Mornings...

I have a vivid memory.  It's early morning in my childhood home.  I hear my Dad downstairs...he's getting dressed or maybe reading his Bible.  I have no reason to get up, and yet I think to myself, "I better get up and go talk to Dad.  He may be lonely."  Oh Pop, as a mom now with a brood quite like yours, I'm so sorry.  So sorry for breaking your silence.  You never showed that my presence was an annoyance...something I hope I am mimicing now.

I love the morning.  Definitely a morning person.  Chris is too.  Our neighbors tease about our lights being out before 9:00 pm, but ours are back on before anyone elses.  I am fresh.  I am optimistic.  All seems right with the world.

No two mornings are the same, but here's how things go in our house.

Chris gets up everyday at 5:00 am.  Rain or shine.  Busy work load or light.  Sick or well.  Late night or early to bed.  The man is a machine and very much a slave to his routine.  Once up, he has two options.  Run or go straight to work.  I generally wake at 5:00 with him, but I do enjoy some time in bed with my thoughts.  My feet typically hit the ground between 5:20 and 5:30.

It's off to the kitchen I go.  The house is quiet....I need that.  The coffee gets brewing.  I start on breakfast.  Once a week, it's homemade biscuits, scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese grits.  I love this morning.  I get my hands dirty in the biscuit dough.  I work out frustrations kneading it.  And then the smells...oh, the smells.  Biscuits in the oven, coffee brewing, bacon frying....

At some point, my silence is broken.  There are footsteps around the way.  Never know who it may be. 

If it's Philip, he comes in with a smile and a hug.  He's got Bama and Tracker...one in each arm.  "What's for breakfast?"  he might ask. 

If it's William, he stumbles in...hair is a mess...his pajama pants in hand...and breaks the silence with a "meow" or "wanna talk about the beach house?" or "watcha doin'" or "do you like my hat?"...his catch phrases right now. 

If it's Daniel (which it usually isn't because he generally sleeps late), there isn't much silence broken.  Thumb is in his mouth, Sheep in his hands...comes straight to me...needs my touch...my snuggles to help him ease into the morning.  (He did not inheirit his parents morning genes!)  I scoop him up and hold his sweet, growing boyself and love every minute that he still needs of that.

Whoever it is, they ask to "sit up high" meaning on the countertop.  They want to help...want to dump ingredients...lick batters...press buttons on the blender on smoothie day, etc.

My goal for this school year was to actually prepare breakfast everyday.  We used to be cereal every morning type of people.  Happy to say, we are no more....although, we do love a bowl of cereal still and usually have one day a week where we do that!  But no more come and go eat when it's convenient attitude.  We eat together every morning....usually all six of us if Chris hasn't already left for the office. 

The sun is coming up through the windows of our dining room and for just a little while all seems right with the world.  In a little while, they will be off...at the office, at their schools...at the influence of the rest of the world...but for just a little while we are together and it is my prayer that our time together each morning sets their feet (and mine) in the right direction.