By the way...

Dad is another of my best friends, in case anyone is in doubt... More about that later.

A visit from "home"

Throughout my adult years, I've made many friends and been fortunate enough to keep a few really good ones despite our various trans-Atlantic moves. I can honestly say, though, that one of my best friends is my mom. And I really do think of her as a friend -- someone I want to know about, I care about, I worry about. Someone who knows I am always here for her, anytime, day or night. To talk, to chat, to laugh together, and sometimes to cry together. And I know that she's always there for me, and that she would be even if she wasn't my mom.

Friends take each other's quirks and silly ideas in stride, without judgement. So when I sent mom a quick email a month ago with the following contents...

Hi mom,

Just noticed that there are relatively cheap fares to Stockholm. For example, if you come April 3 and leave a week later, the price is ....

Wanna' come? We'd love to have you (and dad too, of course, if wants to come)!!!

love,

Me

...she didn't think I was totally bonkers. Instead, she booked a ticket, and less than a week later, I picked her up at the airport!

Stockholm was on its best behavior while she was here. Sunny spring arrived -- maybe on the same plane. After unpacking suitcases filled items from with my "I miss American products" wish list, we spent hours talking, wandering the city and just being "friends".

Mom got to spend some quality time with the boys (yes, that's a Swedish book. What can I say? My mom can do amazing things!).


We took her to the National Art Museum, where the boys enjoyed being silly and grandma told them stories about some of the paintings.


Nicholas, in particular, seemed to get to know her better on his own terms. She brought him his first set of crayons, which he doesn't have to share with his brothers, and he got right to work.


And she didn't mind reading the same lift-the-flap book to him over and over and over again.

This photo is from the morning she's heading back home, and you can see he really doesn't want her to leave!

Last, but certainly not least, Mom is an avid knitter and she brought me this stunning scarf. I am so touched and honored that she spent her precious time and energy on making something so beautiful for me.
I love you, mom.

Reasons to be an April fool

Yesterday morning at breakfast I put on a very serious face, turned to Matthew and Lucas, and annoucned:

"Guys, I have something very serious to talk to you about."

They put down their spoons and looked at me, a bit worried already.

"Dad and I had a long talk last night and we've made a very important decision. We've decided that we're moving to China tomorrow."

The room was immediately filled with shocked questions of "Why?" "What about the house?" "How can I leave all my stuff here?"

And then I smiled at them and said "April Fools!".

They burst out laughing... and then spent the rest of the day telling me silly stories about how they had to spend the day at the principal's office for poor behavior.

Nick had his own sort of silly day yesterday -- in the bathtub.