Life now...

Over the past couple of weeks I have taken notice of several of the status updates of my facebook "friends". I say "friends" because there are so many people who I have on facebook simply because I went to high school or college with them, like to know how they are doing, but really...have nothing in common with these days.
The other day someone posted that they "woke-up in a strange apartment and had no recollection of the previous evening". Now, five years ago I might have found this humorous and perhaps even commended the "friend" on their hard-partying and crazy night. Today? I find this terrifying. I know some of it has to do with being a Mommy. I think, "where were her friends?!" "Why wasn't someone looking for her?" "Oh Lord, did she drive to get to said 'strange apartment'?" At the same time, there is a possibility that if my life hadn't taken the path it had that I could be that girl. Well, maybe not in that exact situation, but something close to being that scary!
I get so tired of waking up before 7 a.m. every morning. I get completely worn out with the constant "MOMMY!" call of my children needing "this" or "that". I sometimes forget the rewards of living my life for my family. There are days I want to throw in the towel and take off for the beach alone with a stash of good vampire romance novels and white wine. But would I trade what my life has become to still be young and wild? The answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT!
When the weekend approaches I wonder what we can do to enhance the quality of our family time together...not what bar has drink specials, is there enough money on my debit card to cover those drinks, and will that guy from last weekend ever call? Man do I ever not miss those types of weekends.
I am just so happy and grateful that my life took the path that it did. I feel so satisfied every day. I know my life has meaning. I am no longer living the shallow life I once had. There is so much relief in that! Yes, I am still young. Yes, a lot of people would argue that I traded in my "wild days" way too young, really missed out, and they would never trade places with me.
Trey knows the feeling of lost youth better than anyone I have ever met and even he would not trade his family for an extended time of being young and free. Our philosophy? We are living the family life on this end. We started way before most people and we will be done raising our children before most people. We are going to make up for it on "the other end"...when we actually have the money to travel and experience more worldly and fine luxuries. I like that plan. :)
God thank you for this life. Maybe they don't know they want it because they have no clue what they are missing, but I hope that so many of the people I know who are still living wild and crazy (and sometimes dangerous!) lives can come to know themselves and discover the sort of happiness in life that I now know.
I hope I expressed myself here without sounding too "high and mighty". I just want others to feel the sheer joy I have found in this new lifestyle.