Children, Love, and Laughter

Big, big hugs today for my best friend and next-door neighbor, CB. Her husband left yesterday morning for his fifth deployment since September 11, 2001. Our husbands have deployed together before, but not since 9/11 have they both been HOME at the same time.

She is a really wonderful person and an amazing friend. We couldn't disagree more about religion, but she sees past my heathen ways and loves me anyway. (She probably prays for me every night.) Today she asked me to bring over my son to play, so that she could provide as normal a routine as she could for her kids. This worked out well for me, because I had to do a last minute preschool party for my daughter.

As I was driving by CB's house, the kids were in the yard, chasing her around with spray bottles. They were all laughing. I started to get teary eyed. Today has got to be one of the worst days of her life. And she deals with it by surrounding herself with children, love, and laughter.

I was surrounded by children today too. Tomorrow is the last day of school, so today we had an ice cream party for all four classes of 4-year-olds. I got to squirt the whipped cream. Well, I also planned the party and set-up and cleaned-up, but squirting the whipped cream was my favorite part. I wasn't looking forward to this party at all (they give the kids spray bottles and balloon targets!) but it was actually kind of nice. It took me all year to really warm up to all those other mothers, but I've gotten there.

And it is always interesting to observe my daughter among her peers like that. She has grown up so much this year. All of the teachers and a bunch of the parents had such nice things to say about her. She's not an easy child to raise. She is very sensitive and too smart for her own good. But you know what...we're doing a good job. Other people enjoy being around her. Considering the way most children act these days, that's really saying something.

Yup. I rock. I am a mother, hear me roar.

**By the way, CB is one of the most beautiful women I've ever met in real life. I hate her. No wait, I love her. Yup. I'm all about the love.