February 9
The night is clear and cold. I step out onto the deck and look up. The stars twinkle brightly. This is exciting. We often have so much light in the sky the stars are barely visible, but tonight there they are in sparkling clusters. We all troupe out onto the deck wrapped in blankets. We sit, one daughter on each adult lap, heads tilted towards the sky. We are still for a few moments each lost in thought. My first grader jumps up and stretches her arms above her head, "I'm Orion, that's what he looks like." My little one wants to join in and we help her see Orion's Belt. Then we all stand and adjust our imaginary belts.
When I was a child we slept outside in the summer. Every night I fell asleep looking at the silhouette of trees and stars slowly moving across the sky. I have long wanted my girls to feel the night sky above while they float into sleep. Tonight we see and feel the sky. It is a good beginning.
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