It won't be like this for long

There are so many things about life right now, stages the boys are in that I really wish would last. There are cute, sweet, and exclusively childish things they say and do that will pass sooner than I would like. Whenever I hear the Darius Rucker song "It Won't be Like This for Long," my mind floods with snapshots of moments that I hope I am able to recall a year or 30 years from now.

Singing 7-8 songs before they go to sleep at night
Comforting a scared child from a midnight fear
The soft weight of a small child resting on my chest after nap-time
Sweaty hugs from boys that smell like birds' nests after a hard day of playing
Sweet breakfast kisses that taste like Apple Jacks..... sadly, it won't be like this for long.

Those grins that just get me
The giggles that turn into cackles because they crack themselves up
Multiple requests for chocolate milk
Spontaneous, "You're so beautiful, Mommy."
Little face appearing at the edge of my bed early in the morning to snuggle.... I wish it would last.

Not folding laundry because it's more fun to crawl through the still-warm towels
Cruising the kids section of Blockbuster
Hot date on Friday night consisting of popcorn on the couch and Kung Fu Panda
Pig piles and tickle fests on the floor.... it won't be like this for long.

Their ability to forgive and move on in less time than it takes to redistribute match box cars
Their belief that mom and dad know pretty much everything
Innocent questions that come out of nowhere
The awe and pride on their faces when they learn or accomplish something new
A confidence that comes with not knowing failure
Limited experience with disappointment... it won't be like this for long.


Oh, Lord, let me hold these moments of frozen time. Let me remember and treasure the little things, the daily tasks that I will miss when the house is quiet and empty. Bless me with hundreds more snapshots to store in my memory for a time when I can't readily create new ones.