Mark the Moment or You Will Miss It

This is a season of fog: the work of raising human beings. Of mustering through, barely making it, wondering if you are going in the right direction.  You are driving without a map, hoping you gather all of your chicks and bring them safely to their scheduled destiny. 

While you fret about each decision and question your methods, your children keep moving ahead and growing up.  You can hardly find a piece of shade to take a breather and think about the next step.  They keep on going.  You chase them, grab their little hands, tell them to slow down and "Look both ways!"

If you're honest, when you're tired, you daydream of brief respites from all of this traveling.  You just want a soft pillow and quiet place to not worry, not to be responsible for so much.  All of the problem-solving sends you crashing to bed and simultaneously shakes you awake earlier than you wish.

You want to be less relied on at times.  You stretch your arms up for a dose of independence.  Freedom.  

You roll your eyes and hold your tongue when a well-meaning mother tells you, "Enjoy them while you can.  They grow up so fast!"  It doesn't feel fast to you, your feet always dragging.  HOW much further to the finish line?!

This is my toddler refusing to hold my hand to cross the street.  Mr. Big Britches.

It will happen though. You WILL arrive.  

One day you will no longer wake up every 2-4 hours for feedings. You won't strain every ounce of your creativity packing exciting school lunches.  It will not be necessary to check that everyone has what they need in their backpacks, diaper bags, suitcases, and sports duffel. 

What you thought would never end? One day it will.

Then you will be the woman tempted to tell a young, new mom, "Cherish that little one now, because they grow up so fast!" 

But for now, to get you through a season that takes longer than just some leaves to change colors, let's make mental pictures of the bright breaks in the weather.  Don't wait for later to see what is right in front of you now.

Stop and mark the moment.  

• When you notice him sweetly taking your hand without you asking him to.  

• When his sense of style is confidently wearing mismatched shoes to school.  

• The face that lights up when you pick her up from preschool.  

• The Barbies, the trains, the Legos, the markers, the crayons, and the smell of Play Doh. 

Caught! Same toddler hold my hand just because.  One of my moments.

For just a collection of seconds, forget the shoes by the door and the stain on the couch. 
Mark the moment...the morsel of a time that you will one day miss.

If you're in the mom season, post a comment below, share your moment on twitter or anywhere in your social network and tell us what your little piece of sunshine was today.  #markthemoment