day 2: trading the sun for snow

Secretly, it's bugged me that for the last 4 1/2 months, Aaron has lived in warm, sunny, perpetually summery North Carolina, while I've been stuck in Indiana with its cold, gray, unfriendly and unending winter.

Today, though, we traded.

Aaron's got cold and snow, and I've got 70 degree sunshine.

He's in Kyrgyzstan (kerg-uh-stan)....which I keep mispronouncing and misspelling and turning it into other countries that I don't even know if they exist.

I couldn't even locate it on a map if I tried......I'd probably do just as well blindfolded than if not.

What did we ever do before Google was invented? Did I just never have these types of questions before, or did I just stop my curiosity before it got the best of me?

Google led me first to Wikipedia, which I cannot stand (don't get this English teacher started on that topic.....which is one area ASC and I do NOT agree on!), and then to the CIA World Fact Book. According to that source (which is reliable), China borders Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, and another one of those countries ending in -stan is between K-stan and Afghanistan....which is to the south. I also gleaned two other somewhat-useful facts: the Kyrgs (I think I made that up) have a fairly high literacy rate, and their land is home to the largest naturally occurring walnut tree forest. (Warning: the CIA World Fact Book contains some riveting knowledge, useful for most Trivial Pursuit fans)

So while my husband was sleeping the snowy night away in this foreign land on the absolute other side of the world, my kiddos and I took advantage of our first 70 degree day in a long time and headed to the park. Soaking up that sunshine did wonders for me, so much so that I neglected the book I brought along to read. I simply sat in the sun and watched my girls run, jump, and play with other kids at the park, no matter the label on the other kids' clothes or the varying shades of color of their skin.

That's when it hit me, that moments like this are exactly what their daddy is fighting for.

Aaron, we miss you.