Happiness Penned

Early Autumn and I’m afraid to admit that I worry about how we will do this.
The three of us have something of a history together & we’ve become a petite little unit of our own.
The task of being one in a more permanent sense makes the girl inside of me whimper.
Thankfully, there isn’t a lot of time for that.

Hungry boys.

Tired me.

Miles of monotonous driving each day.

Homework.

Emotions to soothe.

Energy to release.

Focus.

Neverending chatter.

They demand my complete attention.

I don’t know if there is enough of me to divide myself & give them slices that will satisfy.

As I’m preparing a delicious epicurean dinner,
{boiling a box of noodles & heating a jar of spaghetti sauce},
all of the pressure I’m under is making it hard to focus.
Steam kisses my face. Boiling water lifts my spirit.
I know the power of a timely meal.
These exhausted pots & pans, we are old friends.
They know my secrets & keep them in confidence.
When I stand at my stove, I am in good company.
Stirring noodles into golden halos…

<<< LIGHTS GO OUT >>>

I stop breathing for a moment.

Not now.

Not tonight.

It’s not a good time to deal with a power outage!

I don’t have the energy for this nuisance.

Just as I am melting into submission to accept the fate of a dark night-

<<< Laughter >>>

The mischievous cackle of a familiar two year old breaks the silence.
Damian Achilles.
My little, wonderful, monster was the culprit.

The light comes back on.

I breathe again.
I don’t know if I’ve ever been so euphoric to see those darn fluorescent lamps illuminate with their muddy yellow haze.
Little hands little feet little mind working in sync while Mama is preoccupied.
He was proudly standing on a chair flipping the forgotten switch from the other side of the kitchen.
The three of us laugh endlessly as he flickers the lights on & off in a reprisal of his newfound trick.
Deep giggles that send us spinning in a dance and wet my eyes from the sheer ecstasy of relief.

That laughter, that night, in that old kitchen,
has been sound of courage.
We composed something I was afraid couldn’t exist.
The echoes of our revelry nudge me through a drowsy winter that makes me ache to see over the grey.
We thrive and there is a psalm of laughter we have penned to prove it.

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“Nobody whom this war has touched will ever be happy again in quite the same way. But it will be a better happiness, I think, little sister–a happiness we’ve earned. We were very happy before the war, weren’t we? With a home like Ingleside, and a father and mother like ours we couldn’t help being happy. But that happiness was a gift from life and love; it wasn’t really ours–life could take it back at any time. It can never take away the happiness we win for ourselves in the way of duty. I’ve realised that since I went into khaki. In spite of my occasional funks, when I fall to living over things beforehand, I’ve been happy since that night in May. Rilla, be awfully good to mother while I’m away. It must be a horrible thing to be a mother in this war–the mothers and sisters and wives and sweethearts have the hardest times.”

Walter Blythe to Rilla Blythe in L.M. Montgomery’s Rilla of Ingleside

I have always loved Anne of Green Gables, so this summer I read the whole series. Although I enjoyed all the books, I’m obsessed with Rilla of Ingleside. I have read it twice and started it again. I do really hope someone makes this movie & does it beautiful justice {in the art direction of Downton Abbey}. I think L.M. Montgomery was a brilliant observer & the characters she molded are amusing.
I think she & I would be friends. Maybe in another life. ♥

 

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 Self Portraits iPhone 4 New Year’s Day | All Others Nikon D800

 

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  • Jaclyn - February 10, 2013 - 1:13 pm

    🙂 In response to your comment from our other post…

    You’re very welcome!!! Although our world is CONSTANTLY full of distractions, I admire you taking time to have a “normal” dinner in the midst of life and all it throws at us daily. Your sweet boys will always remember those moments (and you will too)…

    And I will have to find this “Rilla of Ingelside” that you speak of…;) Thank you for jogging my memory – I now remember finding that there were additional books after the 4-6 series back in the fall and was going to buy the 7-9 and they didn’t have all three, so I didn’t buy any. I will not have to venture to my favorite place soon and find that…:) Not too much longer and we’ll be back to warmer temps and SUN!!! I wish it would hurry!!!!!

  • Kara - February 10, 2013 - 5:06 pm

    “Is it Rilla my Rilla? “Yeth”….
    I would haft to say this book in the series is one of the best.
    Walter…sweet Walter…
    Thinking of you as Hold your fort down day after day…
    (Your kitchen looks lovely in your photos & your cooking…)
    Thanks for sharing your words & snippets of your life…
    Xo
    Kara

  • Andrea - February 13, 2013 - 1:22 pm

    Kara, I love that sentence! Thanks for your words about my kitchen! It’s grown on me, but I still dream of a fresh coat of paint & a new floor! 🙂

  • Andrea - February 13, 2013 - 1:24 pm

    Jaclyn, I read them on my phone/iPad and most of them are free! I love finding classic books to read! And I agree, the sun can come and stay as soon as possible! Some warmer weather would be a treat!

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