop (you remember the red, white and blue popsicle shaped like a rocket), and staying outside until 8:30 at night playing while the sun was still up. As parents, we have fond memories about the days of old when technology was not so prominent and schedules weren’t so busy. Although I’m sure there were plenty of summer days I would utter the words, “I’m bored,” looking back, I appreciate the simpler times and wish my kids could experience them. These days many of us struggle with how we are going to keep our children entertained during the school break, plus today’s kids don’t seem to be able to handle a little boredom quite as well as we did. Their days are filled with constant ways to be fed entertainment, mainly through television and other technology, and sometimes I feel it has stolen their ability to be creative and come up with interesting things to do. If we want our kids to experience a great summer, we may need to help them out a bit with some planning and this month’s issue has all you need to get started!

While Jason and I were in Moscow the last week of March a thought went through my mind several times a day...I love springtime in Alabama! I’m sure that fondness was emphasized by the fact that you all were enjoying sunshine and 75 degree temperatures here, while we were NOT enjoying the 20s with snow most days of our trip. There were plenty of bright spots during our week though, thanks to a little girl we’ve now legally adopted named Lydia Grace Watson! We spent five days driving to the orphanage to spend one to two hours each day with Grace. Between our first and second trips to Russia, she turned one year old and even started walking. We got to see more of her personality during this most recent trip, as we watched her explore the room like any curious child when they’ve learned to get around on their own. Most of all, we treasure the many hugs and smiles exchanged, while we bonded more closely in preparation to become a family.

Every year around this time, I start wondering what we are going to do to help our kids have a fun summer, while also keeping them busy...so we can have fun and keep busy, too! It seems like the older the kids are, the more crucial it becomes to help them stay active and engaged during summer months. Or at least that’s how I’m feeling especially about our teenager, Will. Since the teen years are often accompanied by a bit of laziness, I’m thinking I’d better get Will involved in some local camps and activities, or else I’ll find him sleeping until ten and then trying to play video games for most of the day after that. I can already visualize the battles that will ensue if this is how our summer pans out. Therefore, let the planning begin!

By looking at this month’s cover you may be able to tell that our February issue has a special focus...BABIES! We know many of you are new or expectant moms and have questions and concerns about caring for your little one. Or you may be a “veteran” mom who is expecting another baby and need updated information to help you through this time around. You’ll find plenty of help in our first ever Baby Issue!

For many people, the New Year signifies a fresh start to accomplishing goals we’ve had in mind for quite a while, but haven’t yet achieved. For others, it’s a time of reflection and evaluation, which might lead us to embark on a big, life change of some kind. Whichever category you fall under, CHANGE is the common idea behind New Year’s decisions, and really, making decisions in general.

Not only do I get to celebrate Thanksgiving and my birthday this month, I get to celebrate Thanksgiving on my birthday! And to top it all off, I’m celebrating a special birthday this year...it’s the big 4-0! I know some people dread seeing the higher digits, but I honestly don’t. I’ve got so much to be thankful for that I’ll take all the years God will give me.