Sassafrass

A few excellent things about today:

1. Abe's morning wake-up faces. One eye bugged out, the other squeezed shut, puffy lips pursed.

2. Drop off at preschool, about five kids yell "Hey! It's Abe! Hi, Abe!"

3. At work, there was a raffle for 20 snuggies. Three of my clients won. As they tried to figure out how to wear them, the entire room was cracking up, including the Russian and Ukrainian elders across the room who we see every week but never talk to.

4. One of my clients who won a snuggie gave it to his friend who lives alone and needed it more than he did.

5. African elders+brand new library cards=Absolute Magic. After getting their cards, I walked several of them through the check-out process with Multnomah County Library's fancy do-it-yourself machines. The look on their faces when they realized they get to keep their books for three whole weeks for free just may have made me cry.

6. I have the best job ever.

7. One of our volunteers was having a melancholy morning but was immediately smiling when one of our ladies kept hugging and literally squeezing her.

8. Abe was picked up from school by our neighbor and then got to nap in her son, "Captain Hook's," bed. This was big stuff.

9. The second book of Christmas book unwrapping.

10. "Look Mom! I made you a present!": our first hand-made Christmas ornament from our son.

11. The floors are dirty, but our house smells like chocolate chip banana bread so it doesn't matter so much.

12. A "Mom's Night Out" event this evening where I have my own personal designated driver.

13. As I write this, my wedding ring is being retrieved by the men of the house from the vent where I dropped it this morning.

14. New photo of Little Bee that is probably my favorite thus far. One friend described it as "sassafrass." She is just beyond. Super-model beauty.