Memory Lane...

Some days just take me back to childhood. In an instant I can hear the sounds of my friends giggling over nothing as if it were yesterday. One of my most unexpected treasures of parenthood has been getting a glimpse of maybe what my parents felt all those years ago. 

Emmy had a birthday party Saturday morning for her sweet friend, Caleb. Watching them play makes me think of my friend Joshua Lamb. We were such great buddies at this age.

Then we scrambled to Radley's soccer game where he made up for his "no score Saturday" with five goals. (But who's counting). Then we changed clothes, hopped in the car, and headed to Radley's school for their annual Paw Print Festival.

It was like the Edge was a Delorean and took me back to Robinson circa 1987-1997. I mean, wasn't it just yesterday that me and my friends were begging to run around at Fall Fest all by ourselves??? Because that's what this kid and his friends did. 

"PPPPPLLLLLEEEEAAASSSSSSSSSEEEEE, Mom. Can I? Can I? We will be together. I PROMISE. PLEASE?!?!?!"

And that was the first of 103820 times that I will watch him walk away from me to be "on his own". 

I guess history really does repeat itself. Time and time I again I look up and see myself when I see them. And not just in their amazingly beautiful good looks ;), but in life. I don't remember growing up. I don't know how me and Ryan went from kids to parents. I don't understand how we became the ones looking on with such happiness as their "best day ever" came to life. 

But I am ever so grateful for this gift. This beautiful, undeserved gift of parenting. One of my most repeated prayers is for my kids to be as happy as I remember being growing up. Not a care in the world - just being surrounded by each other and having all the fun you can imagine. 

I could just sit and watch them in their element for hours and never get bored seeing them play and discover. Working to figure something out or make a new creation and that moment when they look up to see if we really are watching... and the smile that appears when they do... it's maybe on the best feelings in the world. 

Maybe even better than getting a sucker.

(Also - this moment made me think of her in 20 years at ACL... punk hair and wrist band).

The whole day was a like a little game of "I spy"... 

I spy the happiest kid in the world having a sack race...

I spy four kid growing up too fast ...

I spy a GIANT slide that no one wants to leave...

I spy a girl that thinks she is soooo big. 

I spy 3 of the sweetest, sweatiest, stinkiest, smelliest, silliest, stickiest, precious kids around. 

What a day we had...what memories we created and what joy we lived!