Sometimes, Tomorrow Doesn't Come
Ben is in the shower, while the other two boys are still sleeping. The coffee is perfect and I am thankful I never followed through with that insanity about giving it up. My dog is, as always, at my feet, and the sun is up already.
It is quiet. I love the morning quiet.
I do not believe in God, but I do believe in being blessed. I am blessed. Not only do I have healthy children, I have my family.
I came home the other night to Jake in the bathtub with a homemade bow and quiver full of arrows next to the tub, standing at the ready. It had been painted and adorned with a gold ribbon. Walter had helped him.
It was beautiful. The sweetness of it, the gold ribbon along with the fierce paint colors, reminded me again that Jake has a great dad.
Ben had put his artwork in my office. He no longer wants his work put on the side of the refrigerator but he still wants me to ooo and ahh over it.
I did.
Zachary ran and jumped into my arms. He’s getting a little big to do this. I’m catching 100 pounds coming fast but I still can. For now.
Coming home is always sweet.
As the morning goes on, Jake and Zachary will get up. They will come down and join the dog and I in front of the fireplace. We’ll all huddle for a moment before I shoo them to get breakfast.
My loyal dog will abandon me for hope something will fall from the table, as it often does.
Ben will emerge, freshly showered and sprayed with enough AXE cologne to choke a horse. He will be fashionable and ready for a day of attitude. I will have to remind him to eat before he leaves, something I rarely did as a kid his age.
He is too nervous, just like I was, too.
The brothers will all find at least one thing to argue about. Ben will check his hair at least five times. Zachary will gather chips, milk and juice boxes for me to pack with their lunches and snacks. Jake will slowly lace up his red Chucks without socks, until I insist he puts some on.
Some things are like the tide. I know they will happen. There is always some shifting, with the moon, with the season, with the amount of sleep each child has had.
Last night I heard about a young woman who died without warning, with her mother desperately trying to save her from a piece of food stuck in her throat. It happened in an instant.
I sat for a long time after hearing the news, stunned. I did not know the woman directly. I could only imagine the mother’s horror. And how quickly her life has changed.
By 8:10AM, all my boys will have left the house. Jeanine will be in the shower, getting ready for work. The dog will be back at my feet.
We make plans, dream of the future, and expect tomorrow to come. We know the tide will shift a little.
As I wait for the routine to begin, for the feet to come pounding down the stairs, my eyes are filling up with tears. I am so grateful for all that I have.
And I know, sometimes, tomorrow doesn’t come.
It is quiet. I love the morning quiet.
I do not believe in God, but I do believe in being blessed. I am blessed. Not only do I have healthy children, I have my family.
I came home the other night to Jake in the bathtub with a homemade bow and quiver full of arrows next to the tub, standing at the ready. It had been painted and adorned with a gold ribbon. Walter had helped him.
It was beautiful. The sweetness of it, the gold ribbon along with the fierce paint colors, reminded me again that Jake has a great dad.
Ben had put his artwork in my office. He no longer wants his work put on the side of the refrigerator but he still wants me to ooo and ahh over it.
I did.
Zachary ran and jumped into my arms. He’s getting a little big to do this. I’m catching 100 pounds coming fast but I still can. For now.
Coming home is always sweet.
As the morning goes on, Jake and Zachary will get up. They will come down and join the dog and I in front of the fireplace. We’ll all huddle for a moment before I shoo them to get breakfast.
My loyal dog will abandon me for hope something will fall from the table, as it often does.
Ben will emerge, freshly showered and sprayed with enough AXE cologne to choke a horse. He will be fashionable and ready for a day of attitude. I will have to remind him to eat before he leaves, something I rarely did as a kid his age.
He is too nervous, just like I was, too.
The brothers will all find at least one thing to argue about. Ben will check his hair at least five times. Zachary will gather chips, milk and juice boxes for me to pack with their lunches and snacks. Jake will slowly lace up his red Chucks without socks, until I insist he puts some on.
Some things are like the tide. I know they will happen. There is always some shifting, with the moon, with the season, with the amount of sleep each child has had.
Last night I heard about a young woman who died without warning, with her mother desperately trying to save her from a piece of food stuck in her throat. It happened in an instant.
I sat for a long time after hearing the news, stunned. I did not know the woman directly. I could only imagine the mother’s horror. And how quickly her life has changed.
By 8:10AM, all my boys will have left the house. Jeanine will be in the shower, getting ready for work. The dog will be back at my feet.
We make plans, dream of the future, and expect tomorrow to come. We know the tide will shift a little.
As I wait for the routine to begin, for the feet to come pounding down the stairs, my eyes are filling up with tears. I am so grateful for all that I have.
And I know, sometimes, tomorrow doesn’t come.
Labels: appreciation, kids, parenting
posted by Sara at 8:05 AM
12 Comments:
I'm having one of those mornings too. Thanks for sharing yours wih us.
My word, Woman! You've got me crying at my desk like I'm in a Hallmark shop. You are truly blessed. Thank you for sharing the overflow of your heart.
i get the same feelings in the morning and evening quiet... with just myself, dw, and our bubba (our slim 17lb kitty boy).
i can only imagine how it will feel when we have kids, which will hopefully be in about 9 months. keep your fingers crossed for us.
great post! your children are blessed to have the 4 of you as parents.
Ah yes.
see? I did that one for you, Donald.
Well I guess I'm the only one who's confused about the whole being "blessed" thing coming from a person that doesn't believe in God at all.
What does blessed have to do with God?
I guess, if you look to the bible for a definition, it does, but I'm not talking angels and fluffy white clouds.
the definition is as follows, I think you can figure out which ones I am using.
1. consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified: the Blessed Sacrament.
2. worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship: the Blessed Trinity.
3. divinely or supremely favored; fortunate: to be blessed with a strong, healthy body; blessed with an ability to find friends.
4. blissfully happy or contented.
5. Roman Catholic Church. beatified.
6. bringing happiness and thankfulness: the blessed assurance of a steady income.
7. Informal. damned: I'm blessed if I know.
8. Informal. (used as an intensifier): every blessed cent.
Great post. Sort of unrelated, my partner and I both want children (some day), and lately we've been having the religious discussion.
I'm jewish, my partner isn't, and I've said that I would like to raise our childern Jewish if we do decide to adopt.
He would like to raise our kids atheist. I don't see why they can't have both, as being Jewish is mostly cultural for me.
Sorry about the rant, I just felt like sharing :)
Phil, kids and religion are never unrelated. My wife grew up United Methodist, I grew up atheist.
I agreed to the Unitarian Universalist church. they talk about every form of "god" including nature and more abstract forms. I was far more comfortable with that.
maybe you two can find a way to meet somewhere in the middle- and personally, I love Jewish culture, appreciate the rituals, and who can turn down hamantashan!! latkes! and my kids favorite, apples and honey.
Absolutely sara. That doesn't mean I wouldn't celebrate christmas. I grew up with a "hanukkah bush" myself.
now phil, don't get me started about bush...
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