I press into my bed.
My arms and legs deepen into this version of warmth as my room grays in soft layers around me. The finest shades of silver and iron and temples edged with stories.
This storm demands my attention, and I give it willingly.
Each windowsill tap holds its own memory.
The best novels read well in to the night. Chinese food eaten in bed. Eighties movies. Stolen kisses.
My storm history is long and sweet, and so I welcome the familiar sound of rain against open windows.
Not the case down the hall.
My children’s whispers are anything but quiet. Their footsteps mirror the feeling.
Storms are not (yet) welcome into their nights.
Edging against my pillows, I find a cooler part of my small space in this big bed, and wait.
I wait for those loud footsteps to make their way to me, but they don’t.
So I, of course, slide out of my bed and into my slippers and make my mothering way to them.
Peeking into Brody’s room, I see that his covers are triangled.
The space where he crawled out, and escaped alone, is marked. I don’t have to go far to find him.
My three have found Together.
I still at the doorway to breathe them in.
They’re all arms and legs and blankets and pillows. Their voices weave as they claim spaces puzzle pieced to one other.
I hope that this etches as their first storm memory; I can hardly think of a better story to tell.
We often wonder about the tug and pull of siblings. What they take and share and split and maneuver from each other.
But this way that they have of sweetening even the stormiest of nights together, is an unexpected gift that belongs to them, and to me.
I’m linking this post to Momalom’s 3 Sprouts “Unexpected” blog contest. Because finding wonder in the unexpected? Is so where it’s at.
***
Word of mouth is the absolute best thing that can happen for anything, really. Please help me get the word out about:
- Buy a book, fight cancer. Find out about Write for the Fight here.
- Inspire creativity in someone (young!) that you love. Find out about Pens and Paint here.
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How adorable that they comforted each other! Did you climb into their bed with them?
Hee! No, I let them be. Can you believe it?!
That is so beautiful that they went and got together.
In my house it was more like this
“Nicki, go get mom.”
“No, you get mom.”
**knocks on wall
“Mark, go get mom”
“No”
Eventually we tired ourselves out and would pass out.
i think that was my mom’s master plan
Your mom? Was a genius.
Oh, perfect. A perfect storm, if I dare say so
This siblingness is encouraging. Thank you for this gorgeous post, my friend. xo
Thank you, sweet friend.
Love the perfect storm usage, and the word siblingness. (It’s good stuff, indeed. I promise.)
xo
So, so preciously sweet! I hope my boys will do this some day. Their stomps down the hall as they scream bloody murder are enough to make me afraid of storms in the middle of the night.
Hee! That description was, indeed, scary!
This makes me happy to read. Dylan doesn’t like to sleep in his room (le sigh) and some days Abbey says, “He can sleep with me!” but it rarely happens at night
Oh, but those moments are encouraging, aren’t they? Even in the daytime!
Love the love in these words. Captured every sensation, even the ones deep within the heart, with eloquent precision.
And how sweet that they went to each other….makes my heart smile.
I love the way that you wrote that. Heart smiling is pure perfection!
(Thank you.)
This is the sweetest story ever. (Though I’m completely sure I would have waited until I was finished with my food before I checked!)
Thank you so very much, girl!
(And do you mean those perfect cupcakes? They were divine. Every last crumb of them.
)
Love. Love this. To me, as a mom, there is NOTHING better than the love between my two kids. The comforting hugs, the older wiping the younger tears away, the older zipping up the younger backpack, tying his shoes, the younger going to the older’s rescue when she’s getting scolded, the younger wanting to desperately understand why the older is crying. But to find each other when they are scared. It’s delicious. Beautiful. You nailed it right on!
Thank you for being a part of our contest. We loved your entry.
Thank you so much for the note.
(And I adore your examples of sibling-hood. Those are the moments that help us breathe, aren’t they?)
So sweet! I don’t think my kids would ever do that.
Thank you, girl!
(And you never know, right?!
)
You have captured this magical moment when our children turn to each other instead of us for comfort. It is as sublime as it is unexpected. Gorgeous.
Thank you, friend.
(And I love the word sublime! LOVE!)
That’s sweet that they all cuddled up together to ride the storm out. I love a good thunderstorm, but I remember being scared of ‘rumbo’ and ‘clacko’ when I was little.
It really is scary when you’re little, isn’t it?!
(Thanks so much for the note, friend!)
Galit! This is by far one of your best.
I can see every piece, every image clearly.
What a sweet feeling that must be for you to know that your children feel safe with one another.
