In The Zone

I've been reaching out lately. Trying to fill my cup; attempting to gather knowledge and experience from mothers with grown or older children than my own. These are the mothers who claim they miss my life. The rushed dinners, screaming toddler, sports games and practices, and multiple boys in a bath where there ends up being more water on the floor than on them. They tell me that now is the easy time. That I will never have the control I have now: the control over bedtimes, friends, knowing where my children are. And yet I feel like I have so little control. I'm approaching a decade in my mothering career (already hit it, if you count pregnancy) and these years have brought me tears, joy and much wisdom. Wisdom that enables me to look back fondly on the early years of new babies, toddlers and preschoolers. That busy time that I thought would never end, almost has. And I miss it. And so listening to the tales of teenagehood helps me to recognize this mothering time for what it is. And I think I've heard enough. I'd like to remain just a little bit naive and try my best to enjoy this zone I'm in.