The Last Time

 One of the things I wished with all my heart is that when our kids were growing up;  I worried less and enjoyed more the moments, the heart beats, the days challenges of busy years.  I am working on it now.  

This is the holiday season, a time of challenges, triggers, tough memories, an occasional flashbacks that make this particularly difficult.  I posted on here before survival guides for the holidays.  

http://weareone-ruth.blogspot.com/2013/11/holidays-are-upon-us.html

http://weareone-ruth.blogspot.com/2017/10/didnt-build-in-rain.html

This time I am sharing a poem my daughter shared as she enjoyed the Zoo lights with her sons.  She is right, I am wishing we could have one more time together, one more hug, one more story time,   one more of so many things.  Mostly I wish each of them joy in the celebration of Christ.  

The Last Time (author unknown)

From the moment you hold your baby in your arms you will never be the same

You might long for the person you were before when you had freedom and time and nothing in particular to worry about

You will know tiredness like you never knew it before days will run into days that are exactly the same full of feedings and burping

Nappy changes and crying

Whining and fighting

Naps or a lack of naps

It might seem like a never-ending cycle

But don't forget...

There is a last time for everything

There will come a time when you will feed your baby for the very last time

They will fall asleep on you after a long day and it will be the last time you ever hold your sleeping child

One day you will carry them on your hip then set them down and never pick them up that way again

You will scrub their hair in the bath for one last time and from that day on they will want to bathe alone

They will hold your hand to cross the road

Then will never reach for it again

They will creep into your room at midnight for cuddles and it will be the last night you ever wake to this

One afternoon you will sing "the wheels on the bus" and do all the actions then never sing them that song again

They will kiss you goodbye at the school gate

The next day they will ask to walk to the gate alone

You will read a final bedtime story and wipe your last dirty face

They will run to you with arms raised for the very last time.

The thing is, you won't even know it's the last time until there are no more times. And even then, it will take you a while to realize.

So while you are living in these times, remember there are only so many of them and when they are gone, you will yearn for just one more day

My children made these in 1st grade, now their children are in first grade. Yes, I still have them.