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Christopher came over last night. He's a dear dear friend of my kids (and of mine). He's 11. He calls me his other mom. I missed him a lot while I was gone. I can call my own kids and catch up with them, but it's a little weird to call someone else's son and say, "hey, I miss you, how you doing, buddy?" Luckily… he practically lives at my house and answers the phone more than the kids that do live there, so I got to say "hi" once in a while.

We do tend to collect extra kids here. Not sure how it happens. Christopher and his older brother Nick, a friend Devon (we've turned him into a Scrabble player, woohoo!), various others here and there. I'll wake up any morning and find that while I slept children have appeared and are sleeping in the family room or the basement. They know where the cereal is, the security codes, the flashlights. If they're here at dinner, they know they can eat with us – and they better clear their plates away afterwards.

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