Blowing & Drifting

Taking advantage of the ridiculously warm temperatures, Shannon and the girls came by my office today to drop off our family Christmas cards and some holiday cookies. On the way out, we crossed paths with Carol, a wonderful coworker who, several months ago, gave the girls a stuffed toy horse and a pair of books about a mischievous kitten named Sebastian. Carol had never met Shannon, Julia, or Genevieve, so I did the introductions. I wasn't even quite finished when Julia leaned toward Carol and blurted out, in her breathless, semi-stuttery way, "Tha-tha-thank you very mu-much, Carol, for the h-h-horsey and the Sepass-ssion books!" I was flabbergasted - my shy little toddler, on her own, not only remembering the gifts and the giver but summoning up the courage to thank the giver in such a polite way. It was one of those moments where I could see the kid grow up right in front of me.