Seasons

Trace Adkins has a song out now that really sums up the thoughts I have been having lately. The chorus says…

You're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna' miss this

I am thankful I know this to be true now. When we were engaged to be married some dear friends shared some advice with us that really spoke to me that night almost five years ago and has stuck with me ever since. I recently shared it with a bride-to-be. It is simple, yet often hard to do. The advice…to enjoy the season of life you are in, to not look ahead, to not wish for this or that to hurry up and happen. Lately, I have reflected on our various seasons of life with Anna. How early on I wished the days and nights would pass quickly. How rocking her another five minutes in the wee hours of the night might just send me over the top. How I would never be able to shop again as running just one errand was almost an impossible feat. Now our little girl asks to go night-night, rarely likes to be rocked and even gave up her bah (bottle), which was a traumatic week for us all. Now one of Anna’s favorite things to do is to go shopping as she strolls in the shopping cart. Shopping still takes a little longer but only because Anna says, “hey” or “hi” to almost everyone we pass and the onlookers often want to stop and talk to our sweet girl. Often as Anna and I sit outside in the late afternoon, waiting for daddy to arrive, her playing in the pine straw, rolling in the grass and running down our hill, I look on, thinking she is growing up too fast. It has made me slow down, to take the time to sit with her, to read books, to laugh together, to just look each other in the eyes and to gaze at her as she plays.

This week we have embarked on another season of life with Anna. Our little girl went to pre-school. We decided this time at pre-school would not only bless us but Anna when we realized just how much she enjoys going to church on Sundays and isn’t ready to leave when we pick her up from nursery. Last week we had a parent’s night open house as well as an open house for Anna to meet her teacher. Mind you that Anna is only going twice a week for a total of six hours. You would think she was heading off to kindergarten. But the open house Anna attended was confirmation we are doing the right thing for Anna. When it was time for Anna and me to leave, I asked Anna if she was ready to go bye-bye. She abruptly said, “no.” I asked several more times and received the same answer. I finally had to pick our child up as she was gritting her teeth and crying. When we arrived at her first day of school on Tuesday I was a little sad. We entered the building and parents that had dropped their children off were peering into the one-way mirror. As I came to the door I realized why they were still looking on, as almost every child in the classroom was crying or being held by a teacher. Anna walked right in and never turned around. She absolutely loves it, which is such a blessing. Now the next hurdle…to adjust Anna’s nap on those two days she goes to pre-school. She was wiped out this week only being there two hours each day. But this season too will pass and quickly I might add.

Ready for school.

Getting to be so big!

Excited for school!

Just had to add this one with her hand on her hip. So serious!