My fourth of July started as every morning starts, with a cry from a hungry baby. To my surprise it was after 6 am.  This was the latest I’ve had the pleasure of sleeping in weeks. The baby must have been as tired as the rest of us from all the travelling we did yesterday. As I fed my newborn, I thought of the quiet morning that lay before me and thought how I wanted to spend it. Did I want to go through a flow of sun salutation, warrior two, triangle pose ending in down dog? Did I want to take in the quiet of the city that can only be found during the early holiday morning with a cup of coffee and a good book? Did I want to go for a walk? Did I want to pour my soul into writing a blog post as the house settled around me and steamed danced out of my coffee cup? I wasn’t sure but I was excited for whichever option I chose. We were in Philadelphia at my mom’s house so I had no household chores to fill my morning. As I laid my newborn in her bassinet, ready for a little bit of me time I heard a tiny voice next to me “mom I’m hungry”. My toddler who usually is a late sleeper was awake. Not only was she awake but seeing as we had gotten into town late yesterday afternoon there was no breakfast food in the house. My hopes for this morning was squashed like a grape under the foot of an elephant.

I thought about just going to Dunkin’ to get breakfast and coffee.  It was quick and easy and maybe I could still get in a little yoga or reading. I realized the money I would spend for breakfast today I could go to the market and buy breakfast for the whole weekend. I sighed at the thought of having to go food shopping with my toddler at 630 in the morning. As I quickly got her dress I saw movement in the baby’s bassinet, she was awake but quiet. My husband who got off late the night before and still had to drive to Philadelphia to meet us afterwards laid in bed snoring. I knew he needed the rest.  I was going to have to take both kids with me. Frustration and annoyance covered me like a wetsuit. I packed both kids into the car, resenting the fact that I was going shopping with two kids at 6 something in the morning on a holiday.   As I turned the corner off of my mom’s block I saw a woman walking down the street in a beautiful flowy dress. It reminded me that I wasn’t the only one up and about early this morning. It is interesting that when you are going through something you forget there are other people in the same situation. As I turned to the road that led to Shoprite I saw a few more cars on the road and felt comforted more by the realization that I wasn’t the only one up early and on the road. I decided to stop a Dunkin’ anyway and get the toddler some nourishment and give me some energy. The annoyance I felt floated away like a leaf in the wind as I savored my coffee.

As we walked out the market the sun warmed my skin and my mood was as light as the breeze that caressed it.  I felt like a rockstar for handling the market with both kids by myself for the first time. I was thankful that the newborn slept the entire trip, and the toddler threw not one tantrum and was well behaved. I was thankful to Shoprite for being open and to all the workers who woke up earlier than me to get to work so I could go food shopping this morning. As I started the car “Latch Disclosure” started playing and my daughter ask me was this a jam. I smiled at her. “yes, this is my jam”. I raised our windows down and turned the music up some. We were in Philadelphia, it’s a holiday and even though we are just staying at my mom’s house, we were on vacation. I smiled and let the vacation vibes vibrate through me like the beat of the song through the car. The toddler and I bobbed to the music the whole way to the house and when I turned the corner to my mom’s block I saw the fruit of my positive mindset. My Aunt and Uncle were parked in front of my mom’s house. My uncle, seeing me get out the car came over and grabbed the toddler and I grabbed the newborn. He offered to help me unpack the car. This was the personification of if you put good vibes into the universe and universe will send goodness back to you. I could have let my exhaustion and disappointment be the storm clouds blocking out this sunny day but instead I chose to find happiness in my situation. My morning started, nothing like I was hoping but there was still fun, beauty, and joy to be found in it.