At 6:19 this morning, the perfect storm erupted in the barn: Kato crying, Alden wailing, Iggy shuffling noisily for her breakfast. I was beat. The prospect of rising to attend to the various needs of my brood was a terrible thing to contemplate. I lay there wishing, hoping against hope, that everyone would suddenly fall back asleep.

The clamor went on for another thirty seconds or so. And then, the miracle: The house fell silent for another hour. And that extra hour has made all the difference.

I’m not sure who to thank for this morning’s small gift. I’m more of an adherent to the school of thought that sees the universe as an unfolding cycle of unhinged contingency than I am in the camp of those who believe that someone’s at the wheel. But the fact remains that I got a completely unlikely (and undeserved) extra hour of sleep this morning. It makes me wonder…

In other news, Kato has turned into a trash compactor. See how the side of the plate nearest him is completely empty? This is no accident, friends.