Watching for the Birds.

The other day Ethan wanted me to come outside with him. I usually say no, I am too cold or I have to do the dishes or some other lame mom excuse but this time I went out. It was sunny and only a tad cold.
I sit down on the step and say, "Brr! That's cold on my bum!" and Ethan walks over and sits down next to me. He sort of rocks, his knees practically at his shoulders. He has this hat on that makes him look like the kid on The Sandlot, you know, the one who can't play baseball and wears that old baseball cap that looks ridiculous? And then he looks up at the sky and says casually, like we do it everyday, "We're watching for the birds."
"We are?"
"Yep. Watching for the birds." He's squinting up under that baseball hat into the big blue sky one could easily got lost in. There's hardly a cloud to anchor you or tell you where you're at. And there are no birds.
But we are sitting there, watching for them, and when they come, we will be ready.