Happy.

We're back from vacation all tanned up and relaxed (at least for a little while longer).  And to quench your Team Studer thirst (hahaha, yea right) -


Happy.
A short story.

He was working 10 hour days.  And she was staying up past midnight finishing her work.  This had been going on for weeks.

The baby was cutting teeth and the toddler had unfortunately mastered shouting the phrase, "Don't Tell Me NO, I'm your MOther," with uncanny emphasis on all the really good parts.

They had run out of milk for the second time that week and the dogs chewed through her favorite shoes to which she came very close to sitting on the floor and just sobbing it out.  He announced to no one in particular for the forty third time that month that, "We need to get the driveway fixed."  The baby spilled the dog's full water dish and the toddler was found eating a snack that was discovered under the couch from since who knows when.

And then, a break; an opportunity - they got a call from their family requesting the children for an evening of non-parental fun.

He said, "I'll make dinner." And she said, "I'll get the wine."  And he cooked while she talked on and on about funny news articles and about how the kids are doing things that are simultaneously sweet and annoying.  She read aloud the pinterest recipe while he rummaged through the spices cabinet and neither one of them dared open the dishwasher because they forgot to run it that morning and it smelled of old formula and gogurt.

They stepped over the giant sword strewn on the kitchen floor and pushed aside the high chair still caked in oatmeal in the dining room.  They dimmed the lights so as to make it almost impossible to see the macaroni&cheese stain on the tablecloth and the dog hair collecting in the corners of the room.

He said, "I'm just so happy with the way this turned out."  She smiled, "This is quite a feast." He looked up at her, surprised by her misunderstanding, " No, I mean - our life."

And she smiled at him.
And he smiled at her.
And they were happy.