In Twenty Years

The other morning, as I was driving to work (before the blasted sun) and after texting our babysitter to apologize (again) for our crazy messy house (not while driving), I started having some pretty deep thoughts...

In twenty years, when I look back on Sam's childhood and my life as his mama, there I things about this season I might or could regret, and then there are things that I definitely will NOT regret about it. 

Those lists look a little something like this:

Things I will NOT regret:

- Not keeping my house cleaner.

- Not sticking to a weekly meal plan.

- Not having a bigger blog/instagram/Twitter following.

- Not being twenty pounds lighter.

- Not getting papers graded and returned to my students faster.

- Not wearing (or dressing Sam) in the best clothes ever. 

- Not being consistent enough with time-outs.

- Not hosting huge, elaborate parties.

- Not putting away laundry in a timely manner.

- Not giving the best gifts to Sam's teachers.
- Not doing crafty DIY projects & having the best-decorated house.
- Not getting rid of the pacifier (or potty training) sooner.

Things I don't WANT to regret:

- Not playing on the floor more.

- Not reading one more book.

- Not modeling a healthy lifestyle

- Not eating dinner together.

- Not welcoming people into our home more

- Not laughing and being silly more.

- Not traveling and showing Sam the world.

- Not making time for my spiritual life & talking to Sam about it more.

- Not going on more dates with Jeff & praising him in front of Sam.

- Not having dance parties enough.

- Not spending more time outside.
- Not taking more pictures (and being in more of them).
- Not snuggling for ten more minutes before bed.

Really, when I think about life this way, it changes my perspective on A LOT of things.  Obviously, this doesn't  mean I'm never going to clean my house again or put away laundry. The truth is, if I am so unorganized that I spend all my time running around like a chicken with my head cut off, it would be impossible to play and read and all those other things.  But, mostly, I don't want to spend so much time worrying about keeping it "together" that I sacrifice these precious (and oh so short) years with my boy.

I can have a clean house and cook fancy meals and host big parties in 20 years. 

What about you?  What do you not want to regret when you look back at this season of your life? What things do you need to change now?

P.S. Have you seen this cute video with a very similar message?  It is adorable, funny, and SO true.

*A new Working Mom post coming tomorrow!!! :)