Sweetarts

My mom once told me that life was alot like sweetarts. There are always the parts of your life that are so sweet and lovely. Your marriage, kids or just those simple moments in life where you think it can't get any better and you are exactly where God has planned for you to be. Then there are those tart moments where you struggle or even wish for the "old" times. Rocky parts in jobs or marriages, kids growing up those parts that can have you questioning your life or feeling sad about where it is going.But you really can't have one without the other. I wouldn't give up the tart parts because they make the sweet parts so much better and I wouldn't give up the sweet parts because they make the tart parts worth struggling through, they are the parts of life that I feel truly make you who you are. Lately that is exactly how I have been feeling especially when it comes to my kids.

My kids are growing way too fast. Natalie can read and write and when playing family games she can keep score!! She makes friends and wants to spend all her time with them. Jake is going to be a kindergartner in the fall and I'll be home alone(that part is kind of sweet). He likes some independence and he also wants to spend more time with friends then with me. Greyson has me feeling the most bittersweet. My sweet little chubby baby is registering for Jr. High today. He's too young. And after a trip to the eye Dr. we found out he is getting glasses. Once again I feel he is too young. As I'm paying for the glasses I feel that I am old. Only My mom can buy glasses, I'm too young for this!!

I don't want any of those kids to grow up. This is my tart part of life right now. I hate seeing them get so big and get their own opinions and not rely on me so much. And yet, the sweet part of my life is the same thing. I love to see them grow up and what they think and their opinions. I love not having them rely so much on me and things are easier. We can really do alot more. I told Greyson the other day that my whole job is to train these kids to leave me. How bittersweet is that? I do want them to grow up and find their own way but they will always be my babies and it's so hard to relinquish those strings and let them become their own person. See, Tart and Sweet at the same time. I wouldn't give any of those parts up because they do make life worth living and this is the way it is supposed to be.

I really think you have to have both the sweet and tart in order for life to progress. Because sometimes the tart part is also the reason I look forward to them all leaving!! They can truly drive me bonkers. I love having conversations with them and seeing the way they think. I hate seeing them hurt but that's life right? At least they still need me to console hurt feelings and honestly I still need my mom for that too. I really do like seeing them become People and not babies. But watching it can be hard. It truly is sweet and tart at the same time but having them together makes it all the more bearable.

I'm going to go fingerpaint with the 2 that are home today (one is "sick")and then eat some sweetarts. Have a good day.