= Five

My mother-in-law was a math teacher. She's taught middle and high school math, but has spent most of her career as a guidance counselor. Though, she's never really lost her love of numbers. Once a (math) teacher, always a (math) teacher.

When my in-laws were visiting and meeting Claire over Valentine's weekend, she announced that our family number is five. I caught on that Andrew's birthday is the 5th immediately... but the others took some explaining.

My birthday is the 10th
My husband's birthday is the 13th

Together:
1+0+1+3 = 5

Andrew's birthday is the 5th

= 5

Benjamin's birthday is the 23rd

2+3=5

Claire's birthday is the 14th

1+4=5

Last week, I overheard my husband telling Benjamin that his favorite number is 6. In the 8 years of us being together, I never knew that. Then he asked what my favorite number is... I told him I don't have one.

While I think it's very cool that we have some mathematical connections as a family, I do struggle with five being my favorite number. A family number, okay. I can stand behind that because I love the connection of us all being weaved together in a web. My favorite number would've been four. If the doctors had the same intuition for Andrew as they did for Claire and pulled him out before it was too late.