Taking Time to Smell My Roses

 

A quiet whimper slowly increased to a sleepy "Mommy." I acknowledged the monitor's sounds in my still-sleeping mind.  I glanced at the clock--just before 6 am.  Could I get her soothed and back to sleep before the 6:30 commotion?

I groggily made my way down the hall, opened her door and desperately felt for the missing pacy and silky.  She whined louder and begged for my attention, "Mommy."  Eyes wide open, all vestiges of sleep gone.  Instead of my usual reaction--get her back to sleep at all costs--I climbed onto her tiny "big-girl" bed, opened my arms and cradled my blue-eyed baby to my chest.  

Who knows where the time went, but as we sat there, quiet and satisfied, I watched the sky silently creep up the paint chip--from black through all the shades of gray, finally settling on a subtly tinged pink.  

I listened as the first bird awoke his friends with a quick call, and I counted all four garbage cans as my neighbor dragged them to the curb.

Alarms marked the end of this rare moment--first Ben's chime, then Brad's arpeggio, then Micah's insistent beep.  I knew these precious few minutes would now end.  As I planted a kiss on her clean head, a prayer was born in my heart--"Thank You for this exact moment in time.  Thank You for all these children You share with me every day.  May I never forget this frozen memory."

"Should we go get the kids and Daddy?"  "Off we toddled, pacy and silky in tow.  Hyrum shyly rounded the corner, looking for his morning snuggle.  Micah bounded in, his energy fueled by the knowledge that his cast was coming off in two hours.  Ben turned over in his messy cocoon with a kind, "Hi, DeeDee" on his lips.  As usual, Lily--my not-a-morning-person child--needed a little more encouragement to join us for scriptures.  And Dad met us at the foot of the stairs, dressed and ready for his workout.

May I never forget.

My life is good.