It Won't Always Be Like This...

That's what I told myself when, at 2 weeks post-partum, I had a colicky infant, frequent crying jags and night.after.night of sleeplessness.

It won't always be like this.

And then those sleepless nights mercifully gave way to blissful bedtime routines (firmly believe my move to Chicago fixed that!) and nights of looking at my sleeping daughter.

It won't always be like this.

It's what I told myself during those weeks where I clocked in 80-plus hours at a job I absolutely despised, while trying at the same time to care for an energetic toddler. I cannot tell you how many nights I walked in the door, carseat/stroller/whatever in tow, only to fall into bed exhausted to wake up 3 hours later and do the same thing over again the next day.

And those days morphed into me actually having time off to spend with her, and take pictures. Oh, Lord, did I ever take pictures.

It won't always be like this.
It's what I tell myself sometimes, when the house is a mess and life is way out of control, when the finances are tight and the water's boiling over and the cat is knocking my coffee cup over and I'm tripping over laundry and my husband can't find his cell phone and my phone is ringing and...and...and...

And I shout "Enough!" and my daughter and I wander out into the night to gawk at the moon and chase fireflies and stop to take pictures of frogs and pictures with frogs....

...and you know what?

One day, there will be no more late night walks, or firefly summers, or hand-holding, or a 9 year old telling me I'm her "absolute favorite." One day, there won't be running across the grass and getting our socks wet. One day, there won't be loads of laundry to wash or dirty dishes to fuss over.

God whispers....

ENJOY it. Enjoy every glorious, rushed,  messy moment. Because it won't always be like this.