What She Loves About her Children

1. They are hers.

2. He Who Cannot be Named? In-house tech support. Computer problem? Solved. Thanks HWCBN. Someone who can now reach to the higher shelves. Another man to rig open a stuck garage door. Transferring at-home argumentative skills to high school debate (and winning everywhere). The person who notices when someone is hurt or anxious and takes the time to help.

3. Scarlett? Um. . . is it bad to say that the Matron can google her daughter and get more links than for her own fine self -- and the child is 12? A young woman who can spend 12 hours a day working as a professional and still get straight A's. Someone who pauses everything to help the younger kid -- in any scenario--and who coos over babies. The girl who claims she will live on the island of Lesbos with her best friend, Eleanor, when they turn 18. Rejecting all things fast food (in theory) but falling numb at the thought of Subway ham and cheese sandwiches.

4. The little guy, Merrick? Can she just first say that when one has a 14 and 12 year old, the 7 year old is a precious commodity and unrivaled in the adorable factor, throughout the world. No child is more adorable. Perhaps that's enough? But let us consider his missing front tooth. How about the proclamation that he is "President of Dogs" and the proclivity to live out this destiny on the living room floor with as many dogs as possible? Then there's the day the Matron told him he could stay up (at a party) until he dropped --and Merrick asked "will it huwt when I dwop?" She could die now of love for this child (did she mention that youngest child bias yet?).

Today, HWCBN noted that he hadn't seen Scarlett in six days (note: read recent theater posts). There was also no school due to some teacher conferences that the Matron does not have the benefit of attending. So after picking up Scarlett for her two hour lunch break from the current theater (where she needed to arrive at like, dawn, and return to until, well, like midnight -- she just go home), the Matron stopped by the beloved Subway--to the tune of $25 for four people. What's up with that?!!

Yet upon returning home, all three children took their rare and unrivaled treat into the family room and spent an hour laughing and talking -- the first time they had been together in, well, six days. Their joy with one another -- pure and unfiltered -- is another thing the Matron loves about her children.

Well worth twenty-five dollars. Actually, don't let her even touch that checkbook.