Stop

Life seems to have all of a sudden become very full. I'm finding that working a full time job takes up a whole lot of time! Arriving home by 5:00, dinner, spend an hour with the kids and then it's bedtime for them. Hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it? When I was home with them every single day I was wishing that I could go to work and be around adults. Now those days are long gone and the kids are both in school full time. How I long for those days again of spending so much time with them. Reading to them. Playing with them. Watching them learn and grow. Now someone else gets to do that. Their friends, their teachers and those that are around them 7 hours a day. I just get a snippet.

With the roles reversed in this season of life, I have experienced a glimpse of what Ed went through working full time to support our family for several years. Coming home and needing down time, but having to take off his work hat and put on his dad hat. How difficult that is with no transition time in between? Pretty hard. Did I understand that? Not a bit. I wanted him to take care of the kids the moment he stepped in the door. I needed a break too and didn't understand why he couldn't just come in and help the moment his body entered the house. But he remembers and sees when I walk in the door if I need to not wear any hat for just a few minutes.

The past is pretty dern clear when you look back at it. But the thing is, do you learn from it? Do you see how time flies and the busier you get the less you can give of yourself to those who need you the most.

Stop. Breathe. Enjoy those little people. Enjoy your spouse.

They will be off to school all day, every day before you know it.

Time will be screaming at you that you have lists and dishes and laundry and cleaning and carpool and practices and dinner and work to do.

Ignore it for a moment.

Stop.

Breathe.