Whenever Grace and I are out and about, I almost always have someone say, "Cherish these moments, it goes by so fast." Or... "I just sent my daughter off to high school last week, I feel like she was just that age." I remember people telling me the same thing about my wedding... "soak up and enjoy every minute! It goes by so fast!" I actually remember taking a moment at our reception and trying to "soak it up," whatever that really means. But I did it, gosh darn it!
I think sometimes when we hear things like this we think they sound cliche and we don't really pay attention to them. I almost stop myself from saying similar things to other people because I feel like they've been said before. But there's a reason they are said so often... by every parent... ever.
It's because they are true.
And because when we look back, if we're totally honest, we probably realize that we didn't really cherish every moment. So we tell others to cherish every moment. Because we know that the tantrums in the grocery store are maddening at the time, but later we learn to value the time at the grocery store with our little buddies because there will be a day when they are grown up, in school, and we are at the grocery store by ourselves. I will miss my little grocery store buddy, tantrums and all.
I actually happen to be super sentimental. You may or may not believe me based on all the crazy mom-moments I like to share. But actually, sharing those crazy moments helps me to put them in perspective and realize it's not the end of the world when I have a bad day and want to pull out every hair on my head. I don't think cherishing your children's lives always means acting like everything is perfect. Because clearly, everything is not.
But some moments truly feel that way to me. Some moments just feel absolutely perfect.
I feel like it's the most simple moments that make me a little weepy. Sometimes I feel like I kind of remove myself from the room and am just taking a mental video of the moment... and then I cry like a baby. (Or just tear up a lot, ok, so I'm sentimental and I like to exaggerate a little).
A few weekends ago we were at the Gin in Belton (probably my favorite place in Central Texas) listening to live music. We had just eaten dinner and gone down to the river to feed some ducks. I think this was the first time Grace had fed ducks and it was actually kind of sentimental to me. I have lots of memories of feeding ducks when I was younger (one included my dad drop-kicking a goose that bit me on the shin)! Can't forget that one!
I don't know what it is, there is just something so sweet and simple about a little toddler feeding a duck. (Am I crazy or is this true?) I think I just love how exciting and new it is to her. I mean, it's a duck. But to her IT'S A DUCK!! I just love living life through the lens of a toddler.
After feeding ducks, we went up to listen to some live music. I love music. And dancing, if you don't already know. :) There weren't too many people there yet and Jeff and Grace were kind of dancing on the sidewalk while we ate our yogurt. (Ok, Grace was dancing and Jeff was kind of standing there like the "cool dad" that he is.) Then the sweet man played "Daughters" by John Mayer. Now, I am not a huge John Mayer fan, but I really like the way this man plays everything. And I'm like 95% sure he played it just for us. It was like they were in a movie with a soundtrack playing in the background. It was so sweet. The chorus goes like this...
"Fathers be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers be good to your daughters too"
Unfortunately I didn't get the best part on video, but I still think it's sweet. Even though they aren't dancing, they are just living life... picking plants, Grace running away from Daddy, Daddy disciplining, Grace screaming for ducks. Nothing gets me choked up more than daddies and daughters... especially Daddies and daughters to a soundtrack...
If you've been a mom more than .05 seconds, you know it goes by too fast, and you know you're going to miss this stage, whatever it might be. Our children will not always be fascinated by ducks, so let's cherish the moments that they are. You've also probably come to realize that this childhood thing is not really about the big vacations or the important milestones or the fancy birthday parties.
It's about feeding ducks and eating yogurt and dancing with your daddy.
No comments:
Post a Comment