Five

February and March have been intense months for me and for my Renewal Team. We are definitely in start-up mode and there have been a lot of exciting and wonderful things happening around "The Mother's Guide" project--like our first Austin PRG Facilitator Training Retreat this weekend, wonderful coverage on our project from national press, camaraderie and mentoring from fellow authors, emails and interest from around the globe, inspiring, fun Self-Renewal Events and I could go on and on.

There have been periods where I yearned for the time to write and talk about things I was personally exploring through my work: following your intuition, deep trusting, balancing the masculine and feminine and the pros/cons of following a calling. But honestly, at this moment, what is most on my mind is my sweet, intense, highly inquisitive baby--now boy--who just turned five this month. As he crawls in bed with us in the morning, I keep looking at his long string bean body and wondering how my helpless infant who needed me so much, has turned into this incredible young person (with boundless energy) who I enjoy spending time with more than just about anyone else!

There is something about the five-year milestone. Maybe it's bigger deal when you only have one child because you really *feel* you have said goodbye forever to the baby years. Whatever it is, this birthday has really kind of stopped me in my tracks. Being an older mother, too, it signifies that I probably won't have another opportunity to care for a baby (at least not one I grew in my belly!).

At his family birthday party last Friday, each of my siblings (I have five) went around the room and shared one thing they love about Jonah. He was beaming. He just stood in the middle of the living room, soaking up all the attention and conversation around his first five years on the planet. Jonah and I have been talking a lot lately about "when he was a baby." What he ate. What our days were like. Who we played with. What he loved to do. This period went fast--really fast. It's a great example to me of why we really do want to live in and appreciate the present.

I am so grateful to be this kid's mom. He has brought me more gifts than I could have every imagined. And, he continues to be my teacher--mirroring all my *stuff* and reminding me how much more I have to work on.

Here's to five--I'm sure it will be an interesting, adventurous and emotion-filled year knowing my little guy.

P.S. Gotta share as it's so exciting--seven years ago next month, I was married at www.mercuryhall.com, an incredible 100-year old church on wooded acreage in south Austin (it's now a music/event venue). We just found out our Mother's Day
event/book launch on May 9th will be at the same place. (You can learn more about this really cool event featuring Sara Hickman, from our home page www.reneetrudeau.com.) Weird, right? What is it they say about seven year cycles?!