General update

We have an owl in our neighborhood that makes the wildest whooping sounds at night. I don't mean "whoo-whoo-whoo" but something else entirely more creative. I'll have to listen more closely next time it calls in the middle of the night so I can relate its sound here - I'm afraid I couldn't do it justice right now. It sounds a little like a monkey. Richie thinks it's a barred owl, but I'm not sure.

The girls are drawing with chalk on the sidewalk with their friend from three doors down, Ceja. Mazie stayed home today because we think she has H1N1 and Vivian hated having to go to school when she knew Mazie was staying home. Their school is going pretty well, although Mazie's class has just last week broken into reading groups even though school has been in for almost 6 weeks. Besides, all the reading groups are reading a book called, "Hop, Frog, Hop" or something equally beginner-level-sounding, and Mazie is - er - not being challenged. I have no idea what to do about that, but Richie and I are going for a conference with Ms. Johnson on the 22nd, during which I'll ask gently about challenging Mazie if her ability level is beyond the classwork.

Vivian goes into her pre-K every day with no fuss, according to Richie. It starts at 8:30, so I'm already in school by the time she goes in. Her pre-K is at a school for autistic children. 1/3 of her classmates are autistic. The teachers are highly trained, really energetic, and there are a lot of them. But I'm getting the idea that school for Vivian is 99% social - which is wonderful for kids with autism who really need help developing socially. Vivian's not complaining, either.

I still feel like I see a lot of them. I am able to keep the times that are ritually important - dinner and all meals on weekends. Bedtime. Church, most weekend outings, special events. But all the spaces between (the interstices) are full of school for me. The only movie I have watched in the past 2 months has been The Pink Panther in 2 installments. No T.V. because we don't have one. Basically, I'm busy and sometimes pretty brain-tired, but functioning like normal in the family, except that Richie has taken on 90% of my domestic responsibilities. I'm like a roving helper and he runs the show. (Thank you, Richie!)

And he's just putting chili on the table. :)

Explanation of pictures: Mazie and Vivian playing with giant balloons in the yard with our neighbor, Maria. Vivian and Mazie with storm troopers at a local parade. They were overwhelmed and a little worried; that's what their facial expressions are saying.