After grabbing my kids bright and early and running to the beach to check out lighting for a photo shoot – I promised a doughnut run on our way home. Looking like one frazzled mom, I walked into Dunkin Doughnuts with a half dressed 2 year old squirming to get out of my arms and my 6 year old asking over and over again “Mom can I have a Gatorade” . As I was paying for my order – a lady looked at me and quietly said – “That was the best time of my life”. She said it with such sadness that it hit my core. Is this it?? Is this the best time of my life? I know I am absolutely in love with everything about my life. Great husband, amazing kids, supportive and loving friends, nice home, annoying dog….. you get it -things are just simple and good. So maybe this is the best time of my life. It is so crazy to think back to the early years where I was so desperate to be 16.. which quickly became ” OHHHH, I can’t wait to be 21″ Then life became about trying to figure out who I was in my 20’s, let me tell you how fun that era was. Finally my bright light, at 27 I met my man. Soon the “time dance” reared its ugly head again and life became ” I can’t wait to get married” and then we were married and “I can’t wait to have kids”… and as we painfully struggled through invitro…. I remember saying ” I just want to fast forward time so that I have all of my kids in my arms” . I now sit at the ripe old age of 37 trying to strike a deal with Father Time to just slow down a little bit, (apparently he doesn’t take bribes.) I know that in a blink of an eye – the best time of my life – will soon turn into the best time of my childrens life. So what can I do but try to absorb all that is great in my life. My son is going into first grade today, my daughter sleeping in a big girl bed and waking us up every morning screaming at the end of our bed “MOP, I found you” ( still not quite sure why she calls me Mop, and not quite sure why I love it so much), them both waking up at 4:30 this morning and climbing into my bed..only to have the annoying dog jump up and take the last bit of free space.. Even potty training has me giggling as Emerson is so proud of the trickle. Something so simple but yet monumental in her short little life. Best time of my life……ABSOLUTELY!! Will I regret not appreciating how special this time is? Never. I now believe that the sadness I heard in her voice on that early morning was that she didn’t realize that being a mom was the best time in her life .Maybe she had wished potty training would go faster and that the kids would just stay in their beds so she could sleep. Maybe she couldn’t wait for her son to go to first grade because then she would have more “me time” and in the end, the best time of her life simply just passed her by.
This was my morning..
April - Aww Liz, thank you for this. Having my baby girl in my 30s has made me realize that I need to slow down and enjoy every second but life sitll gets in the way sometimes. Little reminders like this are a gift.
Wendy Rakvica - hahaha so cute! your life does sound hectic with 2 children but like you said you wouldnt change it for the world..my Son also calls me Daddy still and calls his Milk..Mamma..LOL
Jen - Love this! (and I am totally crying!) This is the best time and even having to put our own interests aside for the time being, I wouldn’t trade being home with my boys for anything! 🙂 I have so much fun with them and being a mom is so awesome! Hope you have a great day!!
Keri - Liz…I do not know you, just stumbled across your blog from a friend’s Facebook page. This one simple blog was wonderful to read. As a mom of four (5y,4y, 2y twins), plus being a middle school Principal, this great message spoke to my heart and was exactly what I needed after a long day. Thank you for sharing.
Sarah Brown - Oh my, Liz! I just read this and had tears in my eyes at the truthful words. I first saw the pictures and thought ‘that little girl is so cute, she has the same cheeky look as my littlest princess’. I read your post and I was thinking, ‘Gosh, that little girl even sounds like my three year old’, then, when I got near to the bottom, I gasped and had a real tear. My three year old’s name is Emerson!! Life truly is hectic (we’ve just had bub #4), but the magic is in the everyday, posts like this one help to remind me of that.
Becca - I love this – the words and the pictures both! 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Rommé - excellente troslalim de itecede y faricu con diana eratos. cofado a vecaves y mugiar acliria con adentevo bilhar!