An Olympic Sized Revelation

Let me paint a picture for you, may I?

It's August 2008.  Aaron and I were just settling back into ministry here in our where-abouts after being gone for a couple years.  We were staying in an upstairs (ahem - 27 stairs to be exact) apartment while we were waiting for our house up north to sale.  Did I mention I was pregnant with Bryton at this time?  Because I was.  About 7 months pregnant to be exact. 

Anyway - a family from our church had graciously let us stay in said apartment since we just couldn't afford two mortgages. 

Anyway.  I really have these warm, fuzzy memories (and it's not just because I was 7 months pregnant and it was August) of sitting on our couch with my feet up, seeing the street down below, and watching the summer Olympics from the comfort of our living room, all while snacking out on some yogurt covered raisins.  (But I seriously had no cravings with Bryton... ahem.) 

This is what we did the entire time the Olympics were on.  We'd come home from whatever church activity there was, or if there wasn't one, we'd have dinner and get it cleaned up, and we'd turn on the Olympics.  We'd break periodically to watch Bryton put on his own show in my belly, turning and jabbing all over the place (though enjoyable, unlike Ansley who was brutal).  I can, even, vividly remember watching Michael Phelps swim, and gymnasts and runners, you name it.  Somehow - it feels as if it were yesterday. 

I remember thinking, while sitting on that couch, "The next time there is a summer Olympics, my life will look totally different," and all I could do was think about what that word 'totally' could possibly mean. 

And yesterday I was blindsided by an Olympic sized revelation:  The Olympics are only one. year. away.  (Which in the Olympic world is a really big deal, they have all the buildin' of stuff to do!)  It was major news on the Today show yesterday as I sat holding a new baby in my lap and carrying on a conversation with my two year old, and all I could think back to was, "This is partially what 'totally' looks like." 

Granted - a lot changes in four years when you aren't at this age in your life, but four years during child - rearing, work finding, house shopping years means big ole' change, and for us, good, blessed change. 

As I sat there thinking, "Holy cow - this is exactly what I was thinking when I thought those thoughts eating my yogurt covered raisins 3 years ago," I realized that there is still another year left in the 4 year wait to the next Olympics.

Next year at this time, God willing, I'll be sitting with my *gasp* almost four year old (seriously, I may just cry that I'm writing that.  I'm not even kidding), and my 1.5 year old watching the Olympics together.  Amazing.

Time really does fly, and I thought, before I had kids, that they'd make me feel younger, but I'm pretty sure they are just speeding up my life as they grow like little weeds... good, wonderful weeds. 

Ansley's eating peas and carrots now.  I just had her yesterday.  That is not even possible. 

So - my big discovery - if you want to see your life flash before your eyes, use the Olympics as how you gauge what has happened in your life.  You'll see how fast it is all going!

-A