December...already?

Wow. December 2008 is upon us. One part of life that I've noticed that is a BIG change from my younger years is that life simply "moves" faster. I remember back in my school years that time seemed to drag. A school year seemed like an eternity. Christmas always seemed like eons ago. Going over to a friend's house after school, from say 3:30-5 pm, seemed like plenty of time to play, explore, etc. Visiting grandparents from Friday night (always arriving during the news) until Sunday lunch, with only one "real day" (Saturday) to play, run around town, etc., still seemed like a decently long trip.

No more.

Holidays from multiple years run together, and I often place my memories from them in the wrong year. Along those lines, instead of, say, Christmas seeming so long ago, it is more like, "My goodness...it's time again? Seems like it just happened!" As far as trips go, I just got back from a Tuesday-Saturday visit with my family in Kingwood, and when Saturday arrived, I was shocked it was already time to drive back to Weatherford. And we had been there parts of five days! When we do visit someone for just a couple days, it seems like a flash, almost "not worth" such a short trip...why? It didn't use to be that way...

Have I really been out of college for ELEVEN years? Those memories are still so vivid... And I can't believe I've been married over seven years. I vividly remember Missy and I just dating...and now seven years!? Wow. I can't believe we've been in Weatherford 4 1/2 years. We were in Houston only three, but for some reason, that time seemed to take longer. How come? And maybe most shocking of all, I can't believe we've had Jackson for 4 1/2 years... Forget the fact that I still can't believe he's FOUR (when he's closing in on FIVE), It's just amazing to see pics of him as a baby and go, "My goodness...that really doesn't seem that long ago." And, listening to parents of older kids, it doesn't get any slower. The old adage of, "One day, you wake up and they are leaving home," is surely true. And I'm not always looking forward to that fact...not due to fear, but more selfishly wanting more "time"!

It isn't all bad. Life moving fast does have it's perks. Holidays DO come quicker, and I love this time of year, even if it gets hectic. And I can't wait to see what our little family will become as the years go by...and I know the wait won't seem as long. Being patient also becomes easier, as having to wait for things that may be a year down the road doesn't seem like such an eternity...

So here's to life going by, in all it's excitement, wonder, unknown, joy, hope...