Pause...

Earlier this month, I was reading the First Presidency's message in this month's Ensign. It is titled Treasure of Eternal Value and in it, President Monson talks about three things that will help with Eternal Happiness: learning from the past, living in the present, and preparing for the future. It really struck a cord with me; My goal for the past few months has been to spend more time with my kids and playing with them instead of worrying about what the house looks like or other piddly stuff. After reading the article, I promised myself that I would start living in the present; use it to do those things that are the most important and not spend my time wishing away my life. To compliment those thoughts, our last MOPS meeting was about taking the time to have a Spiritual Spa Break - meaning, taking some time each day or whenever possible to think and reflect and have a pick-me-up spiritually. The lady who was speaking to us emphasized the importance of learning the art of waiting; to wait and enjoy each day and enjoy our children along with it. She made the comment that we should not wish away our time or our children's lives - that sometimes we get caught up thinking, "I can't wait till he gets bigger so he can do this" or " I wish he was old enough to do that". But she made the point that we should enjoy our children everyday because before we know it, they will be big and on their own.

So with that as the background of my thoughts, I was sitting at the table eating dinner with my boys tonight. Rhett was at the temple with the Young Men, so it was just the three boys and I eating an informal dinner of Mac-n-Cheese. The conversation quite cute - the boys talking about the year they were born and other things I don't remember. But I do remember looking at each of them and wishing so much I could just keep them in that state forever. So eager for learning, so eager to please, so innocent, so good, so happy. My thoughts fell on the future children we will have and how much joy they would bring as well. It made my resolve to enjoy each day with them even stronger; and not that they won't stay as wonderful as they grow, but I realized that as each day passes, they are a little bit different each day - a bit bigger, a bit more independant, a bit older. There's a line in the movie Finding Neverland by Jonny Depp's character; he says, "A boy should never be made to go to bed, for he only wakes up a day older. And before you know it, he's grown." Maybe I need to find myself some pixiedust...