Yesterday was my sweet husband Jim's birthday. He was reminiscing (lamenting?) the fact that I had celebrated as many birthdays with him as his parents had! We've now been married as long as we were single.. it doesn't seem possible. I've been thinking about the phases we experience in life, and how each phase can be painful while we are experiencing it, but so bittersweet to look back on. A friend was expressing the difficulty of working, having a baby to care for, trying to finish school, and trying to spend time with her husband, take care of the home, her church assignments, and what-have you..She struggled to relate to another friend who is a stay at home mom and enjoys sewing, crafting, re-purposing, and decorating her home. I can so remember those feelings. I think sometimes there are so many choices, so many things we want to do, and sometimes all we can do is all we can do. We may want to achieve other equally worthy goals, but the ones we are pursuing are all we can handle. And we need to be OK with that. I am at a new stage in life, where I have the time I fervently wished for when my children were small, and now it weighs heavy on my shoulders. Oh sure, there are a million things I could do...de-clutter, organize, clean, but nothing I sincerely desire the time to do. (except travel the world, but the monetary wishes I've wished for have never appeared so whatdya do?) now I jokingly wish for an "oh and mom I forgot to tell you, I need to make a diorama that's due tomorrow, and we're having a class party and I'm supposed to bring a treat, and mom could you help me???" Oh, and pretty please just one more tiny arm creeping around my neck and warm breath tickling my ear with a soft, mommy, I love you. Cherish the moments, they flee so quickly by.