Then and now

Earl came home from work today and told me that one of the "new guys" at the office has a 12 week old baby. He told this to me casually, while I cleaned up the dinner dishes...the conversation went something like this: Earl--"The new guy is from blah, blah, blah" Me--"Oh that's nice. Is he married?" Earl--"uh, uhhhhh...oh, yeah! They have a 12 week old baby" And SUDDENLY, as I stood at the sink scrubbing turkey meatballs off the highchair tray, I was whisked back to one year ago...to LAST February...2008...Earl was in training on the east coast, Grace and I were forging our way in a strange town and a new house, Sam was curled in my tummy...it seems like a lifetime ago. As I stood there at the sink, I said quietly to no one in particular "That means she (the 'new guys' wife) was pregnant while he was in training"...Earl nodded in confirmation, then was pulled away to play "Daddy dragon" with Grace. But I stood there a moment longer...quietly contemplating how different my life is than it was just a year ago....I'm sure I'll meet the "new guys" wife at the next work get together, might even learn her name...I hope I don't scare her with my lingering hug. I only want her to know that I've been there too...
Then I heard Sam-O sitting at my feet, throwing tupperware into every corner of the kitchen and I was snapped back to the present....wow, how far we've come and how far we have to go.