Awesomeness

After Stephen had his friend birthday he was so excited that he began to plan out all of his parties to come.  "Mom, first I want a Three Amigos party (funny & random), then a Star Wars party, and then...."  He listed several others that I can't seem to remember at the moment.  Since then he has added more to the list, including a bugs bunny party.  It makes me laugh and TOTALLY reminds me of Natalie.  Each year at Halloween time she tells me the list of what she is going to be for the next ten years.  She has done that every year since she was three.  I love that they are alike in that. 

What I love even more about that is how it shows their excitement for life--they see that there are so many awesome things and it is hard to pick just one.  They want to experience it all--all of the awesomeness.  (I feel like Jack Black saying that:o)  They comfort themselves when they have to pick just one by making big plans for the future.  I identify in this way with them as well.  As a kid I felt this way about all the amazing things I knew I could be when I grew up.  How many amazing and exciting things are there to do in life?  Sometimes there are just too many things that seem SO awesome and interesting to discover.  One life time is probably not enough to experience it all. 

Stephen's birthday party wish list makes me smile and tempts me to start celebrating half birthdays or just have random little themed parties--just for fun.  Kind of like the "penguin party" we had last year with The Cousins!  I threw this little party just because I saw a cute cake and to celebrate how much my kiddos loved penguins.  It was so fun.  Isn't that what we should do in life--grab ahold of every good thing that comes along. 

That is one thing that kids have that just can't be beat--they have a special way of getting excited by the smallest things that seem so little and ordinary by the time we become grown ups.  We forget the magic and newness of it all and that is one thing that is so enchanting, fun, and light filling with kids...   I know that is a weird term--light filling; but I think that little kids come with huge spirits in tiny bodies and everything about them brings light and happiness.  That is what I felt each time I had a baby and everytime I focus on how wonderful and amazing my children are; that is what I see and feel. 

As a grown up going somewhere for dinner might be nice; it might even be a treat.  We might be happy and enjoy it; but do we ever get giddy about it and just plain excited?  As grownups, being around little kids lets us re-discover that magic and fun excitement of being a child.  We light up inside as we watch their faces light up and as we hear the anticipation and joy in their voices.  We get to remember in a way what it felt like when we were children; we re-discover it right along with them if we are open to it.  Is there anything more fun as a parent than watching your child experience something new and good in life? 

A little while back David & I were talking about how much we enjoy traveling with our kids.  Some people might prefer to travel just as a couple, especially for certain types of trips.  We were talking about how fun it is to take our kids to all kinds of places to discover it together.  Maybe we feel this way because we have been together so long.  David and I were together nine years (five of those married) before Natalie was born.  We had lots of time to enjoy each other and we know we will have lots of time after our kids grow up.  We just have a short little window of time with these cutie pies of ours--in just a few short years they will be all grown up.  David told me that when we were in Key West he was thinking about how amazing our kids are and how much fun they are to be with--he said he thinks these are probably the very best years.  He told me it occurred to him that maybe one reason people have more kids is that these years with young children really are so special, fun, and priceless.  That magic that they live with really is brought into our lives too as their parents. 

Just by being their parents we get to discover life in that "awesome mode" more often.  If we could just keep a little drop of that excitement and remember how many awesome things there are in life to discover--we don't have to stop just because we are grownups.  There is still a lifetime of awesomeness in front of us.  Sometimes we just have to make it--just like kids do.  It's all about attitude.