Many people look back on their high school or college years and say, “That was the best time of my life.” Not me. For me, the best time of my life was when we first bought the house, after the major drama of wondering if Jake’s father was going to show up at the door had passed. I missed Molly like crazy, of course, because she had just moved away to Albuquerque. At the same time, though, it was wonderful to have the home I wanted. We had enough money to pay for the house and still get by. Every night was a family dinner, something MoMo and I hadn’t had growing up, and every Sunday we had a big sit-down dinner, then Simpsons and X-Files. We had a routine. I spent every day with people I loved – though they drove me absolutely crazy at times, too.

I really miss Jacob and MoMo. I miss Molly, too, but somehow today I’m fixated on those two particularly. I just want to hold my nephew, and I can’t. And I won’t be able to for a very very long time yet.