I am up early. Last night there was 6 inches of snow, lightening then fog. It was one of those nights where you thought the end of the world may be coming but it was just a storm. Now everything is white, everything is covered.

The girls are knit together in the same bed---they look like a Renoir painting with their hair falling over the pillow, the flowers on their pajamas blooming on their fair skin. It is simple really, when you look at your children sleeping, the whole world is simple.

Olivia has a new boyfriend who gives her rocks. She had another boyfriend two weeks ago, her first. She asked me what it meant, to be someone’s girlfriend, nothing felt different inside her, she said. The only difference seemed to be on the outside, she would walk down the hall and people would say, “there’s Brett’s girl.”

I resisted the feminist urge to claim she belonged to no one but herself. I resisted the urge to rise up b/c sometimes when you do that, with your children there is no room for them to stand. Pay attention to how it feels, know yourself when are with each person and note the difference These are things I tell her, be aware of who you are.

I love to watch her practice. I love to watch my daughters practice the art of living. I tell my child empowerment groups all the time, everyone teaches you how to tie your shoe but few people let you learn how to love. We are all learning. It is the art of practice.