No, I have not suddenly turned completely around and taken up with the circus. I have simply stolen borrowed part of this title from Lora. Instead I am going to talk a little bit about how, because I was the first-born child to a baby-of-the-family mother, that made me into the Mom To All I Encounter.
When the witchlings started school I was a volunteer (the kind who came in after lunch), and I got to know a ton of very cool young people. When they moved on to Middle School age I met some more. One of my tasks was a thing I called Teen Aged Time Out. It was really a sort of study hall session slash detention. In that class room I met a fine variety of misfits, so much like my own wee self elf. As my kids gathered friends I got to know most of them. Some better than others. (An example would be Whitney who often comments here, not to be confused with Fictional Friend Whitney, who we have now heard from and so should no longer be considered Fictional.) I was the Late Night Ride Mom (duh). As such, I hauled a vast assortment of teenagers around in the Wee Walnut. (Remember the back seat fire incident? Well who do you think the back seat had been filled with, if not teenagers?)
They have all grown up, and some have grown away (as in distance, not as in, no longer close to our hearts). One such Daughter By Association is in Korea right now, and yesterday I found out that she has a Tumblr blog. Her name is Melissa, and I still adore this young woman as if she were my own.
Last night was our staff meeting. For the Job. It went well. Mostly. (I am the world’s most ridiculous boss, seriously.) Patty left before we could get her picture, and Em was running the camera, so here is a shot of me and Cleo. (Holy crap I look way too much like my own mother in this one. Eeek.) 
She is a fabulous friend, our Cleo, who started out with just Emma, but has pretty much been adopted by the entire tribe now. Isn’t she gorgeous? All my girls are. And then there are the boys. 
When I first me Josh (he’s the one wearing the maroon hood) he was my pool instructor. We clicked immediately. He was like the son I should have had. (And yes, my actual son-by-birth sort of agrees with us on this one, he’s met Joshy and he knows why we say this.) I’ve been feeding him ever since. Matt (the one next to Samantha, with the long-sleeved grey sweatshirt on) is now my all-time pool instructor (Josh quit, moved on to other gigs). He and I weren’t as close at first, but now that we see each other three days a week (and some times it is JUST he and I, three days a week) we have really connected. He can take my bullshit and fling it right back as quickly as any kid I’ve grown to love. Chris (in grey short sleeves) I have only just met. But he’s a friend of Matt’s, so I am pretty sure he’ll be adopted any day now. Samantha lives with Matt, so obviously I will adore her too.
(None of them were very excited when I told them that reading this blog daily was going to be a job requirement. I may have to institute pop quizzes or something to keep them all on task.)
Over at Dan Savage these days things just keep looking up. The It Gets Better Project now has its own website, selling T-shirts as a fund-raiser. I have ordered mine. (But I will never tell you what you should do, so vote with your dollar, and obviously do whatever you think is best.) I can’t tell you how happy this makes me that Dan and Terry have finally made national news, and that this worthwhile idea of theirs has really taken off. It just fills me with hope every time I think about it (and every time I wear my new shirt, as soon as it arrives).
I saw three separate young women today all wearing super fun tights. Two North Dakota plates, one had a Vermont sticker on the trunk lid. Mixed home town messages anyone? Yesterday I saw one from Maryland.
Our card today is from Doreen’s Archangel Oracle Deck. 
Before I get on to giving you what the book says about this one, I want to steal borrow from someone else. I added Aunt BeaN’s Third Blog the other day, and I’ve just finished reading her archives (yes, in order, of course). She is a highly spiritual woman (not to mention a really smart one), and she talks about What I Think Of As God, which I believe is a pretty cool way of putting it. So I’m going to use it too. I tend to struggle with that term, the one with the Capital G, so this is quite refreshing, and really rings true for me. (Thank you BN.)
“Gifts from God ~ Archangel Sandalphon: We angels bring you gifts from your Creator. Open your arms to receive.
Heaven is expansive and ever-increasing. One of the ways in which Heaven expands is through giving and sending love continuously. This love is sent your way in many forms, and your only task is to be willing to receive. Right now, the answers to your prayers await your willing receptivity. Open your arms to these gifts. Your Creator wills that you be happy, healthy, secure, and that all of your needs will be provided. Release any fears of receiving, they do not apply to this joyous life you are/can be living.”
