Day 6 - Maybe, just maybe it is all the best time of your life....

Today's picture is a random picture that I took because I was staring out a window when I noticed I could see four trees.  So I snapped a picture of it.

DPP2018 Day 6 - Four Trees.

I wanted to take just a minute to respond to a blog post that I saw on Facebook today.  To be fair, I only read the headline but it instantly made me feel stressed, worried, and like life was passing me by.  I don't remember the exact title but it was in essence that the child rearing years are the best years of your life.  I take exception with that.  Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am a believer in drinking in the moments, recognizing the moments of beauty and calm in the ugly and chaotic.  I am not a believer that these years of my life will be the only moments worth drinking in.  We tell high school students that college will be the best years of their life. . .how depressing is that?   In four years - your life is ALL DOWN HILL!  Not a chance!  Is it an amazing time of life, absolutely.  But like every phase, it has advantages and disadvantages.  That is just the same for the many stages of raising kiddos.  There are so many wonderful things that I miss about the baby stage.  Baby snuggles when they are all scrunched up with their knees tucked under them, the smell of a post bath baby, rocking and soothing a baby until their eyelids get heavier and heavier.  But you know what I don't miss?  The stuff.  So.  Much.  Stuff.  Packing three bags to spend the afternoon with a friend.  Packing three cars for an overnight trip.   The sleep.  So LITTLE sleep.  Some nights were so disrupted I can remember rocking the baby and crying because I knew I had to function the next day with around 40 minutes of sleep for the night.  And diapers.  Enough said.   So for this phase of life, I love the kids all being old enough that we really engage as a family.  We play games, do activities, and travel easily.  I love that the kiddos dress themselves, can play independently, but still need mom and dad once in awhile.  I love watching them do the things they love.  Entering the world and finding their way.  I love watching their personalities developing and the glimpses of the people they are becoming.  But there is a chaotic frenzy that accompanies most days and a constant battle for space and reflection.  There is bickering and ugliness amongst siblings.  And there are life lessons - big life lessons that need intention to make sure those learning opportunities are not missed.  This takes vigilence, determination, and care. And the worry if you are striking the right balance with boundaries and permissiveness.  Enough freedom to learn and grow but not so much to invite danger or problems.  And when the child rearing phase is done, I am sure that I will miss so much of it.  I am sure there will be memories that make my heart ache.  But the train doesn't stop there.  The next phase will allow a return of time for Rich and me, traveling, date nights, seeing movies, pursuing passions and maybe someday, grandchildren.  Those will all have best time of your life memories too.  I refuse to believe that there is any phase that could end and all the best is behind me.  There are advantages and disadvantages to every age and stage of life.   Life only passes us by when we spend so much time looking at what was or what will be that we for get to to drink in what is.  

So drinking in today meant, putting my work life on hold to take care of a different sick kiddo.   This created problems in responsibilities that I had at work.  Like Murphy's law - these things always seem to land on days when there is something you can't miss.  I didn't have any choice but to miss it.  My coworkers made adjustments with kindness and without escalating my already guilty conscience.  

Speaking of a guilty conscience,  Lil b was sick this morning, looked terrible, felt like he was going to throw up.  He slept most of the morning and then started to slowly perk up.  By 3pm, he was bored out of his mind.  In the morning, I had told him that I had an important event at work and I needed him to only asked to stay home if he really needed it.  At bed time tonight, he tearfully asked me if I was going to get fired.  He assured me he felt terrible in the morning but recognized his improvement.  So often I don't realize the impact of my words and the imprint the little ones carry.  It felt like a good time to remind him that he is and will always be more important than work.  Ugh - still feel terribly that he was carrying that around.  

We have groceries again so we had a delicious homecooked meal of chili and blueberry muffins (because Cinnamon Rolls are a big project) and then it was off to swimming.   I took this quick picture because it was both kiddos getting their lessons!   Normally Lil b would have been there too but he stayed home to get to bed early.  

Swimming was so funny for me to watch today.  The teacher kept yelling out B's name, correcting his kick, he would nod, try again, and it would be exactly the same.  By the end, everyone was giggling especially B.  Perhaps B is slowly entering the stage where you think your body is doing something but it turns out you have very little control.   We've all been there buddy.....

Now, it is time for sleeping.  As I fall asleep, I think I will spend some more time thinking about why right now is the best time of my life and how I want to live my life to make sure it is always the best time of my life.