Where Does the Time Go

We've all heard the saying "Seize the Day", but what happens when that's exactly what you're trying to do and time keeps flying past before you can "seize" every moment? Last night we had a family dinner in honor of my brother-in-law to be. Most of you know that he came to live with my family for the semester while he did his internship, and it was a blast! It was such a blessing to have some extra time with the engaged couple and to be able to enjoy multiple double dates with my sister. Jon is a wonderful guy and adds yet another special layer to our family. As you can imagine, it was a little bittersweet saying goodbye yesterday. I can't believe it's already been 5 months since he came to live at my parents' house. It got me thinking about how fast time flies. So if you don't mind, I'd like to take a little trip down a lane littered with some of my most favorite memories.



Family vacations. It seems that almost everyone takes one but not every family has the amount of fun that we do! Whether it's Disney World, Canada, or just a trip up to the lake, we always come back with more family jokes, souveniers, and pictures galore. The first vacation Luke took with us turned out to be quite a surprise for him. He had no idea that a family of girls would do as many activities as we did. I'm pretty sure this was one of the more pleasant surprises in our marriage! :)



College. There will never be a more stressful, carefree time in your life. But when it's all said and done, you won't remember the "honest D" in your hardest class, the group project in which you did all the work, or the professor that could never be pleased. You remember late nights with friends, intermural sports, and the glorious freedom of sleeping past 8 in the morning because you don't have a class until 12. That was one chapter in my life that I didn't realize I'd be so sad to close.



My wedding day. This is probably my most special memory, and being a part of the wedding planning for Britt has allowed me the pleasure of remembering every moment and emotion leading up to the big day. I waited and waited for May 22, 2004 to come, and once it did, it seemed like it was over in a flash! While most of it is a blur, there are some things that are not. Luke's face when I walked down the aisle. Celebrating a special day with friends and family. Losing Luke's ring right before the ceremony. (This is now a tradition that has continued...let's see if we can put a stop to it on August 9th!) Brittany singing our first dance with the band. And finally, leaving the reception as Mrs. Benjamin Luke Keiffer. How blessed I am to be spending the rest of my life with my best friend!



July 17th, 2007. This is the day that Austin made his big debut. At the end of a very long 9 months and 9 hours of labor, Luke and I were looking at a perfect combination of the 2 of us. Suddenly we weren't just a newly married couple, but we were officially a family. And it's gotten better everyday. He is such a blessing, and we've enjoyed every moment of his little life so far.

These are just a few of some of my treasured memories. There's a verse in the Bible that talks about Mary pondering things in her heart. It's referring to the time after Jesus was born. I've decided that this will be my goal. To savor every moment and "ponder them in my heart" as well. :)