The Years

I was messaging with a long-lost friend the other day.  She has 13 children now.  She told me I am in the best years right now.  She reminded me that in 5 years everything will be different.  I thought about that for a few days.  Five years ago I had 3 little boys ages 5, 3, and 1.  Now those three boys cover quite a few chores, and with my extra time I educate them.  "Extra time" is kind of humorous because I also have three more children, so not a lot of extra time.  Five years from now I'll have two, almost three, boys that can babysit.  Wow!  That will be a treat!  My Sweet Potato will be 5 by then.  The nursing, the night wakings, the potty training, the trying toddler years with her will all be passed.

I've really been concentrating on slowing down.  Looking into their eyes when they talk to me, instead of brushing them aside as I hurry to complete one more task.  Yes, sadly, I have done that too many times.  The time is going so fast.  My firstborn is going to be taller than me before I know it.  He's already past my shoulders.  He was able to go hunting this year for the first time.  I see a young man developing before my eyes.  I wish I had known five years ago how quickly the time would go.  At that time, it felt like they would always be little boys.

Little Mama is 4.  She's very girly and talks non-stop about a lot of things that seem like nothing.  They are so important to her, though.  It's her little world and in five years, it'll all be changed.  She asked me one day earlier this month to call her "Precious."  She heard the word in "Jesus Loves the Little Children" and she wanted to know why I didn't call her Precious. So now I do and her face lights up.  It means so much to her, but I'm finding it means quite a bit to me, too.  You see, it is difficult to scowl or be impatient or mad when you are calling that little person "Precious."  I think her being called Precious was God's idea.  I believe He placed that idea inside her because He knows that I need the reminder.  Thank you, Lord.

Thanks for reading my ramblings.