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Sunday, September 18, 2011

Irony

Today I was talking to our neighbour who has one child (of seven) left at home—and he's fifteen. She was hosting the neighbourhood "stroll and snack" (where you stroll to a neighbour's house, visit and eat) and there were children running all around her yard, shouting and laughing. It really transformed our street. It was back to how it was about twenty years ago—before all the children grew up. That's really how long our street hasn't changed—all the houses are full of empty-nesters—most of them the same families from twenty years ago—and our two little girls are the only children on the street. My neighbour's eyes got misty as she told me how quickly children grow up and how you miss them when they do.

"That's funny," I told her. "I was just crying because my kids aren't grown up."

And it's true. I just about broke down sobbing (as in, I cried, but not ugly-cried) while making dinner. My family came over to celebrate Andrew's birthday (yes, again). I was making pizza dough and Miriam had found some popcorn and kept throwing it into my yeasty water while Rachel was running around like a hooligan.

Neither of them napped today, which meant that I didn't get a nap, either (even though we all tried—they were up so late last night!) and I was so tired and they were so tired and crazy. They were like ticking time bombs—the slightest thing would set either of them off crying. Apparently I was faring no better. It was just a bad afternoon.

"Yes. That's kind of how it goes," my neighbour assured me.

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got till it's gone...

1 comment:

  1. Artist: Adkins Trace
    Song: You're Gonna Miss This
    Album: American Man: Greatest Hits Vol. II


    She was staring out that window, of that SUV
    Complaining, saying I can't wait to turn 18
    She said I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules
    Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
    Then she kissed her head and said I was just like you

    You're gonna miss this
    You're gonna want this back
    You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
    These are some good times
    So take a good look around
    You may not know it now
    But you're gonna miss this

    Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
    In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by
    He tells her It's a nice place
    She says It'll do for now
    Starts talking about babies and buying a house
    Daddy shakes his head and says Baby just slow down

    'Cause You're gonna miss this
    You're gonna want this back
    You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
    These are some good times
    So take a good look around
    You may not know it now
    But you're gonna miss this

    Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater
    Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'
    One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'
    She keeps apologizin'
    He says they don't bother me
    I've got 2 babies of my own
    One's 36, one's 23
    Huh, it's hard to believe

    But you're gonna miss this
    You're gonna want this back
    You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
    These are some good times
    So take a good look around
    You may not know it now
    But you're gonna miss this
    You're gonna miss this
    Yeah, you're gonna miss this

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