Because why start out the year any other way?

On Friday night, I went out to dinner and left Jeffrey babysitting Bean and Abby. This is a new thing, and one I’m still test-driving, so my outings are usually quick and I never let go of my phone. But he’s doing well, and so far, has been engendering confidence in his abilities. After checking in with him, I stopped at Trader Joes on my way home. While squeezing some avocados, my phone rang. It was him, asking me when I was coming home- alarm bells in my mind, followed by panic, when he said “You might cry, mom…” (panic!) He then continued, somewhat mirthfully, “…TEARS OF JOY!” and he hung up. Of course I ran home. When I got there, here is what I found: vacuumed house, straightened living room, including folded blankets and pillows on the sofa, and THE KITCHEN FLOOR HAD BEEN MOPPED. I’m soooooo not kidding. MOPPED. My friends, I’ll be pre-interviewing for his dance card next week.

I wrote a little something at BCC today. It’s part of an ongoing project we’re doing this year on the Gospel Doctrine lessons. Check it out if you’re inclined towards that sort of thing. Each week a new person will be writing a supplement. Should be interesting, with different viewpoints represented, even beyond the BCC staff.

For Christmas, Santa brought me a Kindle. I didn’t think I wanted one, but it’s kind of growing on me. It’s nice to have several books in one tidy, clean case. But at heart, I’m a purist, and nothing will ever replace a real, warm, age-scented, leather-bound, creamy paged, deckle-edged book. But it is awfully convenient for travel. And for church.

Speaking of growing on me, I’m starting to feel at-home-ish in my new ward. We’ve been here, what, 7 months now? That seems about right. There are lot of really nice people, the usual smattering of hardliners, and the handful of Coo-coo for cocoa-puffs. My kids have good teachers, my bishop is a good guy, and I made a friend. Win.

A few thoughts on divorce… I’ve said before, I know several friends traversing this choppy water right now- here in Virginia, as well as back on the west coast. It’s horrendously difficult no matter who you are and what your circumstances. I do not believe anyone goes into this crevasse lightly, and if you think they did, the chances are, you don’t know the whole story. Matter of fact, I’ll guarantee you don’t. Laws and rules that are designed to make divorce more difficult do nothing— yes, nothing— to hold marriages together, and from what I’ve seen, those laws actually end up hurting the children (if there are any) more than just a clean split. I’ll give more of my thoughts later, I’m sure.

On the good (awesome!) news front, Mo is getting married! After a long, difficult set of years, she’s met a wonderful man and over Christmas, they made it official. I couldn’t be happier for her, and for him, and for their combined children.

People here have no clue how to handle snow. It makes me laugh— after a decade living in eastern Washington, where school doesn’t even start late with a fresh foot— here they panic when it flurries. It’s hilarious, if it weren’t so frustrating. Not that it snows much or anything, but we got a dusting the day after Christmas. The kids built a tiny snowman on the hood of my car.

Knock on wood, my job is going well, and I received the first real paycheck I’ve had since before I had Jeffrey, more than a decade ago. It feels good. Now to start paying back those student loans…

We really like riding the Metro and wandering around the Smithsonian. Its wonderful to tell the kids “Hey, we live here- we can just look at the butterflies today, and come back next week and see something else.” We never have to hurry.