Still waiting?

I am finding myself trying to catch my breath lately.  Schedules are full, changes are everywhere and life goes on...and on.  In this rare moment of silence in our home I started looking back at old blog posts and felt enormous gratitude that I made myself take the time to take notes, share pictures and memories that we can always cherish.  At the same moment; however, I felt a little sad that I had skipped so long in between.  It's just so fast.  Everyone tells you that when they are babies.  "Cherish every moment because it goes by before you know it".  I remember when they were little thinking all those people were crazy because my days seemed endless and exhausting.  I wish that I had understood the wisdom in slowing down.

That ship has sailed in our family as our children are all growing up.  We now have a 7 year old, an ALMOST 12 year old, a 13 year old and a 16 year old.  My boys are both working and the oldest is driving.  The combination of which is nauseating and thrilling at the same time.  We went from this:

To this:

I look at each of them and wonder where life will take them and want so badly to find some kind of manual override to slow it all down.  That is not, of course, what they want.  This young man is now a Junior in High School.  My baby is now a 2nd grader.  For those who have been through this phase I am sure that I would hear guidance that included something along the lines of "enjoy them" and "make it count"...at least that's what I would say to parents who still think the days are so long and exhausting.

Life here is still very much the same but oh so very different at the same time.  We are now in Summer mode again and changes are everywhere.  I plan to share those changes and do a better job at saving these moments.  You really can't get them back.