Slow down, you move too fast

As parents, we look back in life to evaluate life, time, growth, etc... We remember how each of our children were when they were small. We love each one of them and new that each one was a gift of love. We would talk to them as babies and try to get them to smile. We were proud when our babies would smile. Then we wanted them to sit up all by themselves. So we would practice with them so their backs would get strong enough or their bellies were big enough to hold them up. Oh, we were so excited when they could do this task.

We then would want to see them become mobile, so we work with their legs and their arms so that they would be able to be strong to crawl across the floor. Whooaaa We were excited with their progress. **Note: this is when you really have to keep your eye on them, when they are mobile. Anyways, we would then want our babies to get ready for the next step, and that is walking. We would hold their little hands a little forward so that would encourage them to take a little step. We would also set them on their feet and work on their balance. We were always right their to catch them before they fell, if they got off balance.

All of this is within the first 18 months of life. Now our children are well past these stages, and we think where has the time gone? We couldn't wait until they got to the next stage in life and we were so excited for them to get to start the next stage. Now we see our children getting ready to get to the next stage and we want to slow down time and enjoy it a bit before they move on to the next.

When Tyler and Bryson went on their missions, Mom, me, cried alot. I couldn't figure out why. They were doing what their were suppose to be doing. They were serving their Heavenly Father and serving the people of their mission calls. Why wouldn't I be happy. I came to the conclusion why. Life as I 've known it, would never be the same.

So knowing that life won't be the same, as parents with children approaching new stages in their lives, we are wanting to slow this process down a bit. We would love for them to go on the long drives and count the flags, play basketball, play the alphabet game, sing Shania at the top our lungs, snuggle up to their parents while watching tv or talk to each other on our bed at night. We, as parents, want to enjoy the stage before you, as children, hurry on to another stage. We are just as excited to growth and see the strength that our children have in each stage, as they did as babies. We are wanting to slow time down and enjoy the time in each stage and not rush to the next one.

Anyways, parents, don't rush your children through the stages of life so quickly, and kids, don't rush through the stages so quickly. Interesting, the same advice for parents as children. mmmmm