A Stab of Sadness

**

Going out to grab something from the garage and I glanced over at the swings in our backyard. Just hanging there. Empty.

And then over at the pool. Still and quiet.

My heart felt the stab of nostalgic sadness. Had I not put my kids in school and decided to return to work those swings wouldn't be empty and our yard and pool would be filled with laughter and little girl squeals. Sooo many hours of time with my girls that they are now spending somewhere else....

And tomorrow they'll be getting ready to head off for college.

Time is too short and there are not enough hours in the day to do it all or to have it all – at once. So we've decided to do it all in shifts, and with each shift some things are gained and some things are lost.

**