On Friday afternoon I walked into the house (after a six hour- mind numbing training) to the sounds of reggae in the living room and laughter from the back bedroom.I then realize the baby is awake and enjoying the sunshine while she dances and sings.

I sneak up to watch the innocence mixed with joy in a happy baby, that I so desperately need as an adult. I even sneak out to grab my camera. All the while hearing Joe waking up Henry in the bedroom with laughter and hugs.

As soon as she sees me she is giddy with embarassment. I wish she believed me when I said “go on, keep dancing and singing, momma loves it!” She listens closely.

Then she gives in to her silly facesuntil she gathers her thoughts and looks around. She asks for Henry and I point out of the room. She asks for Paul and I point to his top bunk.She calls for him- over and over- just like I sometimes hear in the morning. Naps are harder to wake him from. I eventually take her out and put her up in his bed to wake him up.This is the best time to arrive home. I comfort myself with thoughts that they were sleeping and so I didn’t miss much. And now they are rested and we can enjoy our Friday evening together…celebrating the start of a weekend.

seated side by side at the same table I sat at as a child with my sister. They have endless energy to expend as authors and artists.

We have reached the milestone of no stroller, no diaper bag, just hand holding and exploring our way through the aquarium on an early morning while Papa is at home studying.I have the sensation that I am the lucky winner who has been given a triple prize in life. I better not loose sight of this blessing because at this age, it can be so easy. I have to take advantage of this opportunity to experience childhood again, with my children, as they ask questions, make connections, expand vocabularies, and build memories that will last a lifetime.

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

This past weekend we celebrated with our friend Rita.
She had a birthday dinnerand Olivine quickly made a buddy. The two of them had first dibs on cake.I loved the artichoke ravioli and catching up with friends.This picture doesn’t show my true feelings..I am soooooo bad at posed photos!

I am the girl who had a stamp collection at seven years old and a life long pen-pal at eleven. I have stayed in touch with friends as they moved across country or overseas and wrote love letters galore to Joe while living in France (a box full- I swear). I am currently in themidst of a postcard project with a friend and have a letter to write back to from Judy in SF. I love mail!

And now it looks like that is being passed along to Paul who was dying to have a pen pal. So he decided his first attempt would be a good friend in Pasadena who he sent a letter to last week.

She is his only friend with a treehouse and he is super jealous. He also refused to write “love” because “she’s a girl.”

Today he got a reply.

Yay for the beauty of mail. The waiting is part of the fun and he is eager to write back, even when I suggested giving her a call. He is opting for a letter with a stamp please.

for my dear friend Melissa in collaboration with some of her friends – We pulled it off.
Olivine was very confused about this baby. She did wind up snagging it’s pacifier  (Her first one every and no we didn’t bring it home).
I am thrilled to have been invited to join the fun of planning and crafting and shopping and designing. I think this could totally be my job in another life: party planner.In these days of homework and grading and cooking and cleaning and being a grown up with many responsibilities, I have had a break over the last couple weeks as I set aside time to thinking up the details.And there were many…handmade of course
The DIY of the baby shower was selecting a book we provided and writing a baby dedication inside- to build a library for this little one.
There were decorations along the theme
games: “Match bible babies to their parents”all very “literacy based”- this was the get to know you gameit is what my master’s degree is in folks..come on..I wasn’t going to blind fold anyone or make anyone act crazy. I much more prefer to stick to what I know: reading and writing. This game “Alternate Titles to Children’s Books” like the Unattractive Aquatic Bird also could be The Ugly Duckling. Lots of fun and yup..I am a nerd.Four games in total that each were rewarded with a library pocket card, due date included. I tucked a Starbuck’s gift card inside.There were favors
and yes macaroons are gluten free as wellattached to a bookmark with a quote I love.
Her mom took care of the food- including the gluten free cake
and opened up her living room. She had homemade kiefer on hand for many of us to try.She even sent me home with a bottle (Yum!)We had a sharing “momma wisdom” time and there were tears and laughter. At the end of it all I feel like “mission accomplished” because so many of us love this baby and couple and this is just one way we wanted to gather together to bless them.

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

I used my costume from last year to wear to work. We had a parade and a “trunk or treat” event. We went out trick or treating around 6:30 pm in the neighborhood.
Grammy bought them each a glow stick that kicked off the night.Paul was the most nervous and cautious of the decorations. He’s not too fond of the blood, bones, witches, sights, and sounds that are creepy.Papa came back from the store while we were out and Olivine was done with walking and the stroller.
She was even done with saying “candy.” She just wanted to play with the cool light ring that was passed out. So he put her on the bike seat.Papa told the little ones he had to go up a mountain on his bike to see a witch and so when we came back from trick or treating he showed them the drink she gave him.Be careful baby girl (she has no idea that there is dry ice in there). Momma loves the last minute Papa stories he weaves for these babies. But even more ,I love that they didn’t believe him. They told him there was no such thing as a witch and that it was green fruit punch. But they loved it just the same.

is what Olivine calls this blanket that she totes everywhere. She sleeps with it, takes it in the car, in the bike cart (dangerous for sure- we have lost some loved toys via the bike cart), and calls for it when its not around. She hides in it, snuggles it, talks to it, and that might just be why it has the most perfect name. She summed it all up in baby talk a long time ago.This photo was taken Saturday when our lovely friends babysat for us while I worked for four hours and then went to a four hour staff meeting, making it just a little longer than Papa who had an eight hour class. His bike almost always beats my car.

So I should be the one end on the giving end. My sweet friend has a newborn, just moved into her first home, and somehow she found the time to send me a gift.But I have to stop here and say that work has been awful. I try not to use this space for that sort of comment. I took Thursday and Friday off. I went to my first ever session of cupping in search of some relief for my stress (it worked) but only after calling another good friend (I’m talking sister level) to come over and pray with me on Thursday morning. So much of me feels desperate.I went back to work today but without resolution to some of my most pressing problems. Underneath the surface is always those voices about “not being good enough” and “needing to do more” which feels even more dangerous as a teacher. Until I walked in the door this afternoon to find my package and sat down on the couchto read a card, find chocolate and a book, and feel the love overflowing from these hand-wrapped gifts.  All the way from Portland, right into my lap I know I am loved and thought of and missed and that means so much today.

I miss you Angela. Kiss your new baby Theo for me. Thank you for loving me.