Seasons of Life

You know how people say it all the time? "It's just the season of life you're in." And they're right. We all have our season of life to be living in and making the most of it. Well, I've been reflecting lately that I've been in this certain "season of life" for 15 years. It's the "Preschool season" I guess. It's the "Toddler season." It's the "I can't get anything done because I've got to have my eye on my little one every waking minute season."

Yes, it goes by lots of names and is known by mothers of toddlers everywhere as an "exhausting season."

I have found myself continuing to dwell here. I've had friends who've hung out with me awhile in it and then moved on. Some of them have even returned once they were past it for awhile.  But here I've stayed. Oh yes, some of my life has had to move to other seasons as well--the "having a tween or teen season" or the "running all over creation for my child's activities season." I've now even entered the "having a 15 year old driver season." But I continue, though, to stay in the "toddler season."

I'm over the whole "toys all over the house" thing. Been there, done that. When my older ones were little, it didn't bother me to have toy boxes in the living room, book baskets all around, art supplies all over the kitchen. I knew it was just "my season" and it was okay. When I was pregnant with Cedar though, that thought seemed to change. I guess maybe 13 years of my house not belonging to me started to get to me. I went through and literally threw away about 98% of baby/toddler toys. So, needless to say, Cedar hasn't had much. Knowing that he's the last, I haven't bought much. So he's learned to play with his brothers and sisters really well!

I was discussing this with a friend the other day at the pool. As my older ones were at one pool and my two younger ones were at another, and I was trying to keep an eye on both. I've learned that lifeguards are my friends, and I could do nothing without them!! I've learned to trust them and trust the fact that my children are in God's hands--even in the water!! Not only was I trying to keep an eye on both, but all my friends were at the big pool, and I was sitting at the baby one.

Welcome to the story of my life. It's one big split. Two sets of friends. One set with big kids. One set with little kids. On the one hand, I sit and talk about schooling or attitudes or hormones. On the other hand, I sit and talk about potty training, crawling into my bed at night or nursing. One thing I've noticed is that moms of big kids seem to forget all the stuff that goes along with being a mom of little kids. It gets kind of lonely sometimes--being in this season for 15 years.

I'm not complaining. I've just had it up in my face now for a few months. I hadn't ever really thought too much about it until recently. Cedar is a hard toddler. He's EVERYWHERE!!! I've made the comment that I think that God is preparing me to be ready to get out of this stage since Jon says we're done. God's making it much easier for me to be done!

Today at Splash Country (at Dollywood) it was very apparent again. There were TONS of people. Jon had the older three. I had the younger two. Trand is still in FL. I could hardly keep up with them in all the people. At one point we switched. I took the older three to do the water slides. Aaaahhhh!!! It was fantastic. Conversations, that while weren't necessarily "adult", made sense. We laughed and giggled and had so much fun together. I'm not saying I don't enjoy my little ones. I do--so much!! I just know I'm ready now to move on.

And just one more experience in this season of toddlerhood-- Tonight as I was giving Cama-Jane and Cedar a bath, I was in my closet for something and I heard, "Cedar pooooooped!!" Of course, Cedar pooped. Just how much poop have I cleaned out of bath water in these last 15 years? I'm pretty much an expert at it actually. It just reminded me again, "This is just my season of life." A season that I have spent so much time in. I've loved [almost] every minute of it. Even cleaning out the poop is not all that bad. Even the lonely times have mostly been erased with the memories of sweet giggles and laughter, hugs and kisses, pure joy at the sight of "Mommy."

No, I wouldn't change a thing about this season. But I think I can finally say I'm ready to move on to a new one. I think I'm ready for the new challenges that lie ahead. But I do have a little while to wait. I've still got about 3 more years here!!

So when my oldest is going off to college and my youngest is entering Kindergarten, I think that's when I can safely say I'm out of the "preschool season" the "toddler season" the "exhausting season." Thank the Lord because I'll be 42, and I'll need the break for sure!