To my children, who have decided to let me live.

I am surprised and impressed that now, in my moment of weakness, neither of you seem willing to make the final blow and do me in. If you had done it after this week, no one would have blamed you. With your illness(es), days off from school, living back and forth from freezing house to city apartment, bags and bags of laundry dragged around searching for a washer, terrible meals on the fly, us working crazy hours, and finally, Mom coming down with a bad cold. You’ve been troopers this week, and I couldn’t be prouder.

After hair cuts first thing in the morning, I took you both to the Zoo. Will: you were a champion helper. Running after Kate, making sure she didn’t go too far from us, listening to my requests. I was sweaty, clammy, and miserable, but focused on getting through the day. I managed to take a few pictures of you and your monkey-kin…