Events

We have some exciting things in the works!

Follow me on Instagram @lisahsamuel to be the first to know about upcoming events.

When we sit down for dinner at night, we say gratefuls. But I know a lot of people give a high/low for the day—recognizing the great and the not so great parts of the day. It seems like a good formula for vacation reflections—there are always ups and downs, even if you’re not traveling with a little one.
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The best part of our vacation to San Diego—Theo’s unbridled joy at playing with his Uncle Oren, snuggling with Nicole and Hannah, standing fearless against the waves, rolling unabashedly in the sand, wanting to do all the rides at Legoland with Elie, asking a million questions at the zoo, and getting to stay up late with us every night, breaking all the routines. So good, all of it.
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The tough parts—trying to practice patience with a three-year-old learning to assert his own will. Phew. At one point, before the plane ride home, I found myself losing a battle in the airport bathroom. Theo looked at me, stomped his feet and yelled, “I’m mad!”
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I stomped my feet back and yelled, “I’m mad!” And then we both started laughing. I’d like to say it ended there, but it didn’t. It got worse before it got better, but before we got on the plane, there were deep breaths and snuggles and I love you’s.
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I’m trying to learn better how to pick my battles, when to hold my ground and when to back down. I don’t always choose well. But the bright light in that story is that we’re raising a young man who feels safe and comfortable expressing his feelings. And that’s a good thing.
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I share this just to say that what you see on Instagram is only a small piece of the whole story. I don’t share the difficult moments, because the last thing I would do when Theo is crying is pull out my phone. I’m present and I try to be patient, even when I fail. I know you know this, but it’s worth reminding. It’s so easy to compare our lives to what we see on our screens. But we all have ups and downs.
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This vacation, definitely more joy than strife. And if you haven’t seen the video of Theo rolling in the sand and singing, take a look at my saved highlights from San Diego. I guarantee it will make you smile.