Take My Breath Away!

I have no idea who said "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away” but it always bubbles up from my subconscious this time of year. Believe me, as a single Mom I have had my breath taken away this past year but many times it is NOT for reasons of bliss and joy. If you want to cease breathing there is nothing like attempting (operative word here) to instruct your 15.5 year old exchange student from China the fine art of driving.

What really made me sound like a vacuum cleaner in reverse was seeing my youngest daughter walk down in my wedding dress which she found in the attic. It wasn’t too long ago when she was stuffing Malibu Barbie in a white frilly frock (even though I think she and Surfer Ken had a few prenuptial encounters). There she was before me looking like a young woman of maturity and not like the teen who just toasted the “E” off the back of my Ford Edge (which we now call a “D-Ge” with a thick French accent) when backing into the mailbox.

2012 took my breath away with an assortment of moments of mayhem but it also left me gasping for air when the women of this house inspired me. I let out a happy sigh upon finding out that my middle daughter who taught a geriatric water aerobics class as part of her school curriculum, quietly continued volunteering even when she had met the requirement and exhaled deeply when my child who would receive an A+ if they gave a “socializing and partying” grade somehow pulled a 3.97 out of…somewhere.

So bring on 2013! I am bracing myself with humor, patience and a sense of adventure for the breathless moments that come my way.