Ordinary Life

Growing up, I always thought I wanted an exciting, glamorous, rock star lifestyle.  I'd dream of being an adult and envision myself flying off to Rome for dinner, drinking champagne every night, wearing ball gowns, and dancing until dawn.  I never factored in how much my wants would change. (And that everything costs money. ) If you'd told 15-year-old-me I'd be happiest standing in the kitchen making bread while my daughter colors and my baby sings, I'd have laughed at you.

 

Now, I like those days best...the ones where nothing monumental happens, but you're happy.

The kids go off to school, you have a gentle day at home with your baby, your husband pulls into the driveway, you have a nice family dinner, then you all go to bed.  Days full of quiet grace.

Ordinary Life

by Barbara Crooker

This was a day when nothing happened,
the children went off to school
without a murmur, remembering
their books, lunches, gloves.
All morning, the baby and I built block stacks
in the squares of light on the floor.
And lunch blended into naptime,
I cleaned out kitchen cupboards,
one of those jobs that never gets done,
then sat in a circle of sunlight
and drank ginger tea,
watched the birds at the feeder
jostle over lunch's little scraps.
A pheasant strutted from the hedgerow,
preened and flashed his jeweled head.
Now a chicken roasts in the pan,
and the children return,
the murmur of their stories dappling the air.
I peel carrots and potatoes without paring my thumb.
We listen together for your wheels on the drive.
Grace before bread.
And at the table, actual conversation,
no bickering or pokes.
And then, the drift into homework.
The baby goes to his cars, drives them
along the sofa's ridges and hills.
Leaning by the counter, we steal a long slow kiss,
tasting of coffee and cream.
The chicken's diminished to skin & skeleton,
the moon to a comma, a sliver of white,
but this has been a day of grace
in the dead of winter,
the hard knuckle of the year,
a day that unwrapped itself
like an unexpected gift,
and the stars turn on,
order themselves
into the winter night. 

Comments

[Maria]

So true! It's a good thing I didn't get my teenage dreams of movie stardom and/or glamorous jet set life. I had no idea what would make me happy over the long haul.

Give me a rainy day, a classic movie, and a purring kitty and I am content.

[Laura]

So, Maria-
Did the kids who wanted a quiet dinner and a spouse and husband now have have the rockstar lifestyle? I doubt it.

[Lisa Muncy]

Wow!! This sounds like my life, except now all my babies are in school, and some evenings I'm driving my daughter to dance lessons (after chicken and veggies put in a crockpot)! But I'm cleaning house all day, just no more babies at home, lol. Hmmmm. . .maybe it's time to have another?? Hello, Laura! I fell off the radar for awhile but now I'm back, and just caught up reading your blog. Your girls have grown so much, and they're so pretty!! The studio looks great!! So great, that now I have to beg him to build me one. . .I'm blaming you for that, LOL!! It would be so wonderful to have my own Halloween room, and a dollhouse room, too. Then my family wouldn't have to have TONS of my "JUNK" fall all over them everytime they open one of the closets!! :D Keep posing pics of updated studio, just love it!!

[Lisa Muncy]

OOOpppss. . ."him" was supposed to say "my husband", LOL.

[Laura]

Welcome back, Lisa-so glad to hear from you. You can beg my husband to build you a studio, but he has to finish mine first!
I'm already feeling verklempt about the years when baby Piper will be going off to kindergarten. But part of me is super excited to get some time to myself again, too. Thanks for the compliments about the girls...I think they're so lovely, but I'm their Mama, so of COURSE I think that. And if you saw the mountain of JUNK surrounded me right now, you'd shudder.

[Charlotte]

I feel like I've been 3 different women in my long life. My poor husband was in for quite a shock when I turned into woman #3. He married #2. LOL. Gee, I'm embarrassed. I thought that was Piper in the first pic!

[Laura]

Don't worry, Charlotte-she looks like Piper to me, too. Or the other way around.

I wish I had met Charlotte #1. You're behind on my Charlotte Tales, by the way. Perhaps you'll treat me to one this fall when I get a quiet moment? If I lived within driving distance, I'd ply you with edibles.

[Brandi McKenna]

So sweet and true,..good gifts you have Laura!