7:35 am.

6:50 am. Alarm blasting.
Snooze.
6:55 am. Alarm blasting.
Snooze.
7:00 am. Alarm blasting.
Snooze.
7:05 am. Alarm blasting.
(continues for the next 15 minutes.)
7:20 am. Pry open my eyes and, like a zombie, shuffle to the bathroom.
With my eyes as slits I turn the bathroom light on and pull my hair into a pony tail. Splashing warm water on my face, I slowly start to wake up.
I know I technically already woke up but I'm not just talking physically out of bed. I am talking coherent. Which rarely happens at 7: 30 in the morning.
As I brushed my eyelashes with a few strokes of mascara and swished the cold bristles of toothpaste across my teeth I noticed a little girl with big green eyes looking up at me.
"wha-what are you doooo-een (doing)?"
"I'm getting ready for work, I have to go to work today..."
"to woyk (work)? but...but ony (only) dads go to woyk (work)"
"I know...but I have to go to work today too"
I watched her tiny little brow furrow as she stared up at me before responding.
"well, can you help me tie this befoy (before) you go to woyk (work)?
Yes Leah, you're right. Mostly dad's go to work. Yet, here I am....sitting at woyk.
Wishing it was 7:35 again. Wishing I was at home. Helping you tie your sparkly dress up and eating rice krispies with you for breakfast.
Just know I am here- longing for those precious moments with you, when no one else is awake.
Those precious moments at 7:35 am. On a Tuesday morning before work. When I just so happened to be coherent. (Thankfully).
Signing off for n ow,
Aunt Rachel.