I forget the little things sometimes

I forget the little things sometimes.

One of my favorite phrases about parenting is, “We are raising them to be productive members of society, because the world gets them longer than we do. We have 18 years… at most.”

So, I work hard to make sure they can function in the world, the world that they will be thrust into after college.

I forget that before I nudge them into the world with my hip, before I let them go and fight back the tears at every upcoming event, that I need to hold on.

My little girl crawled into bed with me this morning. She got the beginning of a cold, stuffy nose, a slight cough and sore throat. She rolled over on her side and slid her little hand into mine and it hit me… I am raising little adults, but I HAVE to enjoy the little things.

Curling up on the couch watching a movie… put down my phone. The laundry, dishes, floors can wait. I don’t have an entire lifetime to waste… each day that passes is a new opportunity to remember.

As a co-parent with their father, I get even less time with them, so the little things are what I need to hold on to.

Because one day I’ll be excited that they are coming home for the Holidays from college …. I want to remember what their hands feel like in the drowsy moments of the morning before I had to head off to work.

It’s the little things that make it all worthwhile.