I don't believe in saving the "good wine" for a special occasion or using paper plates when hosting a party instead of the china simply because it makes for an easier clean up. I think that Saturday mornings are for playing on the floor with the kids and that the holidays should be taken slowly, with much thought put into gifts, traditions and shared time. I think that our time is finite and I don't want to miss one opportunity to grow as a woman and a mom, to create memories with my family and to show those around me how much they mean to me.
Though I've always felt that way, my priorities didn't always reflect it.
One of my biggest regrets is not traveling more when I had the time. No, I didn't have the money but I had my freedom - as a single and child-free woman, I had my chance to study abroad while in college and then after graduating, to backpack through Europe. I turned both down. Frankly, I was afraid that I'd miss something during my senior year at school and couldn't bear the thought of being away from my friends. After school, I had my sights on a job and graduate school and couldn't believe that taking even a few weeks away wouldn't be detrimental to my future.
