In the living room with my Austyn man, not quite ready to finish the day and go to sleep, I'm dutifully drinking my Red Raspberry Leaf tea to strengthen my womb in preparation for the arrival of our baby boy. It isn't my favorite thing, fairly blasé in flavor, but I love the thought that with each sip I'm improving my health and bettering myself for the sake of our son. Anyway, we were in search of something to do during this interim, something to "wind-down" after a long day concluded with the movie Zero Dark Thirty. (Good, but not exactly restful or peaceful.) On the shelf sits Birdbaths and Paper Cranes, a book of little stories that my mom gave me at Christmastime. As my dearest kindred spirit, my mom's recommendations are trustworthy and we decided to give it a try. In the world of iPhones and iPads, we rarely find these empty moments to fill with words on a page instead of pictures on a screen...
Though initiating this time of reading together feels a little forced, a few minutes in I'm sensing the tinges of a lifetime ritual before us. My heart is jumping as we read the stories of one woman's family and the things that have happened. I'm imagining all that is before Austyn and I and the stories that we will be able to tell. I'm also thinking of the many books we could read together if we do make a routine out of this. Lastly, I'm thinking about how happy I am with with this life that I lead. I love the fact that my future still holds unknowns and adventures, but with a husband and a child always included. We are a family and it's now Our story, instead of Mine.
