A Day of Borrowed Joys

Three little ones came to stay

I wondered if would remember how

but it was a good beginning

when he ran and catapulted himself into my arms for a hello

and I did remember how to hold a book and a 4 year old

and a pillow and a blankie

all at the same time
and do voices, too

The heavy warmth of their heads on my shoulders
and little hands helping turn pages

brought actual tears
when Evan came in to listen to a bit of Hermit Crab's adventures and
smiled a small smile of his own remembering

Later, she carefully tucked her tooth under the pillow

because of course the tooth fairy would find her at my house
(lucky for me, the Tooth Fairy remembered)
and I wondered at how quickly they called it my room and my bed
and gave whole-hearted kisses and hugs goodnight
and then, just like that
fell peacefully asleep

Today was full of why home is always best
Because no offense, but these scrambled eggs taste wierd
and yes it is pretty but actually it's not a FULL moon
because that was yesterday
Actually it's a teeny, tiny bit of a waning gibbous

She said it with a patient shake of her head

and such forbearance for my ignorance

and I remember how I used to amaze my children equally well

by knowing either everything or nothing

as two little boys needed constant information

And I found myself reaching way back to give answers to questions

that came every 5 minutes

Like why does some popcorn grow inside little paper bags

or

Why can't we go to Target to get some better toys than these ones

or my favorite, with stomach clutched

Kellie, I'm actually starving to deaf

Not 10 minutes after yet another bowl of goldfish and a banana

disappeared into his mouth

I remember but my rhythm is off

Now my kids know how to cook

and google

Tonight they're snug under blankets for movie night

Dreaming of the unheard of decadence

of Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs for breakfast

because I'm one of those moms

hoping it will make up for no pancakes

and being a bit late for picking up after school

But I have to rush off into a crazy day tomorrow

and I'll miss them

I'm glad there will be other little ones coming to stay soon

And other chances for proper Saturday breakfasts

And I sit here, still at last, thinking

that my rhythm wasn't that far off

and sometime in the not so distant past I was this kind of mom

because today I wasn't making it up

I remembered