The joy of cakes

Per the title, two cakes have delivered much joy in the last 24 hours.

1. Last night was our house's 'fun night.' Since the weather was so beautifully springy, we decided to have a good ol' round of kickball in the park. 4 v 4 turned out to be quite different than the 5th grade style of 20 v 20. Then, we had a delicious re-invention of our Easter leftovers. And after dinner, Meg and Rachel bring out a covered cake pan. Underneath was a beautiful, homemade cake with "Felicitades JPII" written on it in chocolate chips - "I meant to say, congratulations Bethany," Rachel told me. "But your name was too long, so I put your school instead." Everyone toasted me, "The only one with a future!" ha ha and we feasted on this work of love in cake and icing.

2. This morning, I accompanied my coworker Paul to deliver a birthday cake. It was from a young woman named Marisol, who had attended Paul's after-school program from kindergarten on. When she was 16, she got pregnant, had her baby, and was sent to Chicago to live with relatives more financially capable of caring for her and the little one. Today is her mom's birthday, and Marisol had asked Paul to give her a cake. It was a gorgeous tres leches cake, topped with coconut, tropical fruit, and pink lacy icing - "Te amo, Mami". When Marisol's mom answered the door, and we explained our mission, she started to cry, I'm sure from the surprise and from missing Marisol. "Entra, entra," she beckoned us, and we chatted for a few minutes, as she wiped away tears. On the way back, Paul told me in an unusually quavering voice, "I can't imagine having one of your children live so far away. And your grandchild."

God incarnate, you show us love through the simplest things. And remind us of the love that lives between us.