February 23, Winter, year 37

My goodness, happy birthday to me! It was so wonderful to be able to stretch my legs at last, even if it wasn't for very long. Still a few hours was more than enough to return my patience and willingness to rest.

I was very grateful that Daisuke promised he wouldn't throw me a big feast-party like they normally did. I don't think I'd be able to handle something like that, not at the strength and energy level I have now.

The babies were staring in awe at everything. It was so cute! I can already tell them apart. Selene is Meri, only reversed! She has blonde bangs—thought I suppose it's too early to call them bangs, isn't it?—and the rest of her hair is silver. Her left eye is blue and her right eye is green.

Luna has pure silver hair, like Jamie's, and Skye's eyes. She's Skye in miniature, and female! But then Lucian is a male mini-me, so I guess it all works out, doesn't it?

I got some of the best news I've had in the longest while though… We'll be allowed to go home at the end of the month!

Ten-chan passed on all my messages—I can't believe I completely forgot to mention these things—and so my house has once again been modified. I think I'll give Lauren and Mirei the upstairs of the girl's room, I'm fairly sure that by the time Meredith wants to join them that Lauren will be at that college in the City for clothing. And until they're weaned the babies will be sleeping with Skye and myself.

Which reminds me that I'll have to get a bunkbed for the boy's room, else there will never be enough room.

I could probably redo the curtains and flooring in the downstairs of the girl's room too, goodness knows that after sixteen—almost seventeen now—years it certainly needs it.

Oh, and I have been plied with presents! Hee.

Lauren found me a simple gold bracelet in their room, Kaemon gave leave for Jamie to give me a couple of books of fairytales, Tsuyu gave me a beautiful sculpture—I think it's made of diamond!—Daisuke said I could raid the proverbial linen closet for fabrics before I went home, Hotaru presented me with winged kittens—a litter of five, this will be interesting to explain to everyone back home. Meri's Pegasus, and now these little guys… Ah well, they're too adorable to refuse!—Yukiko gave me a locket with a picture of all my children and my husband on one side, and all of them on the other, and Hoshiko and Yue worked together to collect plant seeds for me!

Miharu gave me a tome of healing magic, she promises she doesn't need it, and Ten-chan brought me birthday wishes, messages, and presents from home. And other people dropped by my 'sickroom' to drop off even more!

I mean, I understand I made a favorable impression, but all this? It's so impressive and overwhelming that I still don't know what all to say.

Skye added a diamond to our pendants, so we now have two. He then promptly made me earrings to go with! I glittered today!

I'm already trying to decide which fabrics I want to bring with me when I go home. Definitely the cloth of gold and silver, I want some of the gauze that sparkles in the sunlight, hmm… Maybe some of the darker colors, that had gilt threads shot through them. It made quite the impression, and I could maybe use them in some new clothes for my kids as well as Skye and me.

Now that I'm leaving, I'm actually a little bit sad. Alan has been going around taking as many pictures as he possibly can, with Jamie in tow because Jamie's hands are steadier with the camera.

Tsukiko hasn't changed any. Despite accepting Skye's choices, she still does her best to ignore me, only talking to me when she has to. I suppose I can't blame her, I exposed Toshi, and stole Skye from her. Besides which, talking to her is like talking to a brick wall. It just doesn't work.

Bah, I'm working myself up when I should be resting, properly speaking. But I don't get the time to sit and write anymore, so I'm going to use it while I can.

Getting back to the babies, they're well… babies! They eat, sleep and take dumps. And shred my sleeping pattern. I think Uncle Tak will still be hiring Harvest Sprites for a few months until they have a better sleeping rhythm.

Admittedly judging by his note he just wants me back, so I guess he won't begrudge his new nieces and nephew. Hehehe.

Mmmm…. Ack! I just got landed on by one of the kittens! If the babies aren't awake, these little guys and girls certainly are. They seem to follow the usual colorings of normal kitties—we've got orange and silver tabbies! So cute!—other than the wings. Every kitten has wings that are an odd, bright orange. But Hotaru promises that the color will change as they get older, to match their fur.

I'm a little worried about how my house-and-farm kitties will take the newcomers. I hope they don't handle it too badly. Not to mention we're probably going to have a severe depopulation of the birds this coming year. But I can't keep flying creatures inside, it just… wouldn't be right.

Ah, I can't wait to get home! Even if I can't work in the earth yet, just being home, smelling the sea breeze, the grass, the rain… Seeing the sunrise of home will be wonderful. And seeing everyone else will be like heaven. All my friends and family…

I can hardly wait!

Ah, I hear a fussy Lucien! Better hurry and tend him before he wa—never mind, there goes Selene… and Luna.

Ah, children…. Haha!