Seasons of children...

I've been thinking a lot about how quickly seasons come and go.  Sure, the years are going by faster and faster -- with no sign of slowing down.  But each child has seasons that come and go faster than I can keep up with!

It feels like it wasn't too long ago that I was playing on the floor in our small Indiana house with one little boy.  Cheering him on as he learned to sit, then crawl, then climb, then walk! And he keeps growing...

Surely, it wasn't that long ago that baby Andrew was doing all he could to keep up with a fast big brother.  Long days of teaching and instructing and playing and crying and discipling seem so short now...

And it couldn't have been a year and a half already that Elise was just born and Benjamin was coming home from school at noon and we were all laying on the couch walking Clifford together.  Then Andrew would take a nap, then Elise would snooze, then B and I would talk and play Uno.

It felt like torture when Benjamin decided not to nap anymore.  And now it's sweet to me that I have a little extra time with Andrew on days he doesn't nap.  Sure, we all need rest and quiet time, but these days are fleeting!  I don't want to miss what's now because of what was or what is to come.

Now I know that these days are precious.  It's not that I didn't before, but as we prepare our hearts and minds and home from another sweet treasure -- more seasons will fly by my eyes and then come August I will have a 22 month old, a 4 year old and a 6 year old and a brand new baby!

So just like that. My babies, one by one, change and grow and become.  They are no longer babies, but praise Jesus, they are still under my wing.  I can still pray that the Lord will use me in these little years to love them well, teach them well, and grow with them.  And hopefully when my nest is empty and my days are full of free time, I will not look back in regret.  I will look back with joy at memories made in each season and I will look forward to the gifts of new seasons.