Alida

Alida. 

Content and happy still to be within or without of a crowd. 

I kind of like when you leave to go to your friend's house with Elaine, but then you return after a while alone--done with that and ready to hang out by yourself for awhile. You love school and your teacher, even though you are actually having the hardest year (not hard at all compared to some years past however).  You have no idea that your teacher is a little scattered.  I love this for you right now; you'll figure that out soon enough.  You write me books and letters.  Your smile is infectious, your laugh outright disarming.  

Ben, yes, you still have amazing blue eyes that you did not get from me.