christmas ornamentYesterday afternoon at the Pittsburgh Women’s Foundation was freaking adorable. I was in charge of helping the girls I work with make Christmas cards for their families. Red and green and white construction paper, fancy white-ink markers, and silver and gold glitter everywhere. (Seriously. Everywhere. I rode the yellow line home and when I got up to get off the train at Wood Street, I left a trail of glitter behind me like Hansel and Gretel.)

The effort the girls put into making their cards was admirable and the messages they wrote were just too sweet. Angie cut out about fifty gingerbread men and glued them to the front of her card. Inside she wrote “Mom, Merry Christmas. I am so happy that of all the moms in the world you are the best mom and you belong to me!” Madison made her card in the form of a snowflake and of course covered it in silver glitter. She made it for her older sister and wrote “I love you, even though sometimes we fight, but we always make up because we’re sisters and we can always work things out!” And Shante put a big red heart on the front of her card and decided to give it to her grandparents, writing “Grandma and Grandpa, you are so cool it’s a good thing it’s winter and you can be cool all season long! (But you’re cool in the summer too.)”

I was so happy that they were getting along and helping each other. We’ve come a long way since this creative writing program started a few months ago and we’ve hit some rough patches. But seeing them giggle and be creative together yesterday really (at the risk of getting too mushy) warmed my heart and put me in the true Christmas spirit.