The ancestor book

If you are a parent, you must, absolutely must, check out this blog entry from Shawni Eyre Pothier at 71toes today,

I am inspired.

Shawni writes about and includes photographs from her father's old notebook.  There are stories about their ancestors, where their last name came from.  There are lists and goals by year and season.  There are common threads that appear year after year.  Now that is parenting with a purpose, with a vision.  No wonder her father and mother wrote so many successful parenting books.  The thoughts and ideas in this notebook flow so naturally I felt like I could see them bursting from his mind every step of the day.

I want to parent with more purpose.

I am an idea person, but I have trouble with follow-through.  I start things with much gusto, but peter our quickly before getting to the end.  I get things nearly done or good enough and then move on to something new.  I know this thread runs through my parenting days also, and I want to lick the bad habit.  I wish I could get my hands on a copy of that ancestor book, to be inspired by the different things on each page.  I have a feeling, however, if I gave myself to more quiet reflection and journaling then perhaps I might access those creative and purposeful ideas in my own mind.

Nevertheless, I am inspired to start my own ancestor book.