... I want to tell you...

or, there are moments that make up for the moments....


Last week when I got home from work one afternoon, our dear neighbor (KD) from across the street, a woman who has been surrogate grandmother to both the girls, was on the porch talking with M. They were looking out at the street and I could hear the girls inside, watching a video. I said hello and realized they were talking about some particular challenge we'd had that morning.

Then I told her that I thought it was the stress of starting school again, but for whatever reason, K had been a basket case this week.

KD: Well, I have to tell you, last weekend the kids were over in our yard and K was standing looking down at our little corner of the yard where I've got the garden shed, and she said, she wasn't even looking in my direction, but she said "I should probably thank you."

KD: And I asked her, "What for?" And she said, waving her hands, "This. It's all like a little house." Then she looked up at the birdhouse I have hanging in the fir and I told her "Your mama gave that to me." K said "I know, she got it in Florida." And she added, "It's not very colorful." I said, "Yes, that's why I like it." And she looked at me and said "Well, that's what really matters."

I think I just about cried at that point.