Couldn't find one of Jake's boots this morning, frantically searching under beds and chairs, piles of laundry. His other pair of shoes, the converse high tops he's supposed to take to school on Thursdays so he can wear them in the gym, they've been missing since before Christmas. I keep thinking they'll turn up somewhere. But they haven't. Had to keep shoeless Jake home from school. When Lupe arrived and heard the story, she went straight to the living room trash can, pulled out Jake's boot and waggled it at Tucker, "You see, you playing, Jake no school." The trash can. Of course. Why didn't I think of that?

It being my carpool day, I had to go out at 11 even though Jake was home. On the way back I stopped at Sears to buy Jake a pair of shoes. One sales lady, six waiting customers. 30 minutes later I left the store with a pair of black converse high tops that seemed to measure well against the boot of Jake's I'd brought with me.

"Yea!" Jake exclaimed, when I got home. "Now I can be part of the Conver team again. These are great. Not hard like my boots." His toes bumped up against the front of the shoe and in back I could fit my whole hand down in between his heel and the heel of the shoe. Oh well.