Reflecting

We had another very full but fantastic weekend.

As I told you in this post from last week, we have been busy and understaffed lately so Jeff spent Saturday at the shop. 

{That wasn't the fantastic part.  I promise.}

When he finally got out of there we were off to our great friends, the Buehlers', house for a BBQ.

The occasion was their son's 17th birthday.

17!

I babysat this kid when he was a baby!

When he was just older than Cedric!

It was a bit of a wake up call that my son is going to be a teenager some day!

A TEENAGER!

Obviously I knew that this was inevitable.  

But remembering this 17 year old in his cuter {sorry!} days just made it too real.

My reflection on parenting continued on Sunday. 

We celebrated my Mom's 60th.

{Side note.  If you met my mom you wouldn't believe she's 60.}

I saw pictures of my parents as kids.

{When I say "kids", I mean about my age.}

I heard stories from my Dad about their pre-parenting days.

I saw my parents through the eyes of their friends.

It all reminded me of this quote.

Before you were born your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way paying your bills, cleaning up your room and listening to you tell them how idealistic you are. And by the way, before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of your parents' generation try delousing the closet in your bedroom.

-Charles J. Sykes

I'm pretty sure I've already said that I have amazing parents.

I just want to say again that I have amazing parents.

Now, as a mother myself I feel so grateful for my own Mom.

I now see just how much she put up with.

{I know, I ain't seen nothing yet!}

I now see how hard she worked to {as my dear friend Diana says} "make magic" for us kids.

I'll just leave you with this pic of the next generation.  

Lookin' good.