Geese

I read this post yesterday, by Andrea at a garden of nna mmoy. It was still fresh in my mind when I went home after work and picked the girls up from daycare. Leah had done well on her spelling test, Rachel couldn't wait to tell me that they were going to make fruit salad in class today. Rachel set the table. Leah put away some toys that were left in the living room without being asked. All things that I want them to do, but at the same time their growing independence makes me just a little bit sad. I won't have them forever. I know that. And it's healthy that they grow away. I know that too. But you still want to hang on while you can.

Which is why when Rachel asked me last night at bedtime if she could sleep in my bed, I said yes. It won't be too long before she doesn't want to sleep pressed up against me, hogging the pillows, and I'm going to miss that when it happens. She had a hard time settling down, calling several times for drinks of water, one more story, Huggy Bear and her biddy (blanket). An hour later it was quiet and I assumed she'd fallen asleep. "Mommy?", I heard. I went towards the bedroom, sharp words rising in my throat, Just go to sleep Rae, Mommy's trying to get the kitchen cleaned up. It's so late, you'll be so grouchy tomorrow and I can't be late for work in the morning. But I controlled myself and said, "What's up Rae?".

"Mom", she said, her voice full of quiet wonder, "Listen! I hear geese." The window over the bed was open, and through it came the wonderful autumnal sound of a flock of Canada geese honking and calling as they flew low over the house. The sound blew in with the mist on a cool breeze smelling of fallen leaves. "I love that sound, Mom," she said. "Isn't it beautiful?" She heard something beautiful and wanted to share it with me. And I had been about to be angry with her because my housework had been interrupted. Housework. How crazy is that?

I climbed into bed with her and we snuggled for a bit and listened to the geese flying over the house and she fell asleep in my arms.