A couple of weeks ago, I was introduced to the Trace Adkins country song, “You’re Gonna Miss This,” which can be heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igm2iGvo-us. If you haven’t heard this song before, or even if you have, be sure to have tissues on hand. As I listened to this song, I thought of my life and how quickly it seems to be flying by. I can relate to each part of the song – have memories as clear as if they happened yesterday.
I remember sitting with my mom in Burger King when I was a freshman in high school and talking about how we would be looking at colleges in a few years. My mom started crying while we talked – three years before I would be leaving. As silly as her tears may have seemed to me at the time, I now completely understand the emotions unlike any other that come with parenthood.
I remember getting my first, one-bedroom apartment that I paid for with my measly entry-level PR job income and looking forward to the days I would be able to have a house and a yard. I remember my dad walking me down the aisle at my wedding and dancing with him to “Butterfly Kisses” – a song he picked for our dance and another one that makes me cry every time, because I know I’ll always be his little girl no matter how old I get.
And now, here I am, married to the man I’ve been with for 11 years (since college) with two young boys and two dogs, living in a house with a wonderful yard that we own in New Jersey, almost 10 years of work experience under my belt, and my younger brother is going to turn 28 soon! I look back and think, how did I get here?
I’m thankful for songs like this for putting things into perspective in such a simple way. When my two-year-old is crying uncontrollably because he’s overtired, or my four-year-old asks me the same question several times in the span of two minutes, I now find myself thinking back to this song and how this is just another page of my life that will soon be turned. Enjoy the here and now, because as challenging as it all may seem at the moment, we are going to miss this.
Kristen Keller lives in New Jersey with her two young boys, husband and two dogs. In an effort to obtain the perfect work-life balance, Kristen works part-time out of her home office as an independent public relations consultant and spends the rest of her time striving to give her children the same wonderful childhood experience she had. Click here to check out Kristen’s other posts on This Mommy Gig.
I so agree with you about this song! So much that I actually wrote about it on this blog back in May!!! Teehee - here’s the link - http://thismommygig.org/2008/05/28/weepy-mom-post-2/ - great moms think alike!
Kates last blog post..We’re Gonna Miss This
Kristen, I’m with you on this one! I am continually amazed at how life manages to speed up a little bit more each year. Remember when we were kids, and the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas (or, if you don’t celebrate those, pick 2 different holidays
went achingly slowly? The long and tedious weeks between Winter break and Spring break in school? Now Thanksgiving is a few days away and I’m still pining after Summer.
Yet another reason to take one day at a time and appreciate the little things.
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I was just thinking about how fast time goes by the other day. I remember sitting in my Earth Sciences class in 8th grade, during the middle of the week, and one of the other students was wishing it were the weekend. Our teacher (Mr. Bergman) stopped the class and said, “Time goes really slowly for you right now, but you need to learn not to wish the days away, because soon they’ll go faster than you think.” I can’t believe just how right he was. I really try not to wish the days away now
Sherrys last blog post..We’re Gonna Miss This
Oops, sorry Kate! And now that you mention it, I remember reading your post - just didn’t click. But yes, I agree, great minds (and moms) think alike
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I remember tripping over supermarket boxes made into forts in the living room a few years ago and thinking, “Well, maybe I can’t walk a clear path here now, but some day I’ll miss these forts.” Now, I do. Well, I *would* miss them even more maybe… if I didn’t have other things (dance bags, school backpacks, etc.) to trip over. It’s all relative, and it’s good to keep perspective. Not even those backpacks will be littering the rug forever…..
And yes, I agree… life speeds up as it goes along, doesn’t it?