Winds of Change

Today, my youngest son began high school.  Last week, my oldest began college.  I feel like there's not much use for me as a stay at home mom at this point, but I absolutely love being here for those rare moments when they open up to me, we share a snack or a laugh.  Time is slipping away and before I know it, my babies will be headed out the door to start families of their own.

I stopped myself today right before I told them to take their nonsense upstairs.  They just successfully completed what I would classify as the 'Loudest High Five on Earth' (by the way, don't EVER high five either of my kids…they will break your arm, or at least leave your hand stinging for a good 30 minutes).  So there they were: laughing and joking.  They were being brothers and my first instinct was to chase them away.  Why on Earth would I do that?  Why would I miss the opportunity to share in their laughter and hijinks?  Because I love the quiet.

I'm making an effort to enjoy the laughter, the noise and the craziness.  I want to embrace the fact that dinner is a few minutes late or the laundry's not being folded.  I want to relish every moment I can with these two so that in twenty years, I know we had good times together.  I want to make sure the financial sacrifice of me spending another year out of the classroom was worth it. 

That being said, Dave was forty minutes late getting in from work today so dinner wasn't late and the clothes were folded--the first load anyway. 

So here is my challenge to you: take the time. Take the time to be present with your babies.  Put away the phone.  Turn off the TV.  Let dinner sit half cooked for a while.  All of those things will be there when you get to them.  That precious moment with your family might not be.