At home with the Wrights

I've had this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach all day. We all went about our regular Saturday business: chores with plenty of play and rest interspersed. But something was different, off. And then I realized what made today different than any other Saturday. Alex is going home tomorrow. Home. Home . There's a part of me that cringes at this realization. Even though we accepted him with open arms into our home, he has a separate place that he calls home...far, far away from us. Maybe I subconsciously tricked myself into believing it, but I feel like he's my son, my child, the little brother Aisling should have had. With each comment from others in stores about my cute kids and the continual assumption by the people around us that they are brother and sister (and I guiltily admit that I hardly ever corrected anyone past our circle of friends), I forgot that I would have to give him back. He took this picture with his camera on the timer setting. I just found it today...

I just received a manila envelope from the IRS...they've accepted my application and approved me to be an Enrolled Agent! Woohoo!

There's a famous rookery and wildlife preserve only 20 miles from us named Lake Martin. I've known about it from day one in Lafayette, but had never visited...until last Saturday. Now, when I here the word "lake", I think of a vast, clean body of fresh water. Don't you? Well, in Louisiana, "lake" sometimes is interchangeable with "swamp". Tell me the truth: When you think of Louisiana, isn't this what you see? Well...this is what we really saw at Lake Martin on Saturday. Don't be fooled! This might look like a natural carpeted footpath, but in reality it's a mossy swamp path full of alligators! Did I mention all of the numerous life forms here? This is a banana spider, I think. There were many all around the lake. Truthfully, it is very beautiful. We finally found some clear(ish) water with lilypads. There were even people fishing in some areas. These two women were barefoot, and sitting inches from the water with their dog. About ...

We've had Alex visiting with us since the beginning of June, and we absolutely love having him with us. We're ready to adopt him, but Ashli (my sister) says no (vehemently.) Alas, we only have two more weeks with him before we have to give him back to his mother. Brother and sister. Alex and Aisling. That's what everyone thinks. You'd never realize they were only cousins. They play together, they tease each other constantly, they are fiercely loyal to one another, and they love each other (although Alex would never admit it in all his 8-year-old boy glory.) These pictures are awful, but at least I caught them unaware. Remind me to never take pictures stealthily through a window ever again. Sigh. Although I couldn't hear them, I could tell they were playing some sort of game...sometimes sitting and discussing the rules, other times jumping and chasing each other. I'm so thankful Alex came to us this summer and last. Maybe I can convince my sister to let us ta...

It finally rained about two days ago, after months of no rain in Southern Louisiana. It's very rare that Louisiana experiences drought, and this is the first time in over three years that I've seen everyone's grass brown and scorched. (My family in Utah teasingly told me that they stole all of our moisture over the past months.) Aisling loves the rain here. It's so different from Utah rain. Here, it comes down in sheets for hours at a time. The ditches and coolies fill up quickly and start flowing, and the crawfish, turtles, eels, snakes, frogs, toads, and minnows come out to play. (i.e. I tend to have wild "guests" in and around my home during rainy days, courtesy of Aisling.) For instance, I came home yesterday from running errands, and Aisling introduced me to Blaze and Pecan, two crawfish with distinctive markings that she had found in the backyard and decided to keep in our home for a while. Although Blaze and Pecan made it into the house, Aisling knew...

Trevor is such a great father. See how he gently coerces Aisling to to smile for the camera (instead of ducking behind him, like she originally wanted to do when I said I was taking a picture of them)? Yes, Trevor firmly, but lovingly, steers Aisling to do what is right every chance he gets. And through his intensely thorough teaching methods, Aisling has learned the art of the head lock, tickle torture, and the occasional need and protocol for "aggressive negotiations" in addition to all of the social graces that every young lady should know. She's prepared for almost anything at only ten years old. Ah...how lucky she is to have Trevor for a father!