Back To School

Not literally.

But I loaded photos from the camera in preparation for travel and found these. I hardly use the camera that is also not a phone anymore and I didn't take these photos (Jo did). So before I lose them here they are. They are from the last day of first grade for Vivian. With Ms. Gina, Alina and Gracie. We weren't sure about Ms. Gina in the beginning. But she is a great teacher and Vivian had a wonderful year. And now we are barely a month away from the start of second grade. Where did our little girl go?

Leaving Austin

We are going away for five weeks. And Evan is already complaining about wanting to stay at home.

"I want to stay at home"
"Evan - we are going to Iceland"
"I wish we can take our white wooden house with us"
"Evan - it's not like Grandma's camper. We can't just roll it away"
"Then I wish we can take our car with us. Can we drive it to Iceland?"

I take him inside and show him the world map and point out Iceland and the expanse of blue around it. He capitulates. But not willingly.

Jo and I start moving pieces of luggage around. Crazy senses that she's not going to like whatever is coming and get crazier than usual and meows all the fricking time. We make excuses and find things to do so we don't have to pack. I even clean out the fridge. Evan and Vivian and I go for a walk with Simran and Jeanne. We get Taylor to babysit the kids and go out for dinner with Jen and Travis. Jo and I both know that we'll be eating dinner with the kids for the next 38 days. In captivity.

The next day we go to Whole Foods for lunch. We haven't cooked at home for so long why break the streak now. I notice that Evan is dressed in a red t-shirt, white and blue flannel PJ bottoms and faux snakeskin boots. We eat our favorite spicy noodles and grilled chicken soup. Later we get home and Jo packs. We nap. I wake up in time to finish my packing and shower. Jen shows up to drive us to the airport. Schlotzsky's sandwiches for dinner.  We board our flight. I sit with Evan on one side of the aisle and Jo and Vivian take the other side. It's a four hour flight to Boston. We arrive at 12:15am. Evan talks for three hours and fifty minutes and sleeps the last ten.

Michelle picks us up from the airport and Vivian falls asleep in the car. Evan keeps talking. He is jittery from the lack of sleep now. Every two minutes he asks how long before we reach Uncle Alu's. I'm still sitting beside him and I am very tired of listening to him. We get to Wakefield and put the kids to bed and it's almost three. Evan finally shuts up but I can still hear him in my head.

4th of July

By the time I was properly awake on the 4th morning the kitchen was abuzz. The Burns were already cooking up a storm. Then we left to buy barbecue and liquor and the rest of the day is a blur. At some point family and friends arrived. World Cup on TV. Lots of swimming. Dinner was grilled. Happy birthday was sung. Cake was cut (Karen knows how to do a good birthday cake). More pool. Then fireworks. Grown ups and children asleep on various couches.  Sleepy tired uncooperative children. Good times.

3rd of July

We didn't really have plans for the 4th of July. Till everything suddenly fell into place at the last minute. Uncle Tom, Aunt Anna, and Jo's cousins Amy and Kim were going to drive in from Nebraska. Ava, Karen and Tim would join us. As would Kiren and Rowan (Vivian and Evan's classmates) and their parents, Brendan and Jen. And we would celebrate Tim, Jen and Kai's birthdays.

The Nebraska contingent was to arrive late on Wednesday night. At bedtime at Carol's, Jo put Vivian and Evan to bed. Our usual bedroom was going to be used by Uncle Tom and Aunt Anna. And the kids' usual bedroom was set aside Amy and Kim.

Jo and Vivian were going to share a queen bed. Because Jo was worried that Evan might roll off the bed at night if all three were to share it, she made Evan a bed on the floor with a palette of cushions. I was back in Austin.

Jo and the kids hit the sack. Carol stayed up. The Nebraskans arrived. People went to bed. Jo woke up in the morning and noticed that Evan's bed was empty.

The kids often crawl in with Grandma when they wake up and Jo thought that's what Evan must have done. Negative. She checked the couches in the living room (Evan is an avid couch sleeper). No luck there either. Worried now, she checked the pool. Nothing floating or at the bottom there. Which just left the shut doors of the two bedrooms with the guests.

Jo carefully knocked on Uncle Tom's door.

"Is Evan in there?"
"Yes he is"

Turns out that at about 4am Evan ditched his palette bed on the floor. He must not have liked what he saw on the queen bed beside him where Jo and Vivian were fast asleep. So he stepped out into the hall, walked up to the first bedroom, opened the door and found Uncle Tom and Aunt Anna asleep. These are people he sees infrequently. Practically strangers. Apparently not to Evan.

He proceeds to wake Uncle Tom up. And tells him that he doesn't like his bed. At this point Aunt Anna wakes up and thinks her husband is talking to imaginary elves because she can't see Evan from where she is and Tom is talking to someone. Uncle Tom explains. Aunt Anna starts asking Evan if he'd like to sleep with them. He hurriedly accepts the invitation. Before Aunt Anna has even finished, he jumps over Uncle Tom and finds himself a nice spot between the two of them and sleeps soundly for the rest of the night.

Su casa mi casa. That's Texas hospitality from my lad.