The day Halee bug was born, I refused to let the nurses keep her in the nurses station so I could sleep. She would remain with me no matter what they said. I may have barely been 20, but nobody was going to talk me into having my baby away from me for more than 5 minutes.
I swear to you, that it seems like a minute ago Halee was just starting Kindergarten. I remember when she started I couldn't bear the thought of having her away at school for full day kindergarten, so I asked the teacher if I could pick her up at lunch and bring her home after. The teacher said okay, but after a few days Halee spread her wings and flew. She asked to stay at school during lunch. I tried!
When Halee hit 8 and it was time to get baptized I now had 4 children and with that comes (at least for me) a more relaxed parenting style. I didn't follow her around anymore and instead of trying to keep her close, I started doing what I knew was important, and pushing her to do hard things.
When Grace was born, Halee was almost 11. I didn't like that she was getting older, but, she was still young, and had many, many more years to grow older. That was two years ago.
The part that really hits home, or should I say a sensitive spot, is that it has been 8 years since she started Kindergarten, and like I said it seems like a minute ago. Guess how many years until she leaves the nest? 5. Yep, you saw it right...5 more measly years. What a beautiful, wonderful child she is to me. Her testimony of the gospel is so real and so big. She may be young, but she is a wise soul. She is learning that she really is capable of doing hard things< I feel truly blessed that even though life is so short and it really does fly by, that I have been chosen to raise these beautiful people to adulthood. My advice to mommies of really little ones? The same advice all the sweet old ladies gave me...enjoy it. It really does go by so fast it's almost like you're watching a movie and you want to hit the pause button, but you can't. I am still learning...and I still have many special little people to raise...I am so thankful for that. Now when they all leave the nest?? Hmmmm...I may be taking up meds by then. Not sure how this little heart will handle it.
Happy 13th my sweet Halee....
Halee had just turned 7 here.
