Make Memories!

Have you heard the new Trace Adkin's song?  If not, take a moment and listen.

When I first heard this song, it brought me to tears.  It reminded me of my childhood and the memories that I have with my family.  Like most children, I remember begging my parents to do everything under the sun KNOWING that it would 'mean' so much!  Well, guess what, I don't remember going to Disney World, I don't remember specifics about snow skiing trips, and I don't remember any of the toys that I had to have.

What I do remember is all of those countless hours my dad spent driving the boat so my brothers and I could tube and water ski at the lake.  I remember singing and dancing in the car with my mom.  I remember my brother and I BELTING out Backstreet Boys and NSYNC on the way to school.  I have so many fond memories of my childhood and very few of them have to do with a whole lot of hoopla.

After hearing this song, it got me thinking about how we are raising our children.  Are we trying to make memories or buy them?  Or are we so wrapped up with our day to day life that we're not even finding time for special moments?

Thankfully, I married a fantastic man who is so eager to share his childhood memories with our kids.  By the time Little P was 15 months, he had already gone on his first overnight camping trip...boys only.  I have LOVED watching him take the kids hiking and camping in the woods behind our house, fishing at the pond down the street, and spending countless hours in the backyard playing basketball and baseball.  He's making memories.

Likewise, during the course of our everyday, its hard for me to remember to make memories and not go from one chore to the next.  Will my kids remember the laundry always being done on time?  No.  Will they remember if their bathroom was always sparking?  Definitely not.  Will they remember that I sang my heart out with them in the car?  Probably. 

By no means am I saying that our daily chores should fall to the wayside, but I am saying that we need to remember that not to get caught up in our brain and forget to see whats in front of us.  So, take a break from the day to day and take the kids into the woods for a hike and a picnic, dress up in a silly costume and have a dance party, or whatever your kids' little heart desires.  After all, they only stay this little for a day.  Tomorrow they will be just a little bit bigger...