8 More Summers

Eight More Summers

My oldest daughter, Julia,  is now 10 years old...and it has me thinking...I only have a few more years with her before she is done with high school and possibly off to college or working full time.  I only have eight more summers.  

I don't mean to sound depressing.  I just mean to sound realistic.  Time is ticking.  "The days are long but the years are short."  That phrase doesn't really apply to my days anymore.  The days are fast, so fast, too fast.  That wasn't the case a mere 2 years ago...then, when I had a 1 year old, a 2 year old, and a 7 and 8 year old to occupy and teach and raise time went s o  s o  s l o w l y.  

Now, by the time I look up at the clock at work its 3:00 pm, we get home by 4:00 p.m.  Then there's dinner prep, homework, and Taekwondo and showers and next thing you know it's 8:00, John comes home and it's uniform check, books and bedtime.

It's amazing to me how we are given these treasures called children.  Some of them we carry inside of us, we give birth to them, we lose hours of sleep, we invest time, money, and sleep, did I mention sleep?  And then we watch them grow and flourish.  

They start crawling, walking, talking, and then our job gets harder as we try to protect every little fall with gates, bouncy toys, high chairs, pack and plays, I call that stage "keeping them alive" stage.

Then they start their school journey, whether it be homeschool, pre-school, public school or private school, they learn to read, they learn to add and subtract and they start to make friends.  We watch them grow, make choices, and have opinions.  I love the school stage.  Must be the educator in me.  I love teaching them to read.  

I love showing them a new place.  I love taking them on field trips.  I love reading about something and then experiencing it for the first time, like apple picking or the planetarium, or taking them to the library.  

The only part I don't like about the school stage is navigating through hurt feelings and cruel kids.

And my favorite part of being a Mom has always been summer time.  

The walks around the neighborhood.

Slip and slides in the back yard.

Visiting the zoo.

Luaus and ice pops with friends.

Cape May.

Bike rides.

Central park strolls and warm doughy pretzels.

And the beach.

And we only have 8 more summers.  How can that be?

I am thankful for all those women who told me...enjoy every minute because time flies.  So many women told me that raising kids comes in dips and waves and it goes so fast.  At first I didn't believe them.  I thought to myself, "This is taking forever!"  But now that my oldest is almost there I want to slow it down a little and I want to savor every bed time book she asks me to read.  

I want to go on more mommy/daughter dates.

I want to have sleep overs in her room. (The kind where we stay up and talk and giggle and then when she falls a sleep I go back to my bed.)

I want to take it slow and enjoy every minute.  

This morning I found myself letting Amelia put on make up in my bathroom as I got ready for work even though I was rushing and she was right under me, because I looked in the mirror and said soon she will be too big and busy for me.  But now she thinks I'm amazing and wants to spend every minute copying me.  

And I actually said to myself, "Lord, don't let me forget this moment."  This moment when I feel the tug of having to get ready for work but also appreciating the little moments with my kids that sometimes I find annoying now but will cherish later.

Lord willing, I have 8 more summers with Julia, nine more summers with Mark, fourteen more summers with Micah (Help!) and fifteen more summers with Amelia.

Whoa.

I feel... lucky :)