Making Moments with Forced Family Fun Days

As this summer quickly winds down and another school year approaches, I again realize how much I need to focus on being in (and just enjoying) the moment. Our oldest will begin his senior year of high school this fall. I know how cliche it is to say, "Where has the time gone?" But seriously, where has the time gone! I still have pictures in my mind of his big blue eyes, baby-toothed smile, and cute high-pitched voice asking me question after question as he explored all things new in his world.

 Now he is a man. He still has those big blue eyes and beautiful smile (thanks, Dr. Reed), but with a voice much deeper that shares with me how much he's learned in his life. He has grown into a tall, lean and muscular body much like his dad's. He holds down multiple jobs, maintains his car, does his laundry (when he runs out of underwear), prepares his own food (anything quick), and has continued a serious long-distance relationship. These are all things he will be doing as an adult on his own.

I've spent a lot of moments with the boys over their lifetime...at the park, beach, skatepark, movies, countless hours of car time, learning to have a 'mom-clean' bedroom, cooking... I see that time getting shorter and shorter as they get older and develop busier lives of their own with jobs, friends, and interests that don't involve me. So to be sure we all carve out time to make more moments, I

enacted Forced Family Fun weekends this summer. In June we spent a day biking and hiking at Sleeping Bear Dunes, a day sailing on Suttons Bay, and a day boating on Lake Leelanau. July brought a quick trip to the UP where we jumped off Black Rock Cove, shopped at Da Yoopers Tourist Trap (viewed differently now that they are older), and visited family and friends. This weekend we will be traveling to Kalamazoo to spend time with my in-laws as we celebrate my father-in-laws' retirement. I feel blessed to have these two to three days at a time where all four of us are making memories together, something I know is, and will continue to be, in limited supply.

This realization and reflection is bittersweet to me. I keep tearing up as I sit in the waiting area of the car dealership writing this (the other customers are wondering what is wrong with me) knowing that our complete family time is limited. But I also swell with pride knowing that the boys are going to do fine on their own when they leave the nest. I addition to that, I look forward to spending time with my husband, enjoying what we used to do before kids (adjusted for the 'physical' cost of living). As I remind him, preparing the boys for their futures is the task we were assigned to do. And until that future becomes the present, I'm going to live in as many moments I can "force" on them.