Being grown up sometimes isn't all it's cracked up to be!

I was driving through town last night and I got behind a truck that was leaving Wal-Mart. At first I didn't pay much attention to the truck. But then I noticed a little head bobbing around inside. I realized there was a child inside and he kept turning around looking at the back of the truck. It was during the third or fourth of time that he turned around that I noticed what was attracting his interest. There, in the back of the truck, was a plastic pool. You know the kind. The ones that are preformed and have a preformed little slide. I used to have one of those, as a child, and I LOVED it...I really thought I was living the high life in my little blue pool with the painted fish in the bottom!
As I continued driving behind the truck and the VERY excited little boy, I began to feel excited FOR him. He kept turning around and with every glance of what was SURE to guarantee hours of endless fun, his little head bobbed around more. I got to thinking about what he might be saying to his "chauffeur". I could almost hear him: how much longer,can I swim in the dark, how long will it take to fill it up. Each question with a voice, crackling with excitement. As the conversation plays out in my head, and MY excitement mounts(My imagination is just THAT good), I began to recollect my childhood thrills! I remember so clearly the exciting things of summer. Late nights playing outside, catching fireflies, swimming until my skin was all wrinkly and so much more! GREAT memories! But now...I have kids of my own and while we do some of the same summer time activities that I did as a kids, we also make our own kind of memories. We make s'mores, we chase each other with flashlights in the dark, we sit out and count the stars and we stay up and sleep in late. But as I'm thinking of all the great things that we do, I am reminded that as I have aged, and yes, I have aged..I have let go of some of the childhood silliness that made MY childhood memories so memorable. Becoming a mom, I had to be responsible. I am in charge of these kids..I want them to be safe...Therefore, the simple act of buying a plastic pool...which is enough to make you bounce around in the cab of a pickup truck, might cause me to say, "stop jumping in the car, it's not safe!" eek..
With those things in mind, I realize that yes, I'm grown up, but being a child is awesome...full of "new" memories and moments. Moments awesome enough to make you giddy with excitement. Making a bed, is not just a chore, but something that CAN be done while jumping on it and singing at the top of your lungs. And as long as it gets done..do I really need to be so strict as to HOW and in what volume it gets done? I find myself realizing that...NO..joy is one of the emotions that can make any memory THAT much better! Now, as a momma, I do not want to take that away from my children...Now, don't get me wrong...this revelation comes with some reason! While squirting liquid soap all over the bathroom walls may bring my four year GREAT joy...no matter which way you spin it...Momma just doesn't see the joy in it! But the little things, the noises, the slower pace..THOSE things I don't need to push. Instead, I just need to LET them be kids...and, maybe I can let down some of my guard and join them.
So..if you come to my house today...you might see me chasing my kids around the house with a feather duster, claiming to dust the stinky away..(keep in mind I have 3 boys)...or..now, all you serious Momma's out there, don't panic...I just MIGHT decide to join them in the bed jumping during bed making time! HEY...if you can't beat 'em...join 'em...right?! And while we may be noisy...we will have fun, JOY and new memories!