Don't Wait

Happy Mother's Day!

Man, look at how much they change in just four short years! My husband and I like to look back at pictures of the kids and remember the fun things we did together as a family. Both Elijah and Josiah have photo books covering adventures we took during their first 4 years of life. Solomon keeps reminding me that I haven't finished his yet.

2007-2026

Why are these years significant? What is the point of talking about them on Mother's Day? Well, my oldest son Elijah is completing fifth grade this year. Last week, he brought home a shirt that said 2026, the year he's expected to graduate high school. 2026? I don't have to do math on a regular basis but that felt like it wasn't working out correctly. How could he be graduating in just 7 years?! He was born in 2007 and he will be completing school in 2026 (or sooner, who knows).  When he was born, that moment seemed so far away and now it's just around the corner.

Time will move at a snail's pace and faster than the speed of light all at once.

I'm sure that you've heard the phrase "Don't Blink". There's a whole country song about life progressing faster than you could imagine. Parents, I have my own phrase, "Don't wait!" Take the time to enjoy your kids at every stages:
​...dirty diapers...potty training...bed-wetting...eat your food...chew your food...where are you putting it?
...the stages of  'why is English such a stupid language' spelling practices...'why would they change math' addition homework...'Google how to find the common denominator' fractions...
​I'm sure you have your own list of difficult stages that you've faced or are facing. The thing I find myself telling Elijah most is this, "In case you haven't realized yet, you didn't come with a How to Raise Elijah for Dummies book. That's why I'm going to tell you the wrong thing sometimes. That's why I'm going to mess up or blow up or seem like I have no clue what I am doing. Because sometimes I don't and I have to apologize. But despite all that, I will love you and encourage you to be you."

Parenting is harder than adulting

You succeed at adulting when you take the time to wash your clothes. You succeed at parenting when your child understands the clothes don't wash themselves.
Don't wait to read the right book or get the right advice. Embrace every moment with your kids. And maybe, you can find something to help you along the way in the truths that I've learned:

• Sometimes you have to choose between loving them and being the good guy.
• Sometimes you'll get it wrong and you'll have to apologize so they have an example of what to do when they get it wrong.
• ​Some days will be hard and some days will be easy. 
• Nobody knows your child better than God, keep Him on speed dial!
• Patience is not a terrible thing to pray for, it is a REALLY REALLY good thing to pray for and accept.
• You're not failing if you child gets bite by a tick, comes home with lice, gets hospitalized, comes home with a Quasimodo face from an infected tooth, or has to see a counselor. (True stories, we survived, life goes on, this happened over time not in the same day Phew!)

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Above all else, love them!