7:49 a.m.

On a weekday morning, this is one of the most precious times for me. I close the door behind the 11 year old bustling out the front door with two rollers and a pile of hairspray in his hair for "Crazy Hair Day" and out the back door go the Four Muskateers. They are carrying backpacks, dad's lunch & briefcase, stepping over and into each other to get out the door and into the best seat in the minivan (yes, he drives the minivan).

I lean against the door and let out a huge sigh, almost immediately feeling guilty for being relieved to be alone.

In college, I had an apartment by myself during my senior year and though I enjoyed the quaintness of the apartment, I did not know how to be alone and ruined the experience (another blog for another day). Sometimes, I now long for that apartment or one similar to it where I can go and things are left just as I left them - unbroken - and smelling the same (seriously) and also fully stocked with my kind of foods and books and all of my channels preset on the television.

I don't stay long in that thought though because none of my peeps would be there.

Before I run off to fulfill the obligations of my day, I'll spend some quality time with God, reading the Bible & praying about all sorts of things & many different people. But I wanted to take a few minutes to mark the momentous occasion of 7:49 when all is quiet in my world.