I can't wait!!!

Have you ever felt this way?  You just can't wait for... "___" fill in the blank.
Well, I have this little calender that gives you a thoughtful phrase each day, and this one really made me think

"Long foretold, long last; short notice, soon past"

I think this really goes hand in hand with todays instant gratification thinking. If you look back at the moments in your life that really stand out, were they things that you planned and longed for during a while, or was it the spur of the moment events?  I definitely know that it's all the things I longed, waited and hoped for that stand out. 

For example; getting my 1st place of my own.  I can still clearly remember the 1st night spent in my 1st apartment.  Was everything "just right" and perfect?  No.  But this was something I had waited for and looked forward to for some years (I was 19 when I moved away from home)  As I laid in the tiny student apartment, surrounded by boxes filled with my childhood and future... I was in awe of the feeling of being "on my own!". 

3 years later I had another one of those moments, standing in front of that old stone church, lovingly looking at the tall and handsome guy at my side, thinking "So this is who I dreamed of all my life!"  (I'm sure most little girls hold pretend weddings getting married to Mr.Right)  Will I ever forget these moments???  No.  Why? Because I had time to long for, wait, pray, dream and hope before they happened.

The same goes for the births of all our children.  Those 9 months sure gives you time for all those feelings too...  And you'll never ever forget the birth of a child, no matter how many you have!  All I have to do is to think of any of them, and I can recall their labours and births no problem.  Looking back to my childhood I can recall a few of my most treasured toys, and guess what?  They are all items I had time to wish and long for.

Sadly, often today it is quite different for kids as well as grownups.  Credit cards have helped erase the opportunity to wish for things.  "Just swipe the card mom!"  (then I can get what I want...)  Big trips, new furniture, electronical gadgets, and the latest toys, all become "musts" at THIS moment.
How sad!!
I think you rob yourself and your kids from the true experience of recieving and appreciating if we don't allow ourselves to say "Wait!", "If it's special enough you'll be able to wait until christmas, your birthday, when you have saved up enough money..., and then when you finally get it! Oh boy will it be special!"  Or maybe not.  Maybe the novelty wore off faster than it took to walk to the car... in which case you have saved not only a dent on your bankaccount, but also the risk of spoiling yourself or your kid.

Building our house tests me in many areas... It's so easy to get carried away with "I wants!"  I really try to limit the things I'm standing firm on.  Like the 2sided fireplace.  It will be almost 2 years since we 1st designed our house, and the idea popped into my mind "Hey, wouldn't it be neat to have a fireplace where I can see the fire from the livingroom and kitchen?"  We were building one no matter what, and with my cousin building it for us, we are saving on costs, so in the end I'll get my 2sided one for a really good deal.  Will I enjoy it??  You bet.  Same goes for the idea of having laundry abilities on both floors.  I debated if it made sense to have our laundry up or downstairs... when I realized that we could do both!!  Again, the only extra cost is another washer, which in the big scheme of things is a rather humble amount, but what convenience it will be to have that extra machine on a daily basis! 

When we move in I will have to be good at waiting again.  Of course I will want to get everything "just right" as soon as possible, but I know it will take time and money to achieve this.  I will be a frequent visitor to all the 2nd hand shops, looking unusually maniac like, digging for gold...
And maybe one day I will stand in our house and look around and say
"Wow!  It's done!  The journey was long, but man was it worth it, and will I ever enjoy it!"
Then we'll decide to sell it and start over... ;)