Where does time go?

How does time fly? Where does time go when it's long gone? Why does it seem to go by faster when you are older? How can we slow it down? Can we ever get it back? Is there more where it came from? I wish we could save it up a little at a time (like in a time bank account), so that when we have family gatherings, vacations, important events, "good days", we could cash out on all those saved up minutes and make those "fun" moments last longer. But, unfortunately, it's impossible to "invest" that spent time. We just have to make the best of it while we are in the moment (and take lots of pictures to help us remember.)

This was a busy, yet fun weekend for our family as we celebrated Brooklyn's baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I can't believe she is 8 years old! It seems like yesterday that Brooklyn started Primary as a bright-eyed, busy-bodied 3 yr. old. Now, she is a member of the Church, has her own set of scriptures, wants to wear fancy shoes with heels to church, and carries a purse. Wow! The really scary thing about this, is that it won't be long before all the rest of my girls are 8, too. Time goes faster once one child has reached a milestone. The same goes for sending kids off to school. Once one starts school, it doesn't take long before your last is leaving for college. YIKES!

This year, Makenna started kindergarten. It seemed not too long ago that Brooklyn was heading off to school for the first time. I was much more anxious when Brooklyn started than when Makenna started. I guess it was the whole new idea that my oldest was heading out into the "great, big world" where she would have "experiences" that I tried so hard to protect her from during her first 5 years of life... teasings and tauntings, prejudice, labels, challenges, failure (not to mention the homework and germs that kids bring home to the rest of us). I just had to buck up and hold back the tears, knowing that there was nothing I could do about it. Luckily, I have found that not many of those "things" have come to fruition (yet); and that the important thing is to keep the bridge between home and the "great, big world" wide open, so that they feel comfortable talking to me about what's happening "out there". I can't "carry" my children through their life experiences, but I can help them and teach them at home, so they'll make good decisions, react appropriately, and get through the situations that come their way.

So, when Makenna (on the second day of school) said, "Mom, you can just drop me off. You don't need to walk me into my classroom anymore."...I didn't get as nervous. I didn't tear up. I wasn't so worried. I just took it as a job well done in preparing my little girl for her next big adventure in life...the "great, big world" of kindergarten. Go get 'em Makenna!