Good Morning

Some mornings I make a lot of noise when I'm dressing so that my daughter will wake up before I leave for work. Most mornings, she wakes before I do, and asks - rather, demands - to climb into our bed. She usually falls back asleep, her feet finding their way into my back or onto my face. She's a bed hog. She likes to stretch out, arms over her head.

She's in a good mood when she wakes up. "Hi - hi," she says. She lays her head on my all-too-soft stomach, and laughs. When the clock radio alarm sounds, she begins to bounce up and down to the music. She will watch the clock LED numbers for minutes on end as they advance into eternity. She laughs again as each minute ticks by.

These are some of my happiest moments each day. Her bedhead. Watching her stagger down the hallway to watch "Elmo," her morning ritual. Pausing to pet the cat. Eating cheerios in front of the tv.

Joy.