Breathing

That deep breath, first thing in the morning, as I get set to start the day.

The short, shallow breaths I take when trying not to laugh at something one of the kids did.

The breath I hold as I listen to Alex read and stumble over a word.

The sigh of relief I breath when I realize Olivia and Gracie's crash into each other is not at all serious, it just sounded that way.

The wistful sigh as I listen to Isabelle recount her day and realize she is growing up all too quickly.

The deep inhale as I hold a freshly bathed child on my lap.

The exasperated sigh when I have to remind the kids to clean up for the 10th time in as many minutes.

And the final deep, satisfying breath after I kiss the kids goodnight and close the bedroom door.

It seems my days can be marked by the breaths I take. Like minutes, they tick of the passage of time and remind me that though the hours may be long, the days are far too short.