Chicago in February

Out of our last eight years in Chicago, this is the snowiest year either of us has ever seen. The weather was down around zero for a week or two, but otherwise it has snowed what feels like every other day. And not just flurries either, but inches at a time. It melts just enough to make a great layer of slush, then freezes and dumps another six inches of snow on top. Walking Mary to school has become a no-stroller forced march with Linda in the Baby Bjorn and Mary and Isaac tromping along in their boots. People do shovel their walks, but no one can keep up with all this snow. I just heard on the news today that one of the north suburbs actually ran out of salt--and they got a foot of snow yesterday.

Ed's missing all the latest snow fun. He left late Monday night for Copenhagen to meet with his fellow scholars and won't be back until next Monday evening. Of course we all miss him. I've decided he needs to start traveling to a different time zone, because the only time we can Skype each other is when one of us is exhausted and the other of us is in the middle of something. This trip isn't like his recent one to Turkey, either, where he had lots of his own time--this is a busy trip filled with meetings. I think he's really enjoying himself, but I'm sure he'll be tired when he gets back.

Here's a recent and somewhat unscripted photo of the family. Ed always complains that he never looks good in our photos, and he'd like to get a professional one taken. So maybe I'll have to go shopping for our matching and/or complimentary outfits and schedule one. In the meantime, at least you can see our faces.