Today’s throwback picture is of my living room. There was a time in my life that I had a good decade of young girls hanging out at my house. So many different girls ranging from 5th grade to seniors in high school. Before I had children I always wanted to be the kind of mom who was always home for her kids and their friends. I wanted to be that house where everyone wanted to play.

After my older daughters hit those ages when friends could come over and hang out (not play-dates (I hated play-dates)) I actually started rethinking that dream. Kids in real life are a lot louder and messier than the ones I imagined. They stay up a lot later too. Needless to say, my house WAS the house and my car was the queen carpooler car too. I was surrounded by kids all the time. I have to admit it wasn’t always fun for me and quite often it was very annoying.

Screaming, laughing, crying girls, make-up, clothes, sneaking out and dressing up. Annoying teenage boys, and everything else that accompanied them, like fighting over who liked who and what he sad about her. It was exhausting. Even with all of this going on I still knew deep in the bottom of my heart that one day it would all stop.

And it did.

I’m glad I reminded myself at the time to just let things go, or just clean later because I was aware that what was happening right then was not going to last. Sometimes I’d listen to everyone in my car talking and I’d just smile to myself, knowing those moments would be funny to them later. I knew some of them would never see each other again, or would stop being friends. I knew they’d move or go off to college and many have. I knew when I’d watch them play X-BOX and Dance Dance Revolution that it was something that was fleeting and I may never see it again, or hear them singing to Rock Band again. On the surface I’m glad about that but I also have great memories of a house full of life and action. Full of young hearts to be influenced, nurtured and loved. It was a gift I was given.  And when those core groups of kids get back together and meet at my house for a game night, I’m always so glad. I’m happy to hug them and hear all about what they are doing now but I’m also glad they aren’t spending the night.