Homecoming

Hands deep in the sink of sudsy water, she washed dishes.  Outside the sun shinned on a blanket of new fallen snow.  One of the dogs barked and she looked out the kitchen window at an unfamiliar white sedan pulling up the drive.  She frowned.  The car came to a stop.  For a moment nothing happened, then the car door opened and a man got out of the vehicle.  He looked up and she saw his face. 

She gasped, wiped her hands and headed for the door.   She opened it and raced down the walk throwing herself into his arms.

Darkness Lies

Under the cedar trees a waiting darkness lies.  Deep as a moonless night, it seemed to be a shadow of the entwined branches overhead.  The four legged resident of the house at the other end of the yard stood watching.  A faint sound brought his ears to attention and he tilted his head.

In silence the guardian of the yard and home moved across the lawn, his focus never wavering. A subtle movement within the blackness, a pause and then the neighbor’s black cat bounded out of the lair and through the fence leaving the dog barking at empty air.

Dilemma

He stood on the corner where the two sidewalks came together before dipping down to the intersection, granting access to both streets.  Nothing moved in the still morning air, not a car or a person could be seen.  His breath was visible in the frosty air as he considered his options.  Behind him beckoned the warmth of his sister’s home, before him stretched icy sidewalks between him and the local convenience store.

Would it be better to turn here and cross over down the block or to cross over here and walk down the other side?  Decisions! Decisions!  Decisions!   

Another New Baby

Last Tuesday morning my son’s wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  My husband and I have been helping out by taking care of their oldest daughter while mom and new baby sister get acquainted.  My son has been doing double duty by taking care of his wife, getting to know his new daughter and staying with us to take care of his older daughter.

It is amazing watching our children grow, watching as they step out on their own, becoming these strong, capable adults, watching as they bring forth the next generation and step out on the path of parenthood, caring for and loving the little ones sharing their home.

I can’t help but think back to when my three were little and the fun we had, along with the struggles, and how wonderful it is to be a part of my grandchildren’s lives. 

Due Date

The pacing continued.  Around and around through the kitchen into the dinning room, a right turn into the entryway, through the great room and back around to the kitchen, a pause to wait for a random contraction to build and fade away then back to placing one foot in front of the other in the hope of speeding things along.

The morning passed.  The afternoon slipped by.  Night crept over the land as the sun dipped to the horizon.

The couple settled in for the evening.

“Oh! I think we should go.”  She said, a surprised look on her face.

A New Beginning

Once there was a pristine highway running across the prairie.  Vacationing families, semi-trucks, motorcycle enthusiasts and businesspeople traveled it, streaming by in one direction or the other.

The day came when everyone left, fleeing the dying planet choking on industrial waste.  In ships destined for the stars they soared away seeking a new beginning.

Over time the highway cracked and buckled.  Plants encroached finding footholds in the untraveled ribbon.  Animals flourished.

One day they returned, exhausted from their quest.  A vista of healthy land teeming with life greeted them and they settled in, determined to care for their ancestral home.