It's a Small World

We are in the midst of a noreaster. As I write there's a good five inches of fresh snow on the ground and it is still coming down. Before the snow arrived this morning we went to see Sarita and Bisow. Jasper and Bisow are true compadres. It is clear that they were born six days apart and spent the better part of their second year of life together. They had a blast running, shooting hoops, and wrestling while Sarita and I caught up. Josie was awake most of the visit and she and Sarita hit it off. We got home in time for the snow to begin falling, setting the stage for a very cozy nap time. Peter came home early to make sure he could make it up our hill before the snow was too deep. Jasper woke up happy (a rare event), I was finishing up making bread, Josie was sleeping peacefully, Peter working diligently. Another boring but blissful afternoon at the Ellises.

At four o'clock I answered a knock on our kitchen door. Batulo, a Somalian neighbor, had trekked through the snow with four of her five children (the baby stayed at home) to visit. Peter has been walking the two school aged children to school in the morning, so Batulo doesn't have to bundle up the other three so early every day. I had invited Batulo and the kids over last night, and had been expecting them, but I assumed the snow would discourage them from coming. No such thing! The four kids (ages 2, 3, 5 and 9) quickly kicked off boots and coats and were happily exploring the toys. Batulo kept her coat on. Then she said, "Well, goodbye," and turned to leave. "You are going?" I clarified. "Yes, I left the baby at home. My husband is there." "Oh... Ok. Yes. Alright, we'll see you in a little while then?" "Yes." And off she went. The smallest kids played with Jasper while I helped Halima (age 9) and Fartoum (age 5) with homework. Soon everyone wanted to be doing "homework," so we crowded around our dining room table while the kids cut paper and practiced letters and colored. They all ate cheese sticks and apples and drank cider. Then they ate more cheese sticks and apples and clementines and carrots and crackers and anything we would offer. Just when we felt like we had things under control and might consider having four more kids, at four thirty Sarah and Ethan called. They were stuck in the storm a good hour north and their kids were stuck at school. So Peter set off in our Golf (remember how he left work early to avoid the bad weather?) to pick up Jackson and Tasha at their school about 30 minutes away. I hung out with the six kids until Batulo returned. As soon as they left, Jackson and Tasha arrived, followed by Ethan and Sarah a few minutes later. They, too, rushed back out into the storm to get home before the snow was too deep for their Subaru. It doesn't get much more exciting in New Hampshire, if you ask me. (Except when Oprah comes to endorse Obama, perhaps.)