You've only got 100 years to live...

If that. They say the first 5 years of your live is when you make the most progress out of any other time in your life. When you think about it, you do come quite a long way. You go from someone who doesn't know where they are, who they are, who anyone ELSE is...to a little person who can tell you their name and adress. And they can definitely tell you who everyone else is. You go from crying as a form of communication, to talking. From drinking liquid out of a bottle, to solid food with a spoon and fork.  From lying down to teaching your body to walk, and eventually run. You learn what's acceptable social behavior (even if you don't always go by those standards.) You learn to manipulate. And most importantly... you go from pooping your pants, to using the toilet. So yes, the first five years of your life are pretty amazing.

But what about the past 5 years? What have you done? Do you feel as accomplished now, as you did then? I think know I do. In the past 5 years I graduated high school. I went to college. I delivered my wonderful baby boy. I graduated college. I landed my first job in my career field. Am I the same person as I was when I was 18? Yes, of course. But I'm so much more confident in myself, happy, thankful. I've come so far as a person since then.

I try to live everyday as if it's my last, but let's be honest, that's not realistic. Do you think I would tell Parker "NO" 20 times on the last day of my life? Or bother watching TV? Or worry about what I look like, what I'm wearing, if I have makeup on. No, if I knew it was the last day of my life I would not let Parker leave my sight for a second. I would let him do whatever made him happy. I would give him a million hugs and kisses. I wouldn't even THINK of taking a shower or spend an hour getting ready, I would just go! Have fun, soak up every last bit of life I had left.

If I did that everyday? I would be the stinky lady who wouldn't stop kissing her disobedient son. =) So there is a middle ground I try to live in. I'm striving to make the NEXT 5 years as special as the first 5 years of my life and the past 5 years. I want to travel out of the country. I want to take so many more pictures. I want to be the best mom that ever lived. I want to watch my son go to his first day of kindergarten. Because what if these next 5 years WERE my last? I would want them to be special, meaningful, happy.

I would love to hear what your past 5 years were like, and what you'd like to see happen the next 5. You can leave a comment here telling me, or if you blog about it be sure to tell me in the comments so I can go read yours!