Stephanie Newton Books

I spent my vacation week at the beach with my entire family, including my three little nieces.  They’re so cute. The 5 year old is still filled with the wonder of the world, bugs and frogs and bunny rabbits.  The 3 year old makes jokes that only she understands, but we all laugh because she’s so adorable.  The 10 month old is all chubby cheeks and thighs.

Now that I’m home, I’m sitting here listening to my youngest, a teenager as of a few weeks ago, playing the guitar in her room.  It seems like yesterday that she was chasing my dad down the beach in her diaper.  You blink and they’re in school.  Blink again and they’re wearing make-up and talking about boys.  Blink once more and you’re teaching your fifteen year old how to drive and sticking a soda straw in your mouth so you don’t say all the things you swore you wouldn’t say when you taught your kid how to drive.

The next years will go just as quickly, I know.  A blink and I’ll be at a graduation, or sitting in the special place reserved for the mother of the bride (or groom).  If I’m lucky, one day I’ll be toting around a grandbaby of my own.

I have lots of prayers for my children.  But recently I was reminded of how valuable every moment is, that the things I put off, I may not have a chance to do.  I want to grab hold of these precious times and enjoy them.  Savor them.  So I’ve added to my prayers that I would live in the moment, that I wouldn’t push aside the offer for a card game or an impromptu trip to the nail place.  That I would make the time to hear about the latest video game release or the newest song on the radio.

Sometimes work can wait.  But life can’t.