it’s here, if I look ….

I stayed up too late trying to meet a writing deadline. And filling out paperwork for insurance. (I do not heart paperwork.)

I tried to get up early to knock out the rest of the article because my brain quit on me last night halfway through the research for the article.

I’m running a little on empty and I keep trying to cut out the non-essentials. (Is showering essential? The jury is still out.)

I started to write a post about a couple of different topics.

I scanned through the photos on my phone for inspiration.

And what I found was this:

A friend who popped over late at night this weekend to share her life and her laughter and to eat muffins at midnight with me.

Kids who make up hilarious games together – like dressing their stuffed animals in togas to pretend they are ancient Romans and creating “the Baths of Diana” in our bathroom sink.

Little boys who read and read for days on end and other little boys who ask if they can photograph their brother reading.

Children who do not complain when I tell them they need to attend a meeting with me. Who, instead, pull out their favorite coloring books and colored pencils and wait politely and patiently while I converse with adults at a table nearby.

Boys who wear cowboy boots with shorts and carry inch worms in plastic containers.

And, here, beside me right now as I type and order my day in the early morning hours before breakfast and kids rising out of bed, I’m accompanied by a quickly growing sprite and a fluffy rug dog. Dirty toes poking out of footed pajamas.