Clarity

Sometimes life gives you a lesson about priorities and when it happens, you (or me, in this case), get a crash course in clarity.

I've been helping take care of these two sweeties. Fraternal twins, they are the 2 1/2 week old sons of dear friends, who have become adopted family in our lives. I am getting an early preview of life as a grandparent.

I thought I was prepared. After all, I had raised two boys and survived to tell the tale.

But evolution, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or your deity of choice has a little trick to play on memory. Not only do we not really remember labor and delivery, we also blur the insanity of the first few weeks of parenthood. And that's not even counting on twins.

So the past nearly 2 weeks have passed in a frenzy of diaper changes, baby holding and comforting, laundry, and preparing meals for the twins' mom and dad. Sleep has been at a premium for all of us, and while I've been here in San Francisco, I've stayed on Boston time, going to sleep by 9 and getting up at 2:30 am local time, so I can give the dad a rest and help mom with the babies for the middle of the night nursings.

This is one of the longest stretches of time I've gone without writing in quite a long time. Barring a blog post or two, and the small bits of time I've had on FB or G+, I really have stayed focused and in the moment with these babies.

My own "book baby', FUTURE TENSE, was released just before I came out here to the west coast and it's mostly had to find its own way into the world. And that's okay. These two little guys are more important. The book will wait. My writing will wait. In a scant few days, I'll be home again and back to my typical routine. Part of me is eager for my own home, my own bed, my own schedule.

But part of me is already missing these little beings who have come into our lives. I am so blessed to be here during this special time and I am looking forward to watching them grow up.