01 FEBRUARY 1872

I hardly have put my little Jane down during all this cold weather. I felt it in my bones that it was coming on us. I hate the cold biting air, it rips straight through to my heart. I fear my babies might take sick. I know Dan can doctor them but things take children no matter.

I hold John too but he wants to run. He's the sweetest little boy a body ever seen. His blue eyes already bring to my mind a wise man. John will know things, I feel it. It's Jane I fret about, she looks so sad sometimes. When she smiles though, it brings me such pleasure I just don't know what to do.

The cold and dark takes a lot out of me. When the wind blows in hard around our house I can feel it looking for me. Quilts piled on the bed don't always make me warm.

I don't like gettin' up to make a fire on these cold mornings. My fingers can't hardly break the kindlin' to bring the fire to life. That old cook stove warms up in a hurry when the fire starts to roar. I stand as close as I can to it. I want warm vittles in us all these cold days. Seems like I cook all day.

Dan says it turned February today. It'll still be cold times before warm comes to us. But it won't be long til I'll bring the seed out and think about gettin' them in the ground.