Passing Time

Tonight I thought I would run some numbers for you. Bear with me, I have a point.

• As of today Abby has 1,013 more bedtimes until she hits double digits (10 years old).
• As of today Abby has had 2,616 bedtimes in her lifetime.
• As of today Abby has 300 weekends until she is a teenager.
• As of today Abby has had 376 weekends in her lifetime.
• As of today Abby has 213 months until she is the age I was when I graduated high school.
• As of today Abby has had 86 months in her lifetime.
• As of today Abby has 15 years until she's the age I was when Jason and I met.
• As of today Abby has had 7 years in her lifetime.

Tonight I had a very poignant reminder of how quickly time passes. It was our last band and choir concert of the year. Many of you know that I am a teacher, and that I teach a classroom filled with kids in grades 4-6, but I also team teach choir. I love this. It combines two things I love - kids and music. It also lets me stay in contact with students that I've had over the years. I get to watch these children grow and mature over a four year period. I get to see them blossom into wonderful young men and women. This year I have a very special group of students moving on to high school next year, and I will miss them greatly.

As I was talking with a parent after the concert, I mentioned how much I will miss his daughter and after assuring me that they would still be around, he mentioned that he couldn't believe how quickly they've arrived at this point - having two kids in high school and their last one becoming a fifth grader. This really got me thinking how so very quickly time goes. I started doing some simple math and realized that Abby isn't far off from some major "growing-up" milestones of her own. On an evening when I was already on the brink of tears, this thought got me going again. I realized, we really don't have as much time as I sometimes think of "little" Abby. She is maturing quickly, and there are times when I get so excited about all her gains and growing, but there are other times when I morn the time with her I will never get back. Tonight's mood would certainly fall into the latter category.

The concert was certainly wonderful, a great exhibition of all the work that those wonderful young people have put forth this year. It was jammed packed with music, so by the time I got out of there it was past nine o'clock - certainly well past Abby's bedtime. As I climbed into my car I called home to check on her status, and I heard her in the background. Instead of being disappointed that she was still up, I was very glad - this meant I would get spend one more bedtime with her, something I really needed tonight, especially after seeing in black and white just how quickly time has already passed and how little time we have until she is too old for those bedtime cuddles. 

Tonight Dad had the great idea to add a candle
to her dish of ice cream. Here Abby takes a huge
breath to blow out her candle.

We even sang "Happy Birthday" and afterward
Abby said, "Thanks for the singin'"
She is way too cute!