Its my youngest brother’s birthday today.  We don’t get to talk much.  I don’t talk to many people but my mom these days.  And I have always, always preferred an in-person convo as opposed to one over the phone.  I know I had a phone in my room when I was growing up.  I’m sure I talked to someone.  Probably just Becky.  There’s the over-talking people as an idea pops into my mind.  There’s the silences of unknown origin.  There’s the literal distance–I can feel it whenever I talk to anyone–the distance I feel from that person.  This may be why after knowing Sam for one month I was tired of the phone talking and preferred a never-ending, never-apart talk.  (Poor man.  He had no idea what he was getting into!)  Talking on the phone doesn’t make me feel closer.  It makes me feel far apart.  And so, I have yet to call him but I thought about him all day very warmly and sent him Happy Birthday messages from the kids.  I know it brightened his day and I know we will have lots of share when we get to hang out on our CA visit.   Its all good!  Happy Birthday, Brent Joseph! xoxox

Here’s a little of what our day held!  We made a complete mess of the kitchen as we played with the spielgaben set we got for Christmas.  We ate a filling lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese (perfect on a cold day!).  We read some more Narnia. I blew the snow from the drive as Lily and Ollie shoveled the walk.  We played Frozen monopoly.  We sledded and then they sledded some more with Bryce.  Emmy got every piece of clothing out of her dresser.  She eventually took a nap (yay!).  We did some school.  Now I’m making tacos.

All very thrilling but what makes a life!