Fledglings

Zosia tucked two walnuts in a nest we found in the backyard. Ben found the nest, "eggs" and all, when he was tidying up the deck after the babies were asleep-- a little remnant of our eldest's creative play-- and I couldn't stop smiling at the discovery. It's just perfect, isn't it?

And here we find ourselves, each member of our little family, flying from our nest in our own different ways.

Ben, with his new job.

Zosia, running into her preschool class fearlessly with a smile on her face ("your daughter is very delightful to talk to," her teacher informed me. And I smiled, because I do know that to be true).

Me, standing in front of a room of forty elementary children who call me "teacher," struggling to remember the words of the creed and having to really think about what it means for the first time in my life (and realizing, for all of those "we believe"'s, there sure isn't a lot about the life of Jesus... why is that?).

And Lily, delighting in time with just her mama when she can cook and walk by herself on walks around the block, and do funny little things. She put a sock puppet on her hand this morning and ran at me making a unidentifiable animal noise, and just couldn't stop laughing. She was delighted at herself, and the idea, and her execution of it. It was this hilarious little play she put on. Oh, the two of us laughed for what was easily 15 minutes, it was that good.

And two months ago, I couldn't have imagined any of this-- the jobs, the independence, the play. So many journeys, transformations, flights.

I am only left wondering, what nests will we fly from in the future?