Where did the time go!?

This is our dog Wilbur when we brought him home two years ago. I was looking through older pictures and noticed the changes in all of us. It reminded me that time has no mercy. If we don't make the best of our time while we have it, we'll look back and question, "Where did the time go?" "I should of done this.....?" I often feel guilty for working too much. I'm not working out of our home anymore although just my daily chores, laundry, baking, cleaning and cooking can take endless hours out of one day. I wonder if our children will remember their Mother being in the kitchen while they grew up!? My husband and I do spend quality time daily, we always have activities happening during our weekends and throughout summer although for me looking back on past pictures, it's like a blur questioning, "When was that? Where did the time go?" I remember being in grade five, being a teenager, having my babies then adopting and now I want life to slow down. One thing I'm afraid of is not remembering anything. I would love to live healthy well into my nineties and remember my past raising our children. I have this feeling that I will suffer from memory loss, I could be drooling and institutionalized. My children won't come and see me, perhaps I won't know who they are?! Which makes me question myself on how we're doing things. Marcia Wieder quotes, "It's how we spend our time here and now, that really matters. If you are fed up with the way you have come to interact with time, change it" I have been very routined and organized all my life. I've written on how routine works really well having a large family. It does. Except once in awhile instead of looking at the clock and making sure we're meeting the 7pm bedtime, why not read another book!? Dinner around here is always between 5pm and 5:30pm sharp at the dinner table in our arranged seating spots. I'm starting to think about surprising our children with a 7pm dinner eating nachos on the living room floor! I really think when it comes to memory, it has to be memorable. My memory is horrible and when I think about my past, I can only remember key events. So what do I want our children to remember? Honestly I hope when they're grown up with children of their own they can look back and say, "My Mom and Dad were fun" Right now I'm not sure how much fun we are......because every day there's a schedule to follow, a routine; we have to come home or quit what we're doing because it's a certain time. My husband always comments to me, "Oh oh it's almost 11pm, you turn into a pumpkin after 11!" It's true. I'm watching the clock and if I'm not in bed before or at 11pm I'm breaking my own routine! Time is precious and it's moving too quickly. I'm so glad that it's officially summer where we can now relax with our time. I really want to concentrate on more quality. The dust keeps coming back, the laundry will keep piling and it'll be there at midnight when I surprise my husband that I don't turn into a pumpkin after all while folding laundry! Another element that I can get stuck focusing on is challenging events in our life. It can shadow everything and everyone because I like to correct the problem before moving on. So I've decided to preach to myself to do the best I can, then step out of the equation. Having a large family, even having two children, you have to spread yourself equally. I love quotes because they are simple reminders to keep me on track. Richard H. Nelson wrote, "Never let yesterday use up today" I love this statement because everyday should be a fresh new start. Yes yesterday was completely embarrassing ripping my skirt straight up my backside while trying to load groceries but today I'm in the comfort of my own home with my pants on! Groceries are put away and I really didn't pay attention to who was behind me anyways....so I'm moving on. Tomorrow is a new day. A day I'm looking forward too because it's Friday, the bedtime routine is relaxed and the weekend is here! So remember while inside you might be cringing over a challenging teenager or on the flip side, receiving a hug with "I love yous" that moment just past. Embrace the time you have with your family because if you're not asking now, you will ask, "Where did the time go!?"