I love the idea of the rock collection – what a fabulous idea! And yes, what a heartfelt and poignant last line; I especially feel as though I need to spend more time stopping to enjoy the “moment,” great advice for any parent.

I wish I had known that having children doesn’t have to mean a transition from being focused on your own goals and priorities to those of your children, and that in reality you continue to work on those things together, as a family. Had I known that, I would have had children a lot younger.

I am way stronger than I thought I was before children.

i really like her answers! so down to earth. really real :)
and the “rock-plate” is a great idea! we tend to forget where we got ours…

I’m glad I didn’t know more when I started out; I’d be more terrified to take that first step. Ha! But seriously, I wish I’d known that I’m stronger than I ever knew and that in the darkest hour we are given resources and help from heaven to get us through. I wish I’d known parenting would stretch me and challenge me and CHANGE me in the best and most miraculous ways.

Isn’t being a mother the best thing ever?

As for your last question, I wish I had known how happy following my dreams would make me. I never wanted to go to an office everyday, but when it came time to choose a major in college, I chose something that I enjoyed, but which would put me in an office.

Luckily, a stint with unemployment put me back on the path I’d always wished I was on. I wrote a novel, and have high hopes of having it published sometime (sooner, rather than later, I hope!). You can read about it here: http://caitlinjacobs.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/let-me-tell-you-about-the-book-im-writing-part-1/

I hope everyone can find the kind of fulfillment and happiness I find in writing!

I wish I had known that “the blink of an eye” is a literal term, not a figurative one because it truly feels as though time flashes by in the “blink of an eye” once you have kids. One moment you are trying to survive your first night at home with a baby and all of the sudden she’s 4 and telling you that she hates soccer but loves dance. You try to survive each hour in those first days of motherhood and before you know it the hours are days and the days weeks, and when I was once referring to my babies as being m onths old, now their ages have years.

Yes, I must say, when I was young and counting down the days until Christmas or my birthday and my dad would say, “before long, time will flash by in the blink of an eye” and I would roll my eyes and laugh at his expression, I wish I had known that it was all true.