Time Marches On

Today was my neice Ellen's high school graduation party. I made a quick trip back to Cedar Falls for the big party. Almost 18 years ago, Ellen made me an aunt. I can hardly believe she's old enough to graduate!

Ellen's grown into a smart, confident, creative young woman with a sense of style all her own. I'm so proud of her!

While I certainly didn't want to miss Ellen's graduation party, there was another reason I really had to make this flying trip back to Iowa: I needed to meet my newest neice, Lydia.

Pictures just do not do this sweet little angel justice. She is so precious! I had the pleasure of getting to know her while feeding her and holding her while she fell asleep in my arms. Next to the graduate, Lydia was the hit of the party, and it seemed there was no end to the number of times she was passed from relative to relative. Good thing I called dibbs on feeding her!

After about an hour with Lydia, I needed to say goodbye to my extended family and make the trip back across the Mighty Mississippi. On the way home, I thought about how quickly time flies. I can hardly believe that my neice is heading off to college this fall...that my little brother is now a dad...and that my own daughter is graduating from 8th grade next week.

There was a time when the kids were small that someone with teenagers told me, "Treasure these moments when they are small. The time just goes by so fast!"

And I remember thinking in my head, "YOU LIE! I live a lifetime in every day and an eternity every week! It just seems like this will never, ever end, and I'm going to be stuck here in this infant/toddler/preschool phase forever!"

Time seemed to have stood still in those early years of motherhood when I was knee deep in diapers, spit-up and toys every minute of the day. But as I look toward fall, where I'll have a high schooler, a middle schooler and an upper elementary schooler, I realize how true it is --the time really has flown by. My friend PR is fond of saying, "The days are long but the years are short." How very true.

I hurried home as fast as detours, construction and back-ups on 290 would allow so I could be there to greet Kelsey when she returned from her 8th grade graduation dance. Another rite of passage... another reminder of how quickly time marches on. As I looked at my gorgeous teenage daughter, I was amazed -- it seems like just a few weeks ago that she was as tiny as Lydia is now. And if I could give new moms one piece of advice, it's that time with your kids really does fly by, no matter how slow the moment feels.