Winter Wind

This is the title of a song by Jon Schmidt that I really like; it's also a pithy description of the walk that Caity and I took with the girls today. We were absolutely nuts. Just b/c the sun is out does NOT mean that it is warm, or that the winds are calm. We were freezing...let this be a lesson to us.

Dan was home today because tomorrow is our 6th anniversary. It seems like 6 years is very long...wait until 60, knock on wood! He had a job interview today at Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury. They have a graphic designer position open and, since Dan's sort of unsatisfied with his current employment, he thought he'd check it out. Can't hurt to try. I have no idea what they would pay him or what the benefits would be (although discounts on dining and hotel sound pretty good), but if he had more autonomy and less managerial pressure (a la Office Space) I think he'd be happier. Plus, the whole "back to nature" thing appeals to him. He's still gone, so I can't report how the interview went.

I'm so excited for my sisters, Andrea and Caity, who are both pregnant and expecting boys this April. It's unbelieveable, really, that they COULD have their babies so close together that I could visit them both at the same hospital. I remember when I was pregnant with Helena that I worried if there would be any kids for her to play with. Now there are so many...it gives me faith in the whole "multiply and replenish the earth" commandment. It really is the thing that brings more joy than any other - forever families.

For the past few days, for no reason in particular, I haven't been listening to much Christmas music, and it's really affected my holiday spirit. I seem to be so much more excited whilst singing "Silver Bells" and waltzing around the kitchen. Please, don't torture yourselves with a mental image of this. My new commitment is to GORGE on the wonderful music that I can only, with propriety, listen to once annually.

One last bit of bragging about Helena - she's recently learned how to do different animal noises, and she can imitate elephants, snakes, tigers, cats, owls...it's hilarious! We get the biggest kick out of it. The funny thing is, she only says a handful of words. I'm wondering if, by speaking animal first, she's just preparing for the language explosion that is to come. Seriously, can any child of mine NOT be wonderfully verbal?

"Long years ago, on a deep winter night...high in the heavens a star shone bright..."