just returned from a mandarin immersion mom's night out at dirty thieves on 24th street. we went after back to school night. this is becoming my new community, no doubt about it. we don't know each other's pasts that well, but are revealing ourselves in bits and pieces through our opinions about what is going on at the school and buzzed 1:1 eye to eye conversations about spouses and work and kids. it's all good. we all need this. it is what it is, right?

an old friend/acquaintance from the university of delaware was at the bar tonight, looking radiant and about ten years younger than i. she has just adopted a 6-week-old and seemed astonished that she was out for a drink and away from home. her boy is 6 and at the waldorf school and she seemed intrigued by my son being in public school. we caught up and she said my friends were a "beautiful group of women."

well, i know i am not beautiful, but it was good to hear. i have always liked being part of a beautiful group.