Hectic life

I really do have great intentions when I make plans with friends. We moved to be closer to friends we grew up with and to be "home". It just seems like life is flying by so fast. Kids are growing up, which of course makes me feel as old as dirt. The gray hair doesn't help either! :)

I wish there were more hours in the day, more days in the week, more weeks in the year. I would love to have the option to just drop everything and have a girls night. We plan for it, but things always come up and someone has to back out - whether it is a sick child, last minute work issues, or something else with family. I would love for it to just slow down. I wouldn't necessarily want to go back into my 20s or anything. I feel like I really know what is going on, how I really feel about things. But there's the aspect of my youth where friends and I could just hang out without a care in the world that I think I miss most.

I do know that as my younger two get older, they will become less dependent on me, wanting to spend more time with their friends and whatnot. But then I worry, will I still have the same level of interest in the things I want to do now? Will I physically be able to do some of these things? It's the battle of wanting the kids to stay young to have fun playing with them, helping them learn and grow vs. the wants/desires I have to do the things I want to do. Gabriel being off at college really sucks. We want him to move back in and live with us forever! :) I would love to have this huge house with different "wings" where everyone could have their own wing and live with us forever... Ahhh, those big dreams!

Then I chastise myself for these worries. My family is healthy and has their needs met. I cannot and should not complain a bit about any of this "stuff" (do I talk in quotes too much???). We've managed to take all of our kids to Disney World at least twice and will be going again next year. How can I complain when there are children out there who won't see their next birthday? Or who are living in a hell on earth in abuse.

OK, OK. I'm not going to go down that road of sadness.... positive thoughts. Life is living at the different stages we are in currently, not living in the past. I just want to be sure I savor every moment while it is happening, not rush to the next....