There are moments when the endless cleaning, coaching, cooking, chauffeuring, mediating, guiding, juggling, and just plain talking can push you right up to and maybe send the tips of your toes over the edge of your breaking point. Then, the moments where you’re breathless with the urgency that the entire world needs to know the greatness of your child, sneak up and hit you with the weight of knowing that never in a all of your imaginings did you ever dare imagine they would be just as great as they are. Love them as hard as you can, guide them as best you can and revel in their beauty.

Right smack in the swing of the day yesterday, my 5 year old daughter started to spin out. Nothing major, just pretty much in the typical way you might imagine a 5 year old spinning out…pestering her siblings, being bossy, and demanding…kind of just being bratty. 99% of the time this means one thing, she needs attention. She needed me, my undivided attention, to be understood, to be heard. So, although it didn’t really fit the schedule of the day, I stopped what I was doing and gave her what she needed. About two hours of the two of us painting with watercolors. It worked, she was back to her brilliant self in no time. Later that day I was part of a conversation about how basically, our entire society is in need of the same thing. We are all in such need of attention, being noticed, heard, love, peace, and a break. I wonder how we can get to this?

There may be a few…

…but I’m guessing the social butterfly has more fun.

I left this beach towel at a birthday party. A dear friend’s little boy was turning 2 years old, that was over 5 years ago. Today, that friend carried this towel over 2000 miles to bring it back to me. This is friendship. Not because I actually wanted the towel back, in fact, I don’t think I’ve thought about the towel since the day of the party and I realized I left it there. It’s because only a friend would be fantastic enough to see the towel, think of her upcoming trip, and know you’d think it hilarious if she packed it up, carried it on an airplane, and handed it back to you in the lobby of one of Santa Monica’s absolute fanciest hotels. I will never look at this ratty old towel without smiling and I’ll keep it until it’s hanging on by a thread. This towel will remind me how important certain people are in my life. It’ll remind me to not let five years go by without seeing a good friend in person. It’ll remind me that it’s important to foster new friendships and nurture old ones.

Christy Martin, you are a true gem and a real friend. I’m so thankful to have you in my life.

Thanks to Nichole, makeup artist extraordinaire, for letting me snap a pic of her yesterday with the jesus wall and the studio kitty. Also, for keeping everyone beautiful.