The Joy is in the Journey

I've been thinking a lot about being a mum recently from all aspects and lucky you who has chosen to read this blog - I'm going to share those thoughts with you.
I've been doing some yoga classes and in the meditation I've spent the time reflecting on choices Jim and I have made and where that has taken us so far in our life. We've gone from being a very fortunate DINK couple (double income, no kids) with successful careers, travelling around the world, going on frequent holidays and socialising lots, to becoming a very fortunate family of one with one on the way. Now we don't go out for dinner, our weekends are spent as family time and our holidays have taken on a whole new flavour usually involiving visiting friends and planned around kid-friendly activities. But as all of you with kids know, this isn't how it is always going to be, eventually our kids will be more independent (or at least be at school and have sleep overs at friends houses) and we will have more time for ourselves again in years to come. Thinking about all of this brought me to the phrase, "the joy is in the journey", and realising there is no end point to parenting! Now, this may sound like a fairly obvious statement, but fully understanding the concept has been something that I've had to get my head around.
There is no, "Phew, I've made it".
I'm the kind of person that loves results, be it finishing baking and decorating a chocolate cake or training and running a race. I like getting in there and getting it done to see the result. No such liberty with parenting, because when are we done? When the kids go off to school ? - I'm not that naive. When they turn 18? Doubt it. When they get married - no way, that's when the fun starts because they have their own life but you still have the benefit of family, as I'm seeing my parents enjoying now. So I've come to realise with parenting there is no final result, as such. There is no finish line, no trophy, no exam result, there is just the journey, and so far I'm really enjoying it (I can hear all of you with older kids right now - I've got a looooooonnnnnngg way to go, I know, I know). So I am learning a new life skill - to enjoy the process without having a peer review, or progress report, as you might get in a career. I realise the feedback is there, it's just more suttle and if you don't realise it for yourself, no one else will, but it's there. And I'm also very aware that I'm very lucky to be able to take on this journey and not have to juggle a career on top of parenting (although that would have it's benefits also, just more tiring). I have time to put effort into my new life skill, learn how to do it well (we hope) and be present for the feedback, which Jim isn't always. Like the other day when Tom not only counted to 10 but continued with eleven, twelve and thirteen (thanks Dora!), and when I was in the laundry this morning and heard my little man walking around the house saying, "Mummyyyyyyyyy, where are yooooouuuuuuuu?" These things mean nothing else to anyone else, but they are my snippets of feedback which make me happy and confirm how lucky I am to be able to take this journey, enjoy this journey and be on this journey for the rest of my life. So I'm a happy mummy who is counting her blessings and maybe it's just the pregnancy hormones at work, but hey, it's always good for us to count our blessings and be aware of what we've got rather than focusing on what we haven't, don't you think?
I know this is way off the mark from the rest of my 'news update' posts, but I've been thinking about it lots and just thought I would put it down on paper - as such.
Hope you are all well and being safe......