Australian War Memorial & Growing Up

Kids' school had a "pupil-free" day of training for the teachers and we took advantage of the rain to explore the Australian War Memorial.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was so beautiful - every inch of it done in mosaic.

Heavy stuff for the littles to take so after a few hours we hit the antithesis of the place and played at Lollipops until they closed. Dad was out of town, so without needing to rush home for dinner, we topped it off at "Mackers" (McDonalds, for all you Yanks.)

I like "pupil-free" days. Getting my kids all to myself with no schedule or agenda makes me happy. I have not always been able to say that, I'll have you know... So it's nice to be in a phase where I can genuinely enjoy our concentrated time together. Perhaps because it's more of a novelty now?

I just about croaked last week when Will talked to his "crush" on the phone and kept almost hyperventilating. All night he reviewed the conversation, adding comments like "is there a flower I could give her?" then "I feel like I'm going to throw up-- or explode."

Holy cow, when did they this old?? If I could freeze time right now, even just for a year or so, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Stop growing up, dang it.

They're still so cute and funny and eager and affectionate. Then I wake up one morning and Will's "too cool" to dress up for Character Day at school, and I get nervous for what's just around the corner. 'Tweens. I don't even like the word.

Although, I'm not complaining that they're old enough to engage in real, intelligent conversation.

Or to have sibling secrets and be each others' best friends.

Or pitch in with things like mowing the lawn.

(Hallelujah! But seriously, that one makes me feel really old.)

I remember dreaming about the day when we could actually pull this off as a family.



But it does sorta get me weepy when time starts speeding up.

Just like everyone said it would.