Balm.

Even better than learning to read, Bean's learning to write.

We've always had this bond. (I know, who doesn't have a bond with her daughter, right?) She can read my moods (sometimes, when she wants to!) Yesterday was a tough day, and there were a couple of moments in the late afternoon when I felt like parts of me were short-circuiting or something, and I just sat down at my desk and went BLEEEEEEEEH. A few minutes later I walked into the kitchen, and there stood my daughter, holding this out to me. "Here, Mama," she said, and she threw her arms around my waist and squeezed. You lose sight of who you're raising sometimes because you're so busy doing the raising. I got a glimpse yesterday from a different angle. I'm raising someone very special.