1.3.23 Aliza

Each kid is unique and its a challenge to keep up with who likes what and doesn't like that. This one is on the top of the stack in  so many ways. I tell her when she is scheduled to come home it's like the cavalry is coming. She is my friend and confidant she gets life, my days when she is away start with news articles she is reading. Sometimes she calls breathless from fascinating ideas she's studying or a concert that touched her artistic heart. 

While she was home we didn't do anything grandiose. We were mostly isolated because of sickness and the time of year which requires constant computer thinking. She shared her time and talents serving her family each day. Between her and Addie they picked up Christmas and made it happen. She loved Andrea, she tied quilts, she listened and she was just an anchoring force here. As I have become a cry baby these last few months, I of course cry as I write this knowing each moment she is another mile away back to her necessary growing up at college. 

She indulged the kids in rubbing their feet with lotion. While we did scriptures. 

She spent hours advising and listening as speeches were written and edited. 

She tied and bound three unique quilts for her siblings who really needed new bedding but I never have enough hands or time to get to. Purple is Addie. Brown and yellow deer in utter irony for Reed. The deer eat his hard work and lay waste to his favorite melons and squash. 

She spent endless hours holding and loving Andrea. This is the saddest part. I cannot hold my kids like I want while doing computer stuff. I didn't worry at all knowing the very capable Aliza was here. So today we are back on our own. Still sick still demanding. 

She is patient and gets jobs done. 

This morning after another night of interrupted sleep I heard crashing and banging downstairs. When I looked out the window there was someone with bags loading a car. I wondered if we were in fact getting robbed. Greg looked as he stumbled out of our room and declared it was just Aliza loading the van to leave. She had stated she wanted to be on the road at 8 am. So at precisely 7:55 am she departed. I found her notebook to do list and she reluctantly returned for it. No fan fare no emotion, just crisp efficiency that is her trademark.

I learned this break she enjoys needle hand work. I learned she loves old Disney- North Avenue Irregulars may just be the best Disney ever made. Blackbeard's Ghost, and Bells on their Toes are close runners up. I learned she is very service minded and protective of home. 

And as each kid grows up and moves on I learned how imperative it is that I learn to count on and know the younger set so they too can grow into helpful talented young people. It is so great to watch them become especially sweet as we also traverse the hard and the trials that are particular to each kiddo. We are blessed and Life is still good even if it is harder now.