all things together and in a row

the kids and their pals at Allen's Lane on 1/1/07
We just spent the weekend recharging the battery, so to speak. A weekend at my parents' house which means a lot of good food, long naps for everyone, my seasonal "seminar" at my favorite store, and a date night three nights in a row. My Mom helps us do a lot of soul-work: encouragement for our marriage, pep talk for our parenting, even helping me to visualize the tone of my uterus and how "very strong" it is and will be for the birth. These are things I really needed. There's all the soul work. (We both came home having borrowed theology books: C.S. Lewis, Nouwen and JMT.) The wrestlings about being fit to welcome this new baby, to accept this great change.

And then there's the parenting work. How will this affect Manny's love of routine, Benicio's need to snuggle, Clara's babyhood? Anyway, it was out with the old and in with the new. I culled all the boys stuff: our fave 2-3yr old boys clothes have found new homes. I got them new warm socks and new undies. They have a fresh supply of recycled paper from my Mom's office and new art supplies. We threw away broken toys and organized their Christmas haul. I am trying to go through the girl-clothing, up to my neck in bloomers and pink onesies! Things are coming together, slowly.