I've read and heard many musing from mothers of grown children wishing for bygone days. As a busy mother of young children, it's hard to to realize just how fast the days slip through our fingers. We feel like we can hardly manage until our children are tucked in bed after another long day. At some imperceptible point, our children mature and become more independent. Is it too late, have we already zoomed through those golden days which we will so miss?
I feel that I've been given a gift in that I know those golden days are now. Not that there weren't wonderful days in the past; not that I don't already have large storerooms of precious memories. But there is something different about now. I don't know how long it will last, but after many years of struggle and exhaustion, now is a time of amazing blessing and joy.
My youngest child is at my favorite of age of exploring and learning to express herself with language. So knows just enough to build on her own experiences and yet so much is still new to her. The only thing that would be more amazing would be if she would get potty-trained (ha! ha!). My two oldest children are extremely helpful. They can cook meals and clean up. They can help the little ones. And most of the time do it with a cheerful attitude. They love God and studying His Word. Eris especially loves discussions about the Bible and doctrine. Hollis and Simeon are ready to learn almost anything I am willing to teach - about math, hermit crabs, reading, birds, Jesus.
We live so close to the beach that we can see it from our house. We can play in the sea and on the sand without much effort. We have a beautiful yard with grass, bushes, and trees. The kids play outside every single day, and I don't have to help them get coats and shoes on. I get to teach my children at home. My husband brings home supper five days a week on his way home from week, which allows me extra time to study Thai, play fiddle, and just play with the kids. After bedtime, I usually still have enough energy to read for an hour or two.
It might not be long (or it might be years) before we have to move for a job for Philip, for visa paperwork, or for other reasons. I might have to find a way to make money. Certainly the kids will grow up. There will be other wonderful years, but I know that when Calla is away at college and Eris has children of her own, I will look back on these sun drenched, full yet not chaotic, busy but not exhausting, beautiful years at our home in Tha Sala and wish for just a slice of it back. So I will try to enjoy it to its fullest - cancel classes on an afternoon when Calla takes an early nap and run across the street to the beach, read an extra chapter of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader at bedtime, snuggle a bit longer during tuck in, play another game of Nertz, say 'yes' to another goal in football (soccer for those of you who still live in the U.S.), and store up each memory for when such delights are harder to come by.
