What Just Happened!?!

I shake my head in disbelief. Here I am, surrounded by astonished parents. I listen to Mom's and Dad's say:

"It happened overnight!" 

Obviously it didn't.

"Where did the time go?" 

Fast, it went fast.

"We can't be old enough!"
Clearly we are!!

"They were just in Kindergarten!"

"What just happened?"
They grew up.
How dare they!?!

Here we are at Prom.

Young men and women my kids have gone to high school with, some they have gone to school with since they were in kindergarten, some they have known since birth. 

I am surrounded by young men dressed in suits, my own among them. 

Gorgeous young women so stunning it is hard to imagine them in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

My boys look like men.

They are men. 

So handsome!

I am so biased!!

Ok, I might be biased, but it is the truth, look at them!!

We are the parents saying stupid things to you young parents. 

"Enjoy it while you can!"

You young parents are drowning in diapers and sleepless nights while we long for our littles again, sticky kisses and chubby cherub cheeks.

"They don't stay little long."  

You are thinking, "Great because one more day of this might do me in!", while we long to have them small in our arms where we exercise some control of their worlds.

"They'll be gone before you know it!"

Young parents almost ready to cry from exhaustion think "Maybe that's not bad, I can't remember what it is like to not be exhausted, what does a full night's sleep feel like!?!" We are mulling what our homes will be like without this child filling their space in it.

We don't mean to overwhelm you or make you feel guilty. We just want you to get to our stage without wishing you had spent the time differently. We do not want you to have regrets.

We don' t want you to just have selfies of playing with your kid. We want you to put the phone down and enjoy playing with that babe. Make the memory real.

We don't want you to wash the dishes when your son asks you to help him build his train track. 

Put down the vacuum and when your little girl goes and gets her Princess dress, surprise her by dawning your Bridesmaid Dress or Wedding Gown and have that spontaneous tea party. 

I read a book of wisdom from retired Pastors a few years back. The last chapter was "What would I do differently?"

I was grieved because all of them had a large section wishing they had been more present and given more time to family. I just pinned a post on 37 regrets you will have. Many of them focused on family and children.

We don't mean to make you feel panicked. But when you are wiping the spit off your shirt at the Business meeting, or crying because you can't form a coherent sentence, we want you to remember, it is for a time. 

Even these are Holy moments. 

A gift.

Be present.

Don't miss it. 

They are for a time. 

Just a short time.

Feel what you feel. It's ok.

When you are discouraged, come to us, let us listen and tell you that you are amazing and you will get through.

Let us remind you, it is for a time.

Here I am, my little men taking my breath away as they dress up in three-piece suits. I watch them be the gentleman we trained them up to be. 

I know it is hard to imagine. You will be here too one day. You are going to feel simultaneously the sweetness of pride and the grief of time past.

My heart violently spasmed as I see our sweet girl dressed up, shining brighter than the sun. As we watch her become the woman we tried so hard to guide her into. 

You will be here too one day. Your mind will flash back to playing in the sandbox, jumping off the swings, splashing through puddles and your heart will ache with the bittersweetness of it all.

One day you will look back and think, "Where did the time go? How is it over already!?!" 

Put your phone down, the housework will keep.

Don't miss these moments.

It isn't long until you will be saying

"What just happened!?!"