Still Sweet Evan

Last week we made an appointment with his teacher. Last month we had parent conferences, but the kids talked to us about their work and we were instructed by the school to keep it simple and encouraging. So I didn't ask the lad any hard questions.

At this appointment I asked Ms. Alejandra what Evan wasn't doing well. Where were the problems, behavioral and academic? She hesitated. Ms. Ale isn't one to hesitate. Jo and I stiffened, waiting to hear the ugly truth. Then Ms. Ale started:

"I have to apologize. I am usually prepared to answer that question. But I really don't have anything to say. Evan is doing everything really well."

This hasn't happened since the Sweet Evan parent conference at Grace Garden three years ago. Jo and I had to pick our jaws off the floor. He's got them fooled.

Evan is a set of contradictions. Emotional and serene. He can cry at the memory of a sad moment. And sit like a monk through a Taekwondo class. Brainy and irritatingly literal.  He is reading chapter books for 10 year olds but analogies and metaphors are not for him. Caring and turdy. Last week kids at his school were collecting toys to give to immigrant children in shelters. Evan wanted to take is two favorite toys. Vivian tried to get him to take something he doesn't play with anymore. In the end he compromised and took a favorite toy and another he loves but we won't let him play with (a screeching monkey in a cape - if you, dear reader, gave it to Evan, it's making another child somewhere in a shelter happy. And driving his or her parent if there is one, nuts). Poignant and funny. Today at soccer he was struck on the side of his face with the ball. He wasn't happy. Coach Pala consoled him and said he would be given the first award (in the award ceremony after the game - it was the end of the season). I said "So you got the first award?"

"No I got the second award"

"What happened?"

"Apparently Coach Pala said that to another kid too. A girl."

Every night at bed time Evan gives me a big hug. Then he reminds me that he needs to get another hug in bed. And when he hugs me and whispers in my ear "I love you Daddy", I feel the force is strong with this one.

Evan turned six today. Happy sixth kiddo.

New Belts

Last Saturday I took the kids for their Taekwondo belt testing. Vivian wasn't ready - she did not know all 34 steps in her form for the next belt - but she fudged it in a group of other kids and din't get noticed. She excelled in her board breaking and smashed a "green" board with a hammer strike and a front kick with confidence that she hadn't shown previously. She credited that to help from Master Palacios, her 9th degree black belt instructor. "Dad, F=ma. As the mass of my hand is small, to get a big force I have to accelerate really fast". Geek ass-kicking - what's not to love there.

Evan was one of the youngest testing for a yellow belt. He and two grown-ups were asked to demonstrate some moves for the whole class and he happily hogged the limelight. Evan's friend's dad commented how serene and monk-like Evan looked through the whole thing and how his son had fidgeted all morning. I did notice that Evan looked very calm. He must use up every ounce and all his reserves of peacefulness for Taekwondo.

 











Afterwords they rewarded themselves with what they thought were well deserved donuts and showed off their new belts. 

A Wet Spring

After a dry start, April has been wet. Everything in the garden is growing like crazy and smells great. Jeanne dropped off some plants for the kids to put in the veggie garden. They planted them this weekend. The first week of watering was Evan's and so far he hasn't needed to do a thing.

So I wasn't surprised a couple of weekends ago when Vivian, Grace and Evan ran down from Carol's and returned a few minutes later asking for something to collect some water in. They had found a creek and wanted to pick up some tadpoles. Yet another few minutes later they returned with eight tadpoles in three glasses. When it was time to leave, Grace donated hers to our kids ("I don't think my parents will want tadpoles in the house"). So we returned to Austin with eight little tadpoles. Evan was hesitant about the whole thing. 

"I don't think my tadpoles like me"

"Why?"

"They were pretending to be asleep when I was carrying them back to the house"

I thought may be they were dead. But a few days later when the kids filled up a large jar with water and we transferred the little fellas to it, all eight seemed to be happy campers. We boiled some lettuce (apparently a tadpole delicacy) and started feeding them. They are growing and morphing right before Evan and Vivian's eyes and even Jo and I catch each other staring at the jar when we walk past.

On Sunday morning we went back up to Carol's. It was overcast and we were contemplating cutting cakes for Michelle's and Evan's coming birthdays. Nicolle suggested a walk to work up an appetite before dessert and it was decided that we'd stroll down to the aforementioned tadpole creek. Turned out that it required jumping a barbed wire fence, clambering down a pretty steep hill and then hiking up a creek bed. Seven cousins (Devyn was napping), four parents and Grandma reached the creek when we noticed that the overcast sky had turned ominous and that the wind had picked up. The kids were told to get back to the house and Nicolle, Jo, Carol, her newish knee and I started climbing back up at a more sedate pace. Lightening flashed, thunder roared, and pretty soon enormous
drops of rain fell.

At the fence, Nicolle and I pushed down on the barbed wire on either side of Carol who straddled the fence while Jo pushed Carol 's foot over the wire. At that instant lightening crackled directly overhead and I wondered what would our fate be if lightening struck the barbed wire anywhere near by. Headlines on Monday's New Braunfels Hearld-Zietung: "Four Stupid Adults On Barbed Wire Fried by Hill Country Storm. Achtung!".

We made it over the fence and up the path and soon were close enough to hear the kids chanting "Hurry Up Hurry Up Hurry Up...".  After a short break Carol caught her breath and we made it back to the house.

A bit later we dried off and celebrated Evan's birthday. I had a forkful of cake and put a slice in the freezer beside the cake that Mona got for me. Waiting till tomorrow when I can eat sugar again.

Carne

This Sunday we got our fix of Greta's carne guisada at Aunt Cole's. For his homework Evan interviewed Greta about her job and monetary habits (do you save any money - in Spanish). The kids played with their cousins. And Vivian picked up her Easter hat that she had forgotten at Grandma's. This weekend went by so fast that at bedtime Evan asked "is tomorrow Saturday?"

More Loquats

Speaking of Loquats the kids got their fill at the Shahs. They also got birthday goodies. Vivian changed right away into her new "frilly dress that looks like underwear and goes well with boots". Later when Evan complained that he was tired, she picked him right up in that dress and marched on.

Simran

The Girl from London is here in Austin for her Easter break. We met at Pacha for second breakfasts and then Vivian raided the loquat tree and she and Evan ate like squirrels. 

Running Update

Karen has been training the kids for Ava's 5K. Every Saturday they run circles around the track at Lamar. Evan continues to take this very seriously and competitively and runs hard and fast. But we are beginning to see some speed from the girls too. Vivian is running with her eye patch. She wears it a bit every day to make her brain use her weaker eye. And to look like a pirate. Aaaarrrrrr matey. 

Cultural Diversity

Last week their school had a "dress in your favorite cultural clothes" day ahead of their International Festival. They looked terrific in their new clothes from India given by the Choudary's and Khanna's.

Vivian took a change of clothes so that half way through the school day she could represent her other cultural half, thanks to Aunt Cole.  

Holi

So my old trusty MacBook is dying. Till that situation is remedied it's going to be mostly photos and very little text. We celebrated Holi at the AARC with Aria, Iona, Krish and the kids.