On "Feeling the Moments"

My kids will tell you that I am really big on "feeling the moments", that is to say, not letting the big moments go by without taking note. You know the problem.... brides don't remember their wedding day, mothers don't remember their children's milestones.... I try to make sure that during these times, we all sit back, take a deep breath, and take time to really feel the moment, so it doesn't pass us by with all the hustle and bustle and leave us scratching our heads saying, "where did the time go?".
To this end, I also believe in celebrating any milestone, no matter how small.
My son Michael came home this week wanting to share what I call an "awwww" moment. He told me that, being an upper senior, he had just had his last "first day of school" (at least for a while...grad school may rear its ugly head sooner than he thinks). We reminisced for a while at all the other "first days" of school - - - the homemade shoe box supply boxes (very lovingly decorated), the video taking and photo taking to commemorate the day, the "you never get a second chance to make a first impression" speech (Michael seems to have vivid memories of this one....) and all the hopes, dreams & excitement that go along with the day.
Even *with* the fact that we never let a first day of school go by without feeling the moment, we both found the passage of time incredibly poignant. I was glad he shared it with me... this time as an adult.
(Maybe I should have taken just *one last* "first day" photo... sigh...)