Salma

Moi, Salma, Cassy Brown, Jillian

Salma.
The famous Tamil poet who was locked in her room from the onset of puberty until she agreed to the arranged marriage, nine years later. Imagine.
Unfortunately, this is a common Muslim practice in the small village in southern India. Heartbreaking but under the most dire and strictest circumstances, she blossomed, found a way, to grow from her parent-imposed prison.
My gratitude soars when I think that I've never had to endure a tradition so heinous.

The Donny and Marie Osmond Show

ON infrequent Tuesday mornings, I get to play get-them-to-school nanny. I wake up unusually early and drive in the dark (a snowstorm on one of the two mornings thus far) to see the comedy team off to school.

I must say the first morning was terribly fun. Snow. Lots of it. As I drove closer to the house, Holly was ready to go and Max and Annika were hanging out in the garage. I wanted to drive my car into the garage and avoid being in the snow. I waited until HOlly left and then proceeded to drive up the Hill's steep driveway and into the garage. The first attempt was a bust. I rolled down the hill drove down the block, reved my engine and made attempt number 2 with A&M cheering me on. I couldn't make it up, so they grabbed their snow shovels and went to work, their little figures in the morning dusk rapidly trying to clear snow was more than enduring and amusing. This time I went farther down the hill, rolled down the window and asked the street sweepers to move far out of the way. They rushed to the stairs in the garage and grandma gunned the gas pedal. Hooray! Grandma, on try number 3 made it safely into the garage.
This photo is of week 2 and I realized that I was witness to a fascinating, comedic, not only morning, but everyday ritual of brother and sister navigating the world together. Amusing indeed.

When we pulled up to school, I saw another comedic moment. The twins that Annika frequently talks about walked by, turned and smiled at her. She switched into teenage, boy crazy mode instantly, jumped from the car, ran not to catch up to, but to pass the twins to show her incredible female charm. What a girl. Max, more slowly, lumbered from the car to begin the school day.

Cross Country Skiing on MLK Holiday

There were several highlights of this incredibly beautiful day on the other side of the mountain. Foremost, the sun shined, the air was clean and it was relatively warm. Warmer than the valley inversion. Foremost #2 was enjoying the company of my favorite people. Time with London is coming to a close as he prepares for his mission departure. What an interesting phenomenon we experience as people who love and try to serve the Lord. We will miss his unusual brand of humor. When I asked if anyone brought snacks, he cheerfully responded, "I brought bacon." Tony and I just looked at each other and couldn't help laugh (a lot) at this London humor.

Foremost #3 Watching Jillian's approach to a hill. Priceless. So Jillian. Some of her actions are so characteristic of who she is and who she's always been. Yes sir, from those first moments fighting for her breath to this day at the Nordic center.

Tony and I skied through some thick powder because it's something we love to do--get off the beaten path, so to speak.  I thought of my Grandma Zobrist who used to have to ski to school in the alps of Switzerland. No one taught her how to ski. She explained that they (not sure who they was) strapped on her skis and pushed her down the hill. She was on her own. After all, she was Swiss and when you're Swiss and live in the Alps-you ski. Like an Hawaiian child knows how to swim.