A Strange Feeling

I slowly ease myself into a sitting position on the top step of the porch and look into the babies eyes. Bright blue. He smiles and blows a bubble out of his red lips. I smile back and kiss him on the top of his head, so soft.
I look back up and Samuel is standing near me, with who-knows-what rubbed around his lips. He is on his tippy toes, peering into his brothers face.
"Hi Sam." I say, bringing him back to reality.
"Hi! Can you open my water bottle for me?" He says timidly, not meeting my eyes.
"Hmmm... Only if you give me a big hug!"
"OK!" He says, with much enthusiasm.
He grabs me around the waist and hugs me tight. It's then that I realize just how lucky I am to have such an amazing family. I sort of zone out and as I come back I hear Sam asking me to open his water bottle.
"Oh... right, here you go." I say,ruffling his yellow hair.
I give Joseph another kiss and look at him. He's making a funny face, I know what's coming for me.
Sure enough, he starts whimpering, and then crying, his face is turning red as I stand up and start bouncing him.
"Shh, it's ok. You're alright!" I say quietly
I walk into the shade and sit down again, near the big maple tree. Joseph quiets down as I look over to my left.
Gabriel is standing on the swing, grabbing onto the yellow ropes while Emily is sitting on the wooden part, both of them giggling. It happens again, that strange feeling.

A Quiet Walk Home

I take the steps of the bus, and although the Cranberries are blasting in my ears, I can still here the yellow haired bus drivers loud shriek, directed at a younger kid sitting near the front of the bus. I turn around and set my violin down, looking up at the doorway, waiting for my brother and cousin to step off the bus. I see Talmon, with his backpack half open, as usual. Tagging along with him is Claire, with her very loud, purple, zombie hat on. The bus doors swing closed... No Sermon. I turn around, he is already half way up the hill with the other boys. I fiddle with my violin case until I find the handle I am looking for and swing it off of the ledge it was perched on, I then stop and look at the microscopic red bugs crawling along the wall, each one seeming to have a different destination they are trying to reach. I look up as the song dwindles down to an end.
Everyone else is up the hill a ways, I run, my case bumping against my leg. When I catch up to Talmon and Claire I tell my brother to zip his backpack up, and when he does so, I continue walking. It is strangely peacefully. It's very quiet, which is unusual... I look to my left, and I realize why it's so noiseless... Madison is back at the school with a neon yellow jacket on. Safety patrol. I usually have her voice in my ear talking and talking about her new bright pink room. I enjoy the quiet very much. I kick a rock into the rain drainage system.
I look up and feel the wind on my cold face, it is much to cold for the middle of June... I come to the stop sign, and turn down the hill, looking at my house ahead of me, I feel happy, I love my home. I run down the hill, and almost miss my house, it's very hard to stop on this road. Talmon and Sermon are waiting at the front door. I stop and set my bags down and tell them I would unlock the door.
I walk past the green pot, down the steps, and to the gate, which I manage to slip open and closed without Nalu escaping. I make my way up the back stairs and grab the handle of the old door, giving it a shove. It doesn't move. I try again, it opens. The door is sticking more and more.
I walk across the orange tiles and unlock the front door, the boys march in, as I push my way past them to get to my bag and violin.