"Mommy-Alathea Date"

Once a week I plan into my schedule what has become a "Mommy-Alathea Date". Next to my date with Joe, it is my favorite time of the week. It birthed out of my own experiences growing up with my parents. My Daddy started taking me out on "Daddy-Daughter" dates before I was two. He would take my to "Montgomery Donuts" up the street and we'd eat donuts and drink choclate milk and I felt like the most special girl in the world. My Mom and I would have special mother-daughter time together every Friday morning. We'd sit in our sunroom early in the morning and talk about Everything! I can see how my parents stratigically used the one-on-one "dates" as we called them, to not only have fun and build special memories, but also to disciple me, to care for my heart and soul and to be more than an authority in my life, but also two of my best friends. They faithfully carried on this tradition with me and my siblings up until this very day (or for Mom, until the end of her life). I cherished every time my Mom and I had together and thank God for blessing me with a Mom who made this time a priority. I still look forward to getting time alone with my Dad (now he takes Alathea on special dates too :) They have changed from donut-dates to starbucks-dates (for all of you who know I love Starbucks...this is largely why), and they aren't every week, but now every visit, but I look forward to them the same!

That is why I started taking Alathea out on dates when she was 6 months old :) Kinda silly, but to me very important. It gives me time to really focus on her, making sure I am not caught up in the busyness of life and missing out on creating special memories with her. So I plan an afternoon each week for our special time together. I sometimes plan special things to do at home, but have found it hard to ignore the ringing phone or laundry that needs to be folded. I want this time to be focused on her. So lately we go to Starbucks and get me a chai and her a chocolate milk (she LOVES their chocalate milk. As soon as we walk in the store she runs to the counter and grabs one :). Then we go to the Davis Lake park across the street to play on the playground and then to feed the ducks in the lake. Its become a sweet ritual that I hope to keep up for life!