There Aren't Too Many of These Moments Left

Recently, we went out to dinner as a family which we do most weekends. We all really enjoy our time together and our discussions. It's hard though with kids ages 11-18 and different focuses from each of them. If you start talking too much about college, Hailey's eyes start to glaze over. If the conversation isn't about her, Peyton tries to direct it back to something she's interested in. This happens at home too but Hailey can usually escapes from the table after she quickly eats her food. 

However, one night, Hailey was in a particularly foul mood (she never wants to go out to eat and always wants to stay home while Peyton always wants to go out to eat and never wants to stay home - so you can see it's a battle). She was grouchy most of the meal and turned herself toward the wall instead of looking at us. No idea why she was mad except that maybe I mentioned a text I received from the parents of her group of friends and they were planning some meet ups this summer and riding bikes (obviously this has and will become a bigger thing since Hailey refuses to re-learn how to ride a bike but has not told any of her friends she learned but doesn't know how to ride a bike now).  

Anyway, trying to pull Hailey into the conversation many times was fruitless until Austen and Peyton started talking about all these YouTube influencers. Hailey's eyes lit up and she could finally participate in a conversation. The three of them jumped in yapping about some guy or gal, and for the first time Tom and I sat there like the ones who had nothing to contribute. But it was nice to see them all converse and relate to each other. When we got in the car the discussions continued but now it was about music. They all played DJ in the back of the Tesla and told Tom to turn the music louder.

We arrived home and thought the party was over but the three of them decided to get into Austen's car and go for a drive with the windows down and the music pumping. "Where are you going?" Tom started to ask them. "Let them go," I said. "It doesn't matter where they go. They have few of these moments left before Austen leaves for college. Let them just enjoy each other."

They were only gone for about 30 or 40 minutes but they all came back happy. Austen may not have known how impactful that night was for his younger two siblings, but I could see how special it was to them  to share that moment with him before he's gone...and those moments become even more fleeting.