Gather Your Children While They Bloom

I have missed my children this past week. I miss cuddling them, reading to them, doing school with them, and just talking to them.

You might think by the above statement that we have been separated for the past week. Oh, I've still had them in the house with me. I've seen them at meal times, etc.

My "baby" boy is almost eight years old! The time is flying.

But I've been incredibly busy and distracted :(

It hit me yesterday - how we can just co-exist together in the same house. Day after day, breathing the same air and sitting at the same table together, yet being so detached from one another.

Israel showing me his pride and joy - he never leaves home without it :)

As mothers we have such a short window of time to grab our children's hearts. There are so many needful things to do, but I am learning that there will always be dishes to wash, clothes to clean, and floors to sweep. Our children will not always be here with us.

Carrianna is wearing her baby sister's hat, off on an adventure with her brother!

My mother in law came over a few days ago to watch the children for me while I was busy with my projects. By the end of the day, I admit I was envious. She didn't have the household responsibilities pressing on her like I do, and simply sat and played with the children all day and talked with them.

Our sweet Olivia! She only has a few more months to be the baby of the house!

I want that.

I want my children to remember me for the tickle times, the tea parties, the spontaneous trips to the park on a whim. Jumping on the trampoline together (when I'm not pregnant!), making cookies together and eating spoonfuls of dough :)

Taking time to stop and smell the roses together, because roses fade away.

My wonderful brother in law delivered roses to my sister yesterday for her birthday!

Enjoying life.

Because it goes so fast.

And you never know what the day brings. It may bring sunshine and smiles, or it may bring agony and goodbyes. We just never know what the Lord will choose. Our children are not our own. They are the Lord's, and we are privileged stewards of them.

You may wonder what I have been busy doing. This week has found me feeling frumpy and frazzled and thankful my blog readers don't pop over to my house! My clothes have been the oldest and yuckiest maternity clothes I could find; my hair has been a mess. I've been busy painting this:

and this:

We are putting our house on the market Saturday, and there is a whole list of projects we needed to get done in order to have it ready to show. Today is my last work day, and my mother in law is coming over again to help get it all done. Some flooring needs grout, some new trim needs stained, more painting outside, and the whole house needs cleaned for a birthday party for my dad and sister that I'm hosting here tomorrow!

Oh yes, and crescent rolls, pumpkin pie, and a cheesecake to make for tomorrow, plus a trip to the store, and lots of orders to ship out today for The Modest Mom. Someone point me to my bed. I AM pregnant and needing rest, right?!

Rest will come next week, cuddled up on the couch with a good book and my children all around me. :)

**The Modest Mom is giving away a Rainbow Denim Skirt over at Heavenly Homemakers! Make sure you go over and enter to win!**