Taking Time To Hold On

My boys of summer, the days have seemed even more fleeting this year. They tell us when we are younger that “Time flies the older you get” but as we all now know the young rarely listen when it comes to advice on mortality. How can they when Father Time hasn’t tapped them on the shoulder yet. Unlike some teenagers, I heard the whispers of time passing early on. More so after the first of my three siblings was born when I was 15. Watching babies leap into adulthood before my eyes is not new to me, even though I am relatively a young parent. What I have learned the most watching my siblings and children grow up is to listen to my instincts.

After my last post a couple of weeks ago three things happened…

1.) M2 was only three days into his first week of year round school when he caught the stomach flu. Welcome back to school right.

2.) As becomes our impromptu life, we bought a new truck for Surferboy. However, when you factor in that M1 will be getting his old truck in 16 months it makes sense. Mind-boggling I know!

3.) It started raining and after a couple of days it showed no signs of letting up.

Rainy days always harbor my contemplative nature and I realized that summer was nearly gone. Little man was already back in school wrapping up his last elementary year while M1 would be headed off to high school in a few short weeks. Taking drivers ed and stepping completely from the shadow of his little boy years. These were the signs of what was to come and I know all too well, how quickly these years will pass. So my instincts were to take some time, time to hold on to what was left of this summer before the changes to come. No blogging, no camera, no styling food before they could enjoy it, no Mom-arazzi. Simplicity was the word that came to mind. Other than going to work and school, we have simply been vegetating since we are hardly ever couch potatoes.

Precious moments snuggled up on relaxing rainy days enjoying movie marathons. Slipping in some classic older ones with M1 that we could never watch with our little guy.

Catching up on some great reads while listening to mischievous giggles as the guys goofed off around me.

As you can see Cryofreeze is now the rage at my house. Mini Encino Man lives in my freezer, just watch your toes if you need some ice.

Coping with the realization that my oldest and I are now of a size, not to mention the awe that we share the same hands other than his golden skin.

Holding close those slow slipping grains of time while they slept.

Taking a few moments on the porch with my love to reflect on what will come and how blessed we are.

Then the sun broke through the rain clouds and we slowly unfurled ourselves from our bubble this weekend.

Working on some fun projects before our new adventures were set to begin.

Today I dropped M1 off for Freshman Camp with his new high school, which happens to be connected to our local university. This photo of him walking through the stately pillars of academia only validated my choice to take a slight step back from the day-to-day race that is our life.

Holding onto the mercurial moments of their childhood will ever be my first choice in life.

“Stop to smell the roses” is the truest quote that ever had the good fortune of lasting the test of time. Trust your instincts guys and try not to hesitate when it comes to savoring life’s simplicity.

Love and hugs,

Shari-Tickled Red

Tagged as: Childhood, Children, Growing up, Parenting, School Years