Cue Exhale.

It is becoming abundantly clear that

1. I am driving my nearest and dearest nuts by my focus on the store and

2. There is always something at the store driving ME nuts. (All legiitimate, I assure you. Current crisis? Personnel.)

Conclusion?

I should close the store, get pregnant, and try to be a professional writer again.

Just kidding.

That makes me want to die, a little bit.

Conclusion instead is to practice mentally walking away when I am not "working" and remember to focus on my nearest and dearest.

Which, when they look like this, isn't so hard.

These kids are so damn cute and growing up so quick my heart nearly stops at least once a day.

Yeah, you. You are the cutest damn thing I have ever SEEN. GOLLY day little boys are sweet. You like hot tea and good soup and carbohydrates of all kinds (just like your MAMA) and you are sleeping, for the 4th night in a row, in a BIG BOY BED AND YOU ARE KILLING ME KISS KISS KISS.

I would like to post a picture of Annaliese now but she was being all posey for the camera and squinching her face up like a chipmunk and it doesn't capture how little girl she is, with her cat purse slung over her shoulder and her accessories du jour donned (sunglasses, backpack, pearl bracelet, and red pen that hangs on a necklace string). Suffice it to say that she basically rocks and doing ordinary things with her is really fun now. Like taking walks, or going to the doctor, or... anything. Last Thursday she came to work with me and she was great.

K. (like a retard) asked her on Sunday if she would like a little brother, and she said, "Nooooo, I HAVE a little brother." And then he (TEMPTING THE DAMN FATES I TELL YOU) asked if she would like a little sister instead. And she said, "Noooooo, silly, I AM the little sister."

Well said, child, well said.

That being said, this picture makes me giggle.

End on a high note.