I have an amazing daughter. Amazing on many levels--the quality of hugs she gives, her steady eager approach to academic work, her voracious appetite for books, and her ability to let go of stuff.

Rose is doing her semi-annual room cleaning. In this process she goes through every drawer, every book shelf, every small box. She evaluates whether she wants to keep the thing, pass it on to David, or get it out of the house. So far today, she's given David several playmobile toys, a stack of books, and a pair of outgrown pink sun glasses. She gently let me know that the peg loom I gave her for Hannukah has not held her interest. I wasn't ready to get rid of it but said I would set it aside for David.

She dedicated a shelf to "projects I want to do." The Madlibs went there as well as the Hebrew school homework and left over school homework packets. She's looking forward to practicing her math facts and using Hebrew for secret messages.

David asked: Are you sad?
Rose said: a little.

Then blew her party horn five times and put it in the garbage.