These days…

I was carrying Brennan in one arm, holding Madeline’s hand in the other & praying that Jack would stay close to me like I’d asked as I walked my little ducklings into the the gym the other day.  Yes…I go to the gym everyday almost.  I go because I love to exercise.  I go because I like to feel like I’m taking care of my body…I like to feel strong…and I truly believe that it’s what keeps me sane in these very chaotic(joyful, beautiful, awesome) times of my life.  After my workout I was browsing the advertisements posted while a nice gentlemen was working on some touch up paint in the same room.  He turned to me and said he had watched me walk in with all three kids and he was impressed that I got out of the house to come exercise with all the kids in tow.  I laughed and told him I was too! We talked about how having three little stepping stones isn’t easy, how I must have my hands full, and how it must be hard to get out.  I did a lot of laughing and agreeing.  I told him that I was trying to just enjoy these “tough, chaotic, busy” times because I’d been told that life goes by so fast and then he smiled and said “you know one of these days your gonna miss this…” He must have needed to talk that day because we ended up talking for almost thirty minutes, and to be honest I did a lot of listening. He told me how he had one daughter and how people had told him and his wife the same thing about how time goes by fast when they were raising her.  He said he and his wife tried to slow it all down and not rush each day…he said he’s amazed that now she is grown and in college and now about to move further away to get a graduate degree.  He said his wife was having a hard time in such a quiet house.  He told me he was now 50 years old and he still feels young like he did when he was raising his little girl.  He talked about all the things they used to do together…and I watched his face as he reminisced.  He had so much happiness, but I could see how much he missed those days.  I’m amazed when I have experiences like this because it’s an absolute reminder that God is helping me along this journey.  What a beautiful way to remind me to slow down, take deep breathes, and live each day to the fullest enjoying every moment that God has blessed me with!