So Much Unobstructed Sky

Last night, I stood at my back screen door (yes, I have a back door now!) and held little Alice in my arms and watched a summer thunderstorm roll in.

As the sky went from bruised purple to black, Alice beat her little fists against the screen door. The trees grew still and the birds grew quiet. And then the wind kicked into high gear, blowing our hair back from our faces, a welcome relief after a day of typical Pittsburgh humidity.

We listened while the thunder cracked across the sky, and watched the lightning pierce through the clouds, Alice curled like a hot little comma against my neck. We watched until the sheets of rain splashed through the screen and splattered against the window, blurring the world outside.

Later, Spiceboy and I put Alice to sleep, whispering "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" while the cracks of thunder faded to distant rumblings.

Afterward, we stood in the kitchen, making dinner (yes, we now have a kitchen that's large enough for BOTH of us to stand in at the same time!). In the distance, I spotted the sunset, bright pinks and oranges nudging out from under the black clouds.

"Oh, look at it!" I cried in delight to Spiceboy.

"It's been a long time," said Spiceboy, "since we've seen so much unobstructed sky."