Tuesday, January 10, 2012

teenagers


I ran into this picture quite accidentally today and it made me smile.

This was from our last trip to Illinois in 2003.  I was pregnant with Mariah.

We all look so young.

Somedays I miss when my children were little........... life seemed so simple then.

One of my best friends has 8 children.
Her oldest was only 11 when she had her last baby.... so when her oldest is graduating from high school her youngest will be 6.

Such a completely different situation than we are in.......we have teenagers and babies at the same time.

I'm so glad!  

It's challenging at times, but I love having all the stages in our home at once!

I love the precious baby stage.  I partly love the toddler/terrible 2 stage.  I really love the 4-year old independent and learning-to-read stage.  I adore the innocent and exciting grade-school stage.  I even love the sometimes rocky but mostly sweet "tween" stage.  But I think my favorite is the teenage stage.

People worry about having teenagers, but I actually love it!

I love the people they are becoming.  I love the discussions we have.  I love the plans for the future.  I love the experiences they share with me.  I love the way they think and act for themselves.  I love the friendships we have.  I love that they still rely on me and need to know what I think.  I love that they are more aware of the way their choices impact them and their own families someday.  

Even as kids reach adolescence, they need more than ever for us to watch over them. Adolescence is not about letting go. It’s about hanging on during a very bumpy ride.- Ron Taffe
Too many parents of teenagers try too hard to be their best friend.  Respect is lost, and precious time for molding kids is also lost.

My daughters (not sure about my son, though he does tell me his deepest, darkest secrets) consider me their best friend, and I definitely consider them my very best friends (after their dad) ............but they also know I'm their mom.

It breaks my heart to think of those days when I won't get to be with my kids every day, but I know the days ahead are going to be another beautiful part of the never-ending cycle called the plan of happiness.



It fills my soul with joy!



good things:
*flexible spending - so glad we have money set aside when emergencies come up


*a good school my kids can attend


*my husband's organizing spree

4 comments:

Annie and Family said...

Thanks for helping me not be so scared about what is in store for me in the future. I have always feared the teenage years to come. :)

Erika said...

you have such a way to make others feel excited about the future. Thank you!

The Hulbert Family said...

That's like my mom, she loved us at the teen age! I think she may have even liked it better than the adult stage, haha!

Gina Hallam said...

I'm at the sad part :( Aaron will be 18 in 12 days EEEEKK!!!! I have to keep reminding myself that I have cherished the times we've had and what a blessing it's been to be a stay at home mom all these years but one. I miss the little boys they were and wish sometimes we could turn back the clock. I love and admire the young men they are and are becoming.