Flipping through some old photo albums over the weekend I was struck by how much our daughter has changed. Pouring over the pages, I could clearly recall most of the moments in which each shot was snapped, and yet, the time between then and now has passed so quickly. My heart lurched as I fully understood just how quickly my girl is growing, how little time we as parents have to be parents to a small child. I've been feeling extreme frustration with regard to how much time is stolen from my time with her. I've felt angry and upset that I never can seem to balance everything in a way that makes me feel comfortable.
As the day moved forward and the laundry was folded and the business work was typed and faxed and filed away, my frustration only increased. I managed to squeeze a few minutes outside with my daughter, walking behind as she pedaled her bike up and down the road, but the heat was opressive, even at 4:30 in the afternoon, and we didn't have much time left before I needed to get dinner on the table before the Hubs needed to leave for a meeting with friends.
I'm finding myself very much looking forward to our trip up north in a month, when I can focus on my little one without so many distractions and really enjoy being with her. I know that we all have work to do in this world, and that sometimes doing that work can be a struggle. I'm trying very hard to do the work set before me with joy and a grateful heart. That said, year six is flying past at an alarming speed and it will never be here again.