The great and the CRAZY

Two things happened yesterday that so clearly describe living here.
First, the good:
After walking the girls to school, I ran/walked for a while, got home around 9:30, took a shower and then went to the library for storytime with Caleb and Eli. Met Katie and her girls there. Afterwards we walked (caleb "scootered") across the street to have lunch that I packed for the boys. Since I don't drive and pay for parking, I justify buying a coffee for myself. :) It was glorious. Beautiful weather. Then we walked home, with the boys VERY ready for rest time. While I was out I saw 3 people I knew. It amazes me that this is such a big city, but we still see people we know all the time when we're out because everyone is out. Feels like community.
Now, the crazy:
While we were at the library, I gathered books/DVDs to check out while Caleb was listening to Storytime. We're only allowed 4 per card for the first 40 days of "membership". So I had 12 items (emma and audrey and I have cards) and the woman wasn't going to let me check out the books on the girls' cards because they weren't there to do it themselves. I said, "you know, I have 4 kids and with the baby, it's pretty hard to come in the evening to the library. It seems like I should be able to check out books for them with their cards." What we landed on was this: Next time I want to check books out on their cards, I must bring a NOTE from the girls saying "I give my mother permission to check out books on my card"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is that freaking unbelievable???? My 5 and 7 year olds have to give me PERMISSION to check out a book with a card I ALLOWED them to get.
Alrighty. Hope you enjoyed that!