August 10

A few days ago, Abby asked when we'd be doing our usual end-of-summer brunch at Black Bear Diner. So that's what we did this morning (after some of us managed to drag preferring-to-sleep in bums out of bed, of course).

We tend to watch old home videos on the kids' birthdays, so last week we watched quite a few. (And let me tell you: it was quite tiring just remembering whey they were like when all four of them were really little. Whew! I'm glad I was a relatively young mom-of-toddlers and preschoolers because I'm not sure I could handle it now. But as usual, I digress.) It blew my mind to look at them today --mostly quietly eating their food, talking, and generally getting along-- and realize just how much they've grown over the years. And I thought what I've thought so many times in the past: it is such a huge blessing to be a mom.