5.19.2011

in the thick of it

Sometimes it is hard knowing I will look back at these moments with nostalgia. I can hear my future self saying "I hardly remember when they were that small"... These days of practically no personal space or freedom being just a blip of my life...
I question myself daily: Am I soaking it in enough? Did I listen to them enough today? Did I somehow record that amazing thing she/he did today? (no), Did I stop to really see them for who they are in this moment?

And so often a voice inside me says No. I am not soaking it in enough. Nothing I ever do will be enough to capture this sweet life.

But after a hard day at home today ~ (which started nicely, but then by the middle of the day if I were a cartoon I would have had a red hot thermometer head, and finished off with me accidentally dropping a whole quiche face-down on the kitchen floor) ~ I stood in the against the counter and the thought in my head wasn't I am not soaking it in enough, but that I am thoroughly drenched...


And from right here in the thick of it I am grateful.
(Photos of the kids sleeping are from the other night when Alex went out to see music and a lightning storm came through. Lili asked if she could sleep in our bed and if I would snuggle with her while she feel asleep.)

6 comments:

Erin said...

thanks for the reminder. I often feel as though I am in the thick of it these days. A woman saw me and my friend walking with our 4 kids (the same ages) and said, "oh i miss those days. Mine are now 10 and 13". I wondered did she remember how hard they were or am I taking it all for granted these young years. It's so hard this parenting stuff but we will get through it. Thanks for the sweet reminder. Hope your day is better tomorrow. Love you!

Liz said...

I like this post. Well said.

Linda said...

And Erin, if you ran into me ... I would say, "oh I miss those days so very much - mine are now 32 and 30 ..."

I'm still quite capable of spilling a quiche on the floor but what has changed is ~ I now lack the sweet opportunity of the nightly "tucking-in & snuggling" ritual of little loved ones. And navigating the hard moments.

It does pass so fleetingly. Savor it. All of it. Life❤

Mandy said...

...and how!

katypark said...

it is true indeed...what a sweet mess it can be and is:)

chris said...

you sound like such a good mother...