This is perfection.
Thank you, my friend.
And I love what you wrote about them feeling safe together.
That? Is truly heart-lovely, indeed!
Oh, how magical. Perfect. I can’t wait to experience this!
Thank you, friend!
(Coming so very soon for you!)
<3
Right back at you!
I used to love storms when it was just my husband and I curling up, feeling safe in his arms. Now, I worry about the fear in each of my children’s eyes when they jump at the thunder. I love, love, love that you found them all together. I have one that sleeps through it, two that crawl in bed with me and one who is terrified. It makes for long, sleepless nights. This was pure poetry.
Thank you for your words, friend.
And I adore how you captured how everyone sees/feels storms at your house!
(I’ve had a few of those long nights, too! #Tired
)
Oh I love that they find comfort in each other. Seeing that would have melted me right there.
That? Is *exactly* what I did, too!
So dang beautiful. I love sibling stories like this. It makes my week. Year maybe. xo
Definitely year. xo
My older brothers were the ones I turned to when I needed comforting in a storm after a certain age. It made it seem like I would always be safe in their presence. I still feel that exact same way. I know they will always protect me in a storm…weather or life related.
Such a sweet memory for you to sneak up on.
Oh that’s lovely.
(And I adore that you’d still turn to your brothers! It’s exactly what I hope for my children!)
Love that they found comfort together.
Me too, friend. Me, too.
Galit what a precious moment to witness and share. My kids love to find their way to each other too. Maybe next time I will wait before telling them to get back into their beds and listen to their tiny voices. Love this!
Oh thank you, friend.
(And yes, I’m there with you. I’m so glad that I checked before I called/ interrupted this time!)
I think it is sweet that they went to each other for comfort. I keep waiting for my two to figure this out, but they haven’t yet.
I thought it was sweetness overload, too!
(And we’re always hoping for more of this, aren’t we? #HowMamasRoll)
I love storms too, the sound of the rain against the window. I love how your kids pulled together and how you found them. Thank you for sharing this moment with us. Beautiful writing, Galit.
Thank you, my sweet friend! (so very much)
Oh gah, I’m gonna cry! I might just be extra emotional tonight for some reason or another but this is just SO sweet, Galit! Such precious sibling love…
Thank you so much, sweet friend!
(And I’m feeling the extra-emotion these days, too! Maybe the end of the year-ness of it all?)
Oh my goodness, such a beautiful post. Adore this. And can’t wait for my little girls to snuggle up together on stormy nights!
Thank you, sweet you! Sibling snuggles really are lovely, aren’t they?
You know I’m a total fan of your writing and I also love storms, so this is about as good as it gets – your writing about a storm.
I would have been the same way. Listening to both the storm and anticipating the footsteps of my kids making their way to our bed…
What a wonderful surprise for you to find the three of them together!
Thank you, my sweet friend!
That was so very kind, so very generous, and so very appreciated!
What a perfect way to find them. Love.
Thank you, girl. (so much)
I love when my kids lean on each other.
I absolutely adore the way that you worded that!
This warms my heart, I remember those scary, stormy nights…seeking safety with my brother…I just love this. They will carry this memory with them forever. Beautiful. xoxo
Thank you so very much, my sweet friend.
That? Is exactly what I hope they’ll do!
xo
I love that they found each other! And you are so right – WE love stormy nights. It’s something we’ve learned to be comforted by as adults. That everything will look different and better after. (Usually).
Oh that last line. That is perfect truth right there.
(Thank you for that, you.)
You write so beautifully Galit! I do love a good storm – snuggled into bed watching a good 80′s flick would be great – it’s funny how your perspective changes as you get older.
Thank you so much, friend!
And oh my, yes – different perspectives completely!
(Hard to remember sometimes, yes?)
What a beautiful post! So so sweet:)
Thank you.
(truly)
How incredibly sweet. See, I told my mom I should have had siblings!
I’m an only too, girlie!
(Possibly why I wanted to have more?!)
Thanks so much for the love, and the note, and the love note!
Oh, I love it when my crew show that they actually love each other. Such sweetness. Thank you for giving us these moment. I feel like I get to peek into your house with your gorgeous writing. (In a non-creepy way.)
oh my god, that was more than poetic, it was eloquent and moving and I could see/hear/smell those babies of yours all tangled up and taking care of one another. I love when our children find one another and the connections are made, the memories captured.
WOW. xo
I really feel an overwhelming joy whenever my kids comfort each other. They do fight like cats and dogs but they’re sweet sometimes.