Dear Rosa,
Let me try to give you the short version of what I have been doing these past 3 years.
A strange combination of events had me, Andrew and the kids shipped to a god forsaken place with no internet access and almost no other ways to communicate with the outside world.
Sounds bad but it was actually pretty amazing.
Andrew got to work on his fishing and animal training skills in the best place in the world and I got to keep Owen away from a very disturbed Connor that started sending me threats about kidnapping him.
We lived alongside a little village and I got to spend 3 years seeing my kids grow with no distractions.
Owen had oh-so-many new bugs to explore and his passion for science grew even stronger.
He is now 13 and I could not be prouder of him. He is my right hand with the others, without a doubt. He wears the big brother title like a second skin and sometimes it's hard to keep in mind he is still a kid.
Ruby is still as serious about dancing as ever. She was upset for leaving her classic studies in her old school but she was very excited to learn all the new exotic dances. By the end of the first year my shy Ruby was already teaching ballet the younger kids over there.
The last two years her and her "students" were even invited to perform in the Season Greeting. They were so adorable.
I mean, she is still that shy little mouse when we go shopping and someone asks her something or if we go to the park and there are kids that she doesn't know. But withing that circle she flourished and she is a confident young lady.
I think Scarlet was the one having more fun of them all. She was as wild as the wildlife over there and I barely saw her in the afternoons after study hours. She made a handful of friends, all as energetic as she is and she had a blast playing in the river or climbing trees or chasing whatever they decided that day.
She is the one that will give me grey hairs prematurely, I'm sure. I keep expecting her to do something extra-crazy like bringing home a poisonous snake to have as her pet or deciding to jump of the roof wrapped in tons of toilet paper and rubber bands to see if she can bounce of the ground.
At first this meant I was going crazy running after her, keeping her feet on the ground instead of on their way up to the top of a tree. Eventually I learned to let her explore her environment her way. As Andrew told me, if she falls, will pick her up and the other kids knew very well what was dangerous and what was safe around their land.
Wolf competes with Scarlet for first place giving me mini-heart-attacks. He is so territorial and competitive. I lost count of how many times he got into fights.
He has an explosive personality and will react strongly to any little provocation.
It's a challenge for me because I have to be quite strict with him. And he does not make it easier for me either.
It's like... I'm called because he punched a kid and I get there and find out that the kid he punched ( and kicked... and sometimes there is some biting involved) was the one that pushed Chance the day before, or the one that bullies Tome (a friend of his), or the one that cut Naoim's hair ( a friend of Scarlet). I'm not going to lie, inside my head I do a little cheer but I can't let him think it's alright to work out these things with violence.
Roderick is going to be trouble when he grows up. I just know it. He is already running around after girls. The thing is... he is this tiny sweet gentleman. He picked flowers to give them, he tag along with their girly games so he could "protect" them from bugs. He opens doors for them.
I blame Andrew for this one. No doubt.
Andrew has this thing about teaching our boys how to properly treat a lady ( honestly I think he worries Conner, Owen's father, is a bad influence and he tries very hard to counter any nasty effects). Roderick takes his words very seriously and he even calls him up when he doesn't open the door for me because he is carrying all the bags from the car. " Dad! The door!"- he says, rolling his eyes and running to hold it for me and the girls.
The Seer of the village took a liking to Chance. She called her "the blessed one" and came around often to spend time with her. "A start shines on her", she said. I guess we really got it right with her name then. Mostly I blame it on the fact that Chance is still the happiest baby I have ever seen. She is always in a good mood. Always laughing and giggling. Her joy is contagious and she is growing up into a delightful little girl.
A hippie, delightful little girl. The Seer's influence did not go unnoticed and she lives in her own magic universe where shooting stars whisper secrets to her and the wind blows news from far lands into her ears. And animals talk to her. Of course.
I don't mind. I wish all my kids would live in that magic world for longer and never turned into grumpy grown ups.
Well... this was a big letter... so, come on! your turn!
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