The Parenting Journey

Parenting is a journey. One which lasts a lifetime and most certainly one of the most rewarding journeys one can ever take. It is a journey that is filled to the brim with choices and decisions. You can choose to not take a step or to walk as long as it takes to reach your final destination. You can choose to run through it and not notice the beautiful sunny days or blooming tulips or feel the gentle breeze as it dances across your face, or you can choose to be fully engaged, taking in every moment, being fully there, fully present, whether walking leisurely along the way or sprinting toward the finish line. It is a choice or many choices--each one affecting a life or in some cases, lives in permanent ways. On this journey we have many, many days, some good, some not so good, some okay, some bad, some disappointing, some sad, some awesome, and some special. For me, today is one of the special days, as it marks my Gabbi girl's 14th birthday. Birthdays remind me that even though I will always be a parent as long as I live, that this time while the children are still at home is so precious and very much fleeting. I am reminded to enjoy the journey, to soak it all in and be fully there, even on the days when I am overwhelmed and feeling defeated by fatigue. Enjoy the journey, its one you only have the opportunity to take once!