Today

I am finally understanding that life is truly about choices. Now that I am no longer a foot-stomping brat (well, most days I am not) and I am almost in my mid-thirties (gasp!) I finally now get it that you cannot have it all.

Years ago I decided to give up any notion of a "career" to be a Momma. It was not an especially tough decision at the time despite the fact that when I made that decision I had a few courses under my belt towards my masters degree in Special Education. (nice foreshadowing there huh?!)

So for the last nine years or so I have been home to mother the babes that God has blessed us with. Life as a stay-at-home momma is not always easy. Heaven knows there is very little glamour in cleaning toilets and scrubbing stubborn cheese off the lasagna pan. There is no award ceremony on TV for the "best" mommy, and the people in my household can at times, take this momma for granted. I earn no money and my social security check down the road will be ridiculously small.

But, there are days like today when I take my little piggy-tailed girl to the park to play, that being at home with her just feels right and I am so amazingly thankful to God. We listened to the leaves falling from the trees, we looked for fish, we slid a million times down the slide, and this momma enjoyed being in the moment with a little girl that will not always be this little.

I hope in the next few years I will be able to use my teaching degree again and teach some little people somewhere. Maybe one of these days I might even wear a "power" suit again (are those even in style now)?

But today, I am thankful for this little girl who reminds me how fast life is hurling by and I am beyond thankful that today I was right by her side.