Martians Home for Dinner
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| Photo courtesy of NASA |
Vivaldi traipses scales in violins and lutes tonight while a deep white frost encases the glass on our front door.
Record-breaking arctic windchills blast the Midwest, and Minnesotans everywhere huddle indoors today, after jump-starting frozen autos and avoiding the wind. Car dashboards blink temperatures in the negative, and tv news anchors compare our weather to the conditions on Mars.
Bursting through the doors earlier with bulging grocery bags, my husband and I dodged hungry kids, and handed them fruit and vegetable starters, in between fierce hugs. “I missed you!” I exclaimed. They grabbed vibrant red strawberries, a croissant, and some pearly mushrooms.
Rinsing red lettuce leaves, I drained them in a colander, while slicing open buttery croissants. Turkey slices there made a sandwich, and I tossed tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, and shredded carrots onto the torn lettuce for a salad.
After having been gone for much of the day at work and then the grocery store, I see that the dirty dishes still stack high, so we are creative with finding clean plates. Conversation flows easily, quickly, as we catch up on the day.
“How was your school today?” I asked my daughter, kissing her head. We laughed and talked, while my sons disappeared to play games together downstairs.
Some days pass too quickly, and time with our kids is fleeting, huh? Today is one of those days, so excuse me, please? I’m going to pour myself another glass of mango-carrot juice and spend some time with my children. First, my eldest and I are going to search for discount used college books online, and then my two eldest kids and I are going to curl up on the couch to watch a show together.
How do you like to slow down your day and enjoy loved ones? What do you think you’ll do tonight? I love hearing from you, friends.
Our two oldest are graduated college and on their own, one of them living out of town where she went to college. It's hard to grasp how time got behind us so quickly.
This afternoon and tonight I'll spend time with our youngest driving. She's the last one and while the time can be a bit stressful, I'm making the most of it… she'll be gone before I can say, "You're ready for the next step in life…"
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Dinner is the best time to be with family. Something about food and fellowship. I love the impromptu conversations as well. Even if I have heard them before, I listen just so I can spend time with them.
Wow, Floyd, you are further down this road of child-rearing then I am. It passes so quickly, I see.
Have fun driving this week with your daughter,
Jennifer
jenniferdougan.com
Jayne,
Yes, I love those times of laughter and conversation over mealtimes. Growing up, my dad used to tell the best stories then too. I want to pass that on to my kids. We don't get to eat together every night, but I try to have them often.
May your next family meal times come rapidly,
Jennifer
jenniferdougan.com