The last part of this year seems to be about making some choices-job choices, middle school choices, family choices. They have been hard things for me to think about. I agonized over some of them. At the time, it seemed torturous.
As the distance from these decisions has gotten greater, I have realized how privileged I am to even have all these choices. They are “good” problems to have. I know that I am lucky, privileged, fortunate.

*The picture has nothing to do with this. I took it this afternoon while the girls were painting ornaments.

Sparkly lights, a wonderful choir teacher, Mr. T., and happy, tired kiddos.

Today I took dragged H. to get a haircut at Birds. The guy who cut it always cuts it with a little too much zeal, no matter what we say to him. H. was stoic throughout, wondering if I would feel so bad that he could bargain not getting another haircut for 3 months.
I noticed another mother waiting with her sullen looking teen. She was obviously still calling the shots also, because she consulted with them about which stylist, negotiating length, etc..
After the haircut, we went to Terra Toys to pick out something for C. and E. for Christmas. H. still wanted to look at some toys, but was torn about whether he really wanted any of them anymore. There was obviously a little internal struggle going on. It gave me pause and hurt just a bit to think of him not wanting toys. It was just a little moment of time, where I felt how both young and old H. is right now.
A happy end though, H. and I were starving from our errands, so went over to Conan’s and shared a pizza. He played video games, while I read the Chronicle. Things were once again righted for us both.