Seasons

When people say "they grow up so fast" I hope to think to myself, 'nope, I was there for every day, hour, even minute of it. the timing seemed just about right.'

I've felt this way with all of my infants - actually that they can't grow up fast enough. More importantly though, I think I can genuinely say that I have tried to enjoy each stage for what it was - even the infant stage that I didn't care very much for. With Gentry especially I've tried to hold her more or longer or just relish in her stages. I never want to look back and think sadly that 'they grow up so fast and I wasn't there for nearly enough of it.'

Another advantage of having all four kids close together is that I really am here for every minute of it. Sometimes this is frustrating but I genuinely feel like I am getting my fill of their childhoods - at least I hope so.

I remember reading an article by a mom who talked about being in your child's stages and then moving on to the next. She wrote about how it was like seasons - we always seem to get our fill of a season, excitedly welcome the next one, and on and on. (I especially do this - every season seems just two weeks too long but it makes you appreciate the next season that comes along. A couple months ago I was relishing in the fall season and now I can't wait for Spring!) As she put it, if you just enjoy the season you're in, then the following season comes naturally. Once elementary school years were finished, the chapter was closed and her and her child welcomed middle school. Again, I hope having several children close in age helps me to really live fully within their seasons and then welcome the next. What is challenging is having multiple children all going through different stages. I'll never have to say that I wish I had been around more for so and so, or as much as I was with the [first] or [last] one. This is my season - four kids, all in my home, all under my influence (almost solely) and all dependant on me.

Of course I know there will be times when I see old pictures or videos of when they were younger and miss that. This is to remind me that I lived that life to the fullest (as is possible) and my kids had me for all of those moments.