The Hustle and Bustle of Everyday Life

Today we all got up a little later than usual after spending the night out a lot later than usual at a family-invited work Christmas Party. With Jackson grumpily off to school (did I mention that we were out late last night) and Madeline down for a morning nap, I organized the first round of loot from his school's coat/hat/mitten/scarf drive. I wondered what the future owners of these garments were currently wearing. Were they warm this morning heading off to school with temperatures below freezing? Were they used to dashing from their home to the bus stop and then into school hoping to outrun the cold? I hope that the recipients can feel the extra warmth of caring with which these items were given.

Shortly after the sorting, sifting, labeling and packaging, Madeline and I received a visit from our good friend Meredith and her 6-month old son Luca. They came with lunch and we enjoyed a meal together. This is one of the fun things about being a part-time stay at home mom - playdates with friends and their kids! Luca is a beautiful boy who appears to have a crush on me...you know, in a I'm -a-little-baby-boy-and-you're-a-cool-mommy kind of way. I won't go into all the details, but it's pretty obvious.

This evening, after making fudge for all of Jackson's teachers (Kindergarten, Para-pro, Librarian, Spanish, Phys Ed, Art, Music); supporting administrators (Principal, Secretaries); and 'others' (who are all these people) I received a call from Madeline's birthparents. We talk on the phone periodically in between what's turned into a traditional quarterly visit. They are wonderful, hard-working young people who obviously love Madeline and appreciate being able to see her as she grows. We enjoy our conversations and time together. Oddly, I feel a little maternal towards both of them. I want to see them succeed in life. We scheduled time to meet after the New Year. I look forward to it.