There's just nothing on this dark, shattered, godforsaken hunk of dirt as beautiful and interesting as children, especially when they're flesh of your flesh.
Got to J. and N.'s about noon to find N.'s parents there, helping out after N.'s surgery. Her father helped me get the baby seats in my car and we loaded up the two three-year-olds. They were dressed alike, and looked adorable in little red Sesame Place hooded sweatshirts. We went to the Plum Tree in Nee Egypt for lunch and what fun!
We sat in a booth, R. on one side, T. and I on another. R. objected, though, and wanted me to sit with him. This would have caused a big problem with T., I was sure, so I told R. to come over and we all sat on one side. It was too crowded to eat when our lunches came, though, so I solved the problem by moving over to the other side and having them sit together.
The boys both ordered chicken nuggets--horrible grayish little things that probably were more pasty batter than chicken--and French fries. I had a mediocre hamburger. We had much fun, though, talking and laughing together. Eating-out sophisticates that they are, both asked for boxes to take home what they didn't eat.
We then went to the park nearby, muddy though it was, and enjoyed the slides and swings. After, we walked over the little bridge and went to a bigger playground. It was such fun watching them as they ran and climbed and slid and hung from railings and jumped from daring heights and got thoroughly dirty.
Brought them back about 3:00 and stayed until the two bigger boys got home from school. Both immediately started doing their homework, spreading stuff out on the tiny living room floor while the little ones rushed around, barely avoiding stepping on the books and papers. Several of the neighbors came in to check on N., which I was glad to see; I remembered them from the Mary Kay party she had had.
Stayed just until big J. got home, about 4:30, then said goodbye. Had a wonderful day, as I always do when I'm with family. Lucky me.