My "UN-Regets List" {What I Won't Say}!

Our oldest daughter is turning 5 tomorrow! Really?? FIVE.YEARS.OLD!

Where have I been? It seems like I was JUST holding her as a small baby....

The baby who never napped longer than 29 minutes and 30 seconds exactly. You could set your clock by it. Never.  Not once, any longer.

The baby who nursed for 2 years and never took a bottle. The baby who would only let Mommy or Daddy hold her. The same baby who slept in my arms every night but walked right into Church Sunday School and didn't even have time to kiss me good-bye. 

The same baby who made me a Mommy.  Yes, the same baby who was there when both of her younger sisters were born, feeding me ice chips and cheering me on.  The same baby who refused baby food and really didn't care to "touch" table food either:) The same "baby" who melts my heart every single day. 

Yes, the same girl who is so much like me, it is scary.

The same girl who now insists she dresses herself, and asks to run the vacuum cleaner {I sure hope her cleaning streak lasts well into the teen years}.

The same girl that gave me a "Pep Talk" just this morning so that I wouldn't cry at her birthday party today. 

Yes, it's an emotional time for me. I suspect the next few months will produce lots and lots of bittersweet and tearful moments as our girls all have milestone birthdays coming this spring and summer. I am praying for the strength of the Lord in this time. I sure don't "feel" like we have been on this parenting journey for 5 years already, but the calendar is saying something totally different! LOL. 

As I ponder and reflect on our parenting journey thus far, I can not even put into words how very GRATEFUL I am. If I had 10,000 tongues, I could not thank God enough for my children and my husband!! I am so blessed and so very grateful!

In honor of our 5 year mark as parents, I have compiled my "Un-Regrets" List. It is a list of things I will NOT say at the end of my life on earth. These are strictly mine. They are just for me. If they would not be on your list, that's OK! I would love to read your list, too:)

At the end of my life, I will NOT say...

1. I really wish I would have held my babies LESS.
2. I wish I would have been more SELFISH.
3. I wish I would've made my babies cry it out. After all, crying is good for the lungs, right? {Yeah, like bleeding is good for the veins, lol}.
4. I wish I would've made my kids more independent and less connected to me.
5. I wish I would've been more harsh, less understanding and more demanding.
6. I wish I would've spent less TIME with my children and husband.
7. I wish I would've put everything and everyone else before my family.
8. I sure wish I would've shamed my children, broken their little spirits and made them afraid of me.
9. I sure wish I would've spent less time shaping my children's souls and hearts for Christ.
10. I really could've been someone successful had I not "just" been a Wife, Mommy and Wedding Planner from home. 
11. I wish I would've spanked/hit/beat my kids.
12. I wish I would not have kissed my kids so much. 
13. I wish I wouldn't have taught our girls to be modest young ladies.
14. I wish I would have argued with my husband more.
15. I sure wish I would've fed my kids more junk foods. 
16. I wish I would've turned on the TV more.
17. I wish we would've had less FUN. 
18. I wish I would've focused on being more worldly and popular and less God-like, humble and meek.
19. I wish I would have held more grudges and forgiven less.
20. I wish I would have worried more and prayed less.

Whew, now that I know what I don't want to say, I had better get to living like the Lord intends for me so I truly can say I don't have ANY regrets!!

Blessings,
Aria:)