6:42

Tonight I am beat. After reading to the kids, I am turning them over to Ar so I can coccoon off and study. And drink diet coke so I can stay semi-comatose. I traumatized the kids a bit today - I recently turned in an assignment with absolute minimal effort put in, and got called on it by my teacher...I was feeling a bit overwrought anyway and started to cry. I don't cry very often and it was very sweet to see the kid's reaction. They were pretty upset to see me crying and Hamda approached me in a wide eyed state looking very worried. Since most of the time they act like I am their major domo, I forget how much they depend upon me to be okay and in charge. I assured them I was okay and they all moved along.
I also visited Shkuri and Isaac's class today to bring chocolate chip cookies. It is really fun to see them in that setting - even at 6 years old they have their own lives and their own world. At least for now, they were thrilled to have me come to class. I chatted with their teacher and Isaac has now completed his first grade reading assignments, and Shkuri is not far behind.
After reading and liking an Ayelet Waldman article I mentioned in a previous blog, I went and read a bunch of articles she had written for Salon.Com. I identified with a lot of what she said. I especially appreciated her summary of her writing themes. She basically writes about what a Mother owes her children...what sacrifices are necessary for a mother to make for her children to do well? What is she allowed to keep for herself and still qualify as a good mother?? I think these are such excellent questions - not just for Mom's but for others to think about.
I also want to highlight a little hurrah to my friend Rene...before she is 30, she is fulfilling what is probably on everyone's life long to do list - running off to live in Marsailles to see if she can make a career and a life for herself there. Life is all about taking chances and leaps. I am so excited for her and can't wait to live a little bit vicariously through her and her experience. Also, to warn her that if she stays I am visiting sooner or later. I won't bring all the kids, though.

To add too much information to my woe is me post; not 20 minutes after finishing the above post we had an incident involving a stomach virus and an only mostly potty trained 3 year old that rivaled the Rota Virus (if you don't know what that is -count yourself very, very lucky) incident of Puerto Vallarta Vacation 2005. In the list of parental duties, body fluids fall strongly on my side (I am a nurse after all), so I broke my studying vigil to clean up (and write this post). Yuck.