Creating a Personalized Journal

Our family has recently undergone a major change in our family dynamic. My husband left two weeks ago for Texas (we live in Georgia). He had to go for work and will be gone at least 6-8 weeks without coming home. We had very little time to prepare for this change and we are all having a rough time adjusting.

Having never been apart before (we’ve been married almost 11 years), I had to come up with a way to “include” him in our day in a unique way. So, I decided to create a journal.

I bought a spiral bound blank book (scrapbook, really)…and this is what I decided to do:

Use one page per day and write the number of the day we’re on in a unique way.
Look through magazines, old scrapbooking remnants (random stickers, die cuts), and find words, phrases, pictures, etc. that inspire me for that moment.
Glue the words or pictures or even draw whatever is on my mind and let the kids draw/write if they are feeling like it.

Write simple parts of our day: what we had for dinner, what we did that day and so on..

What I love about this approach is the fact that our feelings are poured out on the pages through stickers and pictures but I leave most of the page blank for writing. I keep it out on the table and at any point of the day, if any of us miss Daddy, we can go over and journal–a word, a paragraph, a sticker–anything!

This idea can certainly be used for ANY journaling purposes. I think it’s great for older kids/teens to create one with magazine pictures, stickers, etc. that reflect their own personalities. That way EVERYTHING about the journal is a part of who they are. I think this style of journal would also make a great gift for anyone–especially a military family. Kids could make them for grandparents or friends. The possibilities are quite endless.

I have been quite surprised that I’d forgotten how much I loved journaling and also, how it’s really helping me (and the kids) get through each day without our special man. The best part is that when he gets home, he’ll be able to look back and feel as though he was a part of even the smallest details!

A Little Sample