Squeaky Clean

This has been a typical, perhaps slightly extra chaotic, day-I lost a planning period, went in to work early to make up for missing time last week (when Chip was swollen all over from poison ivy), graded papers every spare second, and rushed to pick up the kids and get Chip to piano. Then my sister (I have 4, this one is local) called to tell me that she was taking her youngest to the hospital with breathing difficulty. His brother is upstairs asleep, and my kids were up well past their bedtime. I could, and maybe should, write about how wonderful it is to have family close so we can support one another. My sister has helped me countless times, and I love that I can help her too. But, oddly, my thoughts are somewhere else tonight.

When the kids were all in bed, I decided to go ahead and take a shower. Children who haven't had enough sleep could spell disaster in the morning, so it seemed wise to get my shower out of the way while I had the opportunity.

A nice, hot, shower. I suppose it is my level of fatigue that has caused me to be swept away in the magic of our sophisticated plumbing. What a luxury that at my beck and call I have clean water to drink, much less warm water to bathe in. If you've been following this blog, you know that my husband and I are very attached to Haiti, and work there with and for an organization called Bethlehem Ministry. Tonight in my exhaustion, I think of the families in Haiti who must bathe in the dirty river in Terrier Rouge; I think of the mothers' broken hearts when they cannot offer their sick, dehydrated children clean drinking water; and I think of the doctors who would love to be able to administer bags of IV fluids to sick patients and are too often ill equipped.

I have had a warm bath, my nephew will get IV fluids if he needs them-as well as any medication he requires, the dishes in my dishwasher have been thoroughly disinfected, and we've had a nice spring shower to top off our reservoir. Weirdly, with the water slant and my fatigue, I'm remembering the song that Daddy and I danced to at my wedding. "My Cup Runneth Over" sung by Ed Ames, while a love song, the title seems to fit very nicely here.

Blessing #13 May 10, 2010

Today I am grateful for clean water. I understand that my life would not be recognizable without it. I pray that all people will have access to this most basic necessity.