There is such beauty that blooms from love

My days usually follow somewhat of a routine, even though that is not my preferred method of operating... but it is necessary when one is a single working/schooling mother. Generally, the days come and they go, with plans here and there for the evening and the sporadic dates with Dave. As long as I can coast through the week with some normalcy and consistancy, I am a-okay. But when the unexpected happens, I tend to go into stress mode. That is what happened today. Well, partly anyway.

My day started off odd form the beginning. Due to this week's quarterly meeting upping everyone's hours, my boss decided to cut my hours, leaving me with a short shift today of 10:30-2:30. Dave arrived early to pick up Zach to bring him to daycare, and I decided to putz around the house, since I had some rare quiet time. At quarter to nine my boss called in a panic- apparently she didn't get her own memo about my short shift. Immediately I went into a frazz and hauled my butt into work (without a shower no less), as my dreams for a peaceful morning went out the window.

Once the work day ended, I went to pick up Z from daycare. Usually he hears the 'clip-clop-clip-clop' of my shoes and runs to meet me at his room's half-door. Today, however, I arrived to find him being held and cradled while he was crying! Turns out he wasn't feeling well... at first I wasn't too concerned, though he was acting odd. On the way home he actually fell asleep, which never happens, and once we got home he started crying those 'mom I'm in pain' cries. I called Dave to tell him I was taking Zach to the doc, and he rushed over and drove us there. He was so great, wiping Zachary's nose and keeping me laughing through all the stress of Zachary's much loathed doctor expidentures. An ear infection and bronchitis diagnosis later, we were on our way home, where Dave helped get Zach into bed and unclogged my sink. Yes, he is just that good.

As I am reflecting on the craziness of today, and looking ahead to the craziness and uncertainty of tomorrow and all the school work weighing on my shoulders, I feel at peace knowing that my son is safe in bed and getting better, that my sink is unclogged, and that I am loved by a man so wonderful only God could have dreamt him up and threw him into reality. I am so blessed.

On a side note, there is an elder gentleman that comes into the bank who thinks Zachary is just too stinkin' cute, always asks about him, and occasionally brings in a little gift for me to give him. This last time he brought in a bear that his late wife cherished, and I snapped this picture:

It feels so wonderful to be loved!