This just might be my new phrase to live and love by. It puts ‘parenting’ in one little bitty sentence that packs a real punch.
It was during our beautiful Mother’s Day mass yesterday that our priest used this quote….and since then, I have found myself thinking it over and over again.
As a mommy, I do find myself stuck in a ‘long day’ rut. We do many of the same things over and over again….get up, dress the kids, make breakfast, play with the kids, park time, errands, make lunch, naptime, play with the kids, clean the house, clean up the toys, make dinner…and in between all of that there is my work as a referee, expert ‘colorer’ and craft-maker, toy-fixer, laundry fiend, friend, wife, worker….
But when did my little girl learn to say ‘impressive’ in a sentence? And when did my little boy learn to pull his pants up by himself? Is it possible they are almost 4 and 2? Can he really count to 15? And hit a pop-up off a tee? Can she really do a sommersault with no hands? And kick a soccer ball? Is she really on a T-Ball team? And when did she learn to rhyme ‘dog’ and ‘fog’? When did he learn to say ‘too’ after “Mommy, I love you”? Did I really catch him WALKING up and down the stairs all by himself? Did she really keep my mother’s day present a secret? Seriously, she can keep a secret? Was it a mirage….or were they really sitting on the couch together…..her arm around him….his head on her shoulder as she read to him? She isn’t allowed to call me, “Mom” yet, is she? Isn’t there a minimum age requirement for that?
The minutes are too precious to miss. The days may sometimes seem long as they are happening, but, wow…I’m confident I will soon blink and they will be pre-teens….and then teenagers….and then adults. Whoa….sorry….my chest is tightening…need to take a deep breath.
OK…that’s better….focusing on the ‘now’. Right now, they are both napping. Right now, I have only a few more minutes before they awake and we play. Right now, they are still approaching their 4th and 2nd birthdays. Right now, I’m still Mommy to a couple of toddlers. Right now, they still giggle when I tickle them. Right now, they still want to be tucked into bed. Right now, I’m one of their favorite playmates. Right now, I’m lucky to have been given the gift of learning, “the days are long, but the years are short”.
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