"I know I say other people I like are 'best friends.' But Avril is my best, best friend." -Norah

And Avril totally heard Norah say this, too! They gave each other a big hug because of this and I grabbed my camera because it happened to be right there. When I took this picture, Avril was still gushing over what her big sister had said about her. It brings tears to my eyes to see Avril's joy in this photo.

The night before this, I actually went to bed wondering if Norah was getting enough "socialization." We have a lot of her friends over to play and we see friends at church, etc. but I was beginning to wonder if a two year old was a good enough companion for a seven year old day after day after day... Norah had no idea I was thinking about these things. She just said what came to heart at the moment and it just happened to answer all my doubts.

I think one of the weaknesses with formal school is that it can subtly weaken sibling bonds over the years, particularly with siblings that have large age differences. Sisters and brothers are kept from one another for such long hours, for so many months at a time that it's hard for them to become good friends and they aren't given the time or opportunity to learn how to appreciate and accommodate someone so very different. I was thankful for such a timely and vivid reminder of why home school is still the best choice for my family.