today was an onion

I chopped an onion this afternoon. I knocked off the ends, hacked it in half, peeled off the reddish brown crackly skin, and sliced into the white translucent layers. The sharp stinging onion smell grew stronger with each layer.

There were layers to this day. On top was a sick toddler, with a fever and a runny nose. I’m dealing with tissues and snot smears and medicine and tears. Underneath was my husband, recovering from the flu, reeling under the shocking and undeserved loss of his beloved Patriots, studying his tail off. I’m wanting to cheer him up. Next was my baby, content in her chair, not even complaining that Mommy wasn’t holding her as much today. I’m feeling guilty–oh, and I forgot to give her a bath. Somewhere under that was a layer of laundry (a load with leaking dye), a dirty bathroom (knew I should’ve fit it in Friday), a grocery list (after this time tomorrow we will starve), and the ever-present potty training. The inside layer was me, also recovering from the flu, breaking my cardinal I-Will-Not-Wear-Sweat-Pants-All-Day Rule.

The onion was for a big pot of Grandma’s soup. I just hit the kitchen and started chopping. I added some celery, grated carrots for the soup and zucchini for some bread to go with it. And then hot chicken soupy steam filled the kitchen and the living room. I made something good out of that smelly onion.

I kept my toddler clean and warm and let her watch a whopping once-in-a-lifetime five episodes of Dora the Explorer (of which Norah is an adorer…). The Patriots, after all, are in great shape for next season. I’ll give the baby a bath tomorrow. The dye-stained clothes weren’t in good condition anyways, and I was really glad I hadn’t cleaned the bathroom after supper when Norah helpfully dumped her potty…and missed. As for the sweatpants, I think all of the trousers that fit were in the laundry. It was a good day.

This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 ESV