Waiting

Every morning I wake up and grab a cup of coffee.  As the fog clears from my head I listen for the creaking of floorboards and the hushing of water flowing through pipes to ensure that the guys, at least some, are up and going.  If its a particularly slow-going morning I'll head upstairs to make sure that everyone is up and moving.

On my way out of the apartment door I usually bump into one or more of the guys making their way to the kitchen for breakfast or coming out of the kitchen having just had some.  It's very much the same every morning.  So much so, that I know who I'll see in the kitchen and who's making their way down the stairs.  There is usually a lull between when I start going and about 10 minutes before the bus arrives to parcel the guys to school.

Just before the bus gets to the house everyone usually congregates at the front door.  A window with a clear view of the street provides a quarter mile or so of view to allow time to get to the curb.  It's one of my favorite times of the day.  I can sense what type of mood everyone is in before they step foot out the door and I have just enough time to get their mind on something else or try to change it.  This part of our day sets the tone for us all.