Happy holidays one and all!

I love this time of year! It fills me with love, hope, and gratitude!

I have so many things to be grateful for – family, friends, good health, that I get to have a business where I combine my two greatest passions in life – my love of my children and my love of travel.

I am grateful for a community of families like mine. It grounds me and gives my family and me a sense of belonging like nothing else ever has. Thank you for that.

I am fortunate to have walked this path and been able to meet and speak with so many of you.

You have shaped the way I see the world and I am eternally grateful for your love, kindness, and support.

And I am especially grateful for my two beautiful children, Jo Jo and Jac. We had some wonderful experiences this past year.

Jac and I spent two weeks in Guatemala exploring the country, making new friends and visiting old ones, meeting his foster family, having some huge adventures and taking Spanish lessons! It was a brilliant trip! He’s had a wonderful 8th grade year (thankfully) and has even joined the school musical this year! He will be the lead Lost Boy in the production of Peter Pan!

Jo Jo got a horse this past summer and she is her everything right now, other than her dog, Lucas, who is often her sidekick at the barn. The horse’s name is Lily, she will be a jumper and we are absolutely smitten. I am so proud of Jo Jo. She has grown into a beautiful young woman, a devoted rider and trainer, and she makes such good decisions about her life.

Actually, I am super proud of both my kids. They are beautiful human beings.

My kids are both teenagers now (almost 16 and 13) but as I reflect on my year, I am suddenly reminded of when they were young and as a part of our bedtime ritual they were told these Family Rules:

• You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.
• Treat other people the way you want them to treat you.
• I love you, no matter what.
• You are the boss of your own body.
• We do not keep secrets from each other.

I think of things like this as I reflect on my year because it seems my kids have actually internalized those old rules they used to hear nightly. They are kind, generous, empathetic and responsible young adults. My role in their lives has changed dramatically the past couple of years; I am the manager now vs. being the boss. And it’s lovely because they are lovely people.

I am a very lucky mom!

So as you reflect on your life this past year, don’t forget to hug your children a little tighter. Let the worries of the year fall away as you draw your family and friends closer.

Be reminded that what you do today and every day will be reflected in the eyes and actions of those whose lives you touch.

I am filled with love, hope, and gratitude!

Sending greetings of joy from my family to yours,

Bambi Wineland is the mother of two internationally adopted children, a traveler, a Certified Professional Coach, and the Founder and CEO of Motherland Travel. Motherland Travel began by designing Heritage Journeys for families with internationally adopted children. The emphasis of those Heritage Journeys has always been on deepening family connections, building self-esteem and cultivating pride in a family’s multi-cultural heritage. Motherland Travel also uses the philosophies of transformative Travel for designing family trips with purpose – building rich connections, with each other and the world! Read more about her here >> http://motherlandtravel.com/