Time Well Spent

I have always felt very blessed with the children God has entrusted us with...and I find it a little unique that we have quite an age gap (age 1 to age 12).  I often feel like I am comparing the joys and challenges of babyhood to pre-teenhood because they are so similar:) But, I am also reminded of how fast our children grow up and how I need to soak in every moment, because it will soon be gone. 

My oldest just left on a school trip to Malaysia yesterday.  If I'm honest, I don't think I knew where Malaysia was located until we moved to HK last year. She was thrilled to go, and I was happy for her.  I tried not to think of what it meant for me...to have my little girl in another country without me or her father. If you were to have told me two years ago that we would have let her do this, I would have laughed.  But after surviving last year, when my three oldest children moved with my husband without me, a month before I moved...this was a no brainer.  I do miss her terribly, but I know she is having an amazing time doing some awesome activities in a spectacular place. Its also hard for me to realize she is old enough to be doing this, but that's when I remember she is not even in elementary school anymore with her long braided pigtails and her bangs that are growing out since I cut them too short.

Its because of these feelings that today I changed my plans.  I was supposed to go out this morning, but instead I decided to just stay home and play with Sarah.  Of course, there were other things I needed to get done...phone calls, mailing packages, email.  But, all that could be done, and was done, during her nap.  No, I just spent most of my morning playing with and watching Sarah.  Trying to soak it all in.  And that child is hysterical.  Her faces and the way she can get into trouble is so funny.  I don't take the time to do this often enough, I'm sorry to say. I have never been great at just playing with them at this stage.  But because I am a little bit older and maybe wiser than I was with my oldest, I have and will continue to enjoy this little blessing while she lets me:)

 

loves her apples

favorite spot to "read"

nap time!

a pic without her knowing

she caught me

playing with her Noah's Ark

My sweet and silly Sarah Jane