This weekend I was at a bouncy house birthday party.  Every weekend I’m at a bouncy house birthday party!  O.K., that might be a slight exaggeration, but it’s pretty close.  Between my three kids’ schedules it’s been a heck of a summer birthday tour.  One of the benefits of attending so many birthday parties is that it integrates my parenting responsibilities right into my social life.  I don’t have to put any effort into getting together with the guys because they’re all there!

Instead of poker and pick up football games, we’re sliding down gigantic blow up slides with toddlers on our laps, changing diapers, and exchanging stories of the latest and greatest little kid family follies…”Billy wears a bucket on his head and smashes into walls,” or “Tommy runs around the house in his underwear and socks singing the theme song from Peppa Pig all day long,” or “Lucy recently started using the dog as a pillow.”  You know the stories, and you know that they’re interesting and funny to a group of tired parents polishing off pizza crusts left behind by our non-crust-eating children. Hey, we take what we can get.

So anyway, I’m standing there with two of the other regular birthday dads, and I blurt out, “One day soon the three of us will be on the golf course, enjoying a guys’ weekend up north.”  I was referring to the fact that our children are bound to grow up eventually, and that maybe there will come a time when we have some flexibility to take a few days for ourselves.  A grandmother standing close by leaned in and suggested, “Don’t blink.”  Of course, she meant, don’t wish these precious moments away.  We will be on that golf course, and we’ll be there before we know it, but when we are, will we be wondering where the time went?

No matter how exhausted I am, no matter how frustrating it gets, no matter how hard it is to tolerate what sometimes seems like endless hours of literal screaming directly in my ear, it’s never very difficult for me to quickly remember how much I love this phase of life, how joyful each and every day is for me, and how truly blessed I am!

This morning was a wonderful one!  My staff and I welcomed our community of learners into school for the first time as a whole group.  The building was truly energized!  I had the great privilege of greeting our parents at the door, and then welcoming them to our fantastic “Boo-Hoo/Yahoo” breakfast (organized and hosted by our incredible PTA board).

Then, I got to spend the rest of the morning with students!  I spent fifteen minutes with each grade level group, setting expectation and getting to know one another.  I read to each of our kindergarten groups.  I read “Rufus Goes to School,” about a pig who really, really wants to learn how to read his favorite book, and in order to do so, he has to figure out a way to be able to go to school.  We decided that if a pig wanted to go to our school it would be o.k., but that he would have to promise not to get muddy hoof prints on the floor in the hallway; A reasonable condition indeed.

We decided other things too.  We decided that we’re all committed to the Meadow Brook credo, “Better Because of Me.”  We decided that even if some of us are a bit nervous, and even if we’re still learning about each other, and even if the systems, structures, and routines might take a bit of getting used to, that we’re all excited to be here at school together!  I was fired up all morning long, and now, it truly does seem like the blink of an eye; but the thing is, I didn’t have time to blink.  I took it all in.  I’m processing it now.  It’s become a part of the ever-evolving story of my learning journey.

Time certainly does fly.  While we can’t slow it down, we can absorb the moments of our lives and integrate them into our development if we’re intentional about doing so.  I was today.  I am now.  I plan to be tomorrow.

Did you blink today?  Even if you did, are you intentionally savoring the moments of your life as they occur?  If your are…well done.  If you’re not…it’s never to late to start:)!

Live.  Learn.  Lead.

Dream Big.  Work Hard.  Be Well.