Sunday at the 'rents

After enough of my sisters moved out in the early 90s - around the same time we came up with "the 'rents " as a nickname for "our parents" and thought it was hysterical - my parents turned an upstairs bedroom into an office, where I spent hours in middle and high school writing papers. Even on cold nights while I was living at home, I flipped on the space heater and sat in front of it reading. My father keeps his books here so I'm never without reading material when I want to retreat somewhere familiar, comfortable and safe. I feel that a part of my soul is here too, and when this office someday ceases to exist after "the 'rents" and my brothers move, that part of my soul will still thrive in the memories of this room. Right now I'm writing this post while mom bakes chicken and rice downstairs. It smells delicious. Dinner starts in a few minutes. I decided to stay and eat so I could light the four candles in the Advent wreath, since this is the fourth Sunday of Advent. It's a family tradition to light Advent candles before dinner each night during the Holy Season of Advent. After dinner I hope to bake my Christmas cookies. I stopped by a few days ago to bake dough and I kept it in their refrigerator. While I bake, the 'rents will be in the family room with my brothers watching a video. They'll shut the door so I don't hear Joseph scream. I always do though because these walls aren't thick enough to block out those sounds.