It's a wonderful life

After the many difficulties of this week, tonight felt like a scene from It's a Wonderful Life. Grace was practicing the piano, while Annabel and I cleaned up the kitchen. What bliss!

Anyone who has been reading knows it has been a difficult week with Annabel's surgery, no fence, and our first cold snap. But more than that at times our emotions have been as delicate as the surgery. But today it all came together and was as beautiful as the weather.

Annabel insisted on going back to school on Friday and I decided Grace was well enough too, but before their day could end I got a call from the school nurse that Annabel was complaining of pain. A friend had accidentally hit (?) her ear.

Today the first thing on our agenda was helping clean up a park. The girls picked up trash while I helped with the compost. I had to watch Annabel or she would get a huge shovel full of compost and try to load up the wheelbarrows. I felt sure that would come under strenuous exercise, which was prohibited.

We went on to Whole Foods to spend our coupon and get something to hopefully renew Grace's immune system. I am tired of spending all of my vacation for someone being sick and all our finances on doctor's visits.

While there we had an accident with a display of small tubes of a lot of homeopathic medicines that all fell and scattered across the floor. It was very embarrassing, but made it feel like my daughters were genetically mine!!!

We had lunch at a "real" Chinese restaurant or that's what it appeared to be. The women in the front were so kind and interested in our family but did not hover like others do. The food was really good and the girls loved their bean curd meal. We also had an interesting situation there when the girls stopped up the toilet and then proceeded to use the plunger to clear it out. The whole time I was waiting and not knowing what was going on. I knew something was up when they came out giggling. I'm so glad they have each other to rescue the other from these types of things.

Annabel tried to help me with my chopsticks but not before I spilled most of my noodles down my shirt!

We came home and I got a chance to try out a bike I am considering buying. It was so much fun to race down the hills, but really hard to get back up!

Marcie came over and helped us transform our pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. They looked great tonight lit and glowing!

We ended the day with breakfast for dinner and being entertained by doing the dishes.

But the most important thing that has happened, after three months, Annabel has begun to allow me to kiss her goodnight. In fact, she grabbed me around the neck and hugged and kissed me back.

I never know what is going to happen next!