Enjoy the ride

    All day yesterday I was feeling a little guilty. I had plans to take the kids to a friends about an hour and a half away after she got home from school around 5. I planned to get there at 5 but knew that it would be past Gabe's bed time by the time we left to go home and it was a school night. Not only did I really want to see my friend but we were taking Christmas photos of the kids and this was probably our last opportunity before it got too far into the Christmas season. I have to get those Christmas cards made so I can send them out! All day I had this terrible guilt looming over my head. I told myself it was just one night, I wasn't being selfish and that he would be fine.
    It was 8:30 by the time we started to head home. Sophia was asleep before we left the parking garage. Gabe was getting there very quickly. Looking at the clock a wave of guilt, yet again, washed over me. Then my phone lit up and I could see the new wallpaper I had just put on it. (The actual pictures that my friend took are going to be a million times better but here's one that I took) This is what I saw.

 

   The feeling of guilt went away and some new feelings replaced it. Peace. Love. Joy. I realized that I can never get these moments back with the kids at this exact age, at this exact moment, during this exact season. Sure, there will be other Christmases. Yes, there will be other picture opportunities. But there will never be another today. Another, first Christmas for Soph and 6th Christmas for Gabe. They will never be at the stages they are now, together, as a brother and sister, the way they are now.
   It was one night. One special night we got to spend together and do something fun and memorable. I am not saying that I will keep Gabe out past his bed time every night but I don't regret doing it last night. The best part is, they both slept the whole car ride home, Gabe went right into bed when we got home, and then woke up this morning with no issues. He was in a fantastic mood as he went off to school.
   I think most of the time you have to follow the rules and structure of your everyday life. I also think that sometimes you just have to live in the moment and embrace every single second that you can. People are not supposed to feel guilty for enjoying their time! (I really need to work on that) Rules are meant to be broken. Life is meant to be lived! Everything goes by so fast and we're always run, run, running to the next thing. Sometimes you just need to slow down, take a drive to a friends with two (yes two) venti peppermint mocha lattes, a marshmallow dream bar for Gabe, a sleeping Sophia and enjoy the ride. Enjoying the ride... isn't that half the battle?

(Sneak peak of the photos taken by my friend! SO adorable!)