Tis the Season

Last night, I had a discussion with some good friends about our season of life. We're reading an interesting book that challenges us to get out of our routines and passionately pursue Life and it's adventures. Our discussion centered around how we can balance our feelings of responsibility and desire to care for our family with openness to opportunities to serve others and grow that were not necessarily a part of our plan for the day. We recognized that we are in a period of life that is unbelievably wonderful and indescribably difficult at the same time. We kept saying, "It's just a season of life." Our point was to recognize that we don't have to do it all, all the time. Life has seasons. We're in the long, hot summer.

Dirty diapers, coordinating nap times, messy meals, potty training, bedtime routines, and tantrums. These are the less glamorous part of this season of life. But, oh, I know how my heart will long for this season when it's past. I looked at Pax last night as Travis was reading to him and noticed that his legs look like the legs of a preschooler. Long and kinda chubby, by Garner standards. I remember so vividly those tiny, spindally newborn legs. His face is losing some of the toddler roundness. As I was watching him, he looked up and smilled back at me with a mouthful of teeth that seem to have just grown in and, before I can blink, will fall out to make room for new ones. Sometimes, my heart aches for time to stand still. It's just a season.

May God allow me be present in the here and now and treasure these moments.