The Days are Long, but the Years are Short

I love this picture so much.  I caught it while we were walking home from a short little walk.  The girls were so excited to be out on a walk (it's hot here and I never do it) that they were holding hands and playing together.  You can see our house in the background.  It represents so much of what life is to me right now.

I feel like I am finally understanding what it means to enjoy parenthood.  Don't get me wrong, I've always loved my kids, and there have always been wonderful moments that are fun and sweet, but now I feel like I get it.  There are hard days.  Very hard days.  Days where I go and lock myself in my room and then lock myself in a closet to get a moments peace (or maybe just a chance to eat a sandwich) (and yes, that's two locked doors between me and my darling girls), but there are also days when Lucy climbs into my lap and points at my fingers and says "Fingernails!"  Or when Clara snuggles in next to me and says, "I love you, Mommy."  Or when the first thing Lucy says when she wakes up from her nap is, "Where Cwara?"  Or when Clara, upon witnessing Lucy having a meldown in the car, says "Lucy!  Lucy!  Lucy!  It's ok, see?  We can have fun!  Look at this big hill we're going down!  Wee!"  And then they both proceed to giggle to each other in the car.  Having two toddler girls is so trying at times, but so perfectly pristine in other moments.  Truly, there is nothing more meaningful as a parent than watching your children become best friends.

The days are long, but the years are short.