highlight

the highlight of my life as a single parent this week (ryan is in istanbul):

4:00 in the afternoon on a school-day = reynolds mayhem. mom's making dinner, kids are TRYING to do homework/practice piano. jake and josie are usually floundering at this time of day, tired, looking for something to do and trying to get some good attention. i think jake started running laps around the island in the kitchen, crashing in to every freestanding body as he circled round and round. out of nowhere, mia steps in front of the whirling dirvish, picks him up in a big bear hug (jake probably weighs as much as she does), hugs him and exclaims with all the love in her guts, "jake, you are just the best brother in the whole world!"

jake, a bit astonished, smiled sheepishly and quietly said, "i am?" a flood of warm fuzzies whooshed over me and i wanted to cry. i whispered to mia, "that was just about the best thing that's happened to jake in a long time."

mia and the j-crew wandered off together and played for a good long while. it was a beautiful afternoon.