My Mama's Gonna D-I-E.

Dear Laney,

We are seven weeks away from your brother's arrival, which should fall sometime between Christmas and New Year's Eve. I'm sure he will be mad forever that he has a birthday so close to the holidays, because each year, the whole world will be saying, "Happy birthday to you and Jesus... but mostly Jesus."

Not wanting to miss out on the birth of Baby #2, Peg Peg and Tex are planning to spend the Christmas holiday with us. This is the same woman who thought it was so cold here IN MAY that she wore my bathrobe over her clothes, and did her crossword puzzles in the parked Subaru with the heater and the seat warmers cranked up to eleven.

For fear that she won't get on the plane, I haven't told her that the temperature here has already fallen into the teens, and we've had intermittent snow flurries.

Unlike your South Florida relations, you and your dad and especially the dogs are loving this new cold weather, and are going out on lots of "abenturs" a.k.a. "adventures."

Basic sled dog math says that a husky can run 15 mph for up to 15 miles. There's a wild rabbit that lives on our road that always likes to dart out in front of the bike, then scurry away. Your dad calls him, "The Widowmaker." When you and Dad come back from your bike rides, you always say, "Mom! We go SO FAST!!" 1) No kidding. 2) I don't want to know. 3) No way are you going to catch my butt in that thing.

Last weekend, you came downstairs and woke me up by holding on to my side of the bed and announcing, "Mom! Mom! MOOOOM! Is snowing 'gain." Let me direct you to the other side of the bed where you might find someone who's interested in that news.

As for me, I'll live in a state of denial from Oct - May, just like every other year. But y'all go have fun.

Love,

Mom