Fulfilled

Ever have those moments in life when you look at what is going on around you and you just feel fulfilled?  Life has its ups and downs and I know that it isn't realistic to feel fulfilled long term, but tonight was one of those great moments for me.  Dan came home from work, we ate dinner and had good conversation and then we took the kids on a bike ride.  My mom gave me her bike so I can finally ride with everyone.  Dan lead the pack and I rode at the end of the train of kids.  It was a great spot to be because I was able to observe all that was going on in front of me.  Dan had Chloe on the back of his bike and I really enjoyed watching her facial expressions during the ride.  At one point we rode past a marching band practicing and I saw Chloe trying to conduct the band as we rode by. I watched Mya and Sara ride, each with their own personalities.  Mya was risky and rode fast with great determination.  She had a sense of humor and neat spirit about her.  Sara tried so hard to keep up with the others, but she has her training wheels on her bike so it just can't go as fast.  She spent most of her time riding back with me and I enjoyed just watching her giggle and get excited as we made tricky turns and went super fast.  She is one that enjoys the little things in life.  I watched as Dan interacted with the kids and was all smiles.  They had so much fun with him.  It just felt like a complete picture as I observed from behind.  I loved it!  As the kids grow older and more independent, we are finding that these fun family moments are becoming more prevalent.  It is a bittersweet time as we leave the baby stuff behind (but not officially until the little one is potty trained) and find our family growing and bonding as the kids age.  A moment like tonight made me feel so thankful for our life.