Celebrating Everything - Suncoast Style!

     As I sit here writing, the house is unusually quiet.  All five kids have gone back to school today, and I'm faced with a stack of "summer" work that has piled up the last couple of months while trying to balance kids with work.  It's quite a stack, but I would trade it for the kids being home one more day in a heartbeat.

     You see, my oldest started college today. COLLEGE. When the heck did that happen? When your kids are little, the days go by slow - but the years go by fast. When they hit school age, your family enters this wormhole of a time warp and things enter lightening speed.  My hubby stood, coffee in hand this morning, reviewing the driving schedule I posted on the fridge to get the other four kids to their four schools.

     "When did things start moving so fast?" was his question.

     I'm not quite sure when it happened. What I do know is that we, as parents, need to take a minute everyday to just stop. Stop talking on the phone, surfing the web, being preoccupied by work - just stop even for 15 minutes - and just BE with the kids.  Play cards - listen to that paintball story - make dinner together - SOMETHING where you are 100% present with your kids.

     On my wedding day, one of my best friends advised me to close my eyes for 2 minutes and just BE in that space.  She said the day would be gone before I knew it and I'd regret being swept away by so many moments.  I took her advice, and that two minutes are still my favorite memory of the day.  What I heard, smelt, felt - those sensations are still with me.  Why not take that advice everyday with the people the most important to you!

     I hope you and yours have a wonderful first day back to school.  Celebrate everything - every small and large victory!  Have dinner on the beach tonight!  Swim in the pool instead of putting on the T.V.! Break out the Monopoly game and let them stay up an extra 15 minutes!

With Love,

Michelle