The Solace Of Familiar Moments

My husband woke me at 5:30 am as I had asked him to. I shuffled through the pile of clothes on the floor by our bed and pulled on my slate grey Yoga pants, turqoise tanktop and midnight blue sweatshirt. My hair was already tied back, my socks seemed clean enough and my shoes were waiting for me by the front door.

The leisure center seemed more crowded this morning, likely due to the pouring, cold rain outside. I tried a new machine, a funky treadmill/stairclimber combination contraption that really worked my leg muscles. I finished the rest of my circuit routine, stretched and reentered the still darkened morning.

On the way home, I stopped at COB'S and pretended I was in Europe where it's common to duck into a roadside bakery to buy fresh bread in the mornings. Three sleepy-eyed bakers turned my way when I entered, said nothing at all and merely dipped their heads in a somber greeting. A small middle-aged, soft-spoken fella shuffled toward the front where I was waiting and washed his hands slowly and meticulously. He straightened the billowing chef hat on his head and waited for my order. I chose six freshly baked seeded rolls, and three loaves of "traditional bread": two country grain blends and one with whole wheat and rolled in seeds and oatmeal.

During my drive home, I was surrounded with the delicious warmth and engulfing scent of freshly baked bread.

I drove up to my dimly lit home and wondered internally if my children had awakened yet. I pushed my way through the front door with bags of bread in both hands, and was greeted by a bubbling chatterball with disshelved blonde hair and bright purple pajamas. She had her green stuffed bunny under one arm like a football and skipped toward me with her other arm flung out and ready for a hug. A few seconds later, my husband peered around the corner holding our grinning, thumb-sucking bundle. What a glorious welcome it was. I was overcome with disbelief that I have been given this great gift of family. My husband and I are overwhelmed daily with the miraculous truth that we have been given the capacity to
(co) create new people to love. Incredible.

As my daughter hugged my neck, I looked around with a smile and I heard her say "ma, we are your kids! we are all your kids!"

Yes, truly incredible.