Sigh...

Annabelle is going to be six in a week and a few days and today I found myself thinking of something that hadn't really crossed my mind in these past 6 years, until today.

When we brought her home, we went through all the typical new parent stuff, but one thing we didn't realize was how much stuff we were going to get. I am not talking about hospital freebies-- I am talking about gift baskets and flowers. We probably brought home 5 baskets from the hospital and then they just kept arriving. Almost every day for about two weeks the doorbell would ring and there was something. Lou malnati's pizza from Chicago from one of Hyphens co workers, flowers from his office, flowers for my mom, a huge gift basket with food from his meat supplier, another basket from his boss's old partner, it went on and on and it was a wonderful outpouring of love--for Hyphen.

My coworkers came to see me, which is more personal and brought me food, which was wonderful and very appreciated. But as public servants, we didn't really do flowers.

Then one day the doorbell rang and there were some flowers for me. A bouquet that was in a ceramic baby bootie. It looked exactly like the one my mom got when I was born, that she had kept all these years and had given to Annabelle at the hospital, filled with flowers, and we both commented on it. "Now you have one so your next baby can have one too and then they will each have one to give to their little girls." My mom--always thinking ahead. I was just thrilled, because I really do love flowers.

The sender?

Judge Fred Edwards.

I am not sure if I ever wrote him a thank you note.

Thank you, judge. The next one's on me.