I just returned from another US business trip. I left last Saturday and returned this morning, landing at 6:30 AM. At 7:30 I walked in the door.

A stampede of kids greeted me and we had a five person family group hug. Very sweet. I quickly changed into some casual clothes (I let Tess sleep) then read a book to the kids. We played for an hour, then Sela announced she had to do a wee wee. Plopped her on the toilet and sure enough a little tinkle emerged. Sweetie for Sela.

De played with the trips while I unpacked and had breakfast. Sebastian joined me for breakfast, requesting hot chocolate to drink since I was drinking coffee. I agreed and he rummaged around for the cup he wanted to use. None would suffice – they were all cold drink cups – then finally I suggested an adult mug. “That’s a good idea,” Sebastian said.

I looked through the mug cupboard – heavily dominated by Starbucks mugs from all over the world – and found an old mug given to me by my sister, Penny, years ago… on the side was a picture of my nieces Carly & Emma when they were roughly 8 – 9 years old. Seb looked at the picture carefully and I reminded him who they were. He, of course, stated he knew who they were.

Sebastian sat down at the table to enjoy his drink – hot choc cooled with a little milk – while I poured myself some cereal. He continued to ask me many questions about his cousins. “What do they look like today?” he asked. I pulled a recent pic off the side of the fridge and proudly showed him my nieces.

As I finished in the kitchen I watched Sebastian out of the corner of my eye. The mug sat square in front of him as he examined his cousins very carefully. First from one angle, then from another. Then the sweetest sentence softly flowed from his lips…

“My cousins are very pretty.”

It’s good to be home.

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