Mom Mondays Vol 1

So I've noticed some bloggers dedicate certain days of the week to certain themes.  So I thought I would try "Mom Monday's"  I chose this because after having a weekend with the children I need to debrief and this seems like a great forum to do it.
I always have great visions for the weekend.  I especially cherish my weekend because I work 1/2 of them and so I want to make the most of the 26 per year I have off.  So this causes me to put a ton of EXPECTATIONS on the limited time we have together.  I want to make memories, I want to complete projects, I want to clean, I want to play, I want to have peace, I want family time, I want couple time, I want me time, I want resign from motherhood by Sunday evening because it wasn't all I thought it should be and the kids didn't act the angels I expected them to be.  It's the reason the Real Housewives and Kardashians are so popular on my TV on Sunday evening.   It's comforting to see a bigger train  wreck than mine.
Sigh....will I ever learn?  Baby steps people, baby steps.  I think part of the pressure I put on myself is the realization that time is FLYING by.  I can't stand it.  I look at my 14 year old and I don't see 14, I see 4 years shy of 18, 2 years shy of a drivers license.  And I begin to hyperventilate.  It's too fast.  I'm still learning.  Part of it is "Give me another chance to do this right."  and part of it is "The last 14 years have gone by in a heartbeat, 4 years is going to be gone in no time flat."  I need to get a grip on this.
I am thankful to be mindful of this.  On Thursday night, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown came on.  It is our tradition to watch these together.  My oldest was all about cuddling up and being in my space that night and I am a person who tends to like her space.  It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't so big and heavy.  I started to protest when the thought came "He may have a job next year.  He may be busy with friends.  He may not want to cuddle up with his mom any more."  So I grabbed the moment and savored it.
There is a book I read when he was little.   It's called "Let Me Hold You Longer" by Karen Kingsbury.  Its a sweet book that basically says we do a great job of chronicling and celebrating firsts (first smile, first steps, first day of school, etc) but what about the lasts?  How would we respond if we knew the last time our child would wake in the night to be comforted, the last flower they pick and bring you, the last picture they color and put on the fridge, the last tuck in at night, the last  time you help with a test, the last car ride you had to give, the last conversations about romance and their future.  The book ends with a prayer I think of often:
 "Let me hold on longer, God, to every precious last."
As time accelerates, my heart is pricked by this every so often to stop, savor, enjoy the moment.  Don't take the small things for granted.  It's those things you will cherish.  It's those things that bind your family together.
I pray this blesses your mom heart this morning.
Love you,
joy