you say i’ll miss these days
of punctuated sleep
terrible tantrums
and fresh cookies smears on my bathroom sink
but i already do
as a parent
i simultaneously see all sorts of realities
one where our kids are happy and grown
they’ve made it to adulthood
unscathed by their overthinking mother
and another
where i don’t have children at all
they’ve been erased from this earth by disease or some horrific accident
so even though i’m writing this at 2 am
sleep interrupted by the intermittent crying and comforting of my sweet and trying daughter
i am grateful for days like these
Making the most of these moments, most of the time.