something really special.

it's after 10:30 and i'm folding clothes in the laundry room.
each child has their own stack of freshly washed clothes.
little pairs of jeans and tee shirts, medium-sized jean skirts and pink tights, much larger pairs of camo pants.
lots of camo pants.

but instead of feeling tired and cranky, i'm feeling overwhelmingly grateful.
i'm floating around in it.
it's like all is right in the world good.

i watch my single friends.
and it's a tough place to be.
they are all struggling with the dating thing--who should i date? am i comfortable putting myself out there? why take the risk of getting hurt or hurting someone else? maybe i should just wait for a different time? it wouldn't work out anyway....

and i listen to them. they all have different--and similar--stories.
and i understand completely.
so many unknowns.

but right now, right at this very moment, i know.
i know why i kissed john (i made the first move, shocking!) that first night on my apartment balcony.
i know why my heart told my head to shut it! and i fell madly for him.
the timing was off. we might have made some people mad for us getting together.
i wasn't even looking for a relationship.
i just wanted to have fun for a while.

but thankfully i lept. i leaped. i took a giant leap. you know what i mean.

it happened.
all these small moments happened.
and my life happened.

and tonight, folding all of these little people's clothes, standing in the laundry room in my sweatpants and tank top and bare feet, i understand why.

because there is something really special about this thing called "family."
and taking chances.
and going for it.

it's the stuff dreams are made of.