Tea and the Summer Moonlight

The time always went by so slow during these days, but then at the same time it didn’t.
The days started running into each other due to how much we had to be in the house looking at the same 4 walls and tv.
Trying to find things to do on a day to day in 2020 with ourselves and a 4 year old wasn’t easy, but we made it work.
But once the heat of the day subsided, the sun said goodnight, and the darkness fell, it was our alone time.
Put the little one to bed by 8:30, read him a book and kiss him goodnight.
Open up the door to our tiny duplex so we could feel any nice breeze that was rolling in.
Turning on all of the string lights we had hanging in our room and kitchen. Making sure everything was nice and tidy for the next day of laying around doing absolutely nothing.
But my favorite thing about these summer nights was our tea time.
It was such an unintentional romantic gesture that took place almost every night and looking back, I’m seeing just how much those moments meant to me.
You would be in the room playing one of your tedious, hard to explain video games and I would be in the kitchen. Big t shirt, barefoot, messy hair… buzzing off of whatever wine concoction I drank while making us dinner just a few hours prior.
I would boil our water, cut up oranges, lemons, and gather our favorite tea mixture. Lavender & chamomile was always the go to.
The secret to my best night time tea was adding fresh orange slices and a few squeezes of orange juice. It changed the night time tea game forever.
Added a little sugar and honey and just like magic, the best hot tea you’ve ever tasted.
Going a night without it wasn’t a thing during those days. It was our routine. It was simple and sweet and everything about it brought me comfort.
Once it was done, you’d come and grab yours and we’d stand outside together and just breathe in the fresh air. Standing under the moonlight and being present in the moment. Not worried about the next day. Not worried about the 700th Covid case that was being reported. We were just, there. Soul connecting quietly over hot tea in the muggy New Orleans summer nights.
These are the moments that I will remember when I’m old and gray. ❤️