Ethan and I blew up about fifty balloons last night – 50 balloons that I would transport into Maggie’s room early the next morning as Ethan cooked bacon. I was so excited for this early morning adventure. I set the alarm 20 minutes earlier, so I would have a moment to wake up before rousing The Boy. When I woke him, he quickly got up and set to work with the bacon while I put the cinnamon rolls in the over. I placed Maggie’s new iPhone in her room, alarm set and I began moving balloons(PS – I found a great way to get refurbished iPhones..). 20 or so minutes later, The Boy was in the shower as I looked at the clock: 6:30 – I quickly ran to her door as a thirteen year old girl emerged holding an iPhone and I began to sing.
She was so grateful, hugging me tearfully – she’d had no idea. I lit the candle on her birthday cinnamon rolls and sang again, then she shared stories of how she’d really assumed we were going to head to the phone store to “look at our options” on Thursday. I should be an actress, Mags said. I dropped the kids off, embarrassing Mags yet again as I sang to her and honked the horn at her campus. I live for these moments. At my school site, my precious client brilliantly told me I should be Swiss cheese for Halloween. I think I shall.
My Perfect Storm emerged at work following a nacho lunch consult: I stood up for my right not to do math (super-confusing road mileage), I discussed the g
roups’ needs in an educator versus teen addict mindset and had a meaningful conversation with our clinical director and then later, I was given the opportunity to co-facilitate (and thereby mostly fill out my full-time hours) another parenting group.
After my final clients, I hurried off to meet Maggie with L and The Boy. Word is, my faux-daughter’s dad was picking up some senoritas (a baked good my daughter adores) in Sacramento and would meet his real family where my family was dining for the evening so Maggie’s BFF could deliver the goods. Got that? It’s confusing, I know, but man, am I tired…. We enjoyed a lovely dinner and it felt a little odd having my ex-husband buy my dinner once again, but it was a lovely experience to celebrate Maggie’s birthday.
Once at home, I sat with Ethan and we worked on his English essay. He struggles in writing and hits dead-ends everywhere…this boy who has just discovered that he actually enjoys math. I told him he is creating new pathways in his brain and it will get easier with practice. I wish I could find a way to better explain the concepts which come easier to me (digging for deep meanings is what I live for). Finally, my daughter had to turn in her real phone 
at 10 o’colck. How cool is that?!
Pictures: Maggie thanks her brother for the selfie on her new iPhone; Maggie’s BFF delivers the senoritas; My fortune – oh, yes… I can feel it.
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