The Art of Sitting s...t...i...l...l

What do you do when you have a spare moment? I mean, exactly one or two moments. I tend to immediately grab my phone and check for a new text message. If my phone isn't handy, I focus on pushing my cuticles down.

I was helping my son with homework the other day when he stood up to get something from another room. He asked me to wait, so I remained seated. My instinct was to hop up and find something to occupy my hands, even for those 45 seconds, because they shouldn't be wasted. But I didn't. I paused, stilled my hands, and looked out the window. One moment of repose. It was lovely. My mind was clear when my son returned and we were able to resume his homework. That started me thinking...why I am so uncomfortable sitting still?

It's not just me. Look around next time you are in public. Do you see anyone just sitting? My personal theory is that to be completely still is to appear unimportant or lazy. We place a great premium these days on being productive, efficient, and in high-demand.

I have decided to start a counter-movement: who can be the most relaxed, unattached, and idle? Take a moment and just...

be.

Disney trip 2011

Christmas Greetings 2011

Croskeys love to bicker, make fun of each other, and engage in family wrestling matches. But, we end every day with a prayer and “I love you.” That has to count for something, right?

Helping our family remain financially afloat, Shawn continues to work at Polk County Mental Health and LDS Family Services. He is seeking to heal the world, one person at a time. He will soon move to the West Salem office and be close enough to visit home for lunch. Hooray!

Running the kids all over town is something we do a lot! Anna takes Ballet and piano lessons. Leon takes Hip Hop and attends Cub Scout. The kids are always prepared, on time, and cheerful about each activity!

I take the money for all those activities out of their college/used car/travel/clothing/food fund.

Scampering around the house, making messes, and repeating everything we say is the specialty of little Christian. He is 21 months old!

Tearing down the sidewalks of West Salem at breakneck speeds has become a recent hobby of mine. I participated in a relay and sprint triathlon earlier this year.

Making the bed is first battle that Anna and I engage in and the ball rolls from there. Anna is a careful student, artful negotiator, and comical performance artist around our house.

Always looking to be helpful, Leon is gaining maturity right before our very eyes. We depend on him for a lot of help. His mouth is very mature, so sometimes he gets in trouble for sassiness.

Some really lucky (and broke) adults in our house got to spend a week in Hawaii this past October. We quickly realized why it’s such a popular destination. Thanks Alice for keeping the kids!



This year and every year, our family has been incredibly blessed by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We find joy and peace in His teachings, and we try to spread his love to everyone around us. Thank you for being part of our lives!

Love, the Croskey family

Did this really happen???

So much has occurred in three weeks since we've been home, that it's hard to believe we ever went to Hawaii. But, we did! Here's the proof...