1-800-222-1222

A gratitude entry is way overdue, especially after that last whiny entry I made. Sorry about that. I've been keeping a little list of 'positive experiences' over the last several weeks, and I think today would be a good day to just pound them out. So please, pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. Here we go.

I am grateful for...

1. ...the Perfect Preschool Mother, who recently complimented me on how 'collected and calm and together' I always was. (Okay, you can stop laughing now.) This came from the mother at Andrea's preschool who always looks beautiful - perfect teeth, perfect hair, perfect clothes, perfect figure. Think Barbie doll.

I'm quite certain that she said this out of pity - pity that would no doubt arise from seeing the train wreck that unfolded every morning as I herded my 3 tiny kids in and out of the preschool - some kids wearing shoes, some not; my hair always a big fuzzy mess; Ethan in his jammies half the time...you get the picture.

But she said it. And I cling to it - to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, I'll be just that someday - collected, calm and together.

2. ...curly hair. I've never cared for my own curly hair, but Ethan's I love!

Also, did you know that "deer with curly hair are really mooses?" Natalie explained this to us the other day as we watched a deer eating grass at the D.C. temple. Which brings me to my next item of gratitude:

3. ...Father's Day. We had such a lovely Father's Day together as a family. No meetings. Nothing scheduled. Just family time, which is rare and precious around here. We took the opportunity to visit the temple and enjoy the beautiful grounds and the beautiful weather...and of course, the beautiful deer.

4. ...Anders. I can't mention Father's Day without mentioning my fabulous, amazing husband. He is another whole blog, so I will save my personal commentary for another time, but I will share something from Natalie's point of view:

Natalie often asks for Daddy during the day while he is at work, but she apparently understands why he works. According to Natalie, "Daddy works to get money to keep the Big Bad Wolf away so he doesn't blow down our house; and also so that the wolf doesn't blow away our bathtubs, because then we couldn't take a bath, and then we'd be stinky forever!"

5. ...that I have the number to Poison Control memorized. It comes in handy when Ethan drinks Woolite OxyDeep carpet cleaner, which he did yesterday. Fortunately, he did it just as Natalie had a little accident while trying to go #2 on the potty. (She missed the potty by a couple of inches. Yuck.) So it was really helpful that I didn't have anything else that needed my urgent attention while trying to save my son's life.* Good thing I had the number memorized so I didn't have to waste any time looking it up.

6. ...that Andrea wants to be my twin. The other day she realized we were both wearing brown Capri's. So she changed her shirt to be the same color as mine, and laid down next to me, with her legs crossed the same direction as mine, and said, "Look Mom! We're twins!!" It's been our little inside joke ever since. Nothing - nothing - is more flattering and encouraging than your daughter wanting to be just like you. Not even compliments from the Perfect Preschool Mother.

*Ethan is fine, by the way. I don't think he ended up with that much Woolite in his tummy. When I found him, he was trying to wipe off his tongue with his little hands. Apparently it doesn't taste all that great. The worst thing that can happen from drinking Woolite is vomiting, which we luckily avoided. The Poison Control number, should you ever need it, is at the top of this entry.