Dear Friends,

I’ve got the feels. On Wednesday, I sat in on my last parent volunteer meeting at Maira’s middle school. It wasn’t the meeting itself that moved me so, but what that final gathering represented: The end of an era.

Next year, Maira will be joining Henry at his high school in another part of town, and most of her classmates will be elsewhere.

The kids met in kindergarten at the elementary school next door, and we moms have gotten to know each other since.

Together, we walked to the school gates in the morning and lingered on the lawn until the afternoon bell rang. We volunteered in the classroom and at school events. We gathered at play dates and birthday parties. We cheered on our children at concerts, plays, science fairs, silent films, and rock shows. We commiserated during the covid pandemic and co-navigated the return back to in-person instruction. We shared resources, tips, ideas, and laughs. Lots of laughs.

I’m sure I could have survived the last 10 years without the other moms, but it would have been a lot harder and way less fun.

Now, I look at our kids—our giant, bright, and lovely kids—and marvel at how far they’ve come. And how far we’ve come along with them. I wonder what the next four years will bring.

I know our children will need us less and less. That’s the goal, right? That’s the gig. But I think I’ll still need my mom crew through all the changes. Thank goodness I have them on speed dial.

xo Christine

Good Things

• Jack Black inspires me to be myself

• Snagging the last open booth at the coffee shop

• Tortilla chips with a hint of lime

• Fluffy white towels

• My bracelet stack

• Advil + heat pads = cramp relief

• My cilantro plant sadly went to seed, but my mint and basil are still kickin’

• A tidy yard

• Treasures and treats from the fam for Mother’s Day

• Celebrating 22 years with Rama and our 19th wedding anniversary

Good Poem

Do Not Ask Your Children to Strive
by William Martin

Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.

Good Eats

All Time is one of my favorite restaurants in LA. When I was a freelancer, I would join my self-employed pals there for coffee and toast. Now it’s a special treat to have an All Time brunch with family or friends. This week, Rama and I splurged on dinner at the neighborhood spot for our 19th anniversary, and, you guys, it was. so. good. For those of you in the area, I recommend it. For those who aren’t nearby, they also have a cookbook, The Cook Book of All Time. It includes the salad dressing recipe for their Good Ass Salad, and I can confirm that it brightens up any bowl of greens.

Good Deed of the Day

The next time you feel like sending a text, try giving that person a call, instead. Even if you just leave a voicemail, I bet they’ll be happy to hear your voice.