At home with the Wrights

Hurricanes...an inevitable part of living on the North Gulf Coast. And right now, Hurricane Gustav is set to pummel us with a direct hit. My city, Lafayette, LA is situated about 40 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, but if you look at a map of the United States, it would look like we are pretty much on the coast. But 40 miles gives us a little bit of a land "buffer" from the catastrophic category 4-5 beating they are predicting. Once Gustav makes landfall, it will slow down. And, hopefully, by the time it reaches Lafayette, it will be a Category 3 or below. More than the wind speeds, we worry about the tidal surges that bring in the floods. Trevor and I can stomach fallen trees, reshingling roofs, replacing windows, and fixing siding, but we cannot imagine the total devastation of floods. At this point, I'll stop talking about it, because I don't want to think about it. Aisling and I will be riding out the storm in northern Lafayette at the home of good friends, Gre...

If you know me at all, you know that I'm not very good at taking pictures. Not artistically speaking, just in actually picking up the thing and pressing the button! Trevor and I continually buy cameras to "encourage" each other to be better about using them. So, I'm posting pictures of some of our recent escapades to show that I'm trying very hard to use the camera! Window Arch in Arches National Park, Utah See those dot(s) in the "window"? That's Aisling and Alex! Aisling in the backyard with Feather Aisling and Alex in their "fort" in Aisling's bedroom Aisling chillin' with her peeps! Peaches at 2 days old on Aisling's foot Can you believe she is almost a full size hen at 12 weeks?! Aisling resting with a kitty scarf (Note) This is a very common scene in our house nowadays.

I am amazed at the bond between Aisling and Note. Note prefers Aisling to anyone else, and loves to be near her, even while sleeping. And as you can see, Aisling feels the same way about Note. I had forgotten what it was like to have a cuddly pet who means the world to you and vice-versa. Our little girl radiates a sense of peace and inner happiness that I haven't seen since we moved to Louisiana. I love to watch them together when she doesn't realize I'm looking. Isn't it amazing how much caring and lovin g relationships improve life and bring sunshine to the cloudiest days? Our days are still very quiet here, but with many more smiles and little laughs interspersed between impromptu games of hide and seek between kitty and girl.

I was "rummaging" through my photos on my computer, and came across the very few that I took while in Amarillo, TX with my mom, dad, sis, Alex, and Aisling at the end of last month. We had such a good time in Texas! Of course, I think we could have a good time anywhere, as long as we were together. Living far away from your family and roots is challenging, but it causes you to either grow (preferable) or wither (not so preferable). There are many days when I think I'm doing great out here on my own. Homeschool? No problem! Work? No problem! Church callings? Bring it on! And then there are the days when I miss everyone so badly that it physically hurts, and I yearn for the comfort and familiarity of my roots in the West. Those days, I question my sanity and ability to endure without my parents and sister holding my hand (What am I doing here in the deep South? I want my mommy!) It's the memories of being together, like the trip to Amarillo, that keep me going on thos...

Today, after her usual round of school work and play, Aisling felt extremely tired. It's not surprising, since we are a night-owl family and the last few nights have yielded less sleep than usual. Aisling decided to "rest her eyes" for a bit while I finished up some work. It seems that Note thought that was an excellent idea as well!

After many years of begging, pleading, promising (to fully take care of ANOTHER animal, including the extra housework), reading and studying about cat care and hygiene, Aisling has finally adopted a kitten! Note Clef Meowzer Wright arrived at our house on Saturday, August 16th, 2008 (much to the chagrin of Trevor.) At 10 weeks, Note is very active and vocal (how many cats meow as they eat and drink?) Besides meowing, he loves pouncing on his mouse toy and hiding under the bed to sleep. Aisling loves having Note around...most of the time. I've noticed that she sometimes slips quietly away to her room, closing the door silently behind her...without the kitten. It's then that Note feels abandoned, and the constant meows reach eardrum-bursting volume as Note then searches for me. Aisling's explanation/excuse? "It's too loud out there!" Sigh. She's an only child. she's used to peace and quiet. Although she previously and constantly complained about the l...