Please don't forget!

Dear Myself (20 years from now),

 

Please, do not forget these early years in your boy's lives. Do not be overwhelmed by the insignificant 'stuff' that tries to take over in your life. Let the clean laundry sit in the basket for a couple days, it doesn't need to get folded the moment it is taken from the dryer.  Do not fuss over decorating your home. There will be many years to have a beautiful home in the future! Let children's library books cover your livingroom couch for the afternoon. See the humor in finding kid's toys in Tucker's toy bin. Relish tiny handprints on the refrigerater and kiss marks on the mirrors. Do not get down on yourself when there are more weeds than plants in your garden (remind yourself that you are raising children, not grass!). Practice and try to live the motto: my home is clean enough to be healthy, but messy enough to make memories!   ...Listen to Quinn at 2 1/2 when he tells you he is Jake the pirate and asks you to get his sword whenever his favorite show comes on! (And please, remember that his sword is really a saw from his construction kit!). Remember how sweet it felt whenever you were in a separate room from Jack, and when you were least expecting it, he would peer his head around the corner and squeal for joy when he 'found' you! Remember that these sweet sons of yours aren't always going to want you near them every second of the day. Treasure the years that they do want you near them (every. second. of. the day.)