Would you
like to
Timidly,
my arms and that
little
the vinyl hospital chair and hold out
my arms, just
add
He
says, "See, angel?
down
like that.
at
Look
at
those eyes.
And
my arms and sincerely hope that I do not "He does kinda have my mouth," I admit. Then
the tiny object in
But the mouth.
.
.
matter-of-factly, "I bet he'll
room
looks just like you.
mouth."
stare
I
look I
hold our best Christmas present ever?"
down on
Momma has taught me to do with my dolls. Momma gently lays the baby in
like
the
I sit
be bossy; he has a bossy mouth." Everyone in
Daddy nudges Momma, and I can see them Momma-and-Daddy look. Then they look back at me
bursts into laughter.
each other a special ing Nathan. For a
moment, I'm the
star again.
No one
notices the
give
hold-
baby who
looks like a pink prune. "See what a good sister she
would
is.
Daddy?" Momma says proudly.
"I
knew
she
be."
Daddy smiles down on me and reaches for Momma's hand. "She definitely good big sister. Look how gently she is holding him." In that moment, I accept that nothing will be the same again. It can't be. Not with a baby. But maybe a baby won't be so bad. "Who knows?" I think to myself. "He might even be fun." is
a
Ash and
Ice
Jason Vanderlaan In the stillness
Of a I
silent night
gaze over this death
Covered with ash and
field, ice,
And remember: The
lifeless
cocoon
That had not opened For fear of flying Into the
unknown.
And
in the stillness
Of a
silent
I
close
morning
my eyes,
Covered with ash and And remember:
ice,
The chaos and apathy That engulfed
this field
As green faded to black and white, All because of one cocoon. 10