A Christmas Story

When I was in elementary school, the administration would host a little holiday fair every December where the kids could shop for presents for their parents and siblings. Most items were under $5 and included a mishmash of inexpensive and mostly useless knickknacks.

I don’t remember anything I bought for my family, but I do remember feeling very smart and independent as I carefully chose the gifts for my family.

This year, as a first grader, Reilly went "shopping" at her school holiday “store,” where they had gifts for the K-2 graders to purchase for their parents and family. Here's what Reilly bought this year, along with her explanation for each gift:

- Mommy: a packet of chocolate and coffee - "Her favorite food with her favorite drink."

- Daddy: a tool that even has pliers! - "So that daddy can take it with him fishing."

- Grandpa: peanut butter crackers - "So that when he's done building something, he can sit down and have a snack."

- Grandma: strawberry scented bath soap - "Because you know how grandma likes to be clean and healthy."

- Maeve: a towel - "Because she is always pulling down the towels, so now she'll have one of her own so she won't have to pull them down."

Imprint

The other day I met with a supporter of our organization at a local bistro. She’s a very passionate woman; a proud grandmother who takes care of her granddaughter every Tuesday and Thursday. The granddaughter has a rare disease which is very serious but under control.

The woman lives in an extraordinary home in a lavish neighborhood, a home that she carefully laid out and built over a decade ago. The foyer, she said, is full of large panes of glass that let in the sunlight from the coast, where the house rests.

She said when she has the granddaughter over to her house, the girl inevitably places her grubby palms on the glass and presses her nose and forehead against it to look outside at the water.

She said that the other day the granddaughter had misappropriated a yellow crayon and wrote faint waxy loops over a section of glass.

I said that kids sure can make a mess.

She said that a day or so later she looked at the glass and started laughing. She didn’t see the crayon or a mess, but rather happy remnants of a granddaughter who she loves with all her might, a granddaughter who might live until she is in her twenties, or might not.

Her husband went to wipe off the crayon and fingerprints, but she said, no, just leave them there a little longer.

December, Christmas, and all that Jazz

Happy New Year everyone! Christmas photos are finally up here.

November Photos, Thanksgiving and more

November photos are up. Click here!

October 2011 Photos

October photos are up here!

September photos, 2011

Not a great month of picture taking. The good news is, we are making up for it in October. For September's photos, click here.

Reilly's School Talent Show, 2011

Today Reilly had her talent show at school. She and a few friends chose their talent, routine, song, and organized a play date to practice. I thought that was pretty damn impressive for a bunch of 1st Graders!

You can watch their performance here.