Mom First!

When we meet new people and have to give them a reference to understand who we are and what we do, I often go straight to my profession. "I am a personal trainer and fitness instructor." These words pop out of my mouth automatically but before I was those things, I was only a mom to three amazing kids.

With a Bachelor of Arts under my wing, I was in the Education faculty studying to become a teacher but in my heart my first priority was starting my family. Peter and I were married when I was 22 and at the young age of 24 my wish came true.  I did complete my studies but we had our first child when I was 25. 

Perhaps I wanted to have kids so soon because I grew up with a Mom who stayed home to raise her kids rather than work full time.  My Mom volunteered and did work part time but not when I was young. She was always home when I was home and she was my biggest supporter. 

This weekend we celebrated our youngest sons birthday.  Jesse turned 19 years old last Saturday!  My youngest child is 19!  How did that happen? I can still remember having all three of them under my feet while I was cooking and doing chores around the house. Life was hard at the time but now looking back I realize that those moments were precious. It is a bit sad that we often cannot appreciate the beauty of the life when we are in the midst of it.  Time zips by and before we know it, all we have are our memories.

I am so grateful that I have wonderful memories with my kids to keep me smiling.  Living far out into the country. Picking berries on our long walks around the block. Catching frogs and releasing them in the stream behind our house. Star gazing and off roading on the paths around the neighbourhood. Snow slide building and long nights tobogganing and laughing. All of them live away from home for the most part. I get to see some of them on the weekends if I am lucky!

My message today is to fully appreciate the day that you are living at this very moment. Tomorrow will look completely different and it may not always look like we hope it will look.  We have to treasure the little joys that come our way.

Have a wonderful day!

Beth