My Little Man

We run by him. We run around him. He says he's hungry and we figure something out. His news comes after the "other" news about colleges and work schedules and dog walks. He was born 7 years after my middle son - who I thought would be the baby of the family until God had other plans and sent me this joy. The funny, sweet, unexpected joy.

So while I am not paying as much attention to him as I should while I watch my trashy tv shows and he is doing his homework, he is doing great work as a 5th grader. His penmanship could use a little (lot) of work but this morning I pulled this little gem from the recycling pile where he put it, either not wanting to show it off or not thinking anyone would read it. Stake in heart. Ok, I'm listening, I get it, time to pay more attention to the kid!

"The Japanese Paper house was designed to be flexible and convenient for everyday life. Since it is made of paper, if there was an earthquake it could be rebuilt easily. It is convenient because, with sliding partitions, it can be rearranged for many activities easily. Also the raised floor helps mud stay off the house.

Walls made of special strong paper mounted on a wooden frame provided privacy while still letting light in. The sections of the wall could slide easily to either side to allow a view of the garden. This design was especially convenient during the hot Japanese summer, when the house could be completely opened up to catch passing breezes.

The Japanese paper house can be convenient while still being elegant."

and now I want to go to Japan and live in a paper house with the sides rolled up to let the cool breezes in. Nice.