Slow Down!

When you're young, your age is everything to you.  "I'm 5!" my son proclaims.  My daughter counted down to turning 10 because she was getting her ears pierced.  Kids are OBSESSED with their ages.  Every age seems to bring a milestone.  Celebrating your half birthday is a big deal.  Time was on your side.

When you get to high school, you love it (well, most of us did) but you can't wait to get to the next step.  I know I did.  I had the most amazing high school experience, but was also very excited for "the future" to get here:  college, travel, LIFE.  

That mindset continued in college.  My college years were some of the best of my life.  But again, I was thrilled to be thinking of the future:  graduate school, more travel (including Europe), a career.  

I met my husband when I was 29.  We knew we wanted to get married quickly after we started dating.  Our courtship couldn't happen quickly enough.  I was having fun planning our wedding (and ended up starting a business because of it!), but I had my eye on the prize...the wedding!  

Starting a family came easily and naturally for myself and my husband.  My pregnancies were, for the most part, uncomplicated, a joyous time.  I suppose I did get antsy toward the end of each to meet our children face to face.  

And now all 3 of them are here....and I couldn't possibly want time to slow down more than right in this moment.  In fact, I want to freeze time often.  They wake up, looking more grown up or taller than the day before.  They are smarter as each day goes by.  They amaze me everyday.  

When I am having one of "those days" with my children and I want to run out the door screaming, I am trying to appreciate these moments, too.  I know one day, when the house is eerily quiet with no little people running around, I will miss it.  

I am trying not to dwell on this.  I am trying to take in every hug, kiss, walk on the beach, soccer game, dance party, pizza night, family vacation and dance recital and savor those moments.  And I know when they grow up, they will still be my babies.  

But there is something about that love of imagination and reckless abandon they possess as children that does seem to escape us as adults.  I am determined to keep that alive for them.