Renewal, and Reasons to Remember

Hopefully this is the post that announces, "I'm baaaack!!!"

I have my doubts.

But I also have some motivation. After lurking at the blogs of various friends, and especially at the site of one member of my family, I have felt the urge to keep my own record again.

I don't know who to credit with the quotation, "The days are long but the years are short;" however, I know I didn't believe it until I had my first child. In the past 16 months of his life so far...


-My DH (whom I refer to as Doodle, or Doo) wrote and defended his thesis, then

-He graduated with his PhD, which allowed him some time to


-Demonstrate what a devoted and loving father he was born to be.





-We've moved 3 times, twice across state lines.






-I've held 4 different part-time jobs outside of the home, as well as one ever-evolving stay-at-home responsibility.

-My son has gone from a helpless infant to a trotting toddler, capable of letting our dog know when he's overstepped his boundaries.


-My son has had 3 haircuts, and needs another (more on that in another post).


-We found out that we're expecting baby #2!

And these are all events that have happened within our young, small, nuclear family. If I include extended family, I have to mention the loss from one death, the gains from two weddings, one college graduation, and many more moves and transitions--physical, emotional, and spiritual--than I can recall.

The thing is, I want to remember. I want to be able to look back and relive the excitement I felt when we discovered we'd be moving west to Utah. I want to remember our family reunion in May of 2010 when we all stayed at the beach house and I announced that the ninth grandchild was on the way. Right now I can tell you that my son starting walking when he was ten and a half months old, but after I've had one or two more children, will I keep all those milestones straight?

When Our Lady experienced the miracle of the Nativity, she "treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart." Luke 2:19
Now that I am a mother, these personal events are my own treasures, and I feel compelled to keep them safe for my children in the future. Someday, if they choose, they can see what their lives mean through my eyes.

Even if no one else cares, I have plenty to record.

Many reasons to hold onto these memories.

And, please God, the grace to do so with honesty, love, and the good of my family at heart.