Today my brother and sister have arrived. I've downloaded ~ 60 gigs of fun for this coming semester. Still more to come.

Tomorrow is Christmas eve... Being near the fireplace makes me wish I had Chowon sitting next to me.

I was way more hyped by Gwen's appearance than I thought I'd be. Mom and I kneeled down to talk to her, and Mom asked her for a hug a couple times but she was too shy. Then I asked for a hug and she gave me one. I felt kinda bad, so I let mom play with her solo for a little while and build that relationship. It made me super happy to know that Gwen feels close to me, though. Gwen's affection is easily one of my favorite things, and the thought that I'm doing well as an uncle is completely heart-warming.

On the way back from the airport with Jessica, we went through a drive-through at some Mexican restaurant. Mom did a rolling stop at the menu board, saying "they aren't answering, I wonder if they're open..." and then pulled up to the check out window and waited there for someone to come up. A man came to the window and asked "Can I help you?" and she said "Are you open?" he said "Yeah" and my mom was like "Well, can you just give us some burritos or something?" The whole time, my sister and I were trying to tell my mom she was doing it wrong and to go back, and immediately above the car by the checkout window was a huge sign saying "Open 24 hours!". Jess and I were practically yelling "Don't you know how to use a drive-through?!" and mom said "Well, I've never been to a Mexican drive through before!". So the guy at the window says "Why don't you have a look at the menu?" and so amid my sister and I calling out at her, she pulled around again and did it right.

It's been a rough day for mom. This morning she was pretty much freaking out trying to prepare the house for Dan+fam and Jess. She deserves a good night sleep, but I have a feeling she won't get it. In effort to give Dan and Steph a break she's put both Gwen and Lainey in cribs in her own room with dad... I'll try to make things easy for her the next few days.

...

Mom just pulled out a huge valentines care-package she made without me knowing and then forgot to mail to Hyewon forever ago. I'm so so glad she didn't mail that... Whew.. She has a way of causing trouble between me and girls without trying. I can't imagine the trouble that would have caused me.

"It was from me."