Don't Blink

Sipping coffee in the stillness of a still sleeping house while listening to the backyard ladies start to wake, greeting me with their sweet clucks.. is not normal! haha

Most mornings I am juggling a wiggly baby, and greeted by cute sleepy eyed kiddos right as I am beginning to read or type.

An interruption to my quiet morning hour I purpose to wake up early for.

I'm going to miss it. That's not something I tell myself anymore trying to convince myself of it. I remind myself of it fully aware of the depths of the truth of those simple words. As my nine year old takes my nine month old from my arms, I am reminded just HOW quickly time passes. She was JUST nine months yesterday, and yet somehow here she is nine years old. If you blink, you really might miss it.

I think unintentionally culture has us believing that children are "interruptions" to our lives. And it steals the joy and beauty of all the little imperfect moments from us, if we aren't intentional to change our mindsets.

Our early mornings are not interrupted they are enhanced.

Our daily productivity and projects are not slowed down they are infused with the privilege of teaching the next generation alongside us.

Our lives are bettered and filled with more beauty during both the joyful moments and challenging ones in parenting.

So as I pass my nine month old to my nine year old, switch on the light in our Little Kitchen and start breakfast as the kids gather around our Big Table, I am again reminded just how quickly these years go by and to be present. To look for the beauty and let this BE the enjoyment of life; rather than trying to rush through the days chores and parenting to find a small moment at the end of the day to finally enjoy myself. That is not true joy, that is not true life. What we are doing all day, that IS the life. ENJOY it!! The swimming, the cooking, the cleaning, the reading and snuggling, and correcting and teaching, homework and chores, IS joy and so beautiful. Don't miss it!!!