Do you remember when you were a kid, and the days seemed like they lasted forever? I remember summer days, growing up I would get up by 7 every morning, eat breakfast and hit the day running barefoot in the still wet with dew grass on my parents 7 acres. I remember jumping on our old tire swing and spinning until I was so dizzy, then jumping off the swing to see if I could walk a straight line. I would walk down to my favorite creek, pick out rocks to throw into said creek, then sit Indian style on the rock ledge looking over it. Then, one by one, tossing the rocks in to the water to hear the ever-so-satisfying "ker-plop" sound. I remember wearing myself out in time to go in for lunch, then pretend our house was one big ship. I was a housekeeper for the ship, and a good one at that. They let me eat snacks, wash my barbies in the sink and even lay down and watch TV on break. I didn't get much cleaning done, but always had fun pretending I was a very important employee of such a wonderful ship. On my off hours I would try on my sisters hoop skirt, tie my hair up and walk around the house fanning myself with one of my souvenir lace fans one of my relatives had picked up for me on vacation. I remembered how the days just went on and on. Eating watermelon on the back porch, slapping mosquitoes, looking at the sunset, planning out the next day. Falling asleep after a bath, in my freshly washed sheets itching my mosquito bites and the smell of Noxzema on my sunburn that my mom always applied.
Where does the time go? Now that I am older the days seem to end soon after they start. To make it worse, I go to bed with the song, Sunrise, Sunset, playing over and over in my mind. Especially now that schools back in session, it seems that once I pick the kids up from school it is time to get home, do homework, dinner, baths and then very little time to spend with them before bed! My children started school last week. My son already looks like he has grown since then. Is that possible? I want to hold on to this very moment in their childhood. Remember how every strand of hair lays on her forehead. Remember that exact giggle and every word to the knock knock joke that made him laugh so. The chocolate milk mustaches and belly laughs, toothpaste smiles and tiptoes down the hallway into our bedroom at 2 o'clock in the morning to climb into bed, and feel that sweet little arm around my waist. The have a good day, mom hugs just before going into the school-
Hold onto the memories...
