Jus-Tess

The mister came home from one of those super-stores with beer, nacho chips and a large bottle of ketchup. While we have taken to eating 'chips' (french fries) with almost every meal here in England, we have not yet adopted the customary malt vinegar condiment. We still swish our oven fries in good 'ol tomato ketchup.

Tess (my youngest who nickname used to be, Tiny-Tess, but has sinced moved on to Fas-Tess) picked up the bottle and brought it to me to put up in a cupboard. As she handed it to me, I noticed the weight-- 1.3 kilos (not quite 3 pounds). That number gave me pause. Four and a half years ago, I was holding on to a fragile, premature baby who weighed almost 50% less than that bottle of ketchup-- praying for her survival. Tess weighed just barely one kilo (2.2 pounds) at birth.

Now, as she stood strong and healthy, seemingly made of equal parts rubber and marble, she handed me the bottle of ketchup and I thought of her new nickname, 'Just-Tess'.