This is getting really old....

I recently found myself saying this phrase regarding something that my children were doing that to me was truly getting really old. After that "moment" was over I realized that there are a lot of things that get really old, but many things that will never get old. But like irritations, these things too will soon be gone.

One of my favorite things is looking in my rear view mirror and seeing Adam relaxing in his carseat with his little arms behind his head. It looks so cute and to me, that look will never get old. But one day, he'll move out of the carseat and most likely will not have that look much longer.

When Luke was younger he could not say some of his letters, including his L's, K's, G's, etc. Poor guy called himself "woot" And Kix cereal...that came out interesting (I think his Dad still sort of wishes he said it that way came out with a T sound!) To Jeremy, that never got old! It did get old for him to explain what he meant and to see his frustration, that got.really.old! But now that he can speak correctly, all that is left is a sweet memory of my sweet "Wootie" working so hard to speak correctly.

Diapers & potty-training!! Those got really old. Emma embraced the diapers for a Hagan family record of 3 1/2 years. But like the diapers, those are just a memory. Now that we have 3 (almost) accomplished diaper free children, I cannot believe that what once got really old, really did happen. I truly never thought the day would come and that I would have one of those kids in Kindergarten in diapers going against all of the encouragement I received from other potty-training graduates saying, "You've never seen a kid go to Kindergarten in diapers!" I was pretty sure I would.

What is the point of all of this recalling and trip down memory lane? I used to get so very tired of hearing well meaning people say that time will go by so fast, enjoy the moments, to me I heard...blah blah blah. When in the thick of it, that did not help much. When my cycle with little variation of: wake, breakfast, clean up breakfast, change 3 sets of clothes a diaper here and there, make a snack, clean up snack, break up a fight, make lunch...oh wait, wipe someone's bottom (who let's face it cannot do it near as well by themselves), finish making lunch, strong arm some children to nap, clean up lunch, make snack, clean up snack, break up another fight, make some sort of a memory, DINNER? Ah...what's for dinner, read a book, wipe another...well you know, change a diaper that should've been changed hours ago because it is now hanging between the knees, serve dinner, give baths, read books, pray with my children, and get them to bed. All to just repeat in some sort of pattern again the next day. Honestly, why would I miss that? Ok, so maybe I do miss some of it. Because of who they were at that moment, on those days, when it was just us. I do miss that and sometimes long for that, especially on the days that it is just me.

What will never get old, is looking at old videos and hearing their sweet voices, realizing that their child-like faith is much more true and genuine than mine, that their forgiveness of me, one another, and themselves is exactly the way Jesus wants us all to be. THAT will never get old. This month, my Emma (and yes...my pregnancy with her got...you guessed it really old!) will turn 8 years old. I expected her to be 8 one day, so I am not one of those that cannot believe she is 8 ..but what I cannot believe is that I ever thought caring for her got old. I love being their mom, this is a great job, and even on the really stressful, going crazy types of moments...this job, to me, will never get old!

So, on the days when something is getting really old, stop and make a list of the things that will not get old and remember to...Enjoy the journey!

Rachel