As many of you know, K1 had a French exchange student here for two weeks in October, and on February 5th she boarded a plane with the other American students for the two week reciprocal exchange in a little town north of Paris. She returns on Friday evening and from what we’ve seen and heard, she is having a fantastic time. But I know for me 10 days is about when the novelty factor of being away from home wears off, and the longing to get back to one’s own bed, shower and pets gets strong. So it was with K1 today. Grab a tissue because it may get a bit dusty as you follow me below the dingledoodle Story Break, after a word from our sponsor…
It’s February school vacation week in Massachusetts. Don’t EVEN get me started on the stupid of having not one, but TWO weeks off instead of a nice, sensible March break like the rest of the country. K2 and I went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston today to soak up some cultcha and had a fantastic time, then as we were in the car getting ready to drive home, K1 texted me. It was 9pm there and she was DONE. I tried as best a parent can to give the “it’s only a few more days, we miss you too” talk and sent a picture of her brother at the MFA, then I had to drive so I handed the phone over to K2.
Before I continue, I need to tell you about their relationship. Seven years apart in age, they’ve been pushing each other’s buttons since about three days after they first met at in the courtyard of the Addis Ababa, Ethiopia orphanage where we traveled to bring K2 home six years ago. They also have been as close as two siblings can be since about that same time, when K2 was permitted to sleep in our room with us, and did so cuddled up on a very small cot with his big sister. In short, they’re True Siblings.
K2 asked if he could send emojis. Sure! Then he asked if he could send her a picture, and after getting the ok sent a loooovely selfie of himself making a goofy face. K1 kept saying she missed him so much. And then he typed something, and she replied something, and then the texting stopped and it wasn’t until I got home I was able to read what they said. (this is where it gets really dusty in here)
K2: We miss you so much our family is not whole.
K1: OMG thank you!
That, ladies and gentlemen, is my 10 year old son. He may know exactly what words to use to wound deepest, but he also knew exactly what his big sister needed to hear. She’s the same way… when they FaceTimed yesterday, the first thing she asked was how his new soccer team was. 6 time zones away and she remembered he had his first practice the day before. In other words… “We may say stupid shit to each other sometimes, but NOBODY will be there for you better than your sibling.”
Here’s my fervent hope this primary season: that underneath all the words being thrown back and forth between Sanders and Clinton camps, there’s a realization that we are all one family whose goal is to ensure the 45th president is a Democrat and not a Republican. That we will see beyond the intensely emotional moments and remember who’s got your back when it matters (hint, it’s NOT anyone over on Team WhatTheHellWasThatLastDebateFiascoAnyway over there). I’m committed to that goal, because family matters. Are you?
And now on to what you really come here for, the Trio of Tops brought to you by the person I most want in my formatting foxhole, BeninSC!
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
Note: Especially during this passionate primary season, please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From Avilyn:
Two excellent comments from Chris Reeves' diary (and the diary itself is easily one of the best I've read here in months):
JamesGG had this pre-emptive response to people making excuses not to get involved,
and Chris Reeves had this great comment about the importance of local involvement vs federal elections.
From BeninSC:
This comment is courtesy of one of my favorite commenters on Daily Kos, our own gizmo59. gizmo is as good at engaging with the topic at hand as anyone on the site, and better than most (better than me, certainly). It's high time we honor him for it in the evening's submissions.
From Steven Payne:
Glad I remember I nominated a comment last night.
I am submitting this excellent comment by foresterbob that appeared in BeninSC's Top Comments diary last evening.
From yours truly, brillig:
Top Mojo ala mik!
For Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on the subject!
Top Comments with Pictures
2016-02-16, courtesy of jotter!