Missing the Moments

I have been convicted of something huge as of late.  It seems to be finding me everywhere. 

Blog posts. Articles. Facebook links. Stories from strangers.

It's about missing the moments with your children.  Taking your time with them for granted.  Becoming "unplugged" and "hands free" if you will.

Our generation is so "connected" all the time now.  We have our smart phones in our pockets, on the dinner table and in our hands even when we should be talking to our kids, playing with them or telling our spouse about our day. 

I am guilty of it.  Not all of the time, but there have been plenty of times when the "I'm going to take a picture of that cute thing Ethan just did" turns into a half hour long checking in with Facebook and reading my emails. 

When in reality I should be fully present with my children.  All of the time. 

And so in the past few days I have committed to leaving my cell phone inside when I am outside playing with kids.

Wait, what? What if something happens? How will you call for help? Then you can't snap that quick picture of Reese running after the bunnies in the yard.  OH. WELL.

My parents didn't have cell phones back when they were raising my brother and I.  We turned out ok, I think.  :-)

I have also been made painfully aware that I should not take my time for granted with my children.  And it has hit me full force after reading several blogs of mothers who have lost their children WAY too early in life. 

Last night I left my phone in the house and worked with Ethan on riding his bike without the training wheels.  We both got hurt, we both laughed, we both cried and guess what? I don't have a single picture of that time together.

But I have the memories of spending quality, uninterrupted, hands-free, mommying time with my boy.

These are the blogs and articles that have inspired me lately.  I admit, a couple of them are hard to read.  But we should to remind us of just how precious our babies are......

http://www.handsfreemama.com/2012/05/07/how-to-miss-a-childhood/

http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/

http://aninchofgray.blogspot.com/

http://erikandkatekrull.blogspot.com/

Go hug and kiss on your kiddos and stop reading my blog! :-)