what a wonderful world

It's the end of the day. The small bodies that surround my legs are tired, out of energy, out of patience for each other. We've played all the games they've wanted to play, we've read books, we've cooked, we've laughed and giggled. The smiles are gone. Instinctively, I reach for some music. I turn the volume up a notch or 2 and let the notes filter into the room. I invite the kids to join me in a dance. Some days its Hey Bo Diddley combined with crazy dance moves all preformed to outdo the other. We spin, we laugh, we feel rejuvenated. Other days it might be Mary J Blige, Lunch Money, or Norah Jones. Ella's favorites are of course the ones that require dragging out all of the tutus and princess gowns. She somehow convinces Graham to be her prince charming. The bickering that was occurring moments earlier magically changes to curtsies and happily ever afters. Then their are the other kind of dancing days. The ones I look forward to the most--the music starts softly. It's as if the notes are dancing with the tick of the clock. One of my kids heads is softly nestled in my neck just below my chin. I smell their hair and all that is just them. Today the strands are perfumed with the smell of spring air. A welcome, welcome scent to my nose. We dance and relax, the over stimulation from the day leaving our bodies. As Baby Mine, or OH What Wonderful World melodically continues to soothe us, my baby's body starts to become part of mine as we dance and sway to the rhythm. Soon their breathing slows and the weight of their body rests in my arms. The laughter and yelling have all quieted and all I can hear is soft breaths coming and going. The time that I was just before wishing away I now wish would stand still. I take a deep breath in hoping to saturate my body with the moment, and in the background I hear the song ending...

I hear babies cry......
I watch them grow
(you know their gonna learn A whole lot more than Ill never know)
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.

And, I couldn't agree more.