Coffee is brewing and I am getting ready to start another day of organize/pitch/donate.  I did 2 whole rooms yesterday and produced 2 large trash bags full and 4 large baskets to donate!  Feels so good to get rid of things!  I live a pretty cluttered life as we have lived in a tiny home with 3 growing children for the past 5 years!  [not complaining, just justifying my clutter]  When we move to our new, much larger home I want to be clutter and junk free!

Today I will work on the kids toy room.  A few months ago I had them get rid of some toys and they had a hard time with this!  After we had what I like to call a "family meeting"  they understood a little more that it was time to get rid of some things! SOmetimes all it takes with kids is a pause button.  "Let's slow down" I always say.  If you take the time to give your kids a simple explanation even if they are only 2 it makes things go so much more smoothly.  Smooth is good.   I have had a garage sale every year since I have had kids but we have never gotten rid of toys until this year!  I get just as attached to the toys as the kids do!

When I was a kid I remember playing with a fisher price toy kitchen, fisher price picnic table baby stroller and vanity.  I remember one day my brother and I wrote all over the the toy room walls and our toy kitchen with a permanent marker.  Man that was fun.  I managed to hang on to the vanity somehow and my girls use it at my mom's house.  They are also still playing with my dollhouse and all it's pieces!  20 years ago, I was 5.

Yesterday Ella said "Mommy, when I am 19 you will probably be 61."  I corrected her with "Ella, when you are 19 I will be 39".  Her eyes were as big as pancakes!  Josh and I have always said that when we are in are 40's we are going to be out of control!  We dream about taking off on our motorcycle for the day and not having to come back for anything!  I will be 36 when Emma graduates from high school!

One of our dreams is also to have all the kids home as often as possible when they are adults.  I dream about the day my kids come home for the weekend.  I know you shouldn't wish your life away and don't get me wrong I am embracing having them home all the time now.  But I imagine the things Josh and I will do with our kids.  You hope to be financially able and in good health when this time comes.  I can picture having their families over for the weekend making delicious food and sitting around a large table reminiscing and playing board games.  I hope I stay well to live out this dream.  I fear that I will become sick or die young.  I started fearing that when I was a little girl but now that I have children I worry about it even more.  I think of it often which is why it is easier for me to enjoy motherhood than it is for others.  Sometimes I think to myself...this could be our last day and it takes my breath away.  I worry that I have not shared enough tender real life moments with my kids.  They are so young.  There is so much to teach.

One of my good friends and I had this conversation one day.  She has 3 kids, I have 3 kids and while they were playing we sipped hot coffee one morning and shed some tears and promised each other that if anything ever happened to one of us that we would step in and do the things that moms do for their kids.  We both had nursing babies at the time and we even promised to nurse those babies until they no longer needed it.

I know you are not supposed to fear death but I know God knows it's part of our being to feel scared.  Hug your kids extra tight today.  If your kids are far away and out of arms reach take advantage of Labor day,  your day off and go see them!  I am going to go hug mine.

Enjoy this day as you are not entitled to it but rather it's a gift that we are all here today.