Dear Homeschooling Friends,

Ever since we moved to Massachusetts from Ohio, our house has felt a little empty, a little lonely. We had left our friends in Ohio behind and were--pretty much--on our own. Moves are hardest not because of leaving your house behind, not because you have to learn a new neighborhood, not because of the packing and unpacking, but because you suddenly have hundreds of miles separating you from your friends. They will continue being your friends, but you cannot see them, walk beside them, watch the expression on their face, enjoy just being around them... So, our house has felt a little too quiet since we moved, as if it lacked something.

But not tonight. Downstairs right now--watching a movie, eating pizza, and talking--is a family that came all the way from Ohio just to visit us here. They drove over 10 hours to get to Hopkinton, Massachusetts! In our once quiet house there are now 9 children and four adults, giving the house a feeling of warmth and joy that we haven't experienced here as fully as we have since they arrived on Friday.

The moment they came through the door, they brought with them Ohio--all the memories, joys, sorrows, fun, jokes, laughter, tears, people, places, and experiences of the years we lived in Medina. All this hit me like a wave as they filled our house with instant excitement! I remembered all the years we lived on 260 Guilford Blvd. in Medina, Ohio as if it were one painting. (No, it wasn't a vision or anything, but it suddenly brought everything that had begun to fade, back clearly into my memory.) And, of course, now I only remember the good things since we've moved away!

So, to all of you in Ohio who might be reading this--my family misses you, and remembers all of you very fondly! ;-)

Enjoy apricot... woops... I mean apricotpie.com. Don't hesitate to send me any writing or scanned in pictures you think would interest other home schoolers. I cannot promise you I will post them, but there's a very good chance that I will!

Ben Kniaz