sake

I wasn't sure where to go today. I was starting to get in a little more depth about "Calvin", but then decided to start introducing you to each one of my gang. I generally list them in age order - it keeps me from getting mixed up.  They are overwhelming as a group just by shear numbers even to me. "Calvin" is actually number two in age order. So please allow me to backtrack and introduce you to our eldest child, "Sake" (like the Japanese wine which is a story for another day).  

She is all grown up in spite of me. I didn't know the first thing about being a mother when she was born but it had to be similar to taking care of Betsy Wetsy, right?  Boy was I wrong!  So, we learned how to be a mother together. She may have raised me as much as I raised her!  In spite of giving her "Poptarts" for breakfast, she grew up healthy and until siblings began taking attention from her, she was reasonably happy. I think she has even forgiven me for making her share her world with brothers and sisters.

Even though she lives four and a half hours away, we still do things together.  She is expecting her second child any day and we seem to be "nesting" together. You know, that thing moms do shortly before they deliver. I did it before each of my kids were born. I could be found ironing shirts at 3:00 am. It is a real phenomena - just roll with it.  We clearly have a bond that has survived all my mistakes because children don't need perfect, they need love. I have loved her very much and always will.