on a cold morning in november

there's a mouse in my kitchen, 

 red chapstick dots my duvet cover, 

and my couch is splattered with mango puree.  

my back aches, i have a nasty cold, 

and the threat of pre-term labor has already resulted in one trip to labor and delivery.     

and yet, all i feel is gratitude.  here's why.

for the rest of my life, on bad days, 

i'll need do no more than glance at these beautiful photos, 

taken on a cold morning in november, 

when my boy was nearly two.