Kate in the morning

My kids are all grown up.
I love the ages they are now- bursting with enthusiasm and possibility, able to live their own lives, able to have a glass of wine with dinner and discuss politics and other adult things.
But, sometimes, I miss their younger days when we had them all to ourselves to snuggle with and play with and read to and do the million other little things that families do every day.

Today I was cleaning out a stack of old papers and found a poem I wrote about my daughter Kate many years ago.  I was struck with a memory so profound and wonderful that I had to share.

Katie in the Morning
Hardly contained in her little girl shell,
Words and feelings 
         pop out of every pore-
                   making her feet grow
                   making her face change.

(she is all opinions and beauty.  she is her father's biggest worry.)

But, 
In my eyes she will always be
Katie in the morning
Looking for a hug and 
   eating cereal-
All birdsnests and brown eyes.

And here is the everyday miracle, the heart remembers.  It remembers and smiles, long after life has moved on.