All Together (Nuclear Family Version)

Jake arrived Tuesday, cutting short by a few weeks his planned stay in Cambridge, where he was working at Harvard with his Haverford thesis adviser. He may continue to work for his thesis adviser into the fall. Having Jake at home will be good for each of us, in different ways.

Paul will benefit from having his big brother around: someone to play tennis or kick a soccer ball with, and someone to talk to about things he isn't comfortable talking to his parents about. The talking could have happened by phone, but it's more likely to happen, and to happen more often, when they're under the same roof.

We will all benefit from having another adult around the house: an additional cook, an additional shopper, an additional driver, an additional listener.

Jake will benefit from being able to help at a time when we need help.

There is only so much friends and family can do when they are one or two thousand miles away. We know they wish they could do more and be around more. We wish so, too. Most of our extended family lives near Boston, and it would certainly be easier on everyone if we were not the Midwest outliers.