The Lost Teapot

Hello, teapot.

I wondered where you were as I was laying in bed thinking about making a warm pot of tea with banana muffins for breakfast.  Did I put you way up high in the cupboard, back behind the yogurt maker?  Or was it down below, in that hard to reach cupboard where the tall things fit?

And then I saw you. On the counter next to the toaster where you've sat these many weeks. All this time I was scooting you over when I used the food processor, and picking you up to wipe the toast crumbs.
You were right there.
But I didn't see you.

It made me think of my kids.  Some days after cleanin'em, dressin'em, teachin'em, cartin'em, feedin'em and everthing'em, I'd lay awake at night and wonder, "Did I even look into their eyes and see them today?"

Hello, kids.

Hello, cluttered kitchen (we'll just ignore you).

Hello, muffins.

Hello, well-worn muffin mitts (we'll ignore you too).

Hello, weirdness.

How can I not see the munchable turn of your cheek.  The skinny sweetness of the back of your neck holding up that big boy head, the beautiful curve of your forehead?

I'll tell you why, because there's four of you and one of me and there's the house, and the laundry, and school and basketball, and what's-for-dinner.
That's why.

But I don't want to miss it. I don't want to miss the most important thing.

God, give me eyes to see.

This really isn't a blog about how to do things.  But if you're interested in some things that have helped me see my kids, you can click here.