By: Delores M. (mizdmc)
Date Submitted: 8/8/2009
Last Updated: 8/21/2009
Genre: Parenting & Relationships » General
Words: 739
Rating:

The dew covered the freshly cut lawn, glistening by the reflection of the early morning sun. Laurie Morgan carried her shoes as she walked across the cool grass. Dudley, her yellow Labrador retriever, followed closely behind her. Laurie laughed to herself as the cool damp grass squished between her toes. The morning air and exercise seemed to make her pregnancy go a lot easier. Laurie always looked forward to her morning walk. Her husband Frank likes to sleep in a little longer, but insisted that she take Dudley with her whenever she goes for a walk. Dudley loves any excuse to tag along. Their daily walks have become a great morning ritual. Laurie has always been physically active, but in her condition, her workouts have been reduced to a low-impact walk.

As they entered the park, they reached a bench nearby. Dudley barked, as if to order her to sit down. “Are you giving me a hint, Dudley?” She asked. Dudley wagged his tail and sat down on his hind legs in response. Laurie sat down slowly. She rubbed her swollen belly, taking in her surroundings. The park is usually bustling with activity, but this morning, the squirrels were the only things moving around. Dudley appeared to be in a trance as he stared at the squirrels scampering around the trees nearby.

Laurie repositioned herself on the bench and sighed. In less than twenty-four hours, she was going to deliver their first child and she was feeling apprehensive. She tossed and turned last night and didn’t get much sleep, but she knew that she had to stay calm. Dudley, as if sensing her anxiety, sat down with his legs across the top of her feet.

She felt blessed to have this park in her neighborhood for it held many great memories. She remembered her first ice cream cone when she was five years old. At twelve, she learned to play chess while watching the weekly tournaments on Saturday morning. Her teenage years were practically spent in the park every summer, especially for the live concerts. Laurie even met her husband Frank here, just a few years ago. He was out jogging with his puppy, a cute yellow Labrador retriever named Dudley. Frank tried hard to make a good impression with Laurie, but young Dudley just rolled on his back playfully, ignoring his Master’s efforts to look cool. Laurie laughed and she knelt down and rubbed Dudley’s belly. Dudley loved every minute of it, much to Frank’s embarrassment. Ironically, it was Dudley’s adorable looks and hysterical antics that helped Frank establish a close friendship with Laurie over the next few months.

Reflecting on the day they met made Laurie laugh out loud. Dudley sat up on his hinds feet and looked up at her quizzically. It was as if he could detect that she was thinking about him. Laurie stroked his head and he sat back down across her feet, his body covering her toes. “Dudley, you are so possessive.” she joked.

As she watched the squirrels nibble on their acorn breakfast, her fears about having the baby subsided. She counted her blessings for she had a wonderful husband and everyone was in good health. She reflected back on some of the great moments she shared with Frank in this park. Just two years ago, Frank proposed to her beneath the big oak tree on the Fourth of July. A true very romantic, he timed his proposal perfectly – right before the fireworks started. Laurie felt so thankful for a loving husband who has shared many beautiful memories with her. She felt more at ease about the induced delivery. In fact, she felt so much better that she was getting hungry.

These days, Laurie was always hungry. Her stomach hinted that it was time to go, if she could stand up again. She looked hilarious as she struggled to stand up. It was always a lot harder getting up than sitting down, especially when her stomach looked as if she’d swallowed a beach ball. They headed back home where a sleepy Frank greeted her on the front porch with bottle of water and a big hug. The young couple embraced and laughed as Dudley rolled on his back begging for a rub. Laurie leaned against a chair and watched Frank playing with Dudley. Her anxiety was completely gone and she felt tremendously blessed.

The Eclectic Pen - Counting the Blessings

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