Dear Mom, circa 1994

Going through old memorabilia - I came across a card I sent to my mother:

Dear Mom, 

Better late than never? I'm sorry I didn't send this sooner. I got your letter last week and it was great to hear from you. I hope your house contract works out. Leslie has had the flu since last Wednesday and I've had a bad cold, so we're a little behind schedule. 

Don gave me a sofa for Valentine's Day. Our family room one was very old and very dog-spitty. Don had to go out of town yesterday and won't be back until tonight or tomorrow so I took the kids out to dinner and we spent the evening studying fluid buoyancy, multiplication and health. I had planned to take a bubble bath and watch a Michael Bolton concert on the VCR, but was too tired and went to bed dirty. So I hope your Valentine's Day was more exciting than mine. 

I think our new van comes in this week. I plan to wallpaper the family room later in the week - it's too dark and Sarah has her 18th birthday this Friday!

I enjoyed your letter and your resolutions. I personally plan to never diet again - they don't work. I'll write you a more proper letter in the next week. 

I love you,

Bev 

There's such a sweetness, 28 years later, reading about a typical day at our house - three kids still living at home and someone was always sick, math and science homework, a husband traveling, a sofa covered with dog spit. Where we actually hand wrote letters, sent cards, and watched programs on the VCR. A Valentine's spent alone where I just climbed into bed at the end of the day dirty and tired. 

What wonderful times those were.