My children remained children throughout it all.

They still had spelling words, spilled cereal, missing socks, and arguments about who had taken the last pancake.

Margaret visited again.

This time she made airplane-shaped pancakes with uneven wings.

Ethan insisted one looked like a broken submarine.

Margaret laughed until she had to sit down.

Vanessa sent a short note wishing us well.

I appreciated it and didn’t feel obliged to turn her into a permanent presence in our family.