It's the little things...

The past eight days have been pretty big in our house.  C and G finished their big adventure from Alaska to Tennessee and I have loved having them home.  When a child lives far away, and you only see them twice a year - you tend to forget some of the little things that always mean so much.  In our house, when important events or big things happen - we count down in sleeps.  We have done this since the kids were little.  How many sleeps until Santa comes?  How many sleeps until Grandpa visits? How many sleep until the beach?  As the kids got older, it became "How many sleeps until graduation? How many sleeps until you leave for the Army?  How many sleeps until you  move back to college?"  We count down in sleeps, when we are excited or something we love is going to happen.  This may seem silly to some, and downright dumb to others - but, this is the way it has been in our house since the kids could talk. 

In our house, each kid always had their own special job. If  I was baking, K was always right beside me - sitting and licking spoons. J was taking the trash out and always sampling food. C was the kid who wanted to clean bathrooms (because you didn't have another chore if you did that one) and he was the king noodle tester. He had the noodle tasting down to a science - when he was little it would be "mom, they're still chewy"and progressed to "just one more minute, and they will be good."  Last night, I was cooking dinner and I had fettuccine noodles on the stove.  I turned around and looked at C standing in the kitchen and realized I had my noodle tester home!  We both giggled like little kids and honestly probably got way too excited!! He walked to the stove, I got his noodle out, put in the exact place he told me and waited..."mom, they need one more minute." Y'all... this was the highlight of my day.  Every little moment we have had like this came rushing back, and for just a minute - he was still my little Coop!  But, it also reminded me - it is the little things you miss when your people are away!

I know there are little things I miss in my kids lives everyday now that they are grown. So...slow down and take some time every day to enjoy all the little things!  As much as I miss the little things some days...I know there are so many more great things (little and big) to come!