Feeling needed and wanted

The sun is shining this morning! I’ve had my first cup of coffee and am preparing three lunches, sandwiches and fruit, for Rob and the boys. First one to come into the kitchen is Chris, he mimics pants – ‘underpants’ I ask him. He nods. I put the knife down and find some pants in the utility room.

I’m no domestic goddess and don’t pretend to be, piles of clean clothes, needing ironing is a common sight around here. I go back to the lunches. Alex is next, he is in a frazzle showing me a list of ingredients he needs for cooking class. All sugar and butter of course. We find the ingredients, but he also needs his rugby gear, which is in a bag under the staircase as always.

I show it to him – it’s like a well-rehearsed dance, we both recognize it at the same time and smile to each other.

I go back to making the lunch. The boys are eating their breakfast when Rob appears; half dressed, can’t find his socks and thermal top.

Off I go again to the utility room. The thermal shirt is not in the clean clothes – ‘have you looked in your cupboard?’ I shout, forgetting I can’t hear if he replies. I find him – he is wearing his boots. ‘Have you looked in the cupboard’ I repeat.

He nods. I look in his cupboard anyway, and there it is! I load the boys and dogs into the car and take them to school. Chris is first, then Alex – however as he gets out of the car he tells me something about the cooking gear.

‘You have not got your cooking gear?’ I ask.  He shakes his head. ‘Have you got it?’ He shakes his head. ‘Well you have forgotten it?’ He nods. I sigh and as I drive back to fetch his gear I notice rain is coming in.