Being a kid!

Oh the joys of being a kid. Those days are long gone for me, but I do have so many fond memories. Watching my kids run and play today and seeing the carefree feeling they put off, it makes me wish that this time would stand still for them. The joys of being able to run around naked through the sprinklers and then eat watermelon and get it all over you, is so precious to me! The laughter and smiles they have are moments I want to lock in time forever. I don't want them to ever have to know heartache, or stress. I hope that they can capture this feeling and hang on to it tightly for as long as possible!

I wish that I hadn't hoped to grow up faster as often as I did. Perhaps I could still be a kid! When you are a kid wishing to be a grown up so you can do whatever you want, you don't see the stress and responsibility that comes with being a grown up. I think if that could be more evident, kids wouldn't wish away their childhood quite so much!

Thankfully, my kids allow me to reflect on my childhood and all the happy memories I have from it. And some days, it is as if I am reliving parts of it! I am so grateful to my parents for giving me the adventures that I had as a child. And, despite current beliefs, kids can have everything they need without lots of money. They may not have everything they want, but that is okay. If they don't get that toy or shirt or pair of shoes, they WILL live! And if they have to work to earn that $53 pair of shoes - like I did - they will appreciate them more, and they may also see that one pair of shoes isn't worth working all summer for. Even though some days I wish I could go back to childhood, I am so glad that I get to watch my kids grow up. These are truly the most special times in our lives. I just hope I can remind myself to slow down and appreciate it more.