Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope your heart-shaped box is filled with the stuff you like best.

What our days have been looking like

Two sick kids. Lots of vomit. Mounds of laundry. The fact that we have been stuck indoors, although yesterday was so rainy and inviting, and today so sunny and clear.

Lots of cuddles. Hugs. Little reminders of love. Board games. Movies. Candles and incense. Stuffed animals made by (my) hand. A good writing day.

There is nothing good about two sick kids. Nothing wondrous about the stomach flu. And yet I find myself feeling so grateful. If I have to be stuck inside, I'm so glad it's been with these two. If my kids have to have something wrong, I am so grateful it is a small thing, that their little bodies will heal, mend, be strong again. Maybe it is this slowing down. A Small, Good Thing, as the poet said. Tomorrow may we go out into the sun, or the rain, and if not then, then next week. I am blessed. I am full of thanks. And I will try to keep that in mind tonight, as I mop up messes, and as I kiss warm foreheads to sleep.

My friends are fancy!

Case in point: my lovely friend Adrienne threw a baby shower for her own sweet and lovely friend Cherie this morning. I came early to help set up. Adrienne had made a little cake.

Seriously, this picture does not do justice to how absolutely pretty the (double chocolate cheese)cake was. The party theme was french birds and nests, and there is a lovely chocolate nest with truffle eggs on top. Before the party, Adrienne insisted that I eat one of the eggs that had gotten a little smooshed, and holy oeuf. Yummiest egg ever. Here are a few more pictures from her petit table.

This is brie en croute. See how it's shaped like an oiseau? I told you. She's fancy.

Here are a few more pictures.

Do you see the little bird hiding in the flowers below?

The party itself was, of course, nothing short of fancy. The party games were bird themed, french music rose up from the turntable (okay, the CD player, but that doesn't sound as fancy.) The guest of honor and her little baby bump were showered in love. It was...fancy, yes, but more than that, it was like, delicious. The food, the games, the pretty little things. It was all just delicious. And I am once again reminded that my friends are amazing.

Rainy Day at the River

I didn't really want to go...

...but I'm glad I did.

Corners Thursday

I asked him to make me a chicken wire hutch, in which to store crafty supplies.

Below it lives our little nature table. Wait, does that say liver? Um, yeah. I meant l'hiver.

go here for more corners.

Happy Thursday!

A Day to Cherish

For Christmas, Liam got the box set of Peter and the Wolf, illustrated by Bono and performed on disk by Gavin Friday. Last night we sat in bed, reading and listening, occasionally chatting, finally laying back. "The grandfather walks with a cane," Liam told me. "You can hear it in the music."

Later, he asked me to write out words on paper. I wrote tent, camp, stop, pig, bag. He read each word. It was Martin Luther King day. In the morning we marched through town. After that

we watched the I Have a Dream speech on youtube, and by the end of the day, my youngest child was reading.

An angel

This morning as I meditated, Ireland, who is home sick from school, tiptoed by and placed a glass piece with a swirl of green into my open hand. My eyes fluttered open as my hand closed instinctively around it and my mouth turned up in smile.

Later, as I put my hands together in namaste, the glass piece still between my palms, Ireland whispered, "Mommy. An angel was in here. She put that stone in your hand."

"I thought I saw an angel," I whispered back.

2 poems by Ireland, age 9

The eagle flies

through the skies

and he dives.

His head is white

for his flight

is very bright

when the moon is light

then he dives for his prey

then he goes away in

the month of May.

Marshmallow Dog

a collaborative poem between Ireland and her two friends, Izabelle and Miriam

Marshmallow dog is white as snow.

She gets cold when the winter wind blows.

We give her a blanket to keep snug.

And then we give her a great big hug.