-plain ole' journal- write when you want to. You can write daily or weekly, whichever your heart and schedule permits. I recommend this for the ones of you that would like to spark a desire for personal writing time or just have so much going on in your life that you need to write to remember.
-writings for the children- When Olivia was a few months old, I decided to start a book that would be written to her. I sometimes write once a week and sometimes once a month. I tell her what she is like at a certain age and special things that a mother may tell her daughter. I also write current event things that I or daddy have strong opinions or Biblical direction about. I have hopes that one day, as an adult, she may keep these writings and cherish them.
-prayer book- I long to do this. In fact, I have a book I may set aside to start this week. Write down ways God has been there for your family. Prayers and answers. A legacy journal, of sorts. This will be something that a family would potentially vow to always keep adding to. What a wonderful way, during difficult seasons, to go back and read the ways God has provided for me personally.
-child artwork- This was already included in some past posts, but use your child's artwork for wall art in your home. There are some pretty cool frames out there to get as creative as you please...
-video DVD- Yes, the old home-movie! Now, you can get so creative with a DVD, adding chapters, music, still pictures and messages. We did this for Olivia's first year and a half. We gave copies to our parents as gifts. I have begun doing this again, recording snippets of fun times. Maybe for us, I am thinking every few years we can make another DVD. (Mother and Father's Day gifts...hint;)
-scripture memory folder-I have done this for Olivia and the girls I keep, although they are too young to care. One day, as they begin to read the Bible, some of these verses they have memorized may come running to the fronts of their brains when they look back through the flip folder. I have found that I am using this for myself!
Last thing...
-health record- I have kept track of checkups, shots, how she reacted, different tidbits, and major sicknesses in a little notebook. This may seem silly, but when she was having ear problems, I was able to quickly thumb through this notebook and see which antibiotic she had last time to tell the doctor when he asked. I put all the doctor stickers about growth in this book also. I am a creature of forgetting, so this may come in handy as she grows and I forget when she had what.
This is TOTALLY not to overwhelm you. Please don't go out and buy 6 notebooks to try to keep up with...in your free time, right??!!
The purpose I am serving here is to encourage you to keep track of whatever is important to your family. It is never too late to begin. It may be sports games the kids play, a special involvement like swimming class or piano, a relationship with an elderly grandparent... These small tokens may hold a very special place in your little one's heart someday!
