verbatim: Reunited

Breaking new: Steph's home! We drove up to camp this morning and retrieved our first-born from the clutches of all these other people who now know how wonderful she is and seemed to be plotting to keep her for themselves! She had the right balance of happy to see us (Mom weeping openly with joy, Dad holding it in as best he could) and sad to be leaving all her new friends. And then came the words I hoped to hear: "I am SO coming back next year!" I also got to see a handful of old friends who were there picking up their own kids. Steph said, "Mom, everyone knows you! All I kept hearing all month was, 'Oh, I know your Mom!'"

Now we're home, and Steph is having a bowl of her beloved tortilla chips and reacquainting herself with her room, the cats, and her Webkinz. As for me, the laundry situation is almost insurmountable. Everything—even the "clean" stuff—is damp and filthy. Please, everyone, I beg you: Close your eyes, cross all available appendages, and recite a heartfelt Maytag prayer to get me through the next day or two.