All my sisters and brothers rolled down the hill but me!

Everyday we went to Rochdale, it was my job to take care of baby Abdul. The mountains loomed around us and I was too old to do the things the little ones did. I missed the feeling of freedom of rolling down the hills that seemed so fun, but still so far below me.

I almost made you miss such a beautiful feeling, as well. I was concerned about the health risks. I didn't want all that dirt in your hair and Emily's asthma scares and the look of it, etc. But you girls weren't deterred in the least. I said don't do what those other children are doing, rolling down the hill, at the ice cream social at the Family Conference and there you were rolling with your ice cream in your hands and hair and eyes. I was embarrassed, but laughingly. I could understand completely, but still very angry that you didn't listen. Does your mother really know what's best in those situations? What if we were to have to take Em to the hospital with an asthma attack? We didn't though. She laughed and had no other repercussions of those dirty and soiled interactions. We all laughed and even the babies, who were Enoch and Evie got completely filthy of ice cream and dirt and grass, so that I had to miss the evening session washing all that filth off of you guys! Wasn't that fun?

I miss it, everyday for the grown people that you guys have become. I go to work and I tell every little child that I see, don't miss any hill you can roll down. Don't think that you are too grown to do that? Don't think that the responsibility is yours to sit by the baby children while everyone else is rolling. You Roll! And you know what? They do!

Yesterday was a beautiful 70 degree day and I went outside and William put his sneakers on the minute I said, let's roll!