Thank you so much Mark and Happy Holidays! I’m sorry I missed responding to your note, but I take great comfort in knowing there are other people out there who feel the same. Much love and hope you have a relaxing Winter break!

Congratulations on your latest gift. You’re not alone. You articulated the exact feelings of unsettled unhappiness that I have felt these past months as everything I find dear seems to be threatened. I have felt helpless as I have watched the dismantling of my country and the physical destruction of my beautiful State. It’s been a rough year. It’s the compassion and kindness of people where I have found the most hope and comfort. Thanks for a beautiful post.

Awww, that’s great! Thank you for sharing that with me, it gives me hope! I keep hearing more and more stories about older Moms, so I’m beginning to feel that I’m not headed to the Guinness Book of World Records for Advanced Maternal Age, lol! Hope you are well and cooking up some delicious meals!!!

Another Spring Baby! Yay! I’m feeling like the 17th is going to be the day considering it was the day I met my husband and my Mother met my Stepdad, but I guess the universe will be the ultimate judge!

I sincerely hope we get back on the progressive path. Just today, I skimmed the headlines to see that our troops are shooting tear gas at children at our border. It just crushes me. Is this who we are now? We are so strapped as a country that we can’t find a home for 5000 asylum seekers (not terrorists)? When I read this kind of stuff, my heart just sinks into my stomach… I can always find another seat at my table…

But yes, I hope and know that you’re right. There have been a lot of civil rights activists in my family including my Mother who passed a few years ago. She taught in Watts during the riots and was a firm believer that the more we know about other cultures, ethnicities, people – the more we know about ourselves. I’m glad she’s not around to see our current state of affairs. And yes, I know, I’ve never been outspoken about my political feelings before either on my blog or my FB professional page, but I’ve also never seen such hateful and divisive rhetoric by a demagogue for a “leader”. I think that should be a grave concern to all Americans regardless of political party.

On that note, thank you for keeping in touch and I’ll be sure to let you know when Hettie Rose makes her debut!

Thank you so much Alison – itt’s been quite a crazy couple months to say the least! And thank you for your gentle words of advice, I do find that I walk around with my brow permanently creased these days which definitely is not fair to Layla, but it comes from a place of feeling uncertain about what kind of world she will inherit…sigh….

Also, I remember feeling deep sadness when the tsunami hit Sumatra et al in late 2004 or early 2005. My cat was named Sumatra, and I thought about changing her name, even. A friend of mine who’s older and wiser said to me something like, “Just because someone has it worse than you doesn’t mean that your problems aren’t valid.”

So even in these times of strife for other people, when everything seems so dire, don’t forget to take care of yourself. You’re allowed to feel all the things!

And good luck with your family. I was born on March 18 so I’ll be watching!

All the best.