The Mothership

Here I am, beginning  in the land of the teenagers and loving it. These people are the ones I wanted and prayed for when I was in high school. I love littles, so this comes a a huge surprise to me. These are truly some of the sweetest and yet unnerving years in parenting yet. And I’ve only approached the edge.  Each parenting season is harder than others in their own unique ways and each season is easier than another. I would give ANYTHING for the slower pace we had when the kids were tiny. Watching them learn things for the first time - it’s so much more concrete than watching your teen figure out their hormones. At the same time, my kids all know how to tie their own shoes and can prepare themselves accordingly to leave the house at a specific time- varied obviously by emotions, but they can do it. The sleeping schedule from the season of littles is least desired and yet - I could use a nap and a cuddle midday myself. The rocking to sleep and the little games that k...

It's all different...all of it. Every part of my life is different since children. I wouldn't say it's ALL for the worse or for the better, but it has all changed. Hiking...oh my goodness is my pack heavy...and we don't just have ONE pack but two now.  And we need to have enough granola bars just to make it a mile to the treeline. Also, all the edges are now cliffs. Packing...my packing list used to be 3 pages typed in columns (I love lists) and now, I need to make sure there is enough paper before printing. I also have to begin packing all the things a few days prior because my brain cannot remember all the things. The dinning room table is now packing central...there shall be no meals at the table. Vacationing...I give MAJOR kudos to those who can drive at night or longer than 9 hours with children in ONE day. "You have all the strengths". Brushing my teeth...this will never be the same. Until my children move out I'm sure I will be talking through ...

 I'm not sure if it is because of my lackadaisical ways through the summer - but man it seems like this summer is eating a whole through our path of normal order and structure.  At the beginning of every summer I always am so relieved to have a free schedule. I feel like Julia Andrews in the Swiss Alps.   My regular mode of planning every event is thrown out the window. As we move through the summer days we seem to leave a wake of forgetfulness and that feeling of perpetual "no responsibility."  It's like I think we are on a really long vacation. I'm good with it, really, but clearly I am not a responsible adult when structure isn't a top priority. Also, I'm convinced the pool has an under-layer of THINGS that have collected...like a whole underworld litered with pretzels, water bottles, clothes, and all the torpedos you could ever dream to dive for...like a scene from Ninja Turtles...you could totally survice if you needed. You might be in "su...