ten fingers, ten toes

I sat home all day, mostly staring out the window.
I saw the rain fall, and then snow.

I saw the kids meet the bus to go to school, and then get dropped back off when their day was over.

I saw the mail lady struggle to find a small package for my mailbox, and then drive away when she had placed it there.

I saw the street go dark with the setting of the sun...

And then, I saw headlights.

Family Album is safe and sound, here at the Fort.

I listened to the music, read all of the liner notes (for the thousandth time, at least), and shed a tear.  Or five.
It's surreal to have it in tangible form.  It looks so small.

The experience has been so big, for lack of a better word, that it's funny to hold it in the palm of my hand, and have that be the Whole Story.  

Right there.

I can only imagine that it's similar to looking at a newborn baby and seeing traces of yourself in that brand new face, as well as the features of others that you may or may not recognize at first.  And you know that those features will change, and be seen differently by some folks, who will swear all day long that the baby looks just like your mother when she was born.  

And maybe it does.

It's certainly isn't all me.

My brother is in there, as are my parents, friends, loves, and even some people who have since gone away.  

But, I'm the only one here tonight, and it's just wild to see her, 

face to face.

It's very quiet in this house.

I have a list of things that I'm supposed to do now.

There's the mailing of birth announcements to this and that person, 

as well as the parading of my new baby up and down the proverbial streets. 

That will all start at the crack of dawn, tomorrow morning.

Tonight, I'll be here, in awe of the education that I have received throughout this process of creation.  I do feel older, but also slightly wiser.

I'm mostly tired and relieved, and looking forward to all that lies ahead.

Thank you for listening.

xoxo, bu