Though parents love it when their children have their friends over, they don’t like the mess that is left behind. It can get annoying to constantly have to clean up after your kids and their friends, and to trip over the extra shoes that are left in their wake. Now, however, the post of one mother is going viral as she is reminding parents everywhere to appreciate these messes while they still can.

Heather Duckworth is a mother who just took to Facebook to remind parents that they only have 18 summers with their kids. With her 18th summer coming to a close, Heather felt differently about the piles of shoes she found strewn about her front porch.

“These shoes are a sure sign that it is summer and school is out,” she wrote. “These shoes mean there is probably no food left in my house. These shoes mean noise and chaos and laughter and music. It means there are probably kids lounging on my sofa, floating in my pool, playing air hockey or watching a movie somewhere. These shoes mean that we are the designated hang-out house today.”

When Heather noticed the pile of shoes one day, she felt a wave of sadness wash over her as she realized that the footwear belonged to kids who had been hanging out at her house for four years now. She then thought about how the shoes’ owners will all be headed in different directions in the fall.

“Big changes are happening around here – for me and all these kids in my house,” Heather said. “My heart knows it and feels it and that’s why the sight of these shoes has me feeling a little sentimental. I know that after this summer, things will never be the same again. This is a bittersweet part of parenthood . . . this transition from having them home to watching them leave. My head knows this is a good thing, but my heart . . . it just hurts.”

“And I know that all of these shoes might not find their way back home next summer as life takes them on new adventures,” she continued. “These thoughts hang over my head like a dark cloud . . . trying to steal the joy from the present moments. I shake my head, trying to force those wistful feelings away. I don’t want the sadness of what is to come to take away the happiness of today. But I am finding that I have to remind myself of that often during this 18th summer because every moment seems bittersweet.”

Heather went on to say that she is now going to “embrace these shoes and I will be so thankful for them.”

“I will buy all the snacks,” she concluded. “I will welcome these kids into my home and let them crash on my couches. I will soak up the sounds of their laughter and I will make them clean up all of their messes. I will pray that everyone drives home safely and I will love having a full house. But most of all, I will do my best to choose happiness and joy for this moment right now and not let that dark cloud of sadness swallow me up. Because this moment right now . . . it is really good.”

This serves as a reminder to all parents to appreciate the messes and enjoy every moment they have with their children! SHARE this story so your friends and family can see this as well!