Ella

Ella has not been herself in one month. I seem to spend a lot of time watching my children sleep when they are not well. She fell asleep on the couch, in her pink and slightly tattered sleeping beauty dress.Her fingers clutching her best doll, Belle. I still can't tell what color Ella's hair is. I think light brown, but most people say dark blond. She has long dark lashes, almost as long as her brother's. And when her hair is wet or damp it is curly. Big, soft, round curls.

I forgot that she was wearing her pink, red and white stripey pants. And her socks, one pink and the other pinker. Mismatched.

I need to remove her hospital wrist-badge. It seems to already have left a red mark around her once-chubby wrist.

I want to wake her up, and put her sandals on so we can sit on the deck, and enjoy the warmest day we've had yet. The day she's waited for all winter. But I know she needs to rest, and that everything I've wanted to tell her about spring, and nests being built in our backyard trees,

and the flowers she will help me plant, will have to wait too.