Time. It's not moving fast enough, or it's moving too fast. We want it to speed up and slow down all at the same time. I find myself looking forward to the next holiday break and the next summer break all the while not realizing that precious moments are slipping, like sand, through my fingers.
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Winter 2007
#pregnantforever |
I'll never forget when I was pregnant with Izzy. I thought I would be pregnant FOREVER. And really, I was! I was pregnant for 41 loooooooong weeks. I seriously thought that she would never grace us with her appearance. I was so over being pregnant. Then, all of a sudden, she arrived on the one snowy day in Charlotte, North Carolina, and our lives have never been the same. My mindset shifted to the next thing... Man, if she could just sleep through the night... if she could just roll over... if she could just start crawling... I was ready for the next big thing that would make life with an infant easier. Before I knew it, she was a toddler! Even though she didn't walk until 15 months old, I was excited for the next big thing! It's been like this for the past ten years. And now, I'm ready for time to slow down. I'm not a big fan of the next ten years' milestones... the teenage years... hormones, puberty, boys, and drama. I want to rewind to those days when she wouldn't sleep through the night. Oh, what I would give to hold her and rock her all night long!
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| Izzy - 15 months old |
How are the years flying by so quickly? Where is time going? I know it sounds cliche, but it's true. In a world that glorifies busy, how can I make sure that my time is best spent cherishing moments with my family?
I haven't quite figured out the answer, but I have been very reflective on this lately. Some of the things that I place so much importance on really aren't important at all. To do all of the "stuff" that life requires, I've learned that I have to take care of myself and my family first, yet my workaholic nature makes me believe differently from time to time. Sticky notes in my bathroom remind me of what really matters. It amazes me that I have to read words of affirmation on a sticky note just to convince myself to slow down.
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| Grandad |
Just a few weeks ago we traveled to Granbury to say goodbye to the patriarch of the Hodges family, Grandad. While it was so tough to say goodbye, it was beautiful to reflect on his life. He instilled so many great characteristics in his children and grandchildren. And, of course, he gave Greg his hairline! One thing that really stuck out to me is that Mimi and Grandad retired and traveled as soon as they could. They truly cherished time with family and with each other.
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Greg at his college graduation with Grandad & Mimi
He really looks like a young Grandad in this pic! |
I've done the math, and it's going to be
at least another 18 years before Greg and I can retire. While I feel like we are in this season of busy, busy, busy... before I know it, time will fly by and we will be in that season of life. Time will slow down tremendously, and I know we will yearn for these days. This is why I'm choosing to slow down right now. I'm trying (and failing daily) to write down ten things for which I am grateful. Some days it's easy; others, it's challenging to come up with just five. I'm trying to be intentional with how I spend my time and looking for beauty and joy in each and every day.
On our birthdays, we are reminded of how quickly time is passing. When Greg and I met, he was 24 years old. That's the same age that Jimmy is now! Today is Greg's 38th birthday. He just said, "I'm so close to 40 I can taste it... and it tastes like Metamucil." LOL! Seriously, though. While we still feel like we are sixteen years old, our bodies are telling us that we're much older. After working out yesterday, my back hurt badly. As I rubbed some Deep Blue on it, I was reminded of my grandfather rubbing Ben Gay on his neck and shoulders. The glorious tingling feeling outweighed the strong peppermint stench that had me smelling like a senior citizen!
Time. It's precious. It's neither speeding up nor slowing down. Each day we get 24 hours. The wonderful thing about it is that we get to choose how we spend it. I'm vowing to do less of the "stuff" that keeps me busy and focus on what's most important... family, friends, health, and wellness. The days, weeks, months, and years are going to pass. It is my goal to look back with no regrets on how my time was spent. And maybe, just maybe, I'll embrace the fact that we're growing older. I may even start shopping at Coldwater Creek and drinking Metamucil... yeah, whatever!
