How would Jesus honk?

Of course.

Today started off with one of those perfect June mornings. We slept with the windows open because the evenings are cooling off to an ideal temperature. I woke up to the smell of dew on the grass outside and the birds chirping. More importantly, I didn't hear any of the footfalls of the children upstairs (their bedrooms are above ours). They were blessedly still asleep when I woke up - I had enough time to escape.

The mornings where the boys sleep in are the best. I can accomplish so much in the hours when I'm not trying to prevent someone from trying to retexture our walls with oatmeal. On the days I beat the kids out of bed, my whole day goes smoothly. Today felt like an extra blessing because that meant I could knock out the chores first before we all had to get ready for mass - perfection.

I forewent my early morning coffee habit to ensure the boys would stay asleep as long as possible. The grind and whine of the espresso machine is a siren song to the sleeping tornadoes to come down and start wrecking things. So, I silently grabbed my milking buckets and crept out the back door. It was a daring escape.

Quiet morning milking feels like a meditative indulgence. The tinny rhythmic tempo of milk hitting the buckets sets the drumbeat for the whole day. It's my time for gratitude and to marinate on the day ahead.