Things Around Here

We're getting into a groove at our house. Z is enjoying preschool and beginning to understand he gets to go 4 days a week. Although the oatmeal for snack today was a big downer. For the kid who will eat anything, I guess we can add oatmeal to the list of "no thank you." And what have I been up to with my free mornings? Volunteering at school. This gives me a chance to be with Carver and Lily in their classes, help their teachers, get to know the students, and my favorite: help in the library. Where else can I have non-stop Harry Potter conversations and look cool? The 5th graders love me!

We did not get tickets to Obama's speech tomorrow night. I got a very nice rejection email letting me know we were on a waiting list. I plan to watch it on TV, of course, and I'll have to be content with that. As an Evangelical Christian Democrat, I set off alarm bells at polling booths and profile surveys. But I continue to believe that we can make a difference with poverty, health insurance, peace, and equality.

This is the week David began classes for his PhD. Every Wednesday night, from 4 to 10. He left this morning at 6:45 and Carver--our early riser--said, "See you tomorrow, Dad." Isn't that sad? So to keep us all happy I've dubbed Wednesdays "slob night." We made cookies and had dessert before dinner, and I tossed some baby carrots and bananas on the table in an attempt at a balanced meal. The kids are currently playing computer and we are living the American dream of lazy evenings in front of a screen.

I figure one night a week won't kill us.