Two daughters' perceptions of mama

Alice is looking intently into the mirror. "I look like getting older."

"Yes," I agree brightly. "You do look like you're getting older."

Pleased, she continues to twist back and forth in front of the mirror. Then she turns and flashes me a big smile. "You look like getting older, too!"

***

Edith has been running a satellite campus of Hogwarts here on the Front Range, with particular attention to Care of Magical Creatures. Most of the creatures she teaches us about she invents herself, and she's very creative in the details. As I left for work this morning, I suggested she should write a book about her creatures.

This evening at dinner I mentioned the idea again.

"I've already started," she said. "I'd like to get it published."

Oh, I said, what a great ambition. She nodded matter of factly.

"I figured you could help me. I know you used to read books to see if you thought the publishers would like to publish them. So I thought you could get my book published."

It's been over a decade since anyone hit me up with an unsolicited manuscript. Who knew my own daughter would be the one to resume the practice?