Memories

My love language is quality time. The very best part of quality time with someone is that you're immersed in the now. The now when you're with someone is where memories are made. You can spend a lifetime reliving old memories (which is MEGA FUN sometimes) but making new memories is where it's at. I had a friendship almost completely unravel because of dwelling too much on the past. Fortunately that friend is still around and we're working on new memories that'll sustain us for the rest of our lives. (Shout out to my friend... Love Ya.. You know who you are)Last night my oldest and I went for a long walk (quality time). At some point during our mecca to no place a memory was triggered. When I was a kid my family would vacation in Virginia. I remember hours upon hours in the car crammed into the backseat with my two brothers. Upon reaching our destination (the house of some family friends) I would climb out of the car and take in a huge sniff of air. I could not get enough of the sweet mountain air. It smelled to me like clean flowers. I realize that probably makes no sense to you. You'll just have to trust me that it's the MOST AWESOME smell. So anyway, last night while we were out walking I smelled the smell. It was the most awesome moment, a moment I've dreamed of for years. What was awesome about the moment was that I was enjoying that rich smell that I positively loved as a child with my child. She smelled it too and loved and appreciated it with me. That was an in the now moment that we'll both remember.

A down side to foster parenting older children is that we miss the sweet early years. In some way it's hard to gain the connection with them that their bio parents have because we miss out on those years. It is cool indeed when something happens that creates a simple sweet memory. Taking them places and doing things is good, but the things that impact them the most are the simple memories. The moments like the kid and I had last night. Those are the times I want her to remember when she's older. I couldn't help the first 9 years of her life but I can make new and safe memories for her now by sharing my time with her. There's something very powerful about that realization.