focus? what's that?

Yesterday was my last (scheduled) hearing until January 14. (Of course, emergencies are bound to pop up around the holidays, but still.) This is a good thing on many levels, not the least of which is that my level of concentration is plummeting. Although I did manage to write a letter and review a parenting plan this morning, I also spent an embarrassing amount of time researching which detergent is best for washing cloth diapers in a high-efficiency washer. (If you are interested, my criteria are safety for sensitive skin, cost per load, and availability at our grocery store. So far the winner is Seventh Generation Delicate Care. ETA: Okay, would you believe Delicate Care is the only variation of Seventh Generation not carried at our local store? Instead I got Ecos Free & Clear.)

We had a wonderful time in Minnesota this past weekend -- the highlights were my baby shower and the St. Olaf Christmas Festival! It was a very emotionally-charged weekend, especially because the opening piece of the Festival was The Gift, which was commissioned in memory of Eric. It was pretty amazing, and a tremendous honor, that that piece was included in a beloved tradition (97 years and counting!) that has been a part of my life since I was young. And, of course, the shower was all that baby showers should be! There were precious pink outfits, board books galore, and a perfectly orchestrated four-course tea. What more could a mama-to-be ask for?

I am so looking forward to this weekend -- it is going to be uncharacteristically quiet for Advent. No rehearsals, no concerts... how did we get so lucky? So instead we'll be doing some projects around the house to get ready for Baby Hartwell's arrival, and maybe even finally decorating our tree (with plenty of feline help, I'm sure). Personally, I'm also planning to sleep a lot. People keep telling me I should be doing a lot of that these days!