Yes, I'm turning 40 this year too. I don't mind. For the most part, I'm happier being slightly more mature (and perhaps a teeny-tiny bit wiser?) than I was in my teens, twenties, or even thirties. My dh and I keep looking at each other and saying, "how come you're so much easier to get along with than you used to be?". I think he's mellowed over the years--he's sure it's that I'm nicer than I used to be. {grin}

Gerrit is my husband's oldest brother (there are seven brothers).

I guess I didn't mention it because...well, I dunno. It seemed maybe a bit presumptuous somehow.

-like assuming all homeschoolers must know each other, or that all African-Americans know each other just because of the color of their skin. Washington is, after all, a sizable area. I didn't want to assume that because you both were organic dairy farmers in the same state, that you must know each other. Goofy, huh?