Put down the phone and step away.......

We had a very lazy weekend partly because it was so stinkin' cold outside and partly because all of us were under the weather....me especially. Andy has been lucky enough to have Friday's off the past few weeks and that has been very nice to have the extra time with him. But one thing stood out from our lazy weekend......

On Friday night we were all laying in bed watching TV snuggling together and my phone went off. A text or Facebook notification or something. I immediately turned over to check it without a second thought. After a few minutes of responding I turned back over to resume my position and continued to snuggle my little man, when something he said struck me like a bolt of lightening.

"Mommy you stay on your phone all the time." One simple eight word sentence that he said so matter a fact not missing a beat and continuing to play with his toys. 

Andy laughed and couldn't resist the urge to respond: "Yep. You do."

For a second I thought, "Wow this must be gang up on Mom night", when suddenly another simple three word sentence came from our sweet little freckled face boy, "You too, Daddy."

We both didn't say a word for a bit. Kids are always to be counted on when you need to really see the facts. They speak such truth because at this age it's all they know. We all get in a routine and we stop even realizing what we are doing. To so many of us our phones become an extension of us. They become a lifeline, so much a part of our day that we don't even stop to think about how much time we are spending staring at that little screen. 

Hensley brought this reality to me and it really was just like flipping a light switch. I turned it off. I started thinking that night about the reasons why I slide my finger across that screen multiple times a day. What would I do once I had it in my hands. Check Facebook. Check Instagram. Read a few blogs. Check my email. But what was on there that made a difference in my life. What would be missed if I wasn't checking. NOTHING. In fact in days since making the change there has been more, so much more in my life. I have seen little moments that would have other wised been missed. Actually listened every single time my son has spoke. I have caught him making up little characters when playing and hearing how he repeats movie lines over and over again and I have seen that smile so many more times a day and that, in itself is worth putting it down. 

I didnt't realize the extent of the time I was spending away from my son. I was always home with him but I wasn't always WITH him. I checked out several times a day without even realizing it. Social media is fun, its entertaining, and its informative at times but my joy comes from my family. From my son. From my friends who are in my daily life. My faith. Our adventures. 

My one little word this year, as you know, is JOY. And in my son's truthful observations I found one of the biggest things that was hindering my JOY. I have been so much happier this past week without the constant little glowing screen. 

So put down the phone, close the laptop. Check out on all that doesn't matter and check back in to what's important. You won't regret it, not for a second. Weekends here are phone free now and much more enjoyable. Phone time is reserved for a few minutes after Hensley's in bed and in all truth I have found myself not even wanting to log on once he is sleeping. It had become a chore to me. Something I felt I had to do. Had to log on. Had to see what everyone was up to. Had to see the latest of the news and gossip. That chore is now eliminated from my day. 

One more part of this journey to JOY this year. :)