At night Tom and I look at each other, exhausted, and talk about what we accomplished for the day. The list of things is small, but we both always look at each other and say, "but we had so much time with the kids and they had a great time too.". That is the most important for us. That house project will be there tomorrow, next weekend, and next month. The kids will not be this young the same amount of time. They will grow and want less time with us.
When I take the troops out to a store many people smile and us. A lot of times the elderly stop and want to know their ages and names and as we part ways the common phrase that is tenderly said to me (usually as a gentle, wrinkled hand is placed over mine), "these are the best days of your life. Enjoy them because they will be gone in a blink", or something close to that.
Most times I walk away with my heart swelled and a big smile glued to my face. I push the clan onto the next aisle. I lose myself in the beauty of all four of them and really believe what I was just told. The boys' blond spiky is stroked and the girls soft cheeks get a kiss. Then a hand quickly darts from the cart and swipes a row of products off the shelf or one sibling swats another. I snap back to reality and my referee jersey is tightened back into place.
Our weekends are about our four children and the six of us, together. Tom spends every moment he can involving the children in what he is doing. Projects are abandoned to play a game of soccer or read a book. That bathroom I didn't get to is lovingly done together, all six of us doing it together.
These days will be gone. Exploring toddlers will grow in to moody teenagers that do not want to be at our side. We are making memories that will forever be remembered and cherish by us.
We are Weekend Family Warriors, bring it on Summer for we shall drink in all the outdoor activities we can and do it as a family! We will fight off things that separate us and conquer all that brings us closer together!
1 comment:
That's how it should be Natalie! It's great to read a reminder about it. I seem to slide from one extreme to the other. Either my house is in total ruins because I want to devote time to my girls, or I'm the evil mother yelling and snapping because I need to clean and don't have time to play. Thanks for reminding me that they're only young once!
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