Waiting (I)

The baby of the family
has fallen asleep
on the living room floor
in the middle of playing.

I set the table
with beef stew,
toasted onion bread,
cheese.

The kids and I gather ’round the table
and wait for Dad to sit before we dig in.

Pieces of cheese and bites of bread
make their way from the plate
close to hungry little mouths
then back to the plate.

It is hard to wait.

The two year old gobbles up
her tiny cubes of cheese, smiling,
while we talk about waiting for Dad.

It is hard to wait.

Finally he sits;
we pray;
we eat;
the kiddos finish first
and now they wait for me –
dessert comes
when I am done.

It is hard to wait.