This IS Life

We are extraordinarily busy right now.  When all the kids were littler and I felt overwhelmed, my friends with older kids would sometimes tell me, "just wait, it's worse when they get older." (Because they were encouraging like that - lol!)

I didn't believe them, not because I thought they were liars, but because I couldn't comprehend being any busier than I was at the moment.  I figured they just didn't remember what it was like when their kids were young and all they did was change diapers, feed babies and clean up mess after mess after mess.

Turns out, they did remember, and they were right.

The busyness is different, but it is BUSY.  Keeping track of our schedules and coordinating who needs to be where and when is a task of great proportions.  I couldn't do it without my husband and car pool friends.  Even with that, we often collapse on the couch at night barely believing we're getting up in a few short hours to do it all over again.

Friday, I was picking McKinley up early from school to take her to a doctor's appointment and lamenting the fact that I wasn't going to get my usual Friday tasks accomplished because of several appointments I had crammed into that day weeks before.  I signed her out and she hopped in the car and immediately starting telling me about some middle school girl drama. My brain was exhausted and I could barely fathom listening to her list of complaints, my knee jerk reaction was to tune her out and throw in the cursory "mmhmm" and "oh, that's awful" while not really paying attention.

Then, like a lightning bolt to my brain came this thought, "This IS life!  Don't wish it away!  That 12 year old sitting next to you with her middle school sized problems - she is growing and will one day soon be an adult and not need you nearly as much.  Tune in, Mom.  These are the days she will remember."

I did, and we had a great conversation.  I looked at all my kids differently that night - 3 of them had to be different places and so our Friday evening wasn't exactly relaxing, but I enjoyed my time in the car with each of them, and cherished our interaction.

Here is my early New Year's resolution:  I will do my best to enjoy each moment, no matter how hectic.  Life is a gift and I will treat it that way. :)