The Years are Short

How did my 1st grader become a fifth grader??

I consider myself a slightly sentimental mother.  I strive to appreciate every different stage and reflect on every new memory.  I take tons of pictures hoping somehow the camera will freeze the days. However, rarely do I become truly sad and emotional.  Today was different! I realized I was watching the curtain close on Trevor's elementary school career.  After I dropped him off on his last elementary school field trip, I pulled out of the parking lot with tears in my eyes.  I knew today Trevs was taking his first step out of childhood and into adolescence.  The day I dreaded was upon me.

 It started out as such a fun early morning between the two of us.  We shared some silly boy jokes and watched Top 10 ESPN Sports Center.  I reminded him to take his medicine. We made sure one final time the long list of trip items were checked.  We packed deodorant for the first time ever and he was super pumped about that.  I drove him to the school and he let me take one picture in the van before he shot out of the van looking for his buddies.

As he walked across the parking lot I noticed he was trying to balance his IPad, water bottle, snack, pillow and blanket as they began dropping out of his arms!  I told him to turn around so I could organize it all for him.  I unzipped his backpack and helped him organize all of his important things.  I could tell he was a little embarrassed but it was necessary.  I knew this would be one of the last times I would ever be able to really assist him especially in front of his peers!.  He is no longer my little boy.  He is quickly becoming my little man.   As he hopped on the bus, I knew the little years were coming to a close.  They came fast like a freight train and I have enjoyed something wonderful in every single one of them.  It brought me back to what someone told me when my boys were very little.   "Remember the days can be long but the years are very short." I didn't really understand at that time how true that would become.  Enjoy those elementary school days Moms!  Try not to sweat the small stuff.  Savor the days.  One day you will be pulling out of a parking lot like me with tears rolling down your cheeks, wishing you could do it all over again maybe one more time!

Treasured Days

"Time has a beautiful way of showing what matters."

Each day is busy, messy and demanding when you are a mother.  Frustrations build up and the fighting can be maddening!  However, I received a beautiful reminder this week about the sacredness of time and how quickly the days wash onto shore.  The reminder came in the form of old videos replaying one of the happiest years of my life. The memories were discovered while doing a search for something entirely different.  I watched each video and smiled at the wonderful memories! I had three beautiful boys three years old and younger.  Yes, it was exhausting  but it was also magical!  I waited a very long time to be a mother. Finally, ten years into my marriage, I had three boys!

It was the year 2008 and everyday was beautiful.  I relished and thanked my God for every single second with these fellows!

One baby was born to me and the other two were in the final process of adoption.  They were mine all mine!  I cherished their every move and laughed at every funny thing they said.

As I watched those videos and remember being such a joyful mom, I felt convicted.  I knew I didn't appreciate my children like I once did.  The house is always messy, money is always tight, my thoughts are always jumbled. The laundry is never done, the to-do list is always long and the thank yous never come.   The boys are no longer chunky, squishy and cuddly and I don't get to dress them any way that I choose. (I miss that so much!!) The fights have gotten more physical and the competition between them has gotten fierce.  However,watching the old videos reminded me of the first moments that God  finally brought me to motherhood.   I cherished my boys even as they were still in diapers and completely dependent on me.  I couldn't get out of the house much because it was just too hard with three babies.  I didn't care!  I was so grateful to me a mother.  I knew heartfelt prayers had been so richly answered and I appreciated the moments.  Those feelings came back to me like a rush of love.  I want to get back to this!  I have been so richly blessed with these boys and they have brought me so much joy, so many memories and have enriched my soul. Those days were treasures but so is today as well as tomorrow!  Every second I will have with them is beautiful. The treasure of each day was always there, I just needed a reminder.

My answered prayers are getting so big!!