#278..Going, Going, Gone.

You know,  karensul12 mentioned something in her audio post today about seeing kids in a playground and missing those times with them when her kids were small -

I had similar thoughts today too. While straightening up, I found myself paging through my eldest daughter's high school yearbook.  I looked at all of the pics of her and her friends, at her beautiful fresh face, the teachers and the activities and the silly notes they left to each other scribbled in all different ink colors, and the flowery handwriting...like Karen, I too, got a little sad.  I closed the book and put it down.

I can't believe how fast time has flowed and now she will be graduating college this spring...when...how - did all this happen?  I don't remember getting older, when did they? This can't be - Hell, I still remember my own high school days -  

Now, I know full well, that I should be happy and grateful that all my kids are growing up to be happy, well-adjusted kids - no- young adults.. but I guess I am just greedy. No... I know I am greedy.

I, too, still want to push the baby on the swingset, to hold their bike seat as they learn to balance; to sit, snuggled close, to read them stories.  I still want to see their surprised faces on Christmas morn, to watch them walk down the street carrying their heavy bookbags on their backs, to transform their sweet faces into little monsters on halloween. I still want to kiss their scraped knees, and to hear their belly laugh while blowing raspberries on their tummies.  I want to smell their hair on my shoulder as I carry them to bed...

I am reminded of this poem.

Going, going, gone.
~By Bobbi Murrow

The babies have gone on
from mother's milk,
to carrot sticks and potato chips
from doodles on the wall,
to ABC's on lined paper,
from tears cried in my lap,
to a cookie and a starship colored bandaid,
from sharing toys with a friend,
to stealing kisses in the schoolyard,
from sing-song,
to love song, in the time it takes to sigh. 

I've treasured every moment
and etched them in my heart.
Because I know it's right for you
I'll look forward to all the firsts to come,
but I will have each of these moments to remember
when you're growing, going, gone.

~  "because I know it's right for you, I'll look forward to all the firsts to come," but man, oh, man, thank you kids, for all of those moments I have to remember...