Monday, August 24, 2009

Time Flies.......

My two youngest boys went out the door today, together,in the car, to High School. The other three are out on their own, making their own ways in the world. The "little boys" as they have been called for years are now a 6'5" Junior and a not quite so tall freshman. Not so much the "little boys" now, are they?

Where did the time go?

It really was not that long ago that I was hauling 5 kids in a gold mini van all over the universe. The Oldsmobile Silhouette was dubbed "the space shuttle" by the kids. The arguments began way before the key turned in the ignition.
"I called shotgun" would be heard often. The heated argument over how early one can actually call shotgun and it count became a daily ritual.
"When did you call shotgun?" Mike would ask.
"When I was putting on my backpack." Erin would reply.
" That does not count!" Mike would whine. "You have to be on your way to the car, like I just called it for it to count."
"Nope, I called it first....get in the back." Erin would say, and she would win, because she is the oldest.

I missed a lot of this, because I was dragging a brush through Kelly' s hair, trying to put pants on TJ and trying to strap Travis into the car seat. Putting Travis in the car seat was a little like giving a cat a bath. He suddenly had the strength of the offensive line of the Denver Broncos and could bend himself into positions that only top Olympic Gymnasts can actually do.

I lovingly referred to my mini van as "my summer home." I did not have a cottage on lake Geneva, a cabin in Silverthorne, but I had a mini van with lawn chairs for soccer, baseball and softball games. I had a cooler with soda and water in it. I had at least one change of clothes in the car for each child and probably 14 pair of soccer socks. There was 64 various happy meal toys rolling around on the floor and usually a baby bottle with something petrified inside of it. If we had to, we could live out of the van for at least a week.

I remember thinking this would last forever, and I would NEVER have a moment to my self.

Those were the days.

Erin now has two children and one on the way. She will soon have to referee her own battles of "who gets shotgun" and if calling it at the breakfast table is a breech of etiquette. Mike is teaching school. He has an entire room full of interesting little people. Kelly is working full time and enjoying her apartment and her Independence, and me not dragging a brush through her hair, I don't have to make TJ wear pants, but he does ask for money and my car keys all the time. Travis walks out to the car and puts on his own seat belt without anyone wrestling with him. He will be asking to drive the car in a few short months.

My time to myself is here, and I miss the Chaos like crazy.

But-

Today I will take a deep breath. Today I will enjoy the flowers, the way the sun shines on Longs Peak early in the morning and the feel of fall in the air. Although my "to-do" list is long, and must get done, I will relax a little bit and live today. I will call that friend I have been thinking about, and I will send that get well card. I will shoot a text to all my kids ( because I am tech savvy and they like texting) and tell them I love them and I am proud of them.

Time flies by way to fast! I won't wish today away. I hope the mommies in the middle of Chaos enjoy it. I hope they smile more and write down the funny things their kids say and really understand how short that part of life is.

I will enjoy the chaos of the two "little boys" in high school, and love every minute of it. And when I look at those 5 children, who stained the seats of the car by spilling things, broke my mother's china from Germany when playing basketball in the house, gave me stretch marks and wide hips, I will try not to cry with tears of gratitude for them in my life. I will take a second to say a little prayer of thanks for the privilege it is to be their mom, and hope that I have done a decent job. And hope Mommies everywhere remember that we all make a difference, one random woman at a time.

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