Sorry!

Christmas Eve 2009.  Sorry was the game.  Our family of 3 was going to bond with the wonderful new game of Sorry! It was a disaster.  He was too young to understand that "getting bumped out of the way" and sliding back to home were not personal but a part of the fun and sometimes bad luck of the game.  Steve and I are growing up with our kids so we had yet to learn this was a perfect character building moment.  For all of us.  

I have blinked and that 5 year old is 12.  This week he played Sorry with his 3 year old brother against me.  What a gift it was to see this little boy that used to be SO DEVESTATED by the UNFAIR rules in Sorry be able to maturely, enthusiastically comfort and laugh at the game while his 3 year old brother faced the cruel realty of Sorry!  I love this about having 6 different ages.  I love seeing the stage they are in, have been in and will one day be in all in 1 game or 1 moment.  It is a gift.  It helps me remember that Zeke will one day outgrow his RIDICULOUS tantrums that come about for all kinds of confusing reasons.  I get so stuck.  So often.  I let fear sneak in and worry too often.  Its a battlefield in my mind.  But, a rare moment I see this glimpse and realize I need to hunt for the beauty in each stage because they are each unique gifts not to be squandared.  I can not go back with Zach.  I can not move forward with Zeke.  I can only dial in to the present and find the beautiful gifts that each of their stages offer!  That is so easy to type and so hard to do.  "Enjoy every moment!" That is what those who have rear view mirrors say right?  And, as I look at Zach I know it in my gut they are right.  But, I take things SO LITERALLY.  And, it is impossible to enjoy every moment.  I will simply keep hunting for more moments to enjoy.  And, working hard at growing up and through the hard moments.