Jump

Sometimes just grabbing the camera helps me to remember that things are wonderful.  Thursdays are "family days" at the post to which my husband is assigned.  This simply means he's home by 4.  Very nice and very rare in the military.  It is nice to have him home in time to spend some time with the girls outside.  We definitely don't take that 30/40 minutes for granted.  

Today was just one of those days where I longed for the early days of homeschooling with just little ones.  School was fun with just one in school and others young enough to just play with baby dolls and color by my side.  And then let's not forget naps!!  How nice it was to have two sleeping and one helping me fold laundry while we discussed addition facts.  I'm not going to say that I took those days for granted. Oh, I knew how good they were and I soaked it all in, trust me!  I can remember staying up very late planning out the perfect next day of school.  I had a smaller house to clean and fewer children to keep up with.  Only one child was in after school activities and we lived on post so everything was all too convenient.  Story time was much simpler, too, for the younger ones, which allowed me the luxury of curling up with my oldest for an hour or so in her bed and read through countless books.  I still read to my oldest, who is now 11.  We always have one book that is "just ours."  We don't get to it daily, though.  Maybe that makes it sweeter ... but anyway, I yearn for those days sometimes so much.  I still haven't found the "quiet" in raising five.  I know it's there and I know memories that I'll later look back on with similar affection are there, too.  Time with Daddy outside tonight before dinner just might be one of those.  I see Kate jumping off the stairs and just thinking she has come up with "a good idea" and loving every minute of it.  I was loving every minute of it, too.  Days (things) are never the same or as good as we want, as good as we remember, or as good as we deserve, but ... they sure are wonderful.