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"I recommend to you to take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves."
~ Philip Dormer Stanhope
I was at a friend's house one day and watched her say goodbye to her two kids. She kissed them and her parting words were, “Go with God.” I was curious about what it meant, so I asked her. She said when her oldest child was in Kindergarten, the teacher suggested using a special phrase to say goodbye to your kids. Kind of like a benediction in church, a blessing to help part ways. My friend chose her words to reflect their religion, and I decided to do the same.
I remembered the word “mizpah” and chose to use it as our special family word. It's not our code word, which is the word that experts say to pick for times such as when a stranger approaches. Mizpah is our family benediction, a family blessing that we give each other when we say goodbye. It turns out that was the same word inscribed in my great-grandmother's wedding ring, and I've inscribed it in my husband's wedding ring. I also have a necklace inscribed with mizpah in English and Hebrew, and its Biblical meaning.
No, I'm not Jewish and I don't know much Hebrew! But mizpah is a Hebrew word from the Bible that means “watchtower.” It comes from the first book of the Bible, Genesis 31:49, when Jacob and his uncle Laban parted ways saying “Mizpah.” The Bible verse says “The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another.” That's the literal translation of the word mizpah. I think it's a fitting word to say, kind of its own short prayer asking for safety and guidance for my loved ones. I say it to my kids and my husband, and they say it back to me. It helps us feel connected and gives us a special family word to say to each other, that no one else ever says to us. I love the tradition, and I'm glad I started it.
You could start this tradition with your family too. Maybe you have tweens who are too embarrassed to say “I love you” when you're dropping them off at school in front of their friends. You could have a code like “1-4-3,” which is the number of letters in each word of “I love you.” Or you could say something like “Peace” or “Godspeed” to connect your family spiritually. Find a special word to say to your kids or your spouse, so they can know you love them all the time!
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'Enjoy' Expert, Elizabeth Koziatek is defined by a number of things. She is a wife to Dan, and has been for 12 amazing years. She is a self-proclaimed GRIT (Girl Raised In The South). 
She is a graduate of the University of Missouri (Go Mizzou!). She has worked in television, in ministry, and even in the insurance industry. She is now sharing her creative joy with ExtraordinaryMommy.com by giving you new ways to “ENJOY” time with your children.
Despite all the titles above, the thing that most defines Elizabeth is her job as a mom. She is a mother to two beautiful children – Katie is 5 and Jackson is 1. Elizabeth worked outside the home for Katie's first two years and then decided to stay home. Her proudest moments in life have come in the past few years as she has tackled a number of things she never thought she'd be able to do: she survived her first year as a mommy, she managed to nurse both children, and has handled the loss of family members with more grace than she thought possible.
Elizabeth says her favorite thing about being a mommy is the chance it gives her to see the world with new eyes again…it's an opportunity to act like a kid and revel in her children's accomplishments – whether she is watching Katie as she learns to write or the seeing the joy of Jackson's “So Big!”.
This mother of two has found new and amazing ways to be creative with her children. Sometimes she is making toys for them. Sometimes she is creating new games to nurture their learning process. We are excited to share Elizabeth 's creativity with you.
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