Bye Bye Spring Break - Thanks for the Lesson

Spring Break has come and gone.  It was hard getting up this morning to head back to the routine of work and school.  The kids and I had gotten so accustomed to sleeping to 7:30 or 8 each morning and had really enjoyed it.  I especially enjoyed being able to then get some extra cuddles and snuggles in bed and then take our time getting ready each morning.  But over Spring Break, I learned the most important lesson of all and it came from my kids.

Typical to my personality, I had a huge to do list prepared for Spring Break and I need to report that the list did not get done.  Which, if you know me, you know how hard that is for me.  Perhaps half of it got completed and at one point I was feeling a little stress over the fact that I was running out of time and that I still had so much to accomplish.  One morning in particular, I remember being a little crabby.  Chalk it up to pms'ing; "Mom, there's an app for that."  My comment to my mom one morning that had her laughing at me.  Anyway, I was feeling stressed one morning because I had things to do and I felt that the kids were not on board to help me achieve what I needed to get done.  However, I paused to remember that it was just the day before that they were arguing over whose room we were going to clean and organize first as we purge unneeded items of toys and clothes that no longer fit.  As it turns out, that day they were so helpful as we got rid of clutter and organized their rooms.  On this particular morning when I was crabby, I snapped at Kirra because she spilled a whole bowl of cheerios on my just cleaned floor.  The floor that I stayed up late cleaning.  Ugh - Mommy fail moment.  I sent both kids upstairs to play so I could clean up.  However, right after I cleaned up, I did a devotion and spent some quiet time in prayer to help me refocus.  It helped tremendously and the kids and I started the day over.  We didn't do a whole lot that day, but that was exactly what I needed.  With the cold, gloomy weather we needed a lift so we did some springtime type crafts.  It was nice to just spend time with the kids and focus on them.

What I really enjoyed about Spring Break was spending time with the kids and putting my to do list aside.  One of my friend's reminded me of this when she posted this quote on her blog:
"you will never have this day with your children again.  tomorrow they will be a little older than they were today.  this day is a gift.  breathe and notice.  smell and touch them;  study their faces and little feet and pay attention.  RELISH the charms of the present.  enjoy today, Mama.  it will be over before you know it."  ~jen hatmaker
Doesn't that just bring tears to your eyes?  It does to mine.  I pray for more patience each day and I pray to be able to put the to do lists aside so that I can just be attentive to my precious, little ones who mean the world to me.  I don't want to live my life with regret on the times I missed out on with my family because I was too busy with my to do list.  Life is to be lived and lived to the fullest with those you love!  Thanks for the lesson, Jaret and Kirra!