This may sound strange, but bear with me.
When I came downstairs this morning to start your daddy's coffee, the strangest thing was sitting on the kitchen counter: a reconstructed ear made from mortuary wax.
Good morning, beautiful.
I shouldn't have been shocked at all, given the fact that I bore witness to its creation the night before while snuggling with a couchful of dogs while watching Harry Potter with one eye open.
This is a pretty accurate snapshot of our pre-parental life, my dear: Daddy and I sharing a couch in our lamp-lit den; me with my feet under his leg, dozing off the stress of the workweek and relentless chores, and him busily whittling away at his mountain of homework for mortuary school.
Life is hectic right now, crammed with the demands of gainful employment, Jason’s 24 hours of college classes, home repair (thanks to the ill-timed washing machine incident), and the fourteen endearing creatures of all shapes and sizes running amok in and around this joint. Looming above it all is the stress-inspiring snowball which the holidays become immediately following Halloween.
I know I shouldn’t be in a rush to put one moment in my life aside in favor of another, but in this case, I would think it’s an understandable urge: for the first time in years, I find myself craving the cool quiet of mid-winter for the sake of your arrival. I imagine that following your birth, we’ll be spending many an evening bundled into a rocking chair, finding comfort in each other’s presence during those dark pre-solstice weeks. With the onslaught of gotta-go’s and must-do’s momentarily stilled, I think that will be one of the happiest times in mine and Daddy’s lives. Our lifetimes thus far have been spent so manically in the pursuit of survival and success, the opportunity to focus our energies on the single goal of caring for you seems like a miracle in itself.
* ~ * ~ * ~ *
On our fireplace mantle sits another unsettling sight (when he’s not in action as a prop for Daddy’s classes) – a reconstructive modeling skull named Mort. We get a kick out of the Addams family vibe his presence lends to the rambling old house. In the midst of the hullabaloo, he’s an effective reminder to spend our time wisely. We’ll all end up looking like him at some point…. why rush?
I’m just grateful that your impending arrival (combined with constant reminders from Daddy’s schoolwork!) has been a north star pointing us toward what’s important. Pace should slow. Priorities shall shift. Time and money will be redistributed.
I have a feeling that a lot of things are going to change around here, for the better (including Mort – he’s getting a new clay face this semester!).
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