As it is the end of the school year (for those who went to school this year), we thought a little quiz would be in order. Our greatest education this year has been in acquiring intimate knowledge about each other, so we thought we would check how well you have been following us and just how well you know us…

1. Which of the Smithlings is most inclined to baking?

2. Who of us has broken 2 appendages this year?

3. How many States have we been through? (Denial doesn't count!)

4. Who is not a morning person?

5. Who cooks breakfast most often?

6. When all is said and done, who balances the budget?

7. Who is most likely to fudge the budget?

8. Where are we?

9. Which of Naomi's friends has travelled with us - texting almost daily!?

10. Who sings, hums, or whistles incessantly?

11. Which of us (while driving) engages in spirited (somewhat censored) dialogue with people in other vehicles (even though they cannot hear what he is saying!)?

12. We have had birthdays in California, Arizona, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland… whose was in which place? (hint, two in California).

13. Which of us is most likely to "conduct" while listening to an i-pod?

14. Which of us is most likely to disengage altogether while listening to an i-pod?

15. Where did we spend Christmas?

16. Who would be most inclined to have psychological issues with our lack of personal space?

17. Who appears in the least number of photos?

18. Who has had the most time outs?

19. Who has the most creative French accent?

20. Who said, "There is no dwarf named Grouchy, you Meathead!"?

These are some of the things we have come to accept about each other… there are many more things we are unwilling even to acknowledge! However, the strangest and most challenging part of our journey is yet to come. Our renters will be out of our house by the end of July so we are free to move home when we get there in August. We are looking forward more and more to getting home. Cathy described us perfectly when she suggested "the horse will soon be running for the barn." Perhaps when we hit familiar territory we will be unstoppable…

We are not disillusioned regarding the adjustments that returning home will bring. Yesterday, Eli announced that he really missed doors! I had to think about that for a while, but we have pretty much lived an entire year in one room. We have in fact been so close in so many ways for so long it will be strange to be separated by things like rooms and doors when we get home. It will be even stranger to be separated by time and location. Rather than all five of us going the same direction all together, all five of us will be going in different directions separately…

Distance is inevitable. Change is unavoidable. Adjustment is something we know we are capable of. What will not change is the inexplicable connection between our hearts that we have encountered - in our year without doors.