The Dishes will still be there, mama

 

Today after school my beautiful 6 year old boy kept walking up and down the kitchen where he would peep and ask, "Are you almost done mummy?" "Are you able to play with me basketball?" "Ten more minutes." I replied.  This became another ten more minutes when it was at that point I heard him downstairs bouncing the ball and shooting hoops alone. I stopped. I looked up from the dishes. I looked around at the dinner sizzling. Dried my hands and walked downstairs. "You ready to get beat?" His beautiful eyes lit up in between his missing front-teeth smile. "Lets gooo" he shouted. It was then that I knew the dishes will still be there. 

The dishes will still be there when our precious babes will have long left the nest. 

The dishes will still be there when all we have left is memories of mismatched socks lining the hall, incessant calls of, "look at this trick," or "can I help?"

The dishes will still be there the night we return from dinner out celebrating their high school and university graduations. 

The dishes will still be there when all I have to wash are the dishes my husband and I have used for dinner 

So dust if you must mama, but these precious moments?  will be gone even faster than the dishes will dry. 

Sending you love and warmth even amidst the chaos, the mess and the long days of these early years. 

xoxox Penny