You're Gonna Miss This. {An original post on "letting them be little."}

Ever need reminding that your kids are only going to be kids for a short time, that all they do now to irritate the snot out of you will soon be a memory, and that one day your home will be so quiet you'll hear a pin drop? I do. I believe we all do, if we're honest with ourselves.

Today I was feeling a little, okay a lot, overwhelmed. I had a horrible dream last night so I didn't sleep well, I hit snooze one too many times on my alarm, the kids were going to be late for school if we didn't get a move on NOW. Of course, the baby is crying, McKinley can't tie her shoes, Jett needs his agenda signed, Jonah, well, Jonah didn't need anything, thank goodness. I also needed to make sure Jake was up and getting ready for school so he didn't miss the bus. We are out of soda so my normal caffeine fix is in order and I'm beginning to feel a bit frazzled. I tell the kids to get in the truck and we're off.

It wasn't until I got McKinley dropped off at her school that I realize that I'm going to miss this. I am going to miss these days of hustle and bustle and getting everyone here, there and every where. I am.

The other night Hubs gently reminded me of this. Here's why:

Jett and McKinley were outside jumping on the trampoline. Every so often a bug or worm or something that slithers or crawls would catch Jett's eye. He has a keen sense for these things. As soon as he'd see something he'd jump down off of the trampoline, in his white socks and go investigate. The ground is still wet from the bunches of rain we've been getting so he's jumping down in to mud. Or, at least in my eyes it was mud. His socks were black before it was all over. It may as well have been mud.

After a while, I called them in for dinner. Jett came running inside- through the living room, down the hallway, through the dining room and then SKATED through my kitchen. You've totally got a mental picture of this, right? He used his little, six-year-old feet covered in wet, muddy socks to SKATE through the kitchen. Behind him he left nice long, black skid marks on the floor.

My eyes may have gotten as big as golf balls and there may have been steam coming out of my ears. I was so mad!

Without skipping a beat or saying a word to me, Hubs calmly told Jett to go get in the bath. He then grabbed the mop and bucket and mopped that kitchen floor stained with muddy marks. While he did that I sat to feed Mabry and proceeded to cry. I couldn't do anything else. I was mad at Jett for making such a mess. I was mad at myself for getting so mad. I was staring at my husband in amazement that he kept his cool and acted much like I should've acted in that moment.

After he finished mopping the floor Hubs went to get ready for work. As I walked him to the truck a little later that evening he stopped me and asked me to remember that it won't be long before those muddy feet are all grown up and no longer enjoy skating across our kitchen floor. He reminded me to take a step back and let the kids be kids. I should be enjoying the never-ending loads of laundry and the sink over flowing with dirty dishes. The constant yelling of "MOM!" I should be enjoying EVERY MINUTE. Before I know it they'll be grown men and women and living on their own in this great big, scary world.

Today I'm letting them be kids. I'll let them get muddy, it all washes off. I'll let the sound of their tiny voices saying "mom" fifteen thousand times {in a row} be a song in my ear. I don't want to miss a minute. One day they'll be all grown up.

You're turn. What will you let your little ones do that you would normally stop them of? Will you take a step back and watch them be kids? Tell me what you'll do today to "let them be little."