morning sounds..

Beep. this morning i woke up to a text message. i glanced more at the time than the text itself. 9:07.

9:07? for real?

I have been at my parents house for a long weekend and every morning except today i have woken up to the sound of one of my little siblings whispering in my ear.... everyday much earlier than 9:07. As i lay in bed, the sun broke through the red curtains with all the power it could muster, I could hear the birds outside and the quiet hum of the ceiling fan in the living room. I couldn't hear ANY people sounds. I wanted to hope that perhaps they had all slept in, but i knew that they had all gone to bed hours before me and my silence would soon be broken. I grabbed the comforter and pulled it over my head, hoping for a few more moments of sleep. Sure enough the door flew open and i could hear a little person approaching the bed. "cassie?" came the whisper... and then a second little person entered the room, "rachel! come back down stairs, cassie is sleepin'." I rolled over and produced the evidence that i was indeed awake; my half-smile half-yawn, the messing pile of hair and my squeaky voice, "good morning girls." Sarah and Rachel both looked at me, not sure if they had just woken me up, or if i had been awake under there. They starred at me for a moment and both hurried back out of the room and down stairs. I climbed out of bed and went to see where all the other little ones were...

as i walked down the stairs i heard the washing-machine spinning someone's laundry, the shower had just been turned off, and a chorus of little voices was drifting out from underneath the door of "the boys" room. I opened the door slowly and peaked in... six little heads turned to stare. "We're playin' UNO." "what's for breakfast?" "Are you leavin' today?" "Josiah's being rude." and "i want waffles" are just a few of the phrases that turned my half-asleep self into wide awake big sister.

I tried to answer all the questions as i backed out of the room and heading back of the stairs. The pitter-patter of little feet followed me. I told them i needed to shower and then i would figure out breakfast.(i can't function with out a shower and moments to pray about my day) I hadn't even had a chance to brush my hair when the pounding started on bedroom door. "He said i have to eat waffles and i want pancakes." "can we buy syrup?" "let's take a vote."

I got them going on breakfast and escaped for the office to check email and blog updates. I listened as they helped each other set the table and pour the batter. "it's hot, so be careful." "can you get me the plates?" "i want waffles and pancakes" "are the strawberries frozen?"

in a few hours i will be heading back to Bend. I will wake up tomorrow morning in my own house, with my phone vibrating the time, the sun shining through the black curtains and the sounds of the neighbors sprinklers starting off the day. I will lay there and wonder how the weekend went so fast and if all the pictures turned out good. The silence will be loud in my ear and i will turn on my itunes to break things up while i start my day.

The morning sounds are so different here and there. Here life is so evident by the sounds. There i might not have a conversation with another human until 10 or 11. Here "cassie" is as common in my ear as "pink? or No pink?" there.

11:01.

I glance at the clock and the office has now been invaded by 3 little ones. They all want to ask me something... Here i go to answer the morning sounds.