One of the songs that makes me cry almost every time I hear it is “Slow Down” by Nichole Nordeman
If you have never heard it… look it up. The story behind it if i remember correctly was her Daughter was going to graduate Kindergarten and Nichole wrote the song for her Graduation. Get a tissue before you start. Its a tear jerker! (confession I am already wiping tears thinking about what I am about to write)
The song starts almost as a toast to the child saying “Here’s to you, You were pink or blue, Everything I wanted” and goes on to highlight various milestones through a child’s life.
The chorus goes into a plea to SLOW DOWN.
Don’t grow so fast.
The future will be here before you know it.
But these moments? right now? no mater what age your child is ENJOY IT!
These moment are sweet times you don’t want to miss.
To be honest this song hit me hard before I had kids, but now?
Oh LORDY! Now that I have 2 of my own? I find myself singing this in my head so often when I realize how fast my kids are growing.
It is so easy for us as parents or even just as humans in general, to get so into anticipating the next step that we don’t get to enjoy the moments that we are holding right now. I am guilty of this so often, but I have tried to work a lot harder not just since the kiddos, but especially since them to not get so caught up in my to do list, or the things that I THINK are important to get done right now, that I don’t have time to just stop and listen to what my babies have to say and what THEY feel is important right now. Because when it comes down to it, We are not going to look back in life and say oh man I really wish I had gotten more laundry done. But more than likely, we will look back and either treasure the moments we spent in relationship with our children and loved ones, or regret the times that other things felt more important and took us away from those moments when we wish we had just slowed down to be more present and in the moment.
Cute and Cuddly doesn’t even START to describe this little man! It feels like just yesterday we were waiting for his arrival and doing his Newborn Session, now look at him! He definitely doesn’t need our help getting around anymore!
I love every time I get to see him. This day however, Ezekiel was NOT as interested in getting his photos taken as he was with just playing. So, instead of trying to keep him in OUR little box (Though with it being a studio session we DID have to keep him a little contained) We just tried to work with HIM, let him play, and let him be HIM and HE Rocked it! Which means we ROCKED IT!!
To me the most Important thing is not to capture images that make the world smile but images that capture time so that when those who know and knew the subject of the image look back at the image THEY smile and think not just of that moment, but of that time and the love they have for each other.
The most important thing is to just slow down, make memories to go with the photos you take, don’t just take photos to be a substitute for real memories.
My Challenge to you for this Christmas whether you are a parent or not is to
SLOW DOWN.
Take a deep breath.
Look around you and
Actually ENJOY what you see.
Make memories with the ones you love.
And let the to do list stay where it belongs, on YOUR terms, not dictating your life.
Time passes too quickly as it is, it doesn’t need us rushing it.
Thanks so much Silianna for allowing me to once again capture more SUPER cute photos of your little man!! It is always a joy to see how much he has grown and watch both of you and the love between you.
Remember though. The future will come no matter how we spend the present. Don’t forget to take time every day and enjoy the here and now. Ezekiel will never be able to life today again, nor will you. Enjoy every moment and make it the best day every day.
I pray that as you go through life together neither of you will lose sight of or forget the love that surrounds you no matter what the future holds. That God would lead you and guide you and help you to be the person you were meant to be and to help that precious little boy become the man he was meant to be.
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