1. I walk to the car service at lunch time. Sun. So much sun.
2. Jay’s excitement when I suggest an afternoon train ride to Celje Fairy Land with her grandma.
3. I make phone calls I haven’t made in months, and text to people I haven’t had the chance to reach. One friend had a big news to share, another one is looking forward to our January reunion… Every journey starts with a first step.

1. We wake up to a snow blanketed land.
2. Their red cheeks when they return from their sleighing adventure.
3. The puppets' show with Kazimir the Cat and Valentina the Mouse is sweet. For a moment I thought Jay was too big for it, but it is perfect. Also for me. Kazimir and Valentina win the audition. Together.

1. I am amazed by Jay's ice-skating. She is doing really well.
2. Snowflakes dancing in the air as we walk out of the building. First snow.
3. The board game that Santa left under the Christmas tree for us keeps us occupied late into the night. I think we don't need TV anymore.

1. I rise with mixed feelings. The next blow comes unexpected. I am still standing though.
2. Chocolate bears for Christmas table decoration. Jay is thrilled.
3. Jay wonders if they will sing opera. Yes. And it is wonderful. Christmas Day concert at our local church at 6 p.m.

1. Jay says she doesn't mind all that much that their class performance (with Jay playing Rudolph, the red-nosed Reindeer on the piano, and four other girls dancing) did not get into the school finals, because most of the teachers voted for them… which means they were really good. I like her attitude.
2. The most beautiful sunset with pink-belly clouds covering the entire sky.
3. After I am done grocery shopping I feel less tense, knowing at least I can tick off one thing from my list, as trivial as it may be.

1. When I park the car in their driveway I am in a total shock. It is an American house, with an mail box and a California Route 66 sign by the side of the road. The sight of it all lingers on in my mind for the rest of the day.
2. We descend at dusk. The girls run ahead and disappear down the road. A breeze of fresh air.
3. Suddenly I felt I needed to do something, anything, like go there and scratch the car, or throw a huge stone at it, or tear off the plates. Agony. But then it all dissolves… and I am back.

1. I spend my day running errands. It takes 4 pieces of paper before I get the classified right, more than an hour to sort things out with the bank, and three phone calls and lots of driving around before I drop off the goat milk products I bought for my aunt at the open market. I feel very small but very powerful.
2. Em makes a last minute announcement she will be having a party with two of her friends upstairs. It’s her birthday tomorrow and I was hoping to know about her plans at least one day ahead… But it seems there is going to be a whole lot more of short notices like this in the future. Every day, something new with children around. How can I not be grateful…?
3. Girls laughing, singing, dancing, watching TV together. I take a peek or two. Happy faces.

1. Crispy baguettes and vegan spreads at the office. Delicious.
2. O, happy day! Em’s wide smile.
3. After a long period of no TV I watch two movies in a row only to realize that I don’t enjoy such marathons anymore. And that is really good.

1. I make one tiny step: I check about where to bring the text and pay for the local newspaper classifieds.
2. Jay is learning multiplying. Number 2. Doing well.
3. I take photos of Em. We are hoping it’s the last 24 hour countdown of her wearing braces.

1. After a lot of persuading Jay puts on her hiking clothes and shoes and off we go. And she enjoys it so much she is sorry when we leave the spot with the tiny stream of water in the woods.
2. I got the idea from a long gone self-made card my cousin once sent. It takes time and a lot of effort but we are really happy with the result. I think Em should get an A for this one.
3. At nearly 11 p.m. I turn off the yoghurt-maker and place the jars in the fridge. Then I go to Em’s room to tuck her in. It feels like a good end of the day.

1. I miss Em by an hour. But she took photos with my camera so I can see her plaited hair before our reunion.
2. And then we applaud so hard that the chorus sings another song. It is so beautiful I start crying.
3. We shake hands, my old classmate and I, and I say how wonderful that both of our kids are attending the same school again.