Thanksgiving, being a time to take a breath and really enjoy the bloom of the moment, was extra special for me this year.  The past few months have been colored by so much love: welcoming Genevieve into our little family, watching Mira enter the first grade and just become the most caring, articulate, active six year old, getting reports back from Liev’s school that he is a leader in his class, that he is intolerant of bullying and is becoming quite the musician, and feeling the daily support of my husband.  Without Sean, I could not do a 10th of what I get to do.  It has also been a very hard and exhausting time spending so many sleepless nights up with G, narrowly surviving the hurricane during what was our only vacation of the year and having to return to New York early, having to handle, with compassion and firmness, a kleptomaniac teenage babysitter, a baby who does not nap at all, often not being able to get a single thing done, including writing in this space, and the general growing pains that come with adding a new sibling into a family.

It has been, all through this, my intention to remain in touch with the moment, to be grateful at each turn, good or bad, with all the love that permeates my life.  Daily, it seems, I must make the choice to live in that place.  Sometimes it is the easiest thing ever.  Other days, my friends, not so much.  (Have you, too, gone five days on about ten hours of sleep?)

There are moments when I get a glimpse into how all the love that Sean and I pour into our home and our family is affecting our children.  On Wednesday and yesterday, Mira and Liev and even little Genevieve gave us one of those glimpses.

Darling Sous-Chefs, Amazing Children who know already how very loved you are, my children, thank you.  I am so grateful.