Mud Pies & Minivans: Live in the Moment...

Goodness, I remember all the planning that went into my wedding day. I got engaged on January 21, 2007 & then the planning began. I can not even begin to describe to you how much time, money, blood, sweat & tears went into making that wonderful & perfect day happen, but I will say that once it finally did get here it was gone in an instant!

Life is so short & we have to make sure we do our very best to live in each & every moment. In order to experience our lives in the fullest, we must consciously and purposefully "be in the moment". Some might have babies or toddlers that, at times, can be a lil' challenging & you start thinking to yourself, "I can't wait until this stage is over". But please stop, be careful what you wish for because before you know it that stage will pass & you will miss it. Time flies by and we can't get those times or experiences back. Embrace each age and each stage with each of your children. They are precious and uniquely extraordinary with the correct perspective.

Living in the moment is especially important during this season, because it is so easy to get caught up in the hustle & bustle, forgetting what this time really should be about - family and making memories. Our children are going to remember the time we spend with them (the experiences) and this is what we will cherish in retrospect. The experiences are much more impacting on who our children will become, how they view themselves and the richness of their childhood experience, especially in comparision to what we purchased for them throughout their lifetime. Childhood is made up of experiences, not stuff.

There is always a temptation to live in the future rather than capturing and valuing the moment. And it is so easy for us to fool ourselves into thinking, "I will be happy once this happens" or "...once this is over", but if we don't make the conscious decision to just be happy now with what we do have then I just have to tell you...You are robbing yourself of the present!

I have this lil' sign in my kitchen right over my sink that says "Happy is what we make it. Always has been and always will be". It sounds so simple, but it is so true. Every day, every moment, every stage, every season is a gift! Soak it up!

When birthdays come, weddings, baby showers, holidays, & so forth, we can't let stress overtake us & rob us from living in the moment. Its just not worth it. Embrace it. Drink it in. Experience their fullness and uniqueness. There are no do-overs!

This pregnancy, in particular, has been extremely challenging hormonally & I have been exceptionally tired much of the time. Sometimes I almost find myself saying, "I can't wait until this pregnancy is over.", but you know, soon enough it will, in fact, be over & despite the many up's & down's I have experienced during this pregnancy, I will, no doubt, miss it.

Gosh, sometimes we just do not even acknowledge how blessed we really are. Some people can't even have kids & I have seriously heard parents let their children know how much they wish they weren't around or how much of a burden they are because they are "being annoying" or "acting like a brat" (usually I have seen these thoughtless parental/child altercations take place in stores or restaurants).

We need to put every ounce of our energy into doing the very best we can raising our children & enriching their lives - enjoying them "in the moment" rather than focusing on the challenges. And we should continue to work at improving our relationships with our significant others rather than wasting the energy on just complaining about them to their faces or to our friends. We must invest in improving ourselves on the inside & the outside because our views of ourselves, our various habits, how we carry ourselves, how we act and react & so forth are going to be passed on to our children (whether we like it or not).

Let's keep in mind that PEOPLE are what matter most in this life! And we must always keep at the forefront of our minds that we are not our messy house, our wardrobe, our purse, and/or how much money we have in the bank, but the real picture of who we are is the quality & foundation of our marriage, the character & values we have invested in the children God has blessed us with, & the people we chose to take the time to impart into over the course of our lifetime. These are things that define us. This is where we should invest our precious time, appreciating and embracing how blessed we are - being present in the moment.

Live in the moment, because its something you will NEVER get back....You won't regret it :)
-M&M Momma