Suave

The days were so close to summer now, my 6:15 alarm brought full sunlight with it. Felt nearer to mid-day than early morning, and I almost thought I overslept.

After serving toasted ravioli and salad for lunch at school to three rounds of munchkins late that morning, I returned to the Big House where Yali was still snoozing deep. When I woke him an hour later, he nestled into my arms in an attempt to continue the nap for as long as possible.

Two hours later he was yelling like a jungle tiger in the gym with Puck and Big J who were busy caroming across the floor on scooter boards – apparently the latest P.E. craze at school.

It was about 5:30 now and all three of my boys were digging into piles of pork sausage, Colonial eggs, and slices of buttered toast. One of their favorite dinners. While they were busy gorging themselves, I listened to the conversation take a turn for the silly.

“The roof of my mouth is pretty deep, like Dad’s. I take after him.” Puck opened his mouth wide in demonstration.

“I don’t know. Mine’s pretty deep,” Oxbear replied. “Check it out.” He demonstrated the same.

Puck’s eyes bugged. “WOW! I guess I have the second deepest roof then! Because mine’s deeper than Mom’s and Yali’s.”

Following dinner, I stretched out in my room for a few minutes of peace and quiet – always a potentially dangerous activity – when both my boys came crashing in to join the party. Yali took a heavy seat on my back and Puck wasn’t far behind.

“Gentle! My organs!” is a common exclamation in my phrasebook since I married that big Texan of mine twelve years ago.

These boys just don’t understand their own strength. The simplest hug is like an ox in a china shop. Fortunately I was also recently instructed in the Spanish way to say “soft” or “gentle”. So now “suave” (SWAH-vay) is my new buzzword. But I’ll still take all those hugs any day, any time.

Then while Oxbear nursed a sore throat – I blame the lingering cold air – Puck tried to convince me that I should allow him to bring a large piece of old luggage to school as a back-up backpack.