Lovely Day and Bloggers Meet up!!

I shouldn't be writing because I need to sleep, but I really want to share this.

Yesterday [actually, Thursday] was a lovely day all around. My parents had to renew their passports in the itinerant Brazilian consulate and since I would need to stay with the boys I decided to go to my second La Leche League meeting this month. The meeting was great, especially because I finally got to meet Jo and Sophia, my third blogger meet up (this time with a "famous" blogger :) !! I had not mentioned it before, but I had my second blogger "meet up" with Mama Marta at last month's LLL. Since I also met Kateri at a LLL meeting, I guess it's time I issue a formal statement:

I heartily thank the La Leche League for giving me the opportunity of meeting these great bloggers in real life :)

All right, back to my lovely day... It was also sunny and very warm (almost hot) and there were flowers and new green leaves everywhere. After the meeting, I went to the Jenks playground (too bad the site doesn't have a picture - I didn't have my camera with me) with the boys, and we also spent over an hour at a lovely toy store, since I parked right in front of it. We had lunch at the Farmer's market and the boys enjoyed the playground before and after lunch, when they were finally allowed to use the "big kids" part, since school was over. Then we went to pick up my parents (who actually had to wait for a bit because the boys just didn't want to leave).

Mt. Airy/ Chestnut Hill is such a great place, and I felt kind of sorry for the place we live. When we were moving here, there was a woman from Philly who told us that we would definitely enjoy living in Mt. Airy, and I realized yesterday that she was absolutely right. We just couldn't possibly afford it, though. There were basically no houses at all in our price range in that area when we were looking. I like our house, it's only 4 years old, and the neighborhood is not bad, but in that area I feel we could have real friends (here we barely know any neighbors, we don't really "fit in" with the neighborhood). I mean, just to give an example, one of the moms at the LLL meeting is also writing her dissertation, and of course there would be Jo and Marta and many other lovely people we could meet... Mt. Airy reminded me a lot of the Pioneer valley - except it's in a city, not in the countryside. I have been sorely missing the valley lately (sigh)...

It was a really simple day, but since I haven't spent much time with my boys since my parents got here it was really special for me to enjoy this day with them. I work on the dissertation at home, so I do see them a lot, but my parents are the ones who bring them regularly to the playground and other places. I long for the day when I can spend the whole day with my sons again, but I do need to take advantage of my parents' help while I can, right?

Just in case you're wondering, I'm at a better place regarding the dissertation. I'll write about it soon.