My husband was the stay at home parent when my kids were little. I worked from home but we both participated in teacher's meetings and lunch making and the stuff you call "household logistics." I knew their shoe sizes and their favorite shows. One year, my older daughter and I spent hours searching for 100 different pictures of Snoopy for the school's 100 days project. Maybe I'm a sucker. But, I clearly recall the joy in Ana's face when we found the 100th picture. I didn't want to miss any of it - not one minute.

The one time I missed a school performance was when I was getting screened to be Ana's living liver donor after she was diagnosed with cancer at age 11.

She died 6 years ago at age 15. My younger daughter turns 19 this year. I still have that booklet of Snoopies. I'm so glad we did that together.

I know it's overwhelming when they're small. But I promise you - it goes by in a heartbeat. Sometimes in half a heartbeat. I don't know. We're all doing our best.

You are lucky, but not for the reasons you think.