Today, we’re warding off boredom by preparing for houseguests… if he moves in here, and she moves out there, and they move up there, then everybody ought to be happy right? At least everybody will have a small degree of elbow room. 
I’m just considering this a dry run for when we really have to get cozy and close-knit in another couple of months after moving out of part of the house for our remodeling project… four little boys will be squished into the library, one sister will be in my room, and one sister on another sofa. I love all my brothers and sisters, but I’m going to have to learn to be loving and patient with them to a considerable degree more as belongings and personal space are invaded over the course of the entire spring and summer. My current entertainment has been watching a CAT working right outside the windows. Whole mountains of red dirt are being moved from here, to there, and back again, in preparation for beginning building… I’m watching bittersweetly as familiar, old trees are felled, the hill is sliced and diced, and the driveway is disappearing beneath a smothering load of dirt. I’ve been told that these changes are for the better; the discomfort of moving is only temporary, and that everything will be new and glorious when it’s finished. I believe this to be true, but it doesn’t make watching all these changes taking place feel any less weird! So I light a candle and eat a chocolate to reassure myself that even if the exterior of our house and property are being changed and rebuilt, the foundations remain in place and will only be strengthened, not removed. I’m anticipating working and assisting with this project in whatever ways I can this spring and summer — which will mostly be by helping keep inquisitive, eager little boys from underfoot, and taking on the position of head gardener in our garden. I make a harsh taskmaster, and I plan on enlisting the help of whatever little slaves will be on hand.
In our current cooking flurry of planning dinners for today, and lunches for tomorrow, all the while catering to dietary restrictions for some people, it’s easy to overlook some of the food that has gone a little bad. Certain members of the family have now learned to beware eating putrid purple potatoes after a tragic encounter with one today at lunch… we made it up to the poor chap by feeding him three white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, and saying three Hail Marys in succession. Just kidding about that last part. But I did feed him the cookies because I felt bad — my guilty conscience is now assuaged.
The dark is deepening overhead, the rain is upon us, and snow is threatening particular regions of the foothills, but it will be a happy time tonight with extra people around the dinner table, special music on the banjo, violin, and guitar, and two, cute little girls to play with.
Coram Deo!