Today has been a classic good Saturday out with the kids - dance, deli, farmers' market, children's' museum. The people watching was both enjoyable (lots of cute kids, lovey couples, adorable puppies) and thought provoking.

Waiting for K.K. and the ballet academy I met a Jewish single mother of two biracial children adopted through the foster care system - kids who were hurt and rejected and whom she is raising beautifully. We talked about my adoption story and how much harder it is to tell the birth story to kids whose birth situations were traumatic -abused kids than to someone who was simply conceived out of wedlock as I was. She also said that she was glad she had a family that (racially) reflects the real mixture of the population - an interesting concept to me and increasingly true.

Also at the academy I witnessed an incident curing which a toddler fell against a table and cut his eyebrow a little (or so it seemed to me) didn't bleed much or cry for more than a minute - much less dramatic than the time Ruth cut her head open on a table corner while we were waiting outside a theater class on campus for Joanna. That incident took a number of paper towels before the bleeding stopped. and I didn't think medical care was necessary. Today the little boy was taken to the emergency room and both of his parents seemed really upset. I'm wondering if there is a higher standard for safety for children these days or if the difference is just familial. Nobody did anything wrong today. The little boy was toddling, the daddy was watching him and talking to him, he fell, and he just happened to hit wrong. I don't see the need for blame, but it was there. The mother blamed the father and the father blamed the table.

Another odd occurrence was the pro-life rally (complete with Knights of Columbus in full cape and plume, African nuns in blue habits, and bus loads of Lutheran families from Houston). at the park next to the farmers' market. It was odd for me - so excited about the very wanted baby Ruth and Chris are now sweetly calling "the Freidling" and yet pro choice because I don't think reproductive rights are the government's business - to see a crowd of what seemed like good people carrying signs saying "Every child has a heart." and "Children Come From God!!!!" I don't disagree with either statement, but with the purpose for which they were being made today. I'm glad our kids didn't ask me questions about the rally ( I think they just thought it was more farmer's market and were more interested in cinnamon rolls and puppy petting). I still don't know how I would have explained or answered.

The rest of the day has been simpler - just sweet - the first warm day for a couple of weeks. The children's' museum has a new exhibit on sound which was fun. Zachary went after every ever and drum stick with the vigor intrinsic to his personality, getting a huge kick out of being able to make sounds happen by moving. Danny explored every nook and cranny and didn't want to leave. We'll be back.

Tonight I am looking forward to cuddling up with K.K, in my big bed which we enjoy calling "the sea of quilt" and reading to each other a few more chapters of Weedflower and excellent children's book set around the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Bob stayed in Corpus this weekend to avoid contributing so much to global warming (by driving so far so often) and to catch up in his classroom and on preparation for the next three weeks of planning. I hated the idea of his staying away this weekend - really wanted him to be here and to WANT to be here - but in actuality I'm doing fine and having a lovely weekend. Its interesting to stand back from myself and see how much I can upset myself in advance over something that, in reality, isn't a problem at all (and I know he really does want to be with me just is more able to set emotion aside and make decisions for practical reasons) . Definite growing edge there for me